Vero Pizza Napoletana
12421 Cedar Rd, Cleveland Heights, OH, 44106
Vero Pizza Napoletana Menu
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Address :
12421 Cedar Rd
Cleveland Heights, OH, 44106 - Phone (216) 229-8383
- Website https://www.verocleveland.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :Closed
- Mon : Closed
Tue
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : No
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Garage, Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
Categories
Pizza
Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.
Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.
Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
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Nora C.
Excellent restaurant! I have been searching for a good thin crust pizza since I moved to Cleveland 11 years ago. I had the Salumi pizza. I could eat this all day long. The crust was perfectly cooked with a satisfying chew. The salami with a hint of honey was perfect. My friend got the Capua which was fantastic. They perfectly balanced the prosciutto, arugula, and black pepper. We ordered a carafe of the house red which was surprisingly good, especially for the low cost. We finished with gelato--delicious! We will definitely be back!
(5)Lisa K.
Best pizza I have had in a long time! Although you sometimes have to wait a little longer than other pizza places, it is totally worth the wait. The crust is cooked perfectly and every pizza I have tried is full of flavor. The crostini we ordered a few times a few months back is also delicious! The most recent time we went last week it was no longer on the menu which was disappointing, but I am hoping they bring it back soon! Finally, the gelato is a perfect treat to end your day! Highly recommend!
(5)Justin L.
Vero serves Neapolitan pizza with a super thin crust and quality ingredients, fresh from the oven. I tried the Margherita, Salumi and Egg and Pancetta. Best pizza I've had in Northeast Ohio.
(5)green f.
This is great pizza. Real Italian true pizza. I hear they only do 1-3 pizzas at a time. It's worth the wait to get pizza this good.
(5)Maximus D.
There is food prepared with the best of intentions and there is food such as that at Vero where the craft is king. And the craft, and mastery, of a glowing wood fired oven never fails to draw me in (I admit this might be partially a nurture aspect of my upbringing). It is a marvel to eat here and to witness the behind the scenes preparation on Instagram. The pizza is perfection, the vegetables out of the oven sublime, and the gelato a perfect ending to all that lovely char. Buyer be warned though as when the dough is out, the day is over. No going into the freezer for Vero!
(5)Juspaul R.
Great pizza! The burning oven they cook there pizza in is legit! Unique toppings (try the pork belly) and they have great gelato! Customer service is friendly and the layout is pretty cool! Definitely a must see in Cleveland Hts!
(5)M L.
Great service, food was excellent, pizza crust is very tasty (and i'm an east coast girl). Can't wait to come back with a bottle of wine (they are still pending a liquor license)... But, no corking fee
(5)Kamal K.
Went to Vero when it first opened. Great Pizza that has organic and fresh ingredients. Great place for a nice lunch or a quaint dinner! I love it!
(5)Debbie L.
This is not your average pizza place... It is so much better! The menu is pretty limited but the options are straight out of a pizza place in Italy and they are just as good. Artisanal cheeses and meats make this place extra special and the very friendly staff are the cherry on top! Hubby and I had the Salumi pizza and it was delish! The tomato sauce is a has a very fresh and slightly sweet flavor (which I love) that compliments the slight saltiness of the Salumi making it a perfect combo. There was just enough cheese to bring a little mild creaminess to the palate and mellow everything out. We loved it! We will be back!
(4)Nour J.
Definitely the best pizza Napoletana in Cleveland and the area! We keep going for more, but the service is so slow...there was one waiter serving the whole restaurants which is spread on the two floors...then he was standing behind the gelato counter for more than 20 mns. Overall we waited 2hours for our pizzas... yes i will go back and be patient hoping that they will improve their service
(4)Ashley T.
LOVE LOVE LOVE Vero! My significant other and I are practically regulars, when our schedules sync up! Get these pizzas as they are meant to be...uncut! The prosciutto, salami, and margherita pizzas are all fantastic, and I plan to try many more! Their appetizers are always changing, but always have something good. I do miss the mushroom topping they has for their bruscetta early on when they opened, but they make up for that in other great tastes. And if you dont want pizza, then they still serve the great gelatto you knew from La Gelateria previously!
(5)Chet J.
Accepts Case card. Salumi is very good (their pepperoni pizza). Their wood fire pizza is great! Gelato is excellent. Service is good. Large groups may take a little while. Very good ambiance and location. Music can be somewhat loud, if you're looking for library quiet, but I like everything they play. As others have said, lots of unique choices including salads, pizzas, etc. I tried a pizza with kale on it one time, it was good.
(4)F. J.
We went here with a Living Social coupon; we'd spotted it before and thought it looked interesting. This used to be a gelato parlor, and in many ways, it still is. There are few tables. The depressing atmosphere really kills any sense of the space (which is high ceilings and vintage detail) -- it is painted battleship-gray. Dark and depressing. The tables are unfinished oak -- looks pretty, but has already absorbed a LOT of olive oil....who ever thought this was a good idea, needs a serious re-think. The high ceilings make this noisy and unpleasant. The good points: the pizza is tasty....chewy crust and interesting toppings. They are VERY small -- about 9" I think. Not enough to share unless you just want a snack. At $10-14, this is a lot -- you could get a big X-large somewhere else. But it was tasty. The bad: everything else. Antipasto was basically a de-constructed pizza -- same dough as bread, same salumi, same proscuitto. It was good but like eating the same thing over again! The olives were pitted, jarred Kalamatas, which was disappointing. As someone else said, they seem to be barely set up to serve pizza and a few salads. They appear to be baking the pizzas ONE AT A TIME in a teeny tiny brick oven at the back. SO this takes forever. We spent almost two hours there, mostly waiting for our food. The worst: the help was just terrible....distracted. The table service barely exists. Most people order their pizza at the gelato stand. At these prices, this seems unfair. Also: we found two hairs in our antipasto, which clearly came from the server. EWWW. They disappeared around check time as well, and we had to pay at the gelato counter. Gelato is very good, but honestly, you don't expect a "bistro" to be an ice cream parlor that serves pizza half-heartedly. Which is what this is. In short: good pizza, but know what you are getting into. This is a downbeat, unfriendly place for a date that feels like you are eating in the laundry room of a basement.
(2)Sharmeela S.
Excellent pizza. Ingredients are local and fresh. Pizzas are anywhere between 13 to 16$. I can easily finish a pizza by myself. There are 8 small pieces. Thin crust. There's metered street parking in the Cedar Fairmount area. There are probably at the most twenty tables, so I'm certain there would be a wait on weekends. Looking forward to trying their whole menu eventually.
(4)Bob L.
