Pizzeria Antica

We went to Pizzeria Antica around 8:30pm on Saturday, soon before close. It was pretty full, but with just two of us we were seated right away. We were tucked into a booth around the corner, which felt quite private, but the main eating area is more public, so don’t expect a romantic, intimate dinner!
First, the food: excellent. Well worth the $ 14 a pie. We had the Pistacchio and the Cantalupo. Both had excellent depth of flavor, the crust was a lovely blend of crunchy and doughy, and the flavor was top notch.
We shared a very affordable ($ 20) and very delicious bottle of wine.
Also, it must be said that the women’s bathroom is fabulous. A nice changing table, 2 sizes of diapers, pads and tampons, Aveeno lotion, and q-​tips. More than many of the nicer places in town offer! (Of course, I’d love to see all restaurants offer a changing table in the men’s AND women’s restrooms, but that’s a bigger gripe.)
The only downside was that the service was a bit off. Our waiter was quick to take our orders and get them in, but brought us an already-​opened bottle of wine (typically the reason for opening the bottle at the table is to demonstrate it’s fresh and what you ordered), which was a bit odd. Wine and pizza came out fast though, and both were fabulous. Once we got our pizza, we didn’t have anyone check in with us to see how we liked it (so much!), to see if we wanted more water (we did), or to see if we wanted more booze or dessert. So if we had wanted gelato, or something, we would have had to go find the waiter on our own.
We will certainly be back!

They’ve changed some things since the last time I came here. Now, you order at your table and you get plates /​silverware to eat the pizza. I liked their previous quirky style more– it was fun and different to have no plates!
But the pizza is still delicious. We had the Diavola, which is nicely spicy. The espresso is top-​notch, and comes with a wonderful biscotti that they make themselves!

We are really enjoying having this restaurant added to the CU scene. Only way better for us would be to have it in Urbana! Have been there at least 4 times since opened. Love the pizzas, the salads and the people!

My girlfriend and I went there because they have gluten free crust! The place was really clean and cool. We decided to sit at the bar to see the whole pizza making process, because the oven looked really cool.
However, if you have celiac (like my girlfriend), or are sensitive to gluten then this place is not what you’ve been searching for in Champaign. The owner (earlier in the day) and the waiter assured us the gf pizza would be baked on its own pan. After seeing the awesome wood burning ovens we realized everything went inside without a pan. My girlfriend was willing to risk having her pizza in the ashes of wheat flour (she wasn’t fooled by the waiter saying gluten burns up in the oven). Our bigger problem was the chef rolling out a wheat crust on the counter then using his same bare hands to top her gf crust. And the fact that it was impossible to retrieve her pizza from the oven using the «pan» it came on, the chef had to paddle it out with the usual instrument.
It’s fine if they can’t service celiac customers, we get that. But it was disappointing considering she had asked the owner ahead of time in person, and that the waiter was in denial. I, on the other hand, had the pleasure of eating the entire pizza all by myself.
Finally, for the 99 in 100 this place had excellent, fresh ingredients and a nice menu selection. I can’t say for the regular pizzas, but the non-​gluten free gluten free pizza was good. :)

