Pizzativation at Pompieri
posted August 26, 2015 5:09 PM RSS | iCal | +googleCal
Sun September 27 at 4:30 PM, Pompieri Pizza
102 City Hall Plaza, Durham, NC, USA (Map & Directions)
Who's up for all-you-can eat Pizza on a Sunday evening in September?
Every Sunday, Pompieri Pizza has a Family Meal from 4:30 to 6:30 PM.
Let's meet up there some Sunday in September. Ruling out Labor Day, that means three possibilities: Sept 13, Sept 20, or Sept 27. Unlike most Triangle area meetups, there's not going to be a lot of pressure to make a reservation. I'll phone ahead if it looks like we'll be a big crowd, otherwise I'm angling for a much slacker "let's all kind of try to be in the same general area at the same general time" thing.
Here are the deets:
Let's meet up there some Sunday in September. Ruling out Labor Day, that means three possibilities: Sept 13, Sept 20, or Sept 27. Unlike most Triangle area meetups, there's not going to be a lot of pressure to make a reservation. I'll phone ahead if it looks like we'll be a big crowd, otherwise I'm angling for a much slacker "let's all kind of try to be in the same general area at the same general time" thing.
Here are the deets:
- $18 buys a salad, sides, a lot of pizza, non-alcoholic drinks, and a scoop of gelato. ($10 for people age 7-12; $5 for ages 2-6)
- Whatever's carried past you is fair game. The servers will tell you what's on the pizza (and can clarify if something's ambiguous, diet-wise).
- When we last went, pizza toppings included lemon oil, fried kale, corn, black-eyed peas, various atypical-for-pizza meats, and fish. Some were cheeseless, some were sauceless. Some of the combinations were downright inspired. Some were pretty random. For the most part even the really great pizzas would've been too much to order a whole pie of, but just one or two slices of each was great.
- The action starts exactly at 4:30 and ends at 6:30. Two hours goes by faster than you'd think. Partly because service can be somewhat random-seeming, since all the slices on a tray might be gone before the server reaches you.
- In case you've not been before: The place is mostly bench seating, so the staff won't be pushing tables together for us. If we'll be a big crowd, I'll reserve a whole or half bench to make sure there's room.
I'm on vacation the 13th/20th but am in if we pick the 27th!
posted by something something at 5:05 AM on August 27, 2015
posted by something something at 5:05 AM on August 27, 2015
Do they have... normal pizzas? I might bring my daughter, but she is not going to be thrilled with kale and fish pizza.
posted by Rock Steady at 5:42 AM on August 27, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Rock Steady at 5:42 AM on August 27, 2015 [1 favorite]
Do they have... normal pizzas? I might bring my daughter, but she is not going to be thrilled with kale and fish pizza.Yep! Take a look at the menu. It's pretty tasty.
Though there is some hipsterish stuff... and not all of it is great.
posted by -1 at 7:26 AM on August 27, 2015
Yeah, I feel like they have a lot of different stuff, a lot of it is seasonal, I've been there a few times and seen kids eating pretty happily. Maybe they were hipster kids though.
posted by leesh at 8:29 AM on August 27, 2015
posted by leesh at 8:29 AM on August 27, 2015
Let's do the 27th!
posted by oceanjesse at 8:29 AM on August 27, 2015
posted by oceanjesse at 8:29 AM on August 27, 2015
I will be out of town on the 26th, but I will try and make it back in time for this!
posted by Maecenas at 8:37 AM on August 27, 2015
posted by Maecenas at 8:37 AM on August 27, 2015
> Do they have... normal pizzas? I might bring my daughter, but she is not going to be thrilled with kale and fish pizza.
Actually...
When we were there, the AYCE trays being carried around were all chef's experiments. (Some of which, I imagine, eventually became daily specials).
Their usual menu, plus daily specials, are also available, and some patrons were ordering those instead. It means everything else is a la carte too, though -- drinks, salad, etc.
American-style pizza mainstays like cheese and pepperoni aren't Pompieri's strong suit anyway, and I'd hesitate to recommend the place to people expecting that. The patrons I tend to see enjoying themselves the least are the ones who expected something more like Domino's.
posted by ardgedee at 2:35 PM on August 27, 2015
Actually...
When we were there, the AYCE trays being carried around were all chef's experiments. (Some of which, I imagine, eventually became daily specials).
Their usual menu, plus daily specials, are also available, and some patrons were ordering those instead. It means everything else is a la carte too, though -- drinks, salad, etc.
American-style pizza mainstays like cheese and pepperoni aren't Pompieri's strong suit anyway, and I'd hesitate to recommend the place to people expecting that. The patrons I tend to see enjoying themselves the least are the ones who expected something more like Domino's.
posted by ardgedee at 2:35 PM on August 27, 2015
This is right next to my house! I've never been for Family Meal though. Agreed that it isn't Domino's-style, but it's good and there is definitely stuff that is less weird than kale and fish.
I'm out of town the 13th but in for the other weekends!
posted by aka burlap at 3:02 PM on August 27, 2015
I'm out of town the 13th but in for the other weekends!
posted by aka burlap at 3:02 PM on August 27, 2015
Of the local pizzerias I've tried, Pompieri's Margherita is my favorite.
posted by research monkey at 5:45 PM on August 27, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by research monkey at 5:45 PM on August 27, 2015 [1 favorite]
It's true! They have the best Margherita in town (that I have tried)!
posted by oceanjesse at 7:09 PM on August 27, 2015
posted by oceanjesse at 7:09 PM on August 27, 2015
Looks like the 27th is a lock.
posted by ardgedee at 6:09 PM on August 28, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by ardgedee at 6:09 PM on August 28, 2015 [1 favorite]
Hey, I'm back in Durham and just saw this! Will definitely attend.
posted by venividivici at 8:20 AM on September 19, 2015
posted by venividivici at 8:20 AM on September 19, 2015
Looks like we're at 10 people plus half a dozen maybes.
