Pi Coal Fired Pizza

I’ve only been here for drinks so I cannot say how the food is, but I don’t have much to complain about. The service was mediocre, drinks were good, but draws an odd, older crowd.

Yes, definitely a great pizza place. Forget that the pizza is only 8 cuts and that the price is up there. about $ 16 to $ 24 a pie. to me it’s well worth it to spend money on a decent pizza as opposed to commercial places with their never ending deals. Me and my fiancé love there kalamata olive pizza with pancetta or prosciutto, BOMB! The pizza crust is labeled as well done meaning the bottom is black but don’t be fooled that doesn’t mean that it is burnt… It’s simply cooked so that it’s nice and crispy because they cook it over a coal fired and not a gas or electric oven.
Plus they have this meatball appetizer that has such tender meatballs and is served with soft and creamy ricotta cheese as well as two pita slices. It’s a must have every time we go. The salads are made family style so i suggest bringing 4 people if you plan on eating it all. Try some of their beers too. they have a cooler full of bottles as well as a few drafts but nothing too exquisite.
That’s the first place I tried white lighting which is now one of my favorite brews. they have happy hour with discounts on brews so check it out when you get a chance. I haven’t been there in months so i think its time for a check-​in!

I found the pizza to be quite good. It all tasted very fresh. I got one with spicy Italian salami and my wife got Margherita pizza. Very thin and tasty. Loved that they had Woodchuck cider on tap.

I was torn between 2 and 3 stars and decided to be as fair as I could and settled on a 3. A 2.5 would probably nail it.
I’ve now visited Pi 3 times, all using groupons. I’ve tried both the caprese and della casa salads, as well as the sausage, pepperoni, and margarita pies. One calzone as well, but I can’t recall which one since it’s been so long.
As others have mentioned, over the course of time the pizzas have gotten smaller and the price either the same or higher. Also, despite the thin crust I prefer, they still somehow manage to come out soggy to the point of dripping all over the place when you attempt to fold a piece to put in your mouth. Again, when they first opened this wasn’t my experience. Something has changed over time.
My other large gripe with the pies is the odd way they put on toppings. One, they don’t give you all that many, especially so considering the price. A few of the photos right here on Unilocal can attest what I’m speaking of here. Two, in all my experiences, they were all concentrated in one area so you only get to taste them on a couple of bites of the entire pizza. Spread them out evenly please. At least try.
On the pro side, both salads were of good size and very well done and tasty, probably the strong point of the place. And while I don’t recall which calzone I had, I do recall being more pleased with it than the pizza.
Service has always been friendly and attentive. I like the atmosphere as well, though I have only gone during lunch hours. I probably wouldn’t say the same if I went at night, but I avoid the Southside at night in general for this very reason.
Place has potential, and I may give it another try in the future to see if they clean up few things up as I’m not a fan if thick crust pizzas so prevalent here in Pittsburgh. Otherwise I might stop in for a salad or two. But for now, it’s a bit underwhelming and overpriced overall.

