Omnivore Atlanta

ANOTHER DAY ANOTHER PIZZA: The margherita at Max's Coal Oven Pizzeria

As soon as we walked through the door at Max’s Coal Oven Pizzeria (300 Marietta St., 404-974-2941), several staff members shouted “Hi, guys! Welcome!”

I’m not sure if it was my response — looking around to see who they were yelling at — or their own discomfort with apparently being trained to impersonate Moe’s employees, but the bubbly enthusiasm quickly diminished. I was relieved. Contrived effervescence makes me hostile.

Max’s is yet another project of the gigantic Concentrics Restaurants group. In fact, it’s located next to Stats, the company’s sports bar. Wayne, being a statistical analyst, prefers to call it “the flagship of Atlanta’s burgeoning statistics community.” It’s located in a turn-of-the-last-century building with lots of brick and warehouse ambiance. It was doing quite a brisk business when we visited on a Sunday night, especially with large family groups.

Our server, John H., let us know that the restaurant features Georgia’s first coal-burning pizza oven. This actually is kind of a big deal. Coal ovens are popular in New York City where many regard them as essential since they reach a temperature of 1,000 degrees. John explained that the super-hot oven produces the blistery, charred crust that pizza aficionados crave. Or perhaps not everyone craves that. “I like to warn people that the crust is going to be kind of black,” John said.

Continue reading “Grazing: First look at Max’s Coal Oven Pizzeria”

(Photo by James Camp)

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Another week, another pizzeria. My latest foray took me to Max’s Coal Oven Pizzeria (300 Marietta St., 404-974-2941). This is another Concentrics restaurant, located next door to the chain’s sports bar, Stats.

Our server, John H., explained to us that the restaurant’s coal oven is the first in Georgia and that its 1000-degree heat produces a blistery, charred crust like that on the margherita pie I ordered (above).

I actually preferred this combo of rictotta, parmesan and gorgonzola cheeses with arugula.

This caprese salad — featuring homemade mozzarella, basil and flawless tomatoes — was much better than the average around town (despite its controversial inclusion of balsamic vinegar).

Wayne worried whether these were women wearing burkas or Catholic monks on Max’s patio.

The restaurant, which will be featured in Grazing later this week, has great service by a staff of young rock stars. Seriously, they create a great vibe, even though the pizza is a far cry from those you’ll find at Fritti and Varasano’s.

(Photos by Cliff Bostock)

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Yay! More pizza! From a news release:

Concentrics Restaurants is proud to announce the opening of its newest restaurant Max’s Coal Oven Pizzeria (300 Marietta St.) in late spring 2009. The third Concentrics venture in downtown Atlanta’s thriving walkable Luckie Marietta District, Max’s will wow Atlantans with the simple, delicious and authentic pizza that New Yorkers have loved for years, courtesy of New York native and pizza lover Chef Nick Oltarsh. The restaurant’s signature feature, the only genuine coal-burning oven in Georgia, enables Max’s to serve perfectly crisp and piping hot pizzas, creating a unique taste and texture that has been a hallmark of New York City pizzerias for more than a century. Embracing the traditional art of pizza making, Max’s invites guests to enjoy a taste of the Big Apple’s best paired with Atlanta’s Southern hospitality.

About the coal oven:

The only coal oven in Georgia, Max’s oven heats up to 1,000 degrees. In addition to producing genuine New York flavor, the coal oven promotes environmental sustainability by burning anthracite coal. One of the cleanest burning fossil fuels with an abundant supply in the United States, anthracite coal contains the fewest impurities. Max’s defining fixture, the oven recaptures the feel of the original pizzerias of the early 1900s and takes pizza back to its roots by creating delicious pies with perfectly balanced crisp, yet chewy crusts.

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