Pizzeria Fortunato

to bad this place closed. I saw a new sign going up but not sure when they will open

I’m a tad bit late on this. Gosh, gotta catch up on my Unilocaling!
Another Groupon-​sponsored review =) :
So, back in January, when we had that blizzard-​thingy I grew tired of eating cereal and leftovers, surfing the web, and torturing my dog with throwing her toys on the ice and watching her slip and slide around.
I decided to go ahead and cash in on my pizza all the while believing the news hype that the roads were somewhat driveable. (Not!) Yes, I read the reviews on this place and could only imagine the evil smirk on the owner’s face as he reads them. I mean, this guy is hell according to many people who enter this establishment, apparently. So, yes, I was looking for him upon entry. I wanted to see this beast of an owner, if you will.
After skating into the joint from the lovely iced-​out sidewalk, I was greeted by… no one. The 4 or 5 people behind the counter kept chit-​chattin’ it up until I began declaring my order. The young man nearest the register totalled me up, took my Groupon, and brought my pizza out supa-​fast! AKA already made before I got there.
That’s cool. After being trapped indoors for 4 days eating cereal and lame freezer food, I was happy to take any type of pizza at this point. I crawl home as fast as 10 MPH can take me and excitedly get ready to dig into this bad boy! It’s very thin (New York style, of course), has pepperoni, Italian sausage, and extra cheese. First bite? Slight disappointment. It has a little flavor, but when I began comparing a «NY style» pizza joint to pizza chains in an unflattering light, somethin’ ain’t right. It’s HUGE, don’t get me wrong. But big doesn’t equal flavor.
Soooo, to Pizzeria Fortunato, I say, thanks for the break in between the Cinnamon Toast Crunch, leftovers, and T.V. meals, but– man! You disappointed! I mean, Papa John’s might even have y’all beat. Seriously.
Still, I might come back… to see if the owner is really thugging out like everyone says.

Wonderful grub and exceptionally great pizza– especially for Atlanta.
Never had a complaint there– especially when the original chef came back. As for service– Lindsay was always a wonderful waitress– but I will agree that at other times the service can be slack. And I will especially agree that the salt and pepper haired owner was a total jerk. I have gone there so many times for both eat in and take out and have seen him lots and although I would smile he never ever greeted me. It was rather unbelievable. But this place is way better than Bella’s, Johnny’s or any of the other pizza joints in that area so I kept going back.
Recently noticed its closed and evern more recently they put a sign out that states its going to reopen under new management.
I still have the GroupOn coupons and sure hope they will be honored.
Will see how it goes… and will be back for updates.

My husband and I found this place when we moved to Mableton. We have been coming here at least once a month for the last year. Mainly because I’m addicted to their calamari. They have basically put this dish on a pedestal for me. I love the flavor of the breading and the drizzle of balsamic makes it to die for! Never has it been overcooked and you get a huge portion.
Pizza is pretty good. I love the thin crust even though I come from a thick crust kind of town. The Primavera has become our go to pizza. I finally broke down and tried their Italian sausage. Most places use what looks like rabbit pellets, but this is the real deal. I have yet to have a bad meal here or any problems with the staff.

I placed a to-​go order for a pizza the same night that Vito C. was there and I can tell you that what was going on was very uncommon. Groupons had posted coupons on that day for Fortunato’s and I think that they were unaware of the traffic they would get; which was evident by the fact that there were only two employees there on that night. I go to Fortunato’s on a weekly basis to order a pie for take out and I have never seen so many people in the restaruant at one time. Likewise, I have never seen so few employees on staff at one time. It was a recipe for disaster. I also noticed that my pie didn’t taste as good as normal. Our order was also not entirely correct.
Having said all of that, I still think that their pizza is some of the best in Atlanta (I haven’t had a chance to try Max’s coal oven pizza downtown next to Stats as I hear it is excellent). Since I have a plethora of other dining experience there I can confidently say that it was definitely out of the ordinary.
Vito C, I think that you should give it one more try as I think you just went at the wrong time.
As a side note, I was there when the guy making the pizza was throwing the boxes and while he certainly could have handled it better, especially with the kitchen being wide open to the bar and dining area, I understood his frustration; which is why I left them a $ 10 tip even though I paid $ 15 for the full meal after Groupon. I probably would have been throwing «ish» around too!