If I had to choose a word that would sum up our experience at Vero Bistro it would be slow. If I had to choose two words to describe it they would be agonizingly slow. I'm pretty sure that time actually slowed down while we were there. It felt like we were eating in Matrix bullet time. Allow me to elaborate. We arrived at the front door on a Saturday evening within minutes of their 5pm opening time. There were two other couples in the doorway with us. Things started out well enough and we were immediately seated at a table at the bottom of the staircase that leads to the upstairs dining area. Not a bad atmosphere. There's a gelato bar and small seating area downstairs and a larger dining area upstairs. Not huge, but it didn't feel that crampt either. Now here's where things went downhill. We placed our drink orders. 10 minutes passes before we receive them. Mind you, the place isn't all that busy and we were among the first three couples that entered the establishment that evening. We placed our food orders during the drink delivery process, two salads, a meat/cheese board consisting of a single meat and a single cheese, and a pizza. 45 minutes. That's how long we waited for our first item to be delivered to our table. I honestly couldn't remember the last time we had to wait so long at a restaurant that wasn't bodies to the walls busy. We were within five minutes of walking out and probably would have had they not finally brought something out. What made it even more annoying was watching the dozen or so pizzas go past our table while we waited. I was so pissed that I didn't order a second beer. Speaking of beer, there are only two on their list and they are both from Italian brewery Monebrea. Decent beers, though. The service was pretty C-. When the server dropped off the charcuterie he didn't bother to explain what any of the items on the board were. Just dropped it on the table and ran off. It was tasty, the nduja was well-spiced and the beer-washed Siberian Night paired well. The board also came with some crackers, cornishons, some type of spicy jam and sliced baguette. The salads were pretty lackluster. The radicchio salad - which contained very little radicchio - was quite oily and completely lacked acid of any kind. My wife opted for the house salad which was essentially a few leaves of romaine lettuce dressed with balsamic vinaigrette. We ended up combining the two salads on one plate. The sum was definitely better than the parts. Now for the pizza. It was good. Not "holy shit I'll be counting down the days until I can have this again" good, just good. We selected the cavaletto & speck variant. The brussels sprouts added a nice bitterness, the speck was a bit tough to chew through while the balsamic reduction brought a welcome sweetness to counter the salt in the goat cheese. The crust, a great combination of crispy and chewey, had a nice char from the wood-fired oven. At $16 I thought it was on the pricey side for what amounted to roughly 4 slices. Did I mention that we were there what seemed like forever? I think less time passed between sightings of Halley's Comet. I think less time passed between Meatloaf albums. Anyway, you get the picture. Our dining experience took 1hr 45min from in to out. Damn. For a place that requires us to drive all the way across town to get there, I just can't think of anything from our experience that would have me making the trip again. P.S. The way the servers and kitchen staff run up and down the staircase in this place is something like watching a NASCAR race. You know there's bound to be an accident and that's really the only reason you can't stop watching it.
(2)Cary S.
We went to Vero for a birthday party last weekend with a group of 9 people. We were crowded in a back corner on the upper level, which was a recipe for inattentive wait staff and poor service. We waited with empty wine glasses for the majority of the meal, and I wholeheartedly believe that no Italian would appreciate THAT situation. The best aspect of the meal was the appetizers. The brussel sprouts were on point, and the cheese board was paired really nicely. If I was forced to go back I would just order apps. For real. The thing that was even more disappointing than the wine was that there were very limited pizza toppings. The only meat choices came from pigs, and there were very few vegetables to be seen. We ordered several pizzas because we were a larger group, only to learn that there is only room for three pizzas in the oven at a time, so we couldn't even get served in unison. This was an all-around disappointing dinner.
(2)Chris S.
Best pizza, and gelato I've ever had!!! Stop in there if you want to eat like you should..
(5)P W.
Vero is one of the best pizzas in Cleveland. I like Crostatas a little more but the drive to Highland Heights is awful. Vero is a good Neapolitan style pizza in a cute little restaurant on Cedar. The service is excellent.
(5)George M.
great atmosphere, good service, place a bit small and limited tables and overall appetizers, salad and pizza okay..will def visit again. a must try at least once.
(3)Jason V.
A crust that is delicately crisp and slightly burnt on the outside yet still soft on the inside sealed the deal for me putting Vero on top of my other Cleveland pizza destinations (Pepper's, Sweet Basil, Marrotta's, Crust, Angelo's, Dewey's, and Mama Santa's). Fresh toppings on the Pancetta and Farm Egg Pizza further highlighted by the cracked pepper and occasional saltiness of the pancetta rounded out this fantastic pizza. Do heed the menu's warning that this is a pizza to be enjoyed fresh out of the oven in the restaurant instead of at home as take-out.
(4)Natalie P.
If the first thing I see when I walk into a restaurant is a wood-fired oven, I'm a happy lady! This restaurant is quaint, aromatic, and just an outstanding choice for thin crust delicious pizza in Cleveland. Honestly, it's probably the closest to real Italian pizza you'll find for miles around, and the best part about it is all their ingredients are locally sourced. Any place that supports local businesses is an establishment I immediately respect and have no problem handing stars to hand over foot!! My chomping buddy and I started with a selection of 4 appetizers for $16 (pretty damn good deal)! From the cured meat selection, we had the prosciutto di parma and hot coppa. I appreciated that the menu listed the locations from which all the meats were obtained (prosciutto from italy and hot coppa from san fran). Both were delicious! Creamy, well sliced prosciutto is an art and these guys have mastered it! The hot coppa was peppery, spicy, and just salty enough to make me want to move on to cheese, but not so salty to make me guzzle gallons of water all night! The shot rock (sheep milk cheese) was funky but not TOO funky, you know what I mean? Sometimes you just want a chunk of good ol' stinky cheese, but you don't want one so stinky that you can't taste the rest of your meal. Finally, the chevre---I love goat cheese to the end of the earth and back and this one was great. So much better than any chevre you can buy from Whole Foods haha. Warm bread with chevre and honey= me slapping the boyfriend's hand away for every last morsel! But what about the pizza, you say? Well, let me tell you. - Salumi: We ordered the salumi and honey pizza at the recommendation of fellow Yelpers and were not disappointed! Every bite really features the flavors of salumi, honey, oregano and tomato. No one ingredient over powered the rest. The balance between sweet and savory is so perfectly achieved, that I could have eaten that entire pie myself. Next time, I just might!! - Carbonara: The carbonara is an equally good choice. The egg was cooked to runny/solid perfection! This pie was creamy and decadent mozzarella bliss with just a hint of spice every now and then- fantastic!! My only qualm was that bits of the crust were burnt, but that is to be expected with a wood-fired oven. We washed everything down with a bottle of sweet and simple Bracchetto- the perfect sweet sparkling addition to pizza. I recommend you buy the bottle, because just one glass will not suffice!! Tip: There are very few tables, so make a reservation. The servers were really great about coming over and checking in on us as we waited by the door for a table. Although, the ambiance is not amazing as there are very few tables and the servers can be a little teenage-growing phase awkward. But I don't think I'll detract a star for that! Also, check in and you'll get $2 off your order!!!
(5)Michael F.
Love the pizza & salads here. Even though I try to make myself switch it up the "salumi" is usually my go to pizza here, such a great pizza it is! Properly made & stretched dough cooked to perfection.
(5)Casey M.
every meal at vero is excellent. service is always friendly, even when they are swamped- but most importantly their food is always SO SO SO good.
(5)Gregg S.
This was easily our sixth trip to Vero in the last six months and we were shocked at the poor experience. During our previous trips the service was good; young staff but given the price point and atmosphere it was cool. We even met a wait person who also works at the Starbucks down the road.The pizza was not great but good and their menu has a nice combination of pizza, salad and charcuterie. This trip started out bad with a ten minute wait to see anyone for a drink order. It was frustrating when another couple sat down two tables away and were waited on immediately. Ok, move on they did not see you. We ordered our drinks and then when they came, our pizza. Thirty minutes later after everyone around us had been served I asked our waiter about our pies. He looked confused and said I'll check. Ten minutes later, he can back after I waived another wait person down and said geez they had a large party and were backed up. He said after my question that they would not charge us for the pizza. We finally received our pizza, my wife's was under cooked but we were happy after an hour to eat. After easily one of our worst dining experiences, we asked for and received the check; he charged full price for the pizzas! When I asked to see the manager, he said he was the manager!! I said you need to discount this bill, he said ok and took off another $10. If it was just poor service, give them a pass and try again but they are incompetent liars. If zero stars was an option that would be my rating. Save your money and go elsewhere.
(1)Nora C.
