Kakaʻako-based Bocconcino is known for its high-quality, fresh mozzarella, along with its Italian deli, market and sandwiches. While the biz has received a lot of love for its paninis, it recently launched a new menu starring pizza Napoletana. The catch: This menu is only available on Friday and Saturdays from 6 to 9 p.m. These Napoletana-style pizzas are not featured in the café during the week.
Roman-style pizzas, or pinza Romana, are offered in the café during the week. They’re oval-shaped and take around 4 minutes to cook. The Napoletana pizzas, however, are cooked in a wood-burning oven with kiawe wood, which gives it a smoky flavor. It only takes 90 seconds for each pizza to cook — which is great, because this place gets packed on Saturday nights.
You place your pizza order inside Bocconcino and wait for it outside. You can eat in the open-air patio adjacent to the shop, or take your pizzas to go.
The Regina Margherita ($20) — with San Marzano tomato sauce, mozzarella, fresh basil and extra virgin olive oil — is a classic. Other options include carbonara di Roma ($24); pistachio e mortadella ($24); Parma e limone ($24) and stracchino e tartufo ($25). The latter is a must-have if you love truffles — the gooey, melted cheese complements the fragrant sliced truffles nicely. We’re told the pistachio e mortadella — complete with a pistachio pesto base, mozzarella, pistachio mortadella, stracciatella and pistachio crumble — is quickly becoming a customer favorite.
The pizza dough itself is a winner. It boasts a slightly crispy crust with a nice chew in the middle. My stracchino and black truffle pizza’s dough is a little soggier compared to the margherita, but then again, my pizza has more cheese — just the way I prefer.
The margherita is perfect if you’re looking for something traditional. Its simplicity allows both, the high-quality cheese and tomato sauce to shine.
There’s even a Nutella pizza ($18) with freshly sliced strawberries and powdered sugar for dessert. I’m saving that one for my next visit.
When you order your pizzas, you can also peruse the wine selection within Bocconcino. During pizza nights, there’s usually a table set up in a section of the shop for wine tasting. You can sample any of the featured wines, buy a bottle and enjoy it outside with your pizza.
If you’re there earlier than 6 p.m., you can still order off the café’s menu, which includes paninis like Toscano ($22), Bolognese ($22), caprese ($20) and calabrese ($22). The Toscano ($22) is one of the most popular sandwiches and includes salami, artichoke crema, whipped pecorino and marinated roasted eggplant.
Even if you’ve ordered pizza, getting one of Bocconcino’s popular sandwiches to save for lunch the next day isn’t a bad idea. After all, you’re already there.
CONTACT
Bocconcino Hawaiʻi
978 KawaiaHaʻo St., Honolulu
bocconcinohi.com
Instagram: @bocconcinohawaii
Pizza Napoletana served from 6-9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays
Kelli Shiroma Braiotta can be reached at kelli@alohastatedaily.com.