We have gotten take out from here several times now and it is pretty good. The chicken parmesan grinder is particularly good although the last time I got it the chicken was burnt to a crisp and tough. The meatball grinder was good but the meatballs were a little too bland for me to be wowed.
Of course in usual fashion, my favorite item was dessert. Their cannoli are truly gigantic and amazing. A lot of places seem to use more of a whipped cream on the inside, which although good, isn’t really what I am looking for in a cannoli. Pizzeria Fortunato uses a filling that tastes like a thicker, more traditional cannoli filling while still being sweet. The outer shell is crispy and slightly sweet. You shouldn’t leave here without trying one.

Best calzone in the city, the pizza is mouthwatering and love that they have a smaller «pizzette» version available if you can’t do a whole 18″ pie. Can we say they have broccoli raab?! Awesome. «Chicken Forget About It» that you won’t ever forget — so tasty. Don’t overlook the insalata — the arugala and caprese are fantastic.

Recently tried this place. It was decent. All of the elements of the pizza were good, but it was too much sauce! It was truly like tomato sauce on a pizza, but I’m willing to try them again.

I’ve heard and read mixed reviews of this place. All agreed that the food was good, but some expressed that the price was a bit too high for what it is. OK, so I decided to give it a shot on Friday night. My husband and I met up with our friends and their 18 month old for dinner. Everything was off to a great start… beautiful sunny Spring evening, friendly staff, and the complimentary garlic and parmesan cheese rolls were great! The Zuchini fritti and Sweet sausage stuffed portabello mushrooms got our appetites going. The Fortunato deluxe pizza was a little skimpy on the ingredients but still tasty nonetheless. About an hour and a half into our meal and racking up about $ 110 later, I hear the owner/​manager (in his black shirt and pizza sauce stained white jeans) say in front of our table «People are camping out tonight.» Not only does he blurt out such a ridiculously rude remark in front of patrons, but he and his buddies at the bar looked over their shoulders at us basically accusing us of «camping out»! I don’t know about you, but I thought we were spending a significant amount of money at a pizza joint in less than two hours. I didn’t appreciate his rudeness and neither did the rest of the table. Food is overpriced for what it is, and the owner is a big jerk! The only thing going for this place is the friendly staff!

I really don’t give out 5 star reviews unless it really deserves it, this place does. Full disclosure, I have become fairly regular at this place. I think the pizza is amongst the best in the city, the meat stuffed is a gift of the gods and the eggplant parm. is another pie you won’t see around town. The fried provolone is as good as it is unhealthy. It may take 6 months off your life but remember they’re the last 6 months when you won’t be able to appreciate good food anyway.
This is truly a neighborhood restaurant and regulars become friends. I know that the owner can rub some people the wrong way down here in the south but if you give him a chance Michael’s a great guy. Always ask for the specials as I’ve had some of the best seafood in the city at this place. Plus the Peroni on tap is excellent!

I love this place, its my new lunch time spot.
It looks like a plain old pizza joint from the outside but my how looks can be deceiving. The cioppino would hold its own in any fine dining restaurant in Atlanta, its awesome. The Pizza is incredible nothing but the best ingredients and the crust is perfectly crispy. I’ve saved the best for last though. They have the best affordable Italian wine selection I have ever seen, period. Barollo, Amarone, they have it all. The owner is a really great guy and very passionate about the food that they serve. I have sent all my friends now and not one of them has been disappointed.