Excellent restaurant! I have been searching for a good thin crust pizza since I moved to Cleveland 11 years ago. I had the Salumi pizza. I could eat this all day long. The crust was perfectly cooked with a satisfying chew. The salami with a hint of honey was perfect. My friend got the Capua which was fantastic. They perfectly balanced the prosciutto, arugula, and black pepper. We ordered a carafe of the house red which was surprisingly good, especially for the low cost. We finished with gelato--delicious! We will definitely be back!
(5)Hanna F.
I went here on Saturday night with a friend because I purchased the Groupon, and I would not recommend it. The service was extremely slow (it seems like they can only cook one pizza at a time) and the food was only average. We ordered the bruchetta appetizer and the beet salad for starters, both were only ok and the salad was very small. The pizza took another 20+ minutes and when it arrived it was tiny and burnt on the bottom. We thought we could split one because they were $12+ but I would not recommend sharing a pizza from here. They do have some interesting pizza toppings, and the place does have potential, but I will not be returning any time soon. FYI-it is BYOB
(2)Krissy F.
This is absolutely the best pizza I've had outside of Italy. Perfectly cooked, simple but delicious, wood-fired pizzas that cannot be beat. That said, if you like Pizza Hut-style pizza with 2" thick crusts, dripping in cheap cheese topping, you simply will not like this. This is pizza as it's made in Europe - fresh, light, and mindbogglingly delicious. The pizzas cook in an oven that's 700-800 degrees - so they just cook for a moment. The bottom of the thin crust was crisp, while the top had just the right amount of sponge to soak up the delightful tomato sauce... it's that sensation of dipping your cookie in your glass of milk or coffee until it's reached the perfect point of saturation, where it still delivers the crunch but also has soaked up the liquid. Absolute perfection. The service was good but not exceptional, which I'm sure will improve with time. Sitting upstairs is great because you can eavesdrop on the kitchen, watching each perfect pizza emerge from the stove! In response to a previous reviewer who thought they could share a pizza at $12 - at my trip last week the pizzas were priced $8-10, which I would consider completely reasonable for a dinner main course. They may have adjusted their menu somewhat since opening. Remember to BYO wine... for now!
(5)Carolyn C.
On suggestion from Scene mags, very positive review or Vero, we tried it one Saturday night. One key point the article missed, was that in lieu of the fact that they don't currently have a liquor license, you CAN bring your own wine! And they provide the glasses and corkscrew! NO CORKAGE FEE! Now on to the pizza....it was delicious! We had two, (as they are only about 11" pies) The pancetta with egg, and the Capriciossa. The pancetta with egg was our favorite, but it's a weekly featured pie, and not always available. The dough is sweet and delicious, not a pan pizza, and not over loaded with cheese. These are authentic Napoletana pizzas. They have a distinct way of being cooked and served, and as the owners will tell you, best consumed on the premises. There are salads, and other small plates available on the menu, which all sounded mouth-watering. Definitely going to try next time. And don't expect to get a huge pizza, loaded to the brim, with cheese and toppings. Think Quality vs Quantity! You'll be very satisfied!
(4)Pat D.
cleveland is really getting it's groove on with neapolitan wood fired pizzas, and vero may be my new king of the hill, maybe even besting Kirtlands gem Biga, although at this level it's less about rankings and more about nuances, you can't go wrong with either place or Flour in moreland hills for that matter, less consistent but still worthy are 3 palms in hudson and crostatas in highland hts. Vero starts you off with a few worthy apps, crositini that's made with real bread, toasted to perfection, the goat cheese with pistachios and honey hits the mark. the salad with celery root was well chopped and perfectly topped with a house made buttermilk dressing. And finally we tried the litmus test of neapolitan pizzas the margherita dop, perfect char and leopard spots on the puffy, chewy yet slightly crispy handle, great san marzano tanginess to the simple sauce and the sweet creaminess of the buffalo mozz, charred basil, what else is there to ask for? Also, save room for their gelato,
(5)Melissa M.
Wonderful thin crust pizza with a great variety of toppings...and then gelato!
(4)Adam R.
Went in for gelato but after standing in front of the gelato counter for 5 minutes received no indication from the staff that they were interested in selling us any gelato. Left very unsatisfied and with no gelato.
(1)Becky R.
I read a good review about Vero Bistro and I love the Cedar-Fairmount area, so I decided to check it out. Very disappointed in the pizza. I ordered a pizza with artichokes, mushrooms and proscuitto. It was undercooked and the crust was soggy. Sadly, I won't be going back.
(2)Cris L.
This is exactly what the east side of Cleveland needed. For years there has been a drought of gourmet pizza in the Cleveland Heights area (even places in Little Italy have been disappointing). The pizza is made in a wood-fired oven. There are several delicious options to try and the list rotates over time. I have never had a bad pizza from this place and have been a patron on at least 5 occasions. They combine unique flavors like salami and honey. The crust is thin and crispy. To top it off, the gelato dessert is more than filling. Generous serving sizes of this delicious treat make a fine end to the dinner. Of note, this is not a great place for large groups (there are relatively few tables that don't seat many people)
(5)Caroline P.
As a New Yorker I am particular with pizza. Vero shone tonight, pretty good pie. A little overpriced as one pie (which essentially ate like a personal pie to me) was about 13-16$. Ingredients were lovely, crust a little too chewy for my liking and def too thick of a crust. But a great brick over char all around. And deliciously good hot oil at the tables. Overall, I would go back but with more money!!!!
(4)Bob L.
If I had to choose a word that would sum up our experience at Vero Bistro it would be slow. If I had to choose two words to describe it they would be agonizingly slow. I'm pretty sure that time actually slowed down while we were there. It felt like we were eating in Matrix bullet time. Allow me to elaborate. We arrived at the front door on a Saturday evening within minutes of their 5pm opening time. There were two other couples in the doorway with us. Things started out well enough and we were immediately seated at a table at the bottom of the staircase that leads to the upstairs dining area. Not a bad atmosphere. There's a gelato bar and small seating area downstairs and a larger dining area upstairs. Not huge, but it didn't feel that crampt either. Now here's where things went downhill. We placed our drink orders. 10 minutes passes before we receive them. Mind you, the place isn't all that busy and we were among the first three couples that entered the establishment that evening. We placed our food orders during the drink delivery process, two salads, a meat/cheese board consisting of a single meat and a single cheese, and a pizza. 45 minutes. That's how long we waited for our first item to be delivered to our table. I honestly couldn't remember the last time we had to wait so long at a restaurant that wasn't bodies to the walls busy. We were within five minutes of walking out and probably would have had they not finally brought something out. What made it even more annoying was watching the dozen or so pizzas go past our table while we waited. I was so pissed that I didn't order a second beer. Speaking of beer, there are only two on their list and they are both from Italian brewery Monebrea. Decent beers, though. The service was pretty C-. When the server dropped off the charcuterie he didn't bother to explain what any of the items on the board were. Just dropped it on the table and ran off. It was tasty, the nduja was well-spiced and the beer-washed Siberian Night paired well. The board also came with some crackers, cornishons, some type of spicy jam and sliced baguette. The salads were pretty lackluster. The radicchio salad - which contained very little radicchio - was quite oily and completely lacked acid of any kind. My wife opted for the house salad which was essentially a few leaves of romaine lettuce dressed with balsamic vinaigrette. We ended up combining the two salads on one plate. The sum was definitely better than the parts. Now for the pizza. It was good. Not "holy shit I'll be counting down the days until I can have this again" good, just good. We selected the cavaletto & speck variant. The brussels sprouts added a nice bitterness, the speck was a bit tough to chew through while the balsamic reduction brought a welcome sweetness to counter the salt in the goat cheese. The crust, a great combination of crispy and chewey, had a nice char from the wood-fired oven. At $16 I thought it was on the pricey side for what amounted to roughly 4 slices. Did I mention that we were there what seemed like forever? I think less time passed between sightings of Halley's Comet. I think less time passed between Meatloaf albums. Anyway, you get the picture. Our dining experience took 1hr 45min from in to out. Damn. For a place that requires us to drive all the way across town to get there, I just can't think of anything from our experience that would have me making the trip again. P.S. The way the servers and kitchen staff run up and down the staircase in this place is something like watching a NASCAR race. You know there's bound to be an accident and that's really the only reason you can't stop watching it.