This restaurant has definitely gotten better since the last time I reviewed it!!! If you want pizza in a sit-​down restaurant, this is definitely a great place to go. Heck, I think it’s probably one of the best restaurants in the whole downtown Champaign area. Everything on the menu is authentic… they use 00 Caputo flour which is the best kind to use for pizza. Everything is as if you’d find it in Italy — the gelato is shipped in from Italy (via Chicago twice a week)… the olive oils they use are shipped in and even the tomatoes are San Marzano’s!!! The owner is super friendly and is great with the kids. Rather than the traditional crayons and coloring pages, he gives them little balls of dough to occupy them while the pizzas are cooked (and they’ve greatly improved on this area — we had our pizzas within 8 minutes of ordering!!!). Once the kids were done creating — he cooked them!!! That was the icing on the cake… my kids’ faces lit up when he brought them their handmade dough creations! Even after inhaling their pizza (my 5yr old ate 4 slices in a matter of minutes), he was eating his bread!!! And my 3yr old even inhaled 2 slices and still ate her bread!!! Awesome. As for us, my hubby and I ordered an Italian salad which was so flavorful — the lettuce was great, the peppers were great and so were the tomatoes!!! The dressing only enhanced everything else! YES! We also ordered the Cantalupo (?) — it was tomato sauce, mozzarella, hot italian sausage and spicy olive oil — it was fantastic!!! The crust and toppings came together beautifully!!! And they even opened up a gelato bar — which was heaven in frozen-​form. My son got the raspberry gelato which was so bright and fresh! The chocolate gelato was my favorite by far!!! My husband loved his salted caramel — I thought that was too rich, but my husband said that there is no such thing as too much caramel.
And for those who are complaining that they don’t do carry-out…you need to eat this type of pizza right out of the oven for optimal taste amd quality. Eat a few slices here and take the rest home — you’ll agree it won’t taste the same as it did right out of the oven. If you want pizza in a box, there’s Papa John’s or Little Caesars… if you want great pizza in a box, find Dragon Fire. So there you have it folks — amazing, authentic pizza in a sit-​down restaurant… in Champaign!!! Who would’ve thought?
We spoke with the owner as we were about to leave and he told us that he’s competing in Las Vegas at the World Pizza Championships (!!!) with their signature pizza (the Pistachio — I’ll have to try that next time!!) — going up against Mario Batali and all the NYC pizzerias and other top places from around the country… I’ll be rooting for Pizzeria Antica!!!

After returning for a second time, noticed that the ordering and seating process is quite different. It’s now in the form of a more traditional restaurant: wait to be seated, give order to server, etc. We were sat, given a number, and not approached for close to 10 minutes. The server (maybe owner) was super gruff with us, like visibly and audibly annoyed that we were unfamiliar with the process now, and came back to the table once during the meal. Not into it.

I love pizza and after trying hundreds of pizza… I think I have pretty high expectations. We walked by this place when out one night to get a glass of wine.
Returning a week later with our son, we gave Antica a shot.
I can’t say that I am thrilled we went.
They have a nice atmosphere going on here, a well thought and organized menu. The whole place has its own unique and fresh vibe!
But… the pizza was a disappointment. Both of us got the Bianca (4 Cheese) and my husband added sausage to his. Both were fairly lacking in flavor and the ricotta was cold in the larger chunks. This is a sauceless pizza, but the menu doesn’t say that. With sauce, fresh oregano and more heat… it would have been stunning! The crust is well executed and had a great balance of chewy/​crunch. Perhaps one of the better crusts I have ever had (after Naples, Italy… but that’s hard to match).
This place boasts a authentic Italian theme, but this fell short in service. There was no serving staff. Just a cook and the owner. Neither of which sported a very friendly face… We never got checked on until we asked… our water ran out and we never got silverwear until we asked… even then, it was grabbed off another table for us (a table with people at it! #awkward). I think the table in the back was family of friends… because they got all the attention while the rest of the guest were slightly ignored.
It would be a smart move to hire a super friendly server who will spend equal attention to all the guests, while fully explaining the menu. Smiles are worth more money than you would think.
My last thought… all the tables here are for 6 people… this would make for an award date night… a few 2 person table would be a great idea.
Just like the Bianca… this place is just a bit to sauceless for me. Spice it up all over and you’ll have a winner. But with all the competition is CU… this place is short a slice.
(**also note: this place pays its staff a living wage, so there is no tipping.)

This place is a great addition to Champaign. Real, fresh ingredients on amazing thin crust. I came here with a friend and we started off with a small Antica Greens salad which came with high quality olive oil and balsamic vinegar on the side. Although simple, it was full of flavor and very good. The small was just enough as a little appetizer before our pizzas arrived.
I got the classic Margherita pizza and although I probably could have finished it all in one sitting I only had half. It was very thin, light and overall just delicious. My friend got the Pomodorini and she said it was also very good. And this is coming from someone who had just spent the summer abroad in Italy having the best of the best pizza.

I like this pizza! I’ve told all my friends about this place. Nothing fancy but very clean and upbeat! Phenominal tasting pizza with the best crust I’ve ever tasted. Very fresh ingredients. My new go-​to place.
Thanks!