My wife, kids and I stopped in last night to try Fortunato’s. We’re happy we did and look forward to stopping in again.
The ambience reminded us of our favorite pizza place in San Francisco — Za on Hyde St — with a Jersey/​Philly twist. The pizza was the best I’ve had in Atlanta (the best I’ve had anywhere in a long time) and the house special fried provolone was a great starter.
The place is a great neighborhood restaurant for a qucik slice, a family meal, or a place to take a group for a fun night out. The service was friendly and timely.
We’ll see you there some time!

I was down down East-​West Connector one day and noticed a banner proclaiming that their Pizza was voted best in Atlanta. Out of curiosity I wandered in to give them a try. While waiting for our pizza the waitress bought out a couple of Parmesan Garlic rolls hot from the oven to try. It was so tasty I ordered a half dozen.
I don’t quite recall exactly which Pizza I had but I remember it being very tasty. It is definitely one of the better Pizza’s I had in Atlanta. I told my self I would definitely have to come back to try the other things on the Menu. That was a year ago and I haven’t been back since mainly because it’s a little out of the way in an small obscure strip mall.
I know this is not a very helpful review but all I can say is that if you’re a Pizza lover, this place is a must try. If I was giving out a letter grade I would give it an A —.

Recently voted «Best pizza in the «A». Impressive. «Real Pizza Made by Real Italians.» Cool. Keeping it real. And down the street from my office. I’m there. As I peruse the online menu I detect an Italian «Hoagie» for $ 9.75. A ten buck sub, I gotta try this place. I arrive at lunchtime and notice on the outdoor sandwich board «Ciopinno» for $ 30.00. The classic Italian fisherman’s stew, wonderful but at $ 30.00 a serving its a bold lunchtime move in this economy. I order the ten buck Italian «hoagie» and inquire about the Ciopinno. Apparently, at lunchtime a half serving can be ordered. So, $ 15.00 for half a bowl. (Are you noticing a theme here?) In all fairness I must report that the ten buck sub is on a six dollar special today. Curious about the pizza I order a cheese slice and am informed its $ 3.00. (Recently increased from $ 2.75). A $ 3.00 slice, I do have something to look forward to. Instead I am met with a sugary sweet sauced slice with an over charred but otherwise bland crust. Well this can’t be right. This is «the best pizza in Atlanta.» However, I was pleased to discover that although the «hoagie» was largely unimpressive, the quality of the meats was superb. I made an antipasto out of it and it turned out to be a good deal at $ 6.00. (Terrible at $ 10.00). I return at a later date to give them a second chance. This time, for $ 20.00 (down from $ 22.00) I am served an 8 slice, 18 inch tomato and cheese pie that appears to have been lightly sprinkled with green confetti. I call in a second opinion and I am advised that the shriveled slips of green are basil. Not exactly your classic Margherita pizza. As the pizza is shared, second and third opinions concur with mine. Sauce too sweet, crust unappealing, stingy with the basil. The quality of the ingredients is this joint’s only saving grace and why it gets 3 instead of 2 stars. A menu/​pricing consultant is desperately needed. The true best pizzeria in Atlanta has nothing to worry about.

Premium pizza… definitely one of the best in the area. This is a mighty fine spot. There are a number of good «pizza beers» on tap… and also Peroni. (I know it’s Italian. but I’m not a fan).
We ordered a margharita pizza. The ingredients were top notch and service was friendly and punctual. They brought out 3 garlic knots which were quite tasty, but I’ve never quite understood why only 3? There are two people at the table? The pizza was brought out pretty quickly. The crust was really crispy with just a bit of char… Less than most. There was a good bit of chewiness but the center was way too thin and soggy. It’s definitely the best OTP pizza I’ve had. The sauce was nice with not too much garlic.
My biggest complaint with the place is how pricey it is. When we’re in the mood for some great pizza and don’t want far to drive this will definitely be the place to go.

The pizza 4 stars. Great thin crust nicely browned and not a bit burnt and perfectly crisp. Mmmm. The service is definitely 5 star overall 4.5 star round up to 5. Definitely will be coming again soon!

