Longtime West End Italian restaurant, Capriccios (9127 W. Broad St.) serves slices in the Vincelli-dubbed “Richmond cute style,” and just opened a downtown location at 801 W. Cary St. in February. “Richmond cute,” which Vincelli outlines in her October 2025 Richmond Magazine article, “That’s Amore,” draws from the deep well of Carini, Sicily immigrants that started coming to Central Virginia in the 1970s-‘80s. Markers of the “New York-ish” style pizza include: round shape, wedge-cut, 50/50 mozzarella mix, made with James River tap water and high protein flour, heavy on the sauce, cooked in a gas deck oven and a chewy and crisp crust.
In addition to old-school, family-run staples, Richmond continues to see growth with new age concepts, like Rob Zorch’s New York style ‘za. Zorch opened the restaurant’s second location, a Forest Hill pizza parlor (7524 Forest Hill Ave.) in summer 2024. Late last year, Zorch Pizza (2923 W. Cary St.) announced the expansion of their bustling Carytown spot, which will include an extra pizza oven, larger bar and expanded bar program, soft-serve machine, better situated bathrooms and more space to enjoy your meal.
The less-than-a-year-old Pizzeria Mungo (1017 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd.) is serving up to-go pies and slices in Scott’s Addition and already garnering a rabid fan base. Style food writer Megan Marconyak says owner Eric Mungo “turns out some of the best pie we’ve had in Richmond. Ever.”
Smokestack Pizza, a counter service restaurant located in padel and pickleball club Padel Plant (1201 Haxall Point), is a seemingly unlikely contender for stellar pies. But Vincelli says to put them on your radar, if you haven’t already. “They are coming out with a great product,” she says. “They are using some of the best stuff — Italian flour, a really specific blend of tomatoes — and they’re chasing seasonality,” says Vincelli. They even hired a private tutor to really help them “get their game on lock.”…