The pizza is cooked in a wood-fired oven and prepared within view of diners. 

(Editor’s note: Flatbread Neapolitan Pizza closed in August 2022.)

Food

With five locations, Flatbread Neapolitan Pizza has its formula down to a T. It serves pizza in the Neapolitan style with an official V.P.N. certification from Naples, Italy.

The V.P.N. requires certified restaurants to adhere to specified regulations. To comply, Flatbread uses San Marzano Tomatoes, a finely milled flour and fresh mozzarella, basil and yeast.

Our server took the time to explain the differences between the Neapolitan pizzas, the flatbreads and the other pizzas on the menu. The D.O.C. Neapolitan pizzas are fashioned in a traditional Italian style, the other pizzas have more traditionally American toppings and the flatbreads are made in a personal size on a crunchier crust. (D.O.C. is an Italian abbreviation referring to a controlled designation of origin, usually in reference to the type of mozzarella.)

My fiancé and I stuck with American tradition and ordered the BBQ chicken pizza. It had a barbecue sauce base with toppings including chicken, fontina, blue cheese, red onion, green onion and cilantro. The wood-fired oven gave the crust a charred exterior and silky interior.

Service

The service was phenomenal. Our server attentively checked in on us, taking care of every detail. The moment I noticed my partner’s water glass was empty, our server was filling it up, and when he brought out my fiancé’s beer ahead of mine, he let me know that my cocktail was on the way. Flatbread previously offered happy hour discounts that are not currently available. Our server remarked that the restaurant hopes to bring them back.

Atmosphere

Sitting in one of the booths along the wall, I watched as the cooks kneaded the dough, threw it into the air and added toppings before placing the pies into the 800-degree wood-fired oven.

The decor has an urban industrial feel with large stacks of chopped wood on either side of the fireplace. An outdoor patio allows diners a view of the Deschutes River.

More info

Location: 375 SW Powerhouse Drive #130, Bend

Contact: 541-728-0600, flatbreadpizza.com

Hours: Sunday-Thursday 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-9 p.m.,

Price Range: $12.95-$17.95

Cuisine: Italian