(2)Natalie P.
If the first thing I see when I walk into a restaurant is a wood-fired oven, I'm a happy lady! This restaurant is quaint, aromatic, and just an outstanding choice for thin crust delicious pizza in Cleveland. Honestly, it's probably the closest to real Italian pizza you'll find for miles around, and the best part about it is all their ingredients are locally sourced. Any place that supports local businesses is an establishment I immediately respect and have no problem handing stars to hand over foot!! My chomping buddy and I started with a selection of 4 appetizers for $16 (pretty damn good deal)! From the cured meat selection, we had the prosciutto di parma and hot coppa. I appreciated that the menu listed the locations from which all the meats were obtained (prosciutto from italy and hot coppa from san fran). Both were delicious! Creamy, well sliced prosciutto is an art and these guys have mastered it! The hot coppa was peppery, spicy, and just salty enough to make me want to move on to cheese, but not so salty to make me guzzle gallons of water all night! The shot rock (sheep milk cheese) was funky but not TOO funky, you know what I mean? Sometimes you just want a chunk of good ol' stinky cheese, but you don't want one so stinky that you can't taste the rest of your meal. Finally, the chevre---I love goat cheese to the end of the earth and back and this one was great. So much better than any chevre you can buy from Whole Foods haha. Warm bread with chevre and honey= me slapping the boyfriend's hand away for every last morsel! But what about the pizza, you say? Well, let me tell you. - Salumi: We ordered the salumi and honey pizza at the recommendation of fellow Yelpers and were not disappointed! Every bite really features the flavors of salumi, honey, oregano and tomato. No one ingredient over powered the rest. The balance between sweet and savory is so perfectly achieved, that I could have eaten that entire pie myself. Next time, I just might!! - Carbonara: The carbonara is an equally good choice. The egg was cooked to runny/solid perfection! This pie was creamy and decadent mozzarella bliss with just a hint of spice every now and then- fantastic!! My only qualm was that bits of the crust were burnt, but that is to be expected with a wood-fired oven. We washed everything down with a bottle of sweet and simple Bracchetto- the perfect sweet sparkling addition to pizza. I recommend you buy the bottle, because just one glass will not suffice!! Tip: There are very few tables, so make a reservation. The servers were really great about coming over and checking in on us as we waited by the door for a table. Although, the ambiance is not amazing as there are very few tables and the servers can be a little teenage-growing phase awkward. But I don't think I'll detract a star for that! Also, check in and you'll get $2 off your order!!!
(5)Michael F.
Love the pizza & salads here. Even though I try to make myself switch it up the "salumi" is usually my go to pizza here, such a great pizza it is! Properly made & stretched dough cooked to perfection.
(5)Casey M.
every meal at vero is excellent. service is always friendly, even when they are swamped- but most importantly their food is always SO SO SO good.
(5)Cary S.
We went to Vero for a birthday party last weekend with a group of 9 people. We were crowded in a back corner on the upper level, which was a recipe for inattentive wait staff and poor service. We waited with empty wine glasses for the majority of the meal, and I wholeheartedly believe that no Italian would appreciate THAT situation. The best aspect of the meal was the appetizers. The brussel sprouts were on point, and the cheese board was paired really nicely. If I was forced to go back I would just order apps. For real. The thing that was even more disappointing than the wine was that there were very limited pizza toppings. The only meat choices came from pigs, and there were very few vegetables to be seen. We ordered several pizzas because we were a larger group, only to learn that there is only room for three pizzas in the oven at a time, so we couldn't even get served in unison. This was an all-around disappointing dinner.
(2)Chris S.
Best pizza, and gelato I've ever had!!! Stop in there if you want to eat like you should..
(5)P W.
Vero is one of the best pizzas in Cleveland. I like Crostatas a little more but the drive to Highland Heights is awful. Vero is a good Neapolitan style pizza in a cute little restaurant on Cedar. The service is excellent.
(5)Rehan W.
The pizza is surprisingly good. It's cooked in a wood burning stone oven (you can sneak in a peak if it's not busy and you ask). If you haven't tried it, I would highly recommend it. It would be interesting to see if there was a dipping option for the crust (the house dressing was interesting). While currently the meat options are mainly pork so I've stuck to the veg options (and they're really good), there should hopefully be a beef option on the spring menu (fingers crossed). Looking forward to returning again.
(5)Yuanjia Z.
I love this cute place! I especially love the upstairs where you can just find your corner and enjoy some delicious pizza. Their pizza is very thin crusted and a little pricey but the flavor was pretty good. They could improve a little bit on the pizza though I think to match their market price. Downstairs, I love their gelato selection! It's like a hidden treasure land and I was so happy that I found it! The dude who gave me gelato was really funny and he gave me a FULL CUP of gelato it was so much that I almost couldn't finish it, yet I was so happy that I got so much gelato for just $3~ !!
(4)Justin L.
Vero serves Neapolitan pizza with a super thin crust and quality ingredients, fresh from the oven. I tried the Margherita, Salumi and Egg and Pancetta. Best pizza I've had in Northeast Ohio.
(5)green f.
This is great pizza. Real Italian true pizza. I hear they only do 1-3 pizzas at a time. It's worth the wait to get pizza this good.
(5)Maximus D.
There is food prepared with the best of intentions and there is food such as that at Vero where the craft is king. And the craft, and mastery, of a glowing wood fired oven never fails to draw me in (I admit this might be partially a nurture aspect of my upbringing). It is a marvel to eat here and to witness the behind the scenes preparation on Instagram. The pizza is perfection, the vegetables out of the oven sublime, and the gelato a perfect ending to all that lovely char. Buyer be warned though as when the dough is out, the day is over. No going into the freezer for Vero!
(5)M L.
Great service, food was excellent, pizza crust is very tasty (and i'm an east coast girl). Can't wait to come back with a bottle of wine (they are still pending a liquor license)... But, no corking fee
(5)Kamal K.
Went to Vero when it first opened. Great Pizza that has organic and fresh ingredients. Great place for a nice lunch or a quaint dinner! I love it!
(5)Jen M.
Wow, great pizza. I almost hate to call it pizza...I almost want to call it, "piazza" *(pronounced pee-ATZ-uh) or some other way more upscale version of the word because it is deserving of it. We got the Salumi pizza and the Fungi pizza and everything about them was great. Crust...wow, chewy deliciousness. I have to say...the arugula salad was disappointing. Very small and only a small heap of arugula with a few parmiagana reggiano pieces on it. And about 2 Tbsp of straight up olive oil as dressing. I am sure the piazza tastes better when dining in. vs taking out like I did. Hey, no problem, because the interior of this place is chic-ly understated that I would eat there anytime. Prices are a little steep but after I took a few bites I didn't care. 2 piazza and a (very) modest arugula salad...$34.
(4)Kelly M.
Make sure to get gelato. Best part of the meal. Pizza was good too. But, the gelato was better.
(3)Juspaul R.
Great pizza! The burning oven they cook there pizza in is legit! Unique toppings (try the pork belly) and they have great gelato! Customer service is friendly and the layout is pretty cool! Definitely a must see in Cleveland Hts!