Champaign may not be known for its pizza, but any college town will breed it’s own sort of pizza culture. In this town, there is a war of hand tossed, fresh ingredient pizzas with fairly normal hours vs conglomerate cheap pizza open late. Antica can be added to the former, with freshly made crust, wood fired pizza, and fresh toppings like artichokes and prosciutto. This combination sounds like a pizza lover’s dream. However, Antica can’t seem to deliver (no pun intended) on this revelry. Situated in the heart of the bar district, Antica has a beautiful and bright open seating layout and cheerful staff. 11″ pizzas vary by toppings with options for salad, gelato, and wine. The pizza, coming to about $ 14 – 17, has a slightly charred crust with its bread being the star of the show. My toppings wet this magnificent yeasty treasure so I ended up swallowing a slightly soggy limp slice. The flavors were not particularly present and sauce was pretty much non existent. I so want for this establishment to do well but to satisfy my cravings, and compete with Esquire, Pizza M, and cheaper options, they will have to figure out how to present a slice to write home about.
I wish them the best and will revisit once they’re open for a while longer.

A good pizza place is what downtown Champaign has needed and Pizzeria Antica definitely delivers. The crust is obviously the star here. Chewy, slightly burnt, great flavor. The food is five stars.
Ambiance leaves a little to be desired. The open kitchen, exposed brick walls, and simple modern tables are nice, but it’s far too bright. Ordering wasn’t bad but if I wanted another beer I would’ve had to wait in quite a long line to get it.
In previous reviews this place has gotten a bad rap for pricing, but I don’t think it’s bad. There was no option to tip so that alone saves roughly five to ten dollars depending on your order. This isn’t a big chain joint so you can’t expect those prices.

Great quality and atmosphere. We got the margherita and diavolo. Both were really good but I loved the diavolo it had a good amount of spicy. The pizzas have this great texture, like a thin crispy but chewy texture. I’m probably describing it incorrectly. Definitely would go again but probably not too often, prices are a bit on the high side :)

First, let me clarify my rating. It is an average of the food rating and the service rating.
The pizza is excellent here. I highly recommend the pepperoni and a limonade San Pellegrino. The food comes out quick, is freshly prepared, and tasty.
I’ve had mixed feelings about the customer service before and last night prompted me to write this review. I called in to order take out to be curtly informed that they don’t do take out and then hung up on. Incredibly rude, but I still wanted pizza.
The ordering system is clumsy and there is only one terminal for the employees to put orders into. It’s a little slow, but probably still faster than traditional waiters. It’s frustrating to stand in line behind people perusing the menu once you’ve made up your mind. A second terminal could probably solve this.
Summary:
Highs: food — speed, taste, authenticity
Lows: there has to be a better way to do take out

Restaurant review
As part of my quest to eat at all of the new restaurants in Chamabana, I found myself here for lunch early Sunday morning with my son. Don’t get me wrong the pizza is very fresh with quality ingredients, but for the price you pay compared to Blaze and Pie Guys, you are paying almost double. So really this is a 2 star for value and 3 for the pizza for the reason below.
1. Entrance– Very confusing. It was an architecture office previously. There is a large door that faces the register that has a giant sign handicap. Only when you look around do you realize there is a side door to enter in
2. Ordering– you do this in a foyer area which the handicap door drops you right into this room. The menu is on the wall and you order from an ipad. If you know what you want this will be quick if not based on the other reviews you maybe stuck behind someone ordering
3. Tables– large cafeteria style tables except for a few in the back. Also seats to watch while your pizza is cooked. Again confusing there is a long hallway behind the register which you are suppose to take and then glass doors that empty into the back of the restaurant
4. Pizza– Yes the ingredients are fresh. I went with the pepperoni pizza to keep it simple. It will take more than the 90 seconds reported time to make your pizza. Second after the pepperoni heats up it curls up into a cup filled with oil which is quite messy. Third and the most important is that the crust is amazingly thin and crunchy, however after you take the first slice there was a gush of liquid coming either from the cheese or toppings that just fills up the bottom of the plate making the amazing crust now soggy and messy.
All and all for 15 dollars for a small brick oven thin crust pizza is simply overpriced. Yes it is tasty, but it has many pitfalls as well.
Pros: Fresh premium ingredients, cooked to order, plenty of seating. No need for tip.
Cons: Very confusing restaurant layout, expensive, an amazing crust that becomes soggy from either the cheese or other toppings (happens after you take that first slice). Slow service.
Hidden deals:
None
Health code rating: A. Very clean and modern. No inspection report available online yet.

