The pizzas are why you are here in the first place, and Pizzeria Solario does a fine job with the thin crust, judiciously dressed pizzas with a slightly wet center that have its roots in Naples. The noticeably good quality ingredients and a traditional Neapolitan wood-fired brick oven brought to high temperatures help ensure well-done pizzas most of the time with a proper fresh taste including a pleasant, soft crust. Having eaten far too many mediocre and worse pizzas in my long-lasting Margherita Pizza Project, I’m happy to write that Pizzeria Solario does a far better job than most in the city, and its safe to order a Margherita Pizza here along with the four others that are offered as part of their $10 lunch special. In addition to the Margherita, you can get the Quattro Formaggio (Cow’s milk mozzarella, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Asiago, and aged Provolone), Pepperoni, the Bianca (Fontina, Cow’s milk mozzarella, Pecorino Romano and fried sage), and Filetti (Fontina, fresh heirloom grape tomatoes, arugula and fresh basil). There does not seem to be a bad choice, at least three different ones I’ve had have all been quite enjoyable and worth ordering.
Though one of these pizzas for $10 would be a worth a special trip by itself, the house salad as probably better than it needs be – there were actually ripe and flavorful tomato halves, unusual for inexpensive Houston restaurants these days – as are the soups. The oddly named sofrito soup featuring the browned vegetables, a roux, ground sausage pieces, vermouth and a bit of cream has probably been my favorite, though the minestrone-like lentil and cannellini bean soups are both worthwhile. Three enjoyable courses anchored by a fine pizza for $10, there’s a lot to recommend at this fairly humble Greenway area spot.
Pizzeria Solario
3333 Weslayan (just north of Richmond), 77027, (713) 892-8100
pizzeriasolario.com