(5)Alex G.
When I brought my Diavola pizza back home, I was a little struck by the pizza to price ratio, as it is a pretty small pie. However, the ingredients tasted very fresh and high quality, the crust was perfectly wood-fired and I wasn't disappointed at all. I observed that their menus has more veggie options than meat. The service was friendly and my food was prepared quickly. It is a quaint little space with gelato served as well. I'd prefer to take it home, and while I won't buy this every time I want pizza, I could imagine stopping in once a month. A must-try if you live in the neighborhood and a wouldn't hurt to try if you were driving through.
(4)Bat W.
Wood fired, stone oven, the freshest of authentic ingredients and a true master of pizza. This is how pizza SHOULD be made!! Salads are and now a wine bar!! Service is attentive and involved as well as helpful. Above all try the Margarita DOP!
(5)Kevin M.
Had dinner last night. My guest ordered 1 margherita pizza with buffalo cheese, than another since it was so good. Arugula salad that proceeded the pizza was fresh and with just the right amount of shaved parmesan cheese. Lemon wedge was a great addition to the salad as well. A pretty good wine by the glass at only $7, but probably a better bargain would have been to buy the house wine at $15 for a carafe. Service was great and that was despite the fact that our attentive waitress had to serve us in the upstairs section. If you want a great, classic, thin crust, Neapolitan style pizza, this is your place.
(5)Fallon F.
OH MY PIZZA. Let me start by saying I could pretty much eat pizza at Vero and only Vero for the rest of my life and be happy (okay that's a bit of an exaggeration). Every pizza I've ever eaten here has been fantastic, my favorites being the margarita, the salumi, and the capua. On my most recent visit I noticed they had updated the menu and added a few new pies, which all sounded great. We started with the parma board, which is a board of Parmesan cheese, prosciutto, local honey and fresh bread. OMG so delicious. We scarfed that sucker down. Then we split the salsiccia (italian sausage, roasted peppers, candy onions, gar lic, ricotta, caciocavallo) and the margherita (tomato, mozzarella, basil) pizzas. Both were exceptional, as usual. You really can't go wrong with any of the pizzas here. Be mindful, these are more personal sized pizzas. I would recommend one per person, because you can always take leftovers home. And save room for dessert, they have an awesome gelato selection.
(5)Shank S.
Coming from the greater New York area, I have been very disappointed in the pizza selection in the greater Cleveland area. It's a staple for us! Most of the pizza out here is taste like frozen pizza you can buy at the store. On a mission I stumbled across Vero, and I can't tell you how happy I am to find some good pizza here. The pizza is thin just like I like with fresh ingredients (and that is what makes all the difference in pizza) The sauce was perfect! I wasn't a huge fan of the Char around the crust but to each there own. Overall a great spot to get a personal pizza. It is a little pricey but then again this isn't dominos or pizza hut. It's an upscale pizza place.
(4)Sharmeela S.
Excellent pizza. Ingredients are local and fresh. Pizzas are anywhere between 13 to 16$. I can easily finish a pizza by myself. There are 8 small pieces. Thin crust. There's metered street parking in the Cedar Fairmount area. There are probably at the most twenty tables, so I'm certain there would be a wait on weekends. Looking forward to trying their whole menu eventually.
(4)Sohini G.
Awesome pizza!! The crust is a delicious wood oven thin crust. My favorites are the salumi, funghi and the one with the egg on it (used to be pancetta and egg, on the current menu its the carbonera). The salads are also good. Nothing special but fresh ingredients which make a world of difference. They don't allow take out anymore...but its worth it to dine in! Some of my favorite specialty pizza in Cleveland!
(5)Gregg S.
This was easily our sixth trip to Vero in the last six months and we were shocked at the poor experience. During our previous trips the service was good; young staff but given the price point and atmosphere it was cool. We even met a wait person who also works at the Starbucks down the road.The pizza was not great but good and their menu has a nice combination of pizza, salad and charcuterie. This trip started out bad with a ten minute wait to see anyone for a drink order. It was frustrating when another couple sat down two tables away and were waited on immediately. Ok, move on they did not see you. We ordered our drinks and then when they came, our pizza. Thirty minutes later after everyone around us had been served I asked our waiter about our pies. He looked confused and said I'll check. Ten minutes later, he can back after I waived another wait person down and said geez they had a large party and were backed up. He said after my question that they would not charge us for the pizza. We finally received our pizza, my wife's was under cooked but we were happy after an hour to eat. After easily one of our worst dining experiences, we asked for and received the check; he charged full price for the pizzas! When I asked to see the manager, he said he was the manager!! I said you need to discount this bill, he said ok and took off another $10. If it was just poor service, give them a pass and try again but they are incompetent liars. If zero stars was an option that would be my rating. Save your money and go elsewhere.
(1)Lisa K.
Best pizza I have had in a long time! Although you sometimes have to wait a little longer than other pizza places, it is totally worth the wait. The crust is cooked perfectly and every pizza I have tried is full of flavor. The crostini we ordered a few times a few months back is also delicious! The most recent time we went last week it was no longer on the menu which was disappointing, but I am hoping they bring it back soon! Finally, the gelato is a perfect treat to end your day! Highly recommend!
(5)Michael H.
This was a wonderful experience, the staff was great and the pizza was one of the best I have had in a long time. The only down side was the gelato machine was down, but this is not terrible as it means I will need to go back again for the full experience.
(5)Ashley T.
LOVE LOVE LOVE Vero! My significant other and I are practically regulars, when our schedules sync up! Get these pizzas as they are meant to be...uncut! The prosciutto, salami, and margherita pizzas are all fantastic, and I plan to try many more! Their appetizers are always changing, but always have something good. I do miss the mushroom topping they has for their bruscetta early on when they opened, but they make up for that in other great tastes. And if you dont want pizza, then they still serve the great gelatto you knew from La Gelateria previously!
(5)Chet J.
Accepts Case card. Salumi is very good (their pepperoni pizza). Their wood fire pizza is great! Gelato is excellent. Service is good. Large groups may take a little while. Very good ambiance and location. Music can be somewhat loud, if you're looking for library quiet, but I like everything they play. As others have said, lots of unique choices including salads, pizzas, etc. I tried a pizza with kale on it one time, it was good.
(4)F. J.
We went here with a Living Social coupon; we'd spotted it before and thought it looked interesting. This used to be a gelato parlor, and in many ways, it still is. There are few tables. The depressing atmosphere really kills any sense of the space (which is high ceilings and vintage detail) -- it is painted battleship-gray. Dark and depressing. The tables are unfinished oak -- looks pretty, but has already absorbed a LOT of olive oil....who ever thought this was a good idea, needs a serious re-think. The high ceilings make this noisy and unpleasant. The good points: the pizza is tasty....chewy crust and interesting toppings. They are VERY small -- about 9" I think. Not enough to share unless you just want a snack. At $10-14, this is a lot -- you could get a big X-large somewhere else. But it was tasty. The bad: everything else. Antipasto was basically a de-constructed pizza -- same dough as bread, same salumi, same proscuitto. It was good but like eating the same thing over again! The olives were pitted, jarred Kalamatas, which was disappointing. As someone else said, they seem to be barely set up to serve pizza and a few salads. They appear to be baking the pizzas ONE AT A TIME in a teeny tiny brick oven at the back. SO this takes forever. We spent almost two hours there, mostly waiting for our food. The worst: the help was just terrible....distracted. The table service barely exists. Most people order their pizza at the gelato stand. At these prices, this seems unfair. Also: we found two hairs in our antipasto, which clearly came from the server. EWWW. They disappeared around check time as well, and we had to pay at the gelato counter. Gelato is very good, but honestly, you don't expect a "bistro" to be an ice cream parlor that serves pizza half-heartedly. Which is what this is. In short: good pizza, but know what you are getting into. This is a downbeat, unfriendly place for a date that feels like you are eating in the laundry room of a basement.