Went for a second time last night and the pizza was not as good. Barely any sauce on the pepperoni pizza and the Caesar salad was very boring. We ordered two pizzas and by the time we started eating the second, the dough was too chewy. I also don’t like the fact they don’t have plates. Not sure I will return.

We’ve eaten at this place a few times now and they’ve quickly become one of our favorite pizza spots in town. Their wood-​fired pizzas remind me of those I have had on trips to Italy, which is pretty impressive. I love the crust and they use very fresh and traditional ingredients. They even have Italian beer for you to sip on.
The only reason I don’t give this place 5 stars is for the relationship between its price and atmosphere. You should expect to pay about $ 20 or more per person, which I consider to be a bit pricey for this type of food. Seating has a very open/​warehouse feel that can get very loud and uncomfortable at times. For this price, I’d expect a bit more comfort in my dining experience. Even so, I definitely recommend you check them out. It’s a great addition to downtown Champaign.
P. S. Make sure you check out their ovens, they are beautiful!

I’ve been here 3 times with mixed results. Being a vegan, I have only tried the pizza listed as «vegan» on the menu, although they will gladly omit meat and/​or cheese from any of their pizzas upon request. On the vegan item, they are very sparing with the thin sauce. The olives and sweety drop peppers come from a jar, and the basil is generous and fresh. I understand they source the best meats and cheeses and the prices may fluctuate based on the market, but this meatless, cheese-​less, jar-​based pizza jumped from $ 10 to $ 14 overnight. (Who knows, maybe it was the flour.) Maybe I seemed surprised at payment, because the friendly cashier then offered a $ 2/​pizza discount and an itemized receipt. Thanks, Fabian!
The dough is awesome when it is oven fresh, though it tightens up quickly as it cools. This can be unpleasant when they forget to bring out all the pizzas at once. During a dinner, they brought out 2 pizzas, and over the course of 20 minutes I had to ask twice on the status of the third one. From the confusion in the kitchen, it appears our pizza had been forgotten. I got an apology, but no explanation, and no follow up from the staff. By that time, we had one fresh pizza and two cold, rubbery ones. I’d cut them some slack at this time, since it was only their 2^nd week in business.
Big eaters, don’t expect to gorge on a big greasy Amurrican pizza pie for a small wad of cash. These are dishes made with some skill and dignity, and we could benefit from employing these qualities in our eating practices. I’ve eaten an entire pizza at each visit, but it’s something to be savored and shared.
I really hope this place succeeds. I will be back!

This place is the best pizzeria in Champaign-​Urbana! Their pizza is delicious and made from fresh ingredients. And the staff are super friendly and helpful.
We were there for birthday of one of my friends with around 30 people and it went all great. This place is great for having your events with a selection of their wines to serve your guests.

Unconvinced.
I came in when there was no line and just one person waiting for his pizza ahead of me. Ten minutes into my 20-​minute wait, I was asked if I was waiting for an order. (Yes.)
The gentleman who was boxing the orders showed the chef (s) the pizza before bringing it to me and showing it to me. He clearly knew something was wrong because before I could say anything, he took the pizza back to the kitchen. It was supposed to be a four-​topping pizza that included greens and prosciutto. What I saw was cheese pizza with cherry tomato halves on it.
The server went back to the kitchen and proceeded to dump half a pound of (cold) prosciutto on top of the pizza and then gave it to me to go. I was so exasperated from the wait and didn’t have any more time, so I took it and left. In the end, the pizza was not cooked evenly and was lukewarm after having been handled quite a bit after coming out of the oven. It was not tasty.
While all the staff were courteous and polite, the service left much to be desired, not to mention the pizza, which was $ 15 wasted.

Hands down one of the best pizza places in Champaign. The high quality ingredients make all the difference. I like that the owners are always on site and very personable. They’re also in the works of adding a an espresso bar/​Italian Gelateria as well. Score!
They’re brand new so they are still figuring things out, but it’s working. This is a perfect addition to downtown.