By Brooke Sager, freelance writer
What’s not to love about dining out? It’s such a treat to forego cooking for a night, head to a restaurant with a few of your favorite people and enjoy gourmet food with a glass of wine in hand. One of the best ways to make the experience more budget-friendly and personalized is to post up at a BYO spot with your own choice bottles of vino.
Enter 90+ Cellars' BYOW - Bring Your Own Wine - series, where we scope out some amazing BYO spots, share tips from the restaurants on what makes their dishes so tasty and pair each plate with a 90+ Cellars wine.
October is National Pizza Month, and we’re celebrating with wood fired pies at renowned Tuscan restaurant, Lamberti’s Tutti Toscani, in South Jersey – a region situated just outside of Philadelphia, PA that’s brimming with BYO-friendly eateries.
Pizza is everyone’s favorite comfort food – there's something magical that happens when crispy dough, melted cheese and fresh toppings come together. Now that your mouth is watering for a delicious slice (or three), satisfy your cravings with these next-level pizza and wine pairings, plus some insider tips on how to make the perfect pie from the gurus at Tutti Toscani.
SAUSAGE PIZZA & LOT 172 LAMBRUSCO
Pairing: Lot 172 Lambrusco is the wine we're grabbing time and time again this fall. Sparkling reds are incredibly food-friendly and versatile, but poured alongside a big slice of pizza is where Lambrusco really shines. Which brings us to the La Verace pizza, topped with sweet Italian sausage, marinara, plus ricotta and mozzarella cheeses. This hearty pie is packed with salty meat and bold flavors, and begs for the slight effervescence and subtle sweetness of Lambrusco to balance it out.
Tip: “Wood fired pizza cooks fast and comes out beautifully charred with no ‘flop’. At Tutti Toscani, we always keep our oven at 850 degrees F for consistency in the cooking process. We go through a cord of wood every two weeks.” - Tutti Toscani
WHITE VEGGIE PIZZA & LOT 152 CHARDONNAY
Pairing: Tutti Toscani's Special White pizza is brimming with delicious veggies. And because white pizzas lack the acidity of red sauce, the full body and lightly oaked style of Lot 152 Chardonnay make it the perfect pairing. The full body and creamy mouthfeel of the Chardonnay also matches the mozzarella and mushrooms’ umami flavor and balance the peppers, spinach and other fresh vegetables.
Tip: “What makes a good white pizza great? Oil and garlic. We season the ingredients before they actually go on the pizza, and it makes a huge difference. Garlic is a flavor powerhouse and really brings out the best in the veggies.” - Tutti Toscani
MARGHERITA PIZZA & LOT 27 BARBERA D’ALBA
Pairing: What could be better than classic margherita pizza paired with a quintessential, expressive Italian wine? We opened up Lot 27 Barbera d’Alba – its bright fruit flavors and natural acidity complement the pizza’s tomato marinara and aromatic basil in the most delicious way. Barbera has smooth tannins, delicious fruit flavors and medium body, making it a perfect gateway into the amazing world of Italian wine.
Tip: “When it comes to a traditional Italian pizza, like the margherita, it’s all about using the right amount of fresh mozzarella, as opposed to just loading up the pie with cheese. We recommend finding the freshest mozzarella you can - less really can be more when you're working with the right ingredients!” - Tutti Toscani
Located only eight miles from Philadelphia, PA in Cherry Hill, NJ (1491 Brace Road), Lamberti’s Tutti Toscani has been a neighborhood favorite for 35+ years, known for their wood fired pizza and authentic Tuscan fare. With its homey atmosphere, imported brick oven and outdoor patio enjoyed during warmer months, Tutti Toscani is the perfect place to enjoy a little “slice” of Italy any time you’re in South Jersey!