I don’t know what’s up with this place. Every time I’m hungry, I seem to crave their pasta and pizza. I mean, I don’t think their pasta and pizza are anything special. They’re decent, but why do I crave them so much?
Their pasta dish is very simple – nothing too extravagant. Their gravy and pasta is pretty good. But it just seems like there’s nothing too it. I cook spaghetti all the time at home. And why do I need to go out to eat spaghetti if I can cook it at home? Especially since I can cook a mean dish of pasta.
Their pizza isn’t the best I’ve tasted, but it’s better than your standard take out pizza. It’s probably better than Mellow Mushroom’s pizza. But it’s not the best Margherita pizza I’ve tasted.
Then why do I crave it all the time?
This means one thing: Pizzeria Fortunato is probably awesome. My mind don’t think so, but my body loves this place. The atmosphere feels cozy and the food taste pretty darn good. I must admit, I think I like this place – a lot. Now only if I can shut my brain off and go with my animalistic cravings and eat here more often.

Creative Loafing gave this place best pizza in Atlanta, so I had to give it a shot. Also, it’s kind of on my side of town (Westside).
This is a nice little spot with above average food. I was hoping for a true Naples style pizza place, but it’s more the New York take on Naples. The pizza is thin, with good sauce and cheese. I wanted a little more texture on the bread, but I have no complaints on the flavor.
The fried provolone appetizer rocked big-​time and I recommend going for that alone, though don’t try to eat it alone.
I also enjoyed the cheese/​garlic rounds they brought out before we ordered.
I did a full write-​up on this place here:

I’ve been exploring the West Village/​Smyrna area lately and happened across this place while looking for Muss & Turner’s one day. I was thrilled that we accidentally found it and I took it as a sign that I should come back — and that I did.
I came here for lunch to this quaint pizza joint in a somewhat isolated brand new strip mall. When you come in you can immediately see the kitchen just past a bar where a couple people were eating their two slice specials. There are TV’s and all sort of Italian paintings and trinkets hung on the wall.
We sat towards the back on these neat wooden tables with high chairs. It smelled so good in there! Instead of the two slice special we ordered a large Pizza Fortunato — their supreme special with pepperoni, sweet Italian sausage, onions and green peppers.
The pizza had some of the freshest ingredients I had ever tasted. The mozzarella tasted like it had never been frozen in it’s life and the sausage, onions and pepperoni were of excellent quality. I didn’t like the green peppers at all because they were too mushy and I prefer a slight crispness to my green peppers on a pizza.
Service was fantastic and the waitress made sure our drinks were full at all times. I’d definitely order from here again when I felt like switching up from Bella’s.

Margarita review:
For all ex-​NYers out there, you can’t compare any pizza joint in Atlanta to Luzzos or Grimaldis, because its just not happening.
There is a difference, it needs to be distinguished… otherwise Client 9 would not pay for the 5 star special and would be cruising Fulton Industrial instead.
The service is pretty NY, and if you don’t like it, GET OVER IT! You are here to eat pizza, not to be coddled and coo-​cooed to… so grow some!
That being said, this is a pretty good pie. Is it perfect? Nah.
There is an abundance of sauce the way pizza should have it, chunks of tomato, great flavor. Anyone who complains about too much sauce and not enough cheese needs to rethink that position since pizza has been bastardized by conveyor belt specials.
Fresh buffalo mozzarella. Plus, it’s not loaded on, it’s the right amount.
Real garlic. Not that pre-​minced crap you buy at the store that tastes like rubbing alcohol.
Real basil, basil that is properly torn rather than cut.
THE WEAKNESS: Great crunchy upper crust but center of the pie is way too soft. This is the only area this pizza falls way short. Most likely because of the amount of sauce they use. Perhaps ask for it on the well done side and this might take care of it. But the big shortcoming here is their floppy innards.
Atmosphere is great, mostly open air/​outdoor seating, and o.k. simple straightforward service, not the greatest though. Hockey on the TVs, can’t beat that. Be ready to spend $ 20+ on a pie though.
I give it my ‘average cheese in Atlanta’ rating, from the NY pizza guy.