DO NOT go on a day when their Groupon expires!!!
Yes, we purchase Groupons and yes, they have introduced us to some very good restaurants very close to home that we never noticed before… Pi Coal Fired wasn’t one of them.
We had purchased a Groupon many months ago and saw that it was expiring on Tuesday so we headed over for dinner. The place was full and we were greeted by what later turned out to be one of the owners. She took our name and the names of several other groups behind us, telling us ‘It could be awhile…’ then wandered away. Listening to other diners’ chat told us that most of the restaurant must have been there to use their Groupons too.
We stepped up to the bar and were greeted by a very ignorant waitress who didn’t like the fact that I was asking her about her light beer draft selections. Settling on a Coors Light bottle and a Yuengling draft, she told us that it would be $ 7. I paid, we drank and waited.
There must not be an assigned ‘busboy’ here because tables were sitting dirty without anyone around while we stood at teh bar wondering if we should bus them ourselves. The owner kept coming over, letting us know it would be soon, but not heading over to bus the table. If this was my restaurant– I would be doing everything in my power to get people seated, served and on their way. But no, she kept saying, ‘I’ll get someone on that’…
Finally seated we ordered right away, knowing that it could ‘take a while’. We then noticed the sign outside saying that between 6−10pm Yuengling drafts were $ 2. Was my bottle $ 5? We asked the waited and were informed that we were overcharged by ‘miss attitude’ at the bar. But, he didn’t offer to reimburse us. All the while, as we observed, people were finishing up and ready to leave and there was no-​one to get their check. Miss attitude was no where to be found. I’m surprised the one table waited around as long as they did because we would have left.
Our paninni arrived and it looked boring. Plain looking sandwich, no garnish, handful of Ruffles Ridges tossed onto the plate. 5 minutes go by and the owner comes over to check on us. ‘Do you folks need anything?’ she asks. I tell her that ‘My Calzone would be nice’. She tells me that calzones take a while and it’ll be out shortly. Well, why not hold off on delivering the paninni till ALL the food is ready??? We order another draft. 5 more minutes go by and my calzone arrives. It looks delicious, melted cheese running out… but not as hot as I would have expected having come right from the oven. Cutting it, it wasn’t steaming and I was able to ‘bite right in’. The sauce that came with it is the blandest pizza sauce I have ever tasted! It tasted like crushed tomatoes, straight from the can. Asking our waiter about it, he tells us that that’s the way it always is because they put fresh basil, garlic & herbs on the pizza’s and not in the sauce, ‘It keeps the sauce tasting better’ he said. Well, IT DOES NOTHING FOR THE CALZONE!
I finished half the calzone, my wife was so annoyed at the poor service that she didn’t touch the paninni. We requested the check. Their was no mention of the overcharge at the bar for the beers and our check showed $ 11 for the calzone, $ 11 for the paninni and no charge for the draft. The menu lists the paninni at $ 9… so… there’s a little creative ‘book-​keeping’ here to skirt the drink tax! Now, I don’t agree with it either but they’re not saving me any $ by not paying their fair share! Total bill is $ 23.54.
I’ll give the calzone an A, the paninni a C, sauce a D and service an F…
We will not be going back here again, Pizza Sola is way better!

Underwhelmed and disappointed. Sad because a great coal fired pizza is such a thing of beauty and delight. The service and beer at Pi were pretty terrific but that wasn’t really why we came here.
A coal fired oven works so quickly and should deliver bubbling delight and distinctive taste. Instead we got lukewarm & soggy with less than exciting flavor and a very large bill in comparison to the enjoyment level.
The pizzas are essentially a personal pizza priced between $ 7 for plain up to $ 13.50 with varying ingredients. I ordered the Quattro Stagioni with sauce, basil, fresh mozzarella, roasted red peppers, prosciutto, fresh mushroom & artichokes divided into four sections with 2 slices devoted to each ingredient. Unimpressed is the best way I can describe this. What I ate had to be eaten with a fork because it was so limp. The prosciutto tasted like overcooked roast beef. I’ve had this same pizza at Piccolo Forno and theirs blew this pizza out of the water.
The restaurant was freezing cold and ours was the table next to the pizza oven. Clearly getting this oven hot enough is an issue. It’s one of those restaurants that’s a 1 and done for me.

Purchased a $ 10 for $ 20 Groupon here with the intention of only spending that $ 20, but it didn’t happen. I ordered the house salad and a Caprese pizza and they were both delicious. Please, please do not leave here without ordering the Insalata Della Casa. I’ll be going back just for that salad probably in the near future. The pizza was great and fresh as ever. I’d definitely recommend.

I’ve had good coal fired pizza. Actually, I’ve had GREAT coal fired pizza. Unfortunately, I didn’t have either at Pi. In fact, what I had there bears no resemblance to good coal fired pizza. I am not a fan and won’t be going back.
The coal fired oven is intended to cook at very high heat — 800 degrees. It imparts a distinct flavor to the thin crust and gives it a nice toasty crunch while making the cheese bubble with delight. The three minutes in the oven is enough to really crank out the flavors and satisfy those of us who are impatient eaters and want our food NOW!
We sat at the table closest to the oven and I could see the pizzas going in and coming out. But I couldn’t feel the oven heat. Compare that to my other experiences when I sat as far as 7 tables back from the oven and could feel the radiant heat on a cold, cold day. Now that, my friends, is 800 degrees! I felt sorry for the cook! But at Pi, no heat. I swear, they must have that oven adjusted down to something akin to a summer day in Miami. The result is that the pizza was not at all hot when it was served (I watched them take it out, cut it, and bring it right over so it wasn’t because it sat anywhere and cooled off). So the cheese didn’t talk to me, the toppings were lukewarm, the crust was soggy and limp, and it didn’t have that kick butt flavor that you’re looking for in a coal fired pie. I’ll give them credit for a good, imaginative selection of pizzas with interesting toppings. Unfortunately, if you’re not going to cook it properly, it’s just not gonna get me excited. Especially at those prices. My advice to Pi? Turn up the heat! Cook it right!
On a positive note, they did have Fat Heads Head Hunter IPA on tap. So that salvages what otherwise would have been a one star rating for me.

