prego...
from
http://goamsterdam.about.com/od/whattoe ... rlands.htm
(where a bit more info and links can be found)
Da Portare Via
Multiple locations in the Jordaan, Amsterdam East, De Pijp, Amsterdam Center and the cities of Laren and Utrecht; see web site for details
Da Portare Via - Italian for "To Go" - has six locations to testify to its popularity; the ones in Amsterdam Center, the Jordaan and De Pijp are the most convenient to the city's tourist attractions. Their pizzas, modeled after the Roman standard rather than the more common Neapolitan one, are baked to order in their wood-fired ovens; in addition, there's also foccacia, a small but well-selected wine menu, Lavazza coffee and desserts, not to mention their pizzetta mezzaluna - half-moon pizza - that folds up handily to eat on the move (available at selected locations only). As the name implies, however, some locations (the Jordaan and Utrecht) are take-out only. Note that Da Portare Via doesn't offer a delivery service, nor does it accept cash payment - only credit and Dutch debit cards.
De Italiaan
Bosboom Toussaintstraat 29, Amsterdam West
On a quiet, tree-lined street in the Helmeersbuurt section of Amsterdam West is De Italiaan, another pizzeria that churns out authentically Roman, wood oven-baked pizzas. De Italiaan offers diners a more formal restaurant environment and more choice for those who want to explore other dishes, such as diverse antipasti, salads, pastas and sides; however, the star of the menu is by all accounts the pizza, whose thin crust delivers tastes from the ordinary to the exotic, such as their pizzas embellished with Umbrian black truffles. Gluten-free pizza is also on the menu, as is a substantial wine list. Reservations can be made via telephone or internet.
Fuoco Vivo
De Clercqstraat 12, just west of the Jordaan
Fuoco Vivo is the first pizzeria on this list that follows the traditional Neapolitan recipe for its pizza, which is thicker-crusted than its Roman counterpart; however, the restaurant has some twists of its own: it crafts its pizzas from organic flour and tomatoes, as well as own-made buffalo mozzarella, ricotta and blue cheese. Their formidable wood-fired oven, as the menu proclaims, is made with fire-resistant materials and volcanic earth from Naples, to add yet another authentic touch to their pizzas. Aside from a handful of antipasti, the menu is strictly pizza; and while the prices are just a tad more expensive than its competitors, it doesn't seem to dissuade the diners who pack the interior of this routinely crowded restaurant, which stands out as one of the best pizzerias in town.
La Perla
Tweede Tuindwarsstraat 14 & 53, Jordaan
With an address on the Tweede Tuindwarsstraat, La Perla is situated in the epicenter of the city's diminutive "Little Italy" - but, as their web site is quick to point out, La Perla is the only one in this concentration of excellent Italian restaurants that specializes in pizza. And a veritable specialty it is: of all the pizzerias listed here, I have the anecdotal impression that La Perla is the one most frequently cited as Amsterdammers' favorite pizzeria. La Perla sources their artisanal products directly from Italy, such as their buffalo mozzarella DOP - imported semi-weekly from Naples - and specialty meats and cheeses from all over the country, from the Tuscan finocchiona (fennel salami) to the Calabrian 'nduja (a piquant, spreadable salami). While pizza is served from 5 to 10 p.m. only, sandwiches, omelettes, salads and ravioli are offered for lunch from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the extensive wine menu is available for both meals. Take-out is possible, but to ensure the freshness of their pizzas, La Perla doesn't do phone orders or delivery.
De Pizzabakkers
Multiple locations in the Haarlemmerbuurt, Amsterdam Zuid/South, the Plantage and in the city of Haarlem
The first time I took a Tuscan friend to De Pizzabakkers' Haarlem location, he proclaimed that its pizza was excellent "even" by Italian standards - the fennel salami-topped variety in particular. With its salami and ham sourced from family businesses in Tuscany, it's little surprise that it appealed to his tastes, not to mention the countless other patrons that fill De Pizzabakkers' four locations. The restaurants' dual specialization in pizza and prosecco - my favorite tipple - is a unique twist on the typical pizzeria, even if the prosecco menu is a bit limited. But even teetotallers can enjoy the restaurant for the authentic pizzas that issue from its wood-fired ovens, plus its savory selection of antipasti, salads and desserts. Note that De Pizzabakkers also doesn't accept cash, only credit and Dutch debit cards.
Yam Yam
Frederik Hendrikstraat 88-90, Amsterdam West
Last but not least on the list - if certainly farthest - is Yam Yam which, while famed for its pizza, is also lauded for its fantastic Italian trattoria fare. Take tram 1, 2, 13, 14 or 17 to the western border of the Jordaan, then head northwest across the nexus of canals to the Fredrik Hendrikbuurt, where Amsterdammers know where to find some of the city's most touted pizza, as well as pasta, ravioli and chalkboard specials that are made to perfection. There's no delivery - a standard for the city's more serious pizzerias - but online or telephone reservations will ensure that visitors don't make the trip only to find a full house. Uniquely, pizza lovers can also place an order (before noon for same-day service) to pick up an uncooked pizza to bake at home.
Their Calzone is to die for.
