4 /5
Rating average
★
★
★
★
Its name, "The Parlour," suggests coziness and smallness, but this place is big inside! From outside, the building looks heavy and not inviting---very industrial and factory/warehouse-like, being built of no-nonsense red brick. It's a hold-over (and lucky survival!) from the earlier part of the 20th century. It's been renovated in a common style these days---"industrial chic." (People now seem to like to drink cocktails and craft beer, and eat chef-prepared food, in formerly gritty workers' buildings that have been updated to reflect the 21st century.)There's a smallish outdoor patio, but it looks out on an uninteresting parking lot. But once you get inside, the space is open and airy with high ceilings and tall windows. There's lots of space---mostly tables and chairs in groups---and if you want to watch your pizza being made, you can sit at the bar. Friends and I have tried both seating options, and I think the bar location is the best (lots of action there at the large wood-fired oven and from the bustling waitresses and bartenders).The Parlour is one of several places that have opened in the city over the past 4-5 years that feature pizzas made much as you would get them in Italy---shoved into a large oven on a flat pan, and cooked with charring around the edges. There are about 15 choices that are fashionable---for example, one with truffles and blueberries for toppings, or (my favourite) "The Wise Guy," with sausage, fennel, rosemary and roasted onions. The pizzas are tasty and made with a thicker crust more common in Naples. (I prefer the thinner crust you get in Rome.) The restaurant is just one block from a main university campus and has attracted a large clientele from there. It always has a good number of customers but it's never been a problem getting a seat. There are a few things that I'd like to see improved. One is that there are several TV monitors broadcasting sports games. This gives the place a bit of a "sports bar" feel. There are plenty of sports bars throughout the city, so at The Parlour it might be good to have something playing such as Italian music videos or older Italian movies. Doing that would contribute more to the "authenticity." Also, there is an advertised Happy Hour when pizzas are at reduced prices. The first time I and others were there at that special time, the waitress didn't remind us of that and charged us full prices. We had to negotiate and point out that it was now Happy Hour, which we shouldn't have had to do. Another thing that annoyed me was having the waitress clear away the plates while we were still sitting and talking just after finishing eating. This is common in North American restaurants. I wish management would take a lesson from European cafes and restaurants and not do that until after the customers have left.Generally, though, The Parlour is a pretty good choice to go to for a satisfying Italian-style pizza. A good selection of pasta dishes, and Italian (and other) wines, are available, but pizza is the big attraction! They stay open late on weeknights, and on weekends they start business at 4 p.m.