I really enjoyed eating here. The pizza was really good. We were there a little early so it was very low key. Later in the evening it turns into a big dance place from what the hostess said. Nice atmosphere.

Met a friend here for dinner recently and we got the insalata della casa (house salad) which was delish! I was sorta surprised at how good it was and couldn’t stop eating it, but forced myself to restrain myself so I could have room for the pizza.
We ordered a couple of pizzas to share. We got the Capricciosa and the Prosciutto E Arugula pizzas and both of them were excellent. The salad and pizzas were more than enough for 2 people to share and we even had left over pizzas.
This place reminds me of Il Pizzaiola in Mt. Lebo and I love that place so I really enjoyed my experience at Pi! Definitely want to come back and try some of the other pizzas.

The pizza here is amazing! They use the freshest ingredients and it is made when ordered!
The restaurant has never been «busy» the two times I have visited, but it has the coolest atmosphere. The bar iights up and it has a modern design. It turns into a «club» at night called, «Jimmy D’s» which is always packed but I prefer going earlier for the pizza.
The pizza is pricer than a college special from a local pizza shop, but you are paying for quality! And, the service is always fantastic!

My group and I were in town for the Pittsburgh Marathon and were looking for a sit-​down pizza restaurant the night before the race. Upon recommendation by a friend who hadn’t tried it before either, we decided on Pi Coal Fired Pizza.
The restaurant has a low-​lit, cozy atmosphere. Later in the evenings it becomes more club-​like. There is bar seating along with tables. It’s a small building, so if you’re coming with a large group I suggest that you call ahead.
Our server was very enthusiastic and helpful, explaining the different beers they offered as well as answering our questions about the entrees. I didn’t order a beer so I can’t comment on their selection, but those in my group who did said they enjoyed the drinks they ordered.
We started off by sharing an order of Parmesan chicken wings. I’m not really a wing fan, but I was impressed by these. The meaty little wings were coated with a thick layer of Parmesan and were very moist. I’d order them again.
I also tried a portion of the caprese salad that I liked. I think it had a marinade that was light and flavorful. The pieces of basil were bright green and didn’t look old.
For the entrees, I got a pizza topped with four different toppings — roasted peppers, mushrooms, marinated artichokes and I think a meat. Our server said that the Neapolitan-​style pizzas were meant to be eaten individually, though I could have easily split my 12-​inch personal pizza and still left satisfied. However, I ordered it for myself. I can’t quite remember now, but I think my pizza was about $ 10.
The crust of the pizza was wonderfully charred and had a smoky taste that only cooking it over a fire would give it. The texture was chewy and the crust was very thin. The underside of my pizza was a little soggy because many of my toppings were somewhat watery, but the mozzarella and basil pizza and pepperoni pizza my friends ordered were crisp. I had to eat it with a fork, but I didn’t mind.
If I find myself back in Pittsburgh, I would definitely consider eating here again. I enjoy good pizza and Pi Coal Fired Pizza makes just that.
ETA: The restroom was incredible.

They make their food with the freshest ingredients available.
We ordered the 3 cheese calzone and the insalata misto. Note, that the insalata misto is an antipasta salad. Both dishes we ordered were absolutely incredible. So good that we are curious about everything else they have on the menu!
The bartender/​server was fantastic and focused closely on the quality of her service and inquired about the quality of our food, drinks, and experience.
They have a frequent diner punch card that will get you a free pizza after buying 8.
This restaurant is part of Jimmy D’s bar. Be sure to stop in for some outstanding food!