(2)D W.
Last time I ate there was 7 months ago or so. Love the place each time...sometimes service can be a tad slow. I hear they have a wine list and am heading there right now. Great authentic pizza.
(5)Carol P.
Great Pizza! I stopped for Ice-cream at the recommendation of a friend. It was wonderful. The staff are nice and friendly. Later, after realizing the ice-cream wasn't really enough for a meal, we ordered a pizza. Best I've had in a long time. Small, straightforward, simple. Great crust, wood-fired stove, simple toppings.
(4)Anne J.
Their pancetta and sunny side egg pizza is SO good. The pizza comes out of an oven with a light and crispy crust, with really good tomato sauce and melted cheese. The pancetta and the gooey egg makes it a really nice rich bite of delight. Also the dash of cracked pepper on top finishes it perfectly. This may be my favorite pizza in CLE
(5)Michael C.
I'm not sure why there are so many haters for this place. My wife and I came to visit at the recommendation of some Italian friends and really enjoyed this place. Great crust, simple, good ingredients and a nice gelato chaser. We also enjoyed a fresh, simple salad. The young man who was serving us was friendly and attentive. This is one of the better authentic pizza places in Cleveland, I think. I will be back. My only complaint is that I wish that there were more fruit flavored gelato choices, like back in the Gelateria days. Oh well, maybe there will be more next time.
(5)Sairah L.
They have the best wood fired pizza in Cleveland. They use high quality, authentic ingredients and their crust is absolutely perfect. Just the right amount of crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. And I love that they use fresh seasonal ingredients like ramps in their specials. Seriously, their chef is a genius in the kitchen. If you haven't checked it out yet, you're missing out.
(5)Marcella B.
Deliziosa! I have been twice & the food was great both times. I brought my mom who is from Italy & she likes the pizza there a lot, which says something since she normally doesn't like pizza in America. The pizza is the perfect size for one person, especially since you have to save room for the gelato. I had good service, too. The neighborhood is very cute too, you can sit outside & enjoy your gelato on a bench.
(5)Arun M.
Vero Bistro came highly recommended by a few friends when I moved to this neighborhood. After a while here I noticed that they were going under renovation and decided to visit once they are open. I found the lady at the counter extremely unhelpful when I was ordering my food. She was looking at me like I should have done my homework before entering this prestigious bistro and should not waste her time by asking questions. When I sat down and launched my Yelp app; there was a check in discount offer. Up on mentioning that to the lady, I got a cold shoulder again and she said the discount will be applied to the final bill. I did not see it at the end. The ambiance is nice. Actually a perfect place in the neighborhood for a quick and nice pizza and some gelato. I would have loved to sit there for a while and enjoyed if the server was not so rude. I ordered Pizza margarita and it was very good. I really liked that the flavors. Mozerella was fresh and basil was nice. The base had some burnt parts from cooking in the stone oven. The whole thing was just very yummy (or I was so hungry at 3 PM). I would go back again just for the pick up.
(3)Michael A.
Excellent food. A little pricy but worth it for the uniqueness of the pizza. Extremely under staffed. We will definitely come back.
(4)Debbie L.
This is not your average pizza place... It is so much better! The menu is pretty limited but the options are straight out of a pizza place in Italy and they are just as good. Artisanal cheeses and meats make this place extra special and the very friendly staff are the cherry on top! Hubby and I had the Salumi pizza and it was delish! The tomato sauce is a has a very fresh and slightly sweet flavor (which I love) that compliments the slight saltiness of the Salumi making it a perfect combo. There was just enough cheese to bring a little mild creaminess to the palate and mellow everything out. We loved it! We will be back!
(4)Nour J.
Definitely the best pizza Napoletana in Cleveland and the area! We keep going for more, but the service is so slow...there was one waiter serving the whole restaurants which is spread on the two floors...then he was standing behind the gelato counter for more than 20 mns. Overall we waited 2hours for our pizzas... yes i will go back and be patient hoping that they will improve their service
(4)Allison O.
I REALLY REALLY REALLY love their pizza, but this place is just weird. It's an atmosphere problem and for some reason it makes me nervous! I've been there at least five times and every time I'm never sure if I'm supposed to seat myself or wait for someone to greet me and take me to a table. I met friends on one of my visits and at the time (maybe still) they offer glasses and corkscrews and everything if you bring a bottle of wine. I brought my bottle and the waiter brought glasses, but I had to ask him to go back for a corkscrew. He was very nice about it, but seemed puzzled by my request. Another time they told me they were out of red onions (this was before they used pickled onions). I thought to myself, "why don't they go across the street to Dave's and buy onions?" And then after I got my onionless pizza one of the employees went across the street to Dave's and came back with beer. Why couldn't he have bought me some onions? The service has also been extremely slow every time I've been there. I don't know. I really like the pizza and salads and bruschetta and gelato. I just wish they didn't make me feel so uncomfortable! If you haven't already you should definitely check this place out. I'll definitely be back, because food is #1 to me......it'll just take a lot of convincing. This sounds like a bad review, but I swear I really like this place. It's just so weird to me.
(3)Jeff R.
From the beginning, it was clear this restaurant has some issues to work out. The waitstaff was exclusively tending to the gelato counter leaving us to wander with no sign saying to wait to be seated. I ordered a pizza and my friend ordered a salad. The salad came out as an appetizer, and the pizza didn't come out until the salad was finished. When the pizza finally came, it was burnt. And not tastefully charred, I'm talking backyard BBQ briquettes. The next pizza they brought out was better and quite tasty. The salad was well prepared also. We did t sample the gelato, worrying that it too would be burned or come out of the kitchen the next week. The food was generally very good, but they have to work out some kinks before my next visit.
(2)Matthew M.
Trying to rank a pizza shop on the Eastside comes with a few disclaimers. First off --fair or not-- the bar of excellence is raised. All things marinara and cheese are not created equal on this side of town. Because you're in the proximity of so much greatness, what might pass as above average in other parts of town are merely passable over here. That's just the way it is and always will be. Don't come to this side of the Cuyahoga and think you can just turn out some thin crust dough topped with fresh mozzarella and cook in an oven without a pan and think you've made it. Oh no, oh ye of little pizza making experience. Mastering the art of pie is much more than that. Soul and comfort can and should also play a role in the overall experience. At first glance, Vero Bistro should be so much greater, but sadly falls short. It has so much potential and with a few tweaks could be improved immensely. The bistro is located in a chic storefront in the Cedar-Fairmount district. Two story glass windows give way to a modern and minimalist interior. The space is unique to the city. It's almost Manhattan-esque. Inside there's a few tables on the first floor and even more seating up a flight of stairs. The walls are decorated with pizza box art. Abstract surrealism sketches on white pizza boxes hung on the walls. Odd, but fitting for the contemporary space. The service was my biggest gripe. Vero Bistro seems to be struggling with its identity. Is it take-out or an eat-in shop? Do you order at the counter and take to your table ala a coffee shop, or does it require table-side service? It all seems very confused. Upon entry, behind the glowing gelato freezer is a staff member asks if you'll be dining in or carrying out. When dining in, they'll allow you to select your seat and promise to be with you shortly. On this Friday night, spread through two flights of seating, there was just two servers to handle the register and all of the diners. Wait times added up and it took us at least three requests to finally get water. As most of you can attest, shoddy service can ruin a good experience very quick. As for the menu, it features pizza and a few starters. Each menu item with an asterisk next to the locally sourced ingredients. Localvores are sure to swoon at this amenity. Once the decision was made to order, we started with the bruschetta which was anything but your typical diced tomatoes on crusty bread. This version consisted of a variety of toppings that ranged from a tapenade spread to a roasted pepper puree along with the familiar diced tomato and olive oil. A nice start to the meal. Next we opted for two pizzas: the Margherita & the Pancetta & Egg pizza. Each pie on the menu measures apx. 8" across and ranges $8-$13 a pie. Very reasonable by many standards, especially for this quality. The pizza was in fact, very good. Crispy charred crust, chewy dough, minimally invasive ingredients which properly allows the pizza shine on it's own. A very well done pie I must admit. It wasn't Crostatas good, but it was good enough. It should also be noted that they don't-- at this time-- serve alcohol, but I saw others come in with bottles of wine to which they were supplied wine glasses. Pretty cool. I can see coming back to this place and hanging for a while. Perhaps bringing our own drink would alleviate the stress of worrying about the servers filling our glasses. When it was time to go, we just walked downstairs to fulfill our tab and grabbed a gelato to go. $3.50 for a small dish which was more than enough to share. Rich, milky, Italiano goodness. A perfect compliment to a very good pizza. In summary, the staff was apologetic and even seemed to realize the kinks of this still somewhat new venture. And for that, I'm willing to forgive. We will certainly be back again. I look forward to them figuring it out. Because this place certainly has the potential to be great, but without adapting an identity, it'll unfortunately just be another of a long list of slightly above average pizza shops on the East Side.