I'll check again at the end of next week. If numbers hold steady or grow, I'll reserve us a chunk of row table for 4:30 PM.
Out of towners should note: There's a lot of road and building construction immediately around the restaurant, and a couple streets including Mangum are occasionally closed to traffic. If anybody needs help navigating, memail me.
posted by ardgedee at 1:31 PM on September 19, 2015
I'll check again at the end of next week. If numbers hold steady or grow, I'll reserve us a chunk of row table for 4:30 PM.
Out of towners should note: There's a lot of road and building construction immediately around the restaurant, and a couple streets including Mangum are occasionally closed to traffic. If anybody needs help navigating, memail me.
posted by ardgedee at 1:31 PM on September 19, 2015
I'm going to have my parents in town unexpectedly, but this sounds like the kind of thing they would be into, so I might bring them along. If I do make it, I will be a +3, which is not an option in the dropdown. I wish I could be more certain about if we will make it or not, but they are pretty loosey-goosey about planning ahead, so it will depend what else we get up to that day and where in the Triangle we are. Have fun and eat weird pizza if I don't see you!
posted by Rock Steady at 7:27 AM on September 22, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Rock Steady at 7:27 AM on September 22, 2015 [1 favorite]
I'm having to switch to a maybe--I have a crazy weekend and am really going to try to come!
posted by leesh at 9:29 AM on September 24, 2015
posted by leesh at 9:29 AM on September 24, 2015
I've made a reservation for 12 seats at 4:30 tomorrow. The reservation is for "Metafilter". I don't think there'll be a problem fitting more if necessary. I've informed them that we'll all be arriving separately.
For those who haven't been: The main entrance is a hallway lined on one side with fish tanks, and at the end is an ordering counter. You have to place an order before finding a table. Tell them you're there for Family Meal and you're with the Metafilter group. They'll ring you up and then you can track us down or ask the clerk for help to the table.
We usually park on N. Church Street and walk through the private driveway between the church and the law office, then through the alley between BCBB, Dos Perros and Pompieri. Pompieri has a second entrance off the alley that goes through the bar. Use it as a shortcut when the weather's bad, but sometimes it's awkward threading through there if you're not going to sit at the bar.
posted by ardgedee at 10:19 AM on September 26, 2015 [1 favorite]
For those who haven't been: The main entrance is a hallway lined on one side with fish tanks, and at the end is an ordering counter. You have to place an order before finding a table. Tell them you're there for Family Meal and you're with the Metafilter group. They'll ring you up and then you can track us down or ask the clerk for help to the table.
We usually park on N. Church Street and walk through the private driveway between the church and the law office, then through the alley between BCBB, Dos Perros and Pompieri. Pompieri has a second entrance off the alley that goes through the bar. Use it as a shortcut when the weather's bad, but sometimes it's awkward threading through there if you're not going to sit at the bar.
posted by ardgedee at 10:19 AM on September 26, 2015 [1 favorite]
There are 8 of us here already... Ask for the Jackson 5 table.
posted by ardgedee at 1:58 PM on September 27, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by ardgedee at 1:58 PM on September 27, 2015 [1 favorite]
d'oh, got waylaid elsewhere. Sorry I couldn't make it and I hope you all had a great time!
posted by aka burlap at 2:51 PM on September 27, 2015
posted by aka burlap at 2:51 PM on September 27, 2015
I had a great time. Thanks for the camaraderie, pizza eaters!
My votes for most arcane pizza toppings: 1) tequila/lime, 2) popcorn, 3) bacon marmalade. Even these were pretty darn delicious, though.
A+++ Would mangia again.
posted by GrammarMoses at 4:43 PM on September 27, 2015
My votes for most arcane pizza toppings: 1) tequila/lime, 2) popcorn, 3) bacon marmalade. Even these were pretty darn delicious, though.
A+++ Would mangia again.
posted by GrammarMoses at 4:43 PM on September 27, 2015
Yeah, I think the tequila/lime could have worked if they'd managed the flambé. Instead it came out half-appetizer, half-aperitif.
posted by ardgedee at 7:44 PM on September 27, 2015
posted by ardgedee at 7:44 PM on September 27, 2015
Thanks for a great evening, everyone! PIZZA!!
posted by something something at 6:28 AM on September 28, 2015
posted by something something at 6:28 AM on September 28, 2015
I'm still full!
posted by oceanjesse at 9:00 AM on September 28, 2015
posted by oceanjesse at 9:00 AM on September 28, 2015
Ok, so maybe I had breakfast already, but that was fun.
Perhaps the next IRL event shall involve the movies.
posted by oceanjesse at 9:01 AM on September 28, 2015 [1 favorite]
Perhaps the next IRL event shall involve the movies.
posted by oceanjesse at 9:01 AM on September 28, 2015 [1 favorite]
It was great meeting all of you. My favorite comment from the waiter: "So...you're all ready to move on to gelato now, right?" along with a rather stern look of disapproval.
Yeah, we're pigs.
posted by venividivici at 11:53 AM on September 28, 2015 [2 favorites]
Yeah, we're pigs.
posted by venividivici at 11:53 AM on September 28, 2015 [2 favorites]
I think it had more to do with hanging out beyond the 6:30 window. I'm not going to feel bad about it.
posted by ardgedee at 1:06 PM on September 28, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by ardgedee at 1:06 PM on September 28, 2015 [1 favorite]
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by leesh at 7:19 PM on August 26, 2015 [1 favorite]