I’ve only been to Pi once, so perhaps I’m jumping the gun on a review, but I’m optimistic that they won’t let me down next time.
There was a little hesitancy to embrace the former Jimmy D’s location, but I’m glad we finally did. Turns out the club-​turned-​pizza joint transformation suited them quite well. The restaurant itself was nice and clean. The space is very open, and was surprisingly empty when we showed up for dinner (that changed quickly during our meal as people began rolling in and the restaurant started buzzing a bit). The service was really good, as our waitress was nice and helpful, and they kept my water topped off (one of those subtle things that always gets a good tip from me). I chose not to get a beer there, though, as the fact that Mad Elf was still on draft in late February had me a little leery of how long some of their kegs had been tapped. That’s not to say other beers on tap aren’t good — the selection is definitely a decent one to accompany your meal — but when the waitress told us that they were having trouble finishing the Mad Elf, I went the safest route. My wife said the house cab was pretty good, so that’s always a good option, too… you know… when downing an Italian-​inspired meal.
Of course, the real reason we went was the food, and that was the best part. We both got different salads. I got the caesar, she got the insalata della casa. Note, that their salads are pretty big, so be aware that you might fill up before the pizza arrives if you order one. The caesar was pretty good. It was lighter on the dressing, which I always like, and the kalamata olives added a nice salty touch to the salad that you don’t usually expect on a caesar. My wife’s salad was much better, though. Pi’s house vinaigrette is excellent. It was so good that I was left regretting not ordering the same thing.
We opted for two different entrées so we could explore a bit. She got the margherita, which was good. It was lighter on the cheese and the thin crust actually held up pretty well by the time I had a chance to try it. I wouldn’t say it was my favorite margherita pizza, but I wouldn’t shy away from ordering it some time. I ordered the calzona a la diavola. I thoroughly enjoyed mine. My only things that I would’ve changed would’ve been to reduce the amount of ricotta a bit, and up the spice level. I usually expect hotter in diavola dishes. Regardless, I would definitely order it again.
Overall, Pi is a safe bet if you’re looking for a casual Italian meal that’s just a little more unique than some of your other Southside options. With a decent drink list and a welcoming, casual atmosphere, there’s really nothing for me to complain about. I just hope that our next visit leaves us feeling the same way.

We honestly didn’t know what to expect when we first walked into Pi. At the time, it was not busy, and for a Friday night in the Southside, that was surprising. I guess it was earlier though (6pm). This then quickly changed!
Upon being told to sit wherever we’d like, we were greeted by a nice server who took our drink order. We weren’t sure what to get, so we ordered a pizza and a calzone, and two salads… Yum! I got the margherita pizza and my husband got the Diavola calzone… Both were great. The house salad was absolutely scrumptious. We never had an empty glass of water, the service was courteous and fast even though there were just two people working the restaurant and bar.
If we go back and our experience is as good as it was this time, I may just have to give it a five as it shows it can be consistent. YUM! I am glad we found this place that is so close to home!

So… when Pi first opened, I was IN LOVE.
If you have been to Italy, you have the sincerest form of love for traditional style pizza. As such, my husband and I are regulars at Piccolo Forno in Lawrenceville, but we live in Southside. Needless to say, I was extatic when Pi opened because we could now walk to get pizza instead of driving.
When Pi first opened, I thought the pizza was excellent. I actually liked it better than Piccolo Forno. However… for some reason the qaulity of the pizza at Pi has deteriorated.
First… the size of the pizza has shrunk significantly. Before, you use to get six cuts and a decent size pizza. Now, you only get four cuts and a tiny pizza. It is ridiculous because the price is still the same. Also, the amount of toppings has significantly decreased. It is almost like… where is the cheese?! Where is the sauce?!
I am sad to say this… but I am no longer a fan of Pi. I was really in love with it for a while… but it has simply gone way down hill. :(

Ideally, I love a good wood fired pizza with thin and crispy crust and fresh ingredients. However, never having ‘coal fired’ before, I came in with an open mind and this place delivered beyond expectations.
The pizza is thin. The ingredients are fresh. The crust is not crispy, but far from soggy. While eating my PI BIANCA, I forgot what crispy crust was. It ended up being a meal that I wanted to keep eating because it was so good, but I physically couldn’t because I was too full.
I never knew I could love a pizza that did not have a crispy crust!
I would have to say the other reviewers came here expecting a certain kind of pizza, which I’m not sure why. This place is different, definitely original, and if you come in with an open mind, you might risk leaving and having a new favorite style of pizza :)