(3)Michael C.
Still the best pizza in the area Vero Bistro is as authentic as you will find pizza in the University-circle/little italy area, and there is definitely something to appreciate about that. Having been to Italy where I was fortunate enough to experience the fine art of pizza making by master Italian chefs, I can say that the pizza fired up at Vero Bistro takes me back to the summer of 11'. With their one of a kind wood-burning oven, Vero Bistro provides a unique rustic flare to their Napolean pizza that is not offered elsewhere in Cleveland. Crispy yet chewy crust, with a gooey center, and just the right amount of burn marks all around, just the way pizza is in Italy. Ingredients: Red sauce: San marzano tomatos (a type of plum tomato that is known for their intense flavor) are used, and an added plus, the ones used at Vero are shipped from Italy! The sauce is kept relatively simple to preserve the tomato-y taste that should be pizza sauce. 4/5 Cheese: I've had their margherita before. Small balls of mozzarella decorate the pizza. Although I personally prefer fewer, but bigger pieces of mozzarella, it's nothing to hold against them, but I've definitely had higher quality mozzarella. However, the parmesan reggiano used on some of their pizzas (asparagus special) is delicious. 4/5 Crust: Need I say more? This is the way pizza crust should be. What you want in a good pizza is a rustic, smokey crust where each bite is slightly different from the last. It may take someone who has eaten real Italian pizza to truly appreciate this crust. In my mind, this is easily the best element of Vero Bistro's pizza. I also like the light sprinkle of salt on the crust. 5/5 Vero Bistro is newly renovated restaurant (formerly La Gelateria), and the new chic interior design is the perfect setting for enjoying their pizza. With their heavy duty metallic chairs, and beautiful thick wooden tables, the decor complements the rustic feel that is Vero Bistro perfectly. Overall: 5/5 I almost forgot to mention the gelato. Creamy, rich, delicious. I especially enjoy the pistachio. Support a young restaurant! Give Vero Bistro a try, I promise you will not regret your experience. Additional note: they very recently changed their menu to a smaller, more pizza-focused one. Restaurants with smaller menus tend to be more consistent and use fresher ingredients. Food: A- Atmosphere: A- Service: B+
(5)Sue L.
Best pizza on the East side! I love the egg and the arugula. We go with our kids and we have a ball. End with gelato and what could be better? A lovely Italian beer! Fine ingredients and wood fired make a perfect combination.
(5)Lisa M.
Pros: gelato very good, nice decor, pleasant waitstaff. Very small, well thought out menu. Pizza quite good and wines by the glass good. Cons: our pizzas were half crust. Mind you, the crust was chewy and delicious but if I wanted that much bread I would have ordered some. Servers were attentive but the food came out soooo slowly; we were there for over two hours and all we had gotten were salads, three pizzas, and gelato. Summary: worth a try but we will probably hesitate to go back. Try crostadas in highland heights or better yet, biga in Kirkland if you need great pizza but don't want to wait forever...
(3)Rachael N.
After running with my roommate, we came across Vero Bistro. What's this?? I exclaimed. Having driven past this area every time I go to work, it surprised me that I hadn't noticed the place before. And behold- they're new, and have been open for only 5.5 weeks. It's the same location as La Gelateria- same place, just different owners. The menu boasts Italian made pizzas- mostly all napoleans and some non-traditionals. They have make your own pizza and bruschetta. I called up a friend and off we went to Vero Bistro for lunch. It was so empty- perhaps because it's new? We chose a table upstairs and got the La Diavolo. Very thin crust pizza with Italian sausage. It was strange...they got the pizza, grabbed a large old tomato can, flipped it over, and set the pizza on top of that. I wanted to be like, "uhh...really?" And there wasn't that wow factor to it...the pizza was thin and floppy..although the sausage was good, there wasn't that "fresh mozarella" taste I was hoping for either. Meh. And then, as they advertised their gelato, I wanted to get an affogato. Yet, upon ordering it, they said they didn't have it yet because they didn't have an espresso maker. What?!! Then why did you put it on your menu!! I was sad. I chose to get the gianduja gelato instead. It's one of my faves because of the nutella flavor. The portions were BIG..and the gelato was ok. Not the creamiest, but okay. I think this place has potential..once they get going and get their act together. Until then...I think I'll wait until their affogato emerges......
(3)Kaitlin D.
I'm teetering on the brink of four stars, but can't bring myself to do it due to the weird atmosphere and service. With some improvement, though this place could definitely earn another star or two, since the food is already there. If you like unique pizzas that retain their classic pizza foundation, come here. The flavors are unique and fresh, but not too crazy to lose the "pizza" title. These pizzas are delightful! We got the regular pepperoni and the pancetta and egg by suggestion from our server. The pepperoni was definitely good and had a good authentic homemade taste to it. No doughy, greasy waxy cheese mess. It was like the homemade pizza you make at home, except the work part was cut out. Perfect! The pancetta and egg was a definite stretch for me at first. I'm not a fan of the "put an egg on it" fad. Eggs on burgers, eggs on hot dogs, eggs on pizzas. I like eggs. I like eggs on eggs (hollandaise, what?! YES.). But eggs on top of anything else? With oozing yolk all over the rest of my dish? Ehhh...But, I put our second pizza choice in the hands of our polite server and he said that was his favorite. I figured there's no better time than the present, what with the end of the world near and all, so we went for it. WOW. I was pleasantly surprised and immediately converted (to egg on pizza...the others will have to wait). The egg added a great burst of flavor to the rich pancetta. It was wonderful! I'd definitely recommend giving this place a try. Upon walking in, it can be a little off-putting and confusing, though. The service seems inconsistent. While our server was nice and gracious, when we walked in, it was unclear whether we were to seat ourselves or not and we had to wait a LONG time for our bill, then a long time to pay it and we ended up walking it downstairs...completely unsure of whether this was what we were expected to do or not. Very confusing and strange set up. I definitely got a slow and cold, but not quite "depressing" vibe from the interior as well. The space is way too big for their quaint little mod-pizza parlor theme they're going for. They need to close up the empty wall space and perhaps get rid of the cold metallic decor and atmosphere. Really, I think the place could use some sprucing, but the pizzas are delicious enough to bring me back.
