A few months ago, I stumbled upon a TikTok detailing a dinner out at a new River North spot. I saw mozzarella sticks and pasta, in a dimly lit, cozy environment and immediately knew I had to find myself there soon.
Zarella opened in March and is part of the Boka Restaurant Group, which also includes Cabra, Girl & The Goat, Momotaro, and more. The chefs behind the pizzeria are Chefs Pandel and Wolen, who together have built a pizzeria that is home to both tavern-style and artisan pizzas, as well as multiple pastas and salads, and a wide array of appetizers.
While I have an affinity for many cuisines now at 25, I wasn’t always as willing to indulge in any and all types of food. However, I was always eager and excited for a pizza and pasta meal, which I know many people agree with me on.
Now, getting a 7pm reservation at Zarella is not for the faint of heart. It’s not wake-up-at-a-specific-time-a-month-ahead-to-book impossible, but I definitely would not call it easy. I booked my 7:30 pm Wednesday reservation about two and a half weeks ahead. If you’re looking to go on the earlier or later side, there are a lot more options, but times between 6 and 8 pm are limited and go quickly.
The moment my boyfriend and I walked into Zarella, we were immediately impressed by the interior design. Every part of the atmosphere was carefully curated—from the art and photographs on the walls, to the wallpaper, to the furniture, every piece blended perfectly together. The color scheme is a mix of dark, wintery hues—burgundy, brown, dark green—illuminated gently with warm, yellow lighting.
To my intrigue, we took a sharp turn right by the host stand and were led down the stairs into a beautiful speakeasy, dappled in light warmer than the upstairs. Draped all around the room were string lights, wrapped in dark green garland. A bar faces the door to the speakeasy, the liquor adorning the shelves acting as decorations and beckoning patrons.
We settled into our table along the wall, nestled in a corner right by the door. For drinks, we both chose to indulge in the Sprecher’s orange dream and root beer soda, which at $7 each, I will say is overpriced. However, it did hit the sweet treat spot I was looking to satiate.
Looking at the dinner menu, there were plenty of dishes that caught my eye. I’d seen videos online about the fried zucchini dish, but my boyfriend and I both love mozzarella sticks, so we decided to go with what we know, and let me tell you, it was the right choice. They were immensely gooey, separating with a beautiful cheese pull at every bite. The pomodoro sauce on the side was classic and paired well with the mozzarella sticks, offsetting the gooeyness with its tomatoe-y taste.
For our mains, we went with one pizza and one pasta. Zarella offers tavern-style and artisan-style pizzas, with artisan pizzas featuring fluffier crusts and tavern-style being thinner and crunchier. We opted for the tavern-style specialty pie, specifically the soppressata and mortadella one, which was a mixture of sweet and spicy flavors, blending to create a cinnamon-y taste. We also ordered the Zarella garlic ranch to pair with the pizza, which had a unique flavor, almost reminding me of tzatziki. To be honest, this was something that fell short for me, and I will likely not be including it in my order next time.
While Zarella is a pizzeria, I was most impressed by the pasta we ordered. We ordered the radiatore alla vodka pasta, which was my first time having that specific type of noodle. The radiatore noodles are mixed with a vodka sauce that has a hint of spice from the Calabrian chilis and are lightly topped with shaved pecorino. I am a vodka pasta girl, so I knew we had to try this dish, and while I did have high hopes, they were surpassed.
Overall, if you’re looking to go somewhere for the holidays, Zarella is a great option. Between the warm pizza and mouth-watering pasta they offer, it is a fantastic option for some comfort food underneath some dazzling lights and surrounded by bustling conversation.
Zarella is open Monday through Thursday from 4 to 10pm, Friday and Saturday from 11am to 11pm, and Sunday from 11am to 9pm. It is located at 531 N Wells St.
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