The pizza style at Pi is in the vein of a Grimaldi’s or Lombardi’s – both in NYC – but certainly doesn’t reach those heights.
While the pies I have tried are decent, they are a bit high on price: a 12″ 6-​cut pie costs $ 12 and a slice isn’t very filling when that small. What I don’t like their prices and portion options is that there is no low-​risk way to try the product. It would be nice if they offered slices for lunch or something to that effect. Instead, you have to go all in on that bet.
I have had the margherita and the puttanesca (hold the anchovies) and both were a-​ok on the overall taste. My friends got the quattro formagi, which didn’t look appealing to me at all. It came out and the cheeses were already starting to cool back down and congeal. They reported that it was only «ok» and I’d likely never get it because I am a fool for a good tomato sauce, which this lacked. Their pie crust is tasty, but the chefs sometimes go a bit too far on darkness of it. The sauce is too watery and things get a little soupy on top of the margherita at least. What I have had that was really enjoyable is the insalata della casa (sans the prosciutto), but even that is a more expensive salad for what you get.
In terms of atmosphere, their dining area is way too dark and serious, to the point of being alienating. It feels like the place is supposed to be very scene-​y but when juxtaposed with almost no other patrons in the place on Saturday afternoon or a weekday evening it feels really weird and way too dark. Service I have had there has been fine though.
And my last grievance is a menu typo. None of us are perfect at self-​editing, but when you insist – INSIST – on using the Italian translation of words all throughout your menu, at least check that they are words. Panini is a plural word that basically means «sandwiches» or «bread roll», panino being the singular version. Where does that leave «paninis» you ask? It roughly translates as «sandwiches-​es».
Overall, I can say that Pi is an ok albeit expensive piece of pizza (that you can’t get by the slice), perhaps not worth a special drive but not bad if you are in the neighborhood and desperate. I suggest trying Piccolo Forno if real NYC pizza is your interest but beware long lines and no Sunday hours there.

Nice staff. Checked out the coal fired oven… pretty cool. They use anthracite coal so its clean burning and high btu’s. So if you are thinking your Pizza will taste like coal dust, you are wrong. Good thin crust pizza. I enjoyed the procuitto and arugula pie. The BV Cabernet Sauvignon is also a good wine choice.

Note: It says «JIMMY DS» on my receipt, so I assume that Pi is a separate entity. It also has 15 211 as the zip code. The website gives a zip code of 15 222. I can hear Rod Serling in my head now.
The East Carson Street Pizza Gauntlet Part 4: Posher and Posher…
So yeah, I’m impressed at how RJ pegged this sojourn of ours. I assumed Pi would be a little upmarket because of the name; it’s either cool, clever, pretentious, or all of those. We almost didn’t walk in as the red lights under the bar and overall chichi atmosphere had us feeling like little lost urchins.
«May we have but a slice of pizza? We ‘aven’t eaten in a day or so.»
Oh there’s a 4^th sister for sure. Zeeno’s is the bubbly one who’s a little short on looks but has a trailer full of personality. Sal’s is the opposite number of Zeeno’s; great to look at, not so much to talk to. Pizza Sola has the looks, the smarts, but is a tad dorky, which you love her for.
This one’s just trying too hard to climb the social ladder. She’ll get into the club but is mostly unapproachable, intimidating even, in an «I’ll embarass you in front of your friends so badly, you’ll stay home for the next 9 weekends» manner. And she will do it with nothing more than a look.
The only people that do get to know her are middle-​aged married guys who pull down 6-​figure salaries and just got some hair plugs along with a candy-​apple Porsche and a Cialis prescription. And they do nothing but pay through the nose for the «pleasure» of her company, buying her lifts, tucks, and various extensions, injections, and augmentations.
She hates her other sisters and most other women.
We got the Margherita pizza since it was only 12 bucks (the cheapest pie here) and 6 cuts. No slices for sale here. Oh no. I’m shocked there wasn’t a cover charge.
Now I had a similarly-​named pizza at a black metal concert at Mr. Small’s recently. As I stated in that review (go look it up, I’ll wait), Mr. Small’s take on this type of pie was amazing. It was as simple as it was brilliant; tomato sauce, globs of mozzarella dotted on top, herbs for days.
Pi’s had it all, but you could tell they were really laboring at being «rustic» and whatnot. The cheese was only plopped on in a few spots. I never saw or tasted the ricotta that was supposed to be on it. The sauce was vapid.
The crust was floppy, paper thin, and bereft of life.
It was coal-​fired, alrighty.
Coal was the only thing I tasted aside from cardboard.
Wait, there was no cardboard. It was the crust.
We each ate a cut and had the remaining three boxed up.
Kay ordered and liked her mixed drink. Speaking of which, Pi makes a good lemonade. It even had some kick to it. Was it Mike’s? I dunno. I do know that I wanted the hell out of there after the Ghosts-Of-Jersey-Shore’s-Future were getting too loud and obnoxious. I was so annoyed, I didn’t stay to use the john, which created a problem later on. Stay tuned for a brief interlude to our saga.
I tried giving the pizza away several times as we walked along Carson to no avail. Finally we had a taker in a guy we met outside a Burger King who was half in the hopper.
Hey, when pizzas like that get really drunk and desperate, they lose all their pride and will go home with anyone.