(3)Grace Elise M.
I tried for nearly a year to like this place. Honestly, I am a big fan of the entire Cedar Fairmount. However, with great options like Nighttown and the relative upstart Fairmont Martini Bar producing solid kitchen choices, faster, and with better ambiance for drinking and socializing I am finally left no choice to but to create my first Yelp review and voice my displeasure. First, the restaurant is cramped, and the temperature varies wildly across the seating areas and indeed across seasons. The overhead fans are a metaphor for the menu: at first blush they are promising and interesting, but really are "sound and fury signifying nothing" as they do little to help customers stay comfortable. But the final straw was the Brussels sprouts: I love sprouts. I get them everywhere in Cleveland (try Town Hall's btw). But over the past few months at Vero the individual sprouts have decreased in size, number, and increasingly seem to be cooked to the point that they are mostly charred briquettes now. Add that I could hear the Pizza guy (who, oddly, looks just like Freddy Mercury) during my entire last meal down below yelling at the kitchen staff. Won't be going back, which is unfortunate, since I like their gelato.
(1)Mark L.
Coming from New York, I was utterly disappointed in the pizza selection in the greater Cleveland area. The bulk of it consists of prefrozen, fast food style pies. However, Vero Bistro is the only place to go if you want fresh, authentic, flavorful pizzas made from local ingredients. Their pizzas top some of the best I've had back home and make it easily the best pizza I've ever eaten. You can always expect a slightly different menu depending on the season, paired with an equally impressive selection of italian gelato. Vero is reasonably priced for what you get. ( I also recommend the Bruschetta appetizer as it's always phenomenal.)
(5)Quinton F.
A successful conversion of the former La Gelateria in my opinion. Kept the gelato and added very authentic Napoletano stye wood-fired pizza. I'm not a fan of dining in here; however it is always an option for carry out or a table outside.
(4)Matthew M.
Trying to rank a pizza shop on the Eastside comes with a few disclaimers. First off --fair or not-- the bar of excellence is raised. All things marinara and cheese are not created equal on this side of town. Because you're in the proximity of so much greatness, what might pass as above average in other parts of town are merely passable over here. That's just the way it is and always will be. Don't come to this side of the Cuyahoga and think you can just turn out some thin crust dough topped with fresh mozzarella and cook in an oven without a pan and think you've made it. Oh no, oh ye of little pizza making experience. Mastering the art of pie is much more than that. Soul and comfort can and should also play a role in the overall experience. At first glance, Vero Bistro should be so much greater, but sadly falls short. It has so much potential and with a few tweaks could be improved immensely. The bistro is located in a chic storefront in the Cedar-Fairmount district. Two story glass windows give way to a modern and minimalist interior. The space is unique to the city. It's almost Manhattan-esque. Inside there's a few tables on the first floor and even more seating up a flight of stairs. The walls are decorated with pizza box art. Abstract surrealism sketches on white pizza boxes hung on the walls. Odd, but fitting for the contemporary space. The service was my biggest gripe. Vero Bistro seems to be struggling with its identity. Is it take-out or an eat-in shop? Do you order at the counter and take to your table ala a coffee shop, or does it require table-side service? It all seems very confused. Upon entry, behind the glowing gelato freezer is a staff member asks if you'll be dining in or carrying out. When dining in, they'll allow you to select your seat and promise to be with you shortly. On this Friday night, spread through two flights of seating, there was just two servers to handle the register and all of the diners. Wait times added up and it took us at least three requests to finally get water. As most of you can attest, shoddy service can ruin a good experience very quick. As for the menu, it features pizza and a few starters. Each menu item with an asterisk next to the locally sourced ingredients. Localvores are sure to swoon at this amenity. Once the decision was made to order, we started with the bruschetta which was anything but your typical diced tomatoes on crusty bread. This version consisted of a variety of toppings that ranged from a tapenade spread to a roasted pepper puree along with the familiar diced tomato and olive oil. A nice start to the meal. Next we opted for two pizzas: the Margherita & the Pancetta & Egg pizza. Each pie on the menu measures apx. 8" across and ranges $8-$13 a pie. Very reasonable by many standards, especially for this quality. The pizza was in fact, very good. Crispy charred crust, chewy dough, minimally invasive ingredients which properly allows the pizza shine on it's own. A very well done pie I must admit. It wasn't Crostatas good, but it was good enough. It should also be noted that they don't-- at this time-- serve alcohol, but I saw others come in with bottles of wine to which they were supplied wine glasses. Pretty cool. I can see coming back to this place and hanging for a while. Perhaps bringing our own drink would alleviate the stress of worrying about the servers filling our glasses. When it was time to go, we just walked downstairs to fulfill our tab and grabbed a gelato to go. $3.50 for a small dish which was more than enough to share. Rich, milky, Italiano goodness. A perfect compliment to a very good pizza. In summary, the staff was apologetic and even seemed to realize the kinks of this still somewhat new venture. And for that, I'm willing to forgive. We will certainly be back again. I look forward to them figuring it out. Because this place certainly has the potential to be great, but without adapting an identity, it'll unfortunately just be another of a long list of slightly above average pizza shops on the East Side.
(3)Cris L.
This is exactly what the east side of Cleveland needed. For years there has been a drought of gourmet pizza in the Cleveland Heights area (even places in Little Italy have been disappointing). The pizza is made in a wood-fired oven. There are several delicious options to try and the list rotates over time. I have never had a bad pizza from this place and have been a patron on at least 5 occasions. They combine unique flavors like salami and honey. The crust is thin and crispy. To top it off, the gelato dessert is more than filling. Generous serving sizes of this delicious treat make a fine end to the dinner. Of note, this is not a great place for large groups (there are relatively few tables that don't seat many people)
(5)Caroline P.
As a New Yorker I am particular with pizza. Vero shone tonight, pretty good pie. A little overpriced as one pie (which essentially ate like a personal pie to me) was about 13-16$. Ingredients were lovely, crust a little too chewy for my liking and def too thick of a crust. But a great brick over char all around. And deliciously good hot oil at the tables. Overall, I would go back but with more money!!!!
(4)Fallon F.
OH MY PIZZA. Let me start by saying I could pretty much eat pizza at Vero and only Vero for the rest of my life and be happy (okay that's a bit of an exaggeration). Every pizza I've ever eaten here has been fantastic, my favorites being the margarita, the salumi, and the capua. On my most recent visit I noticed they had updated the menu and added a few new pies, which all sounded great. We started with the parma board, which is a board of Parmesan cheese, prosciutto, local honey and fresh bread. OMG so delicious. We scarfed that sucker down. Then we split the salsiccia (italian sausage, roasted peppers, candy onions, gar lic, ricotta, caciocavallo) and the margherita (tomato, mozzarella, basil) pizzas. Both were exceptional, as usual. You really can't go wrong with any of the pizzas here. Be mindful, these are more personal sized pizzas. I would recommend one per person, because you can always take leftovers home. And save room for dessert, they have an awesome gelato selection.
(5)George M.
great atmosphere, good service, place a bit small and limited tables and overall appetizers, salad and pizza okay..will def visit again. a must try at least once.
(3)Jason V.
A crust that is delicately crisp and slightly burnt on the outside yet still soft on the inside sealed the deal for me putting Vero on top of my other Cleveland pizza destinations (Pepper's, Sweet Basil, Marrotta's, Crust, Angelo's, Dewey's, and Mama Santa's). Fresh toppings on the Pancetta and Farm Egg Pizza further highlighted by the cracked pepper and occasional saltiness of the pancetta rounded out this fantastic pizza. Do heed the menu's warning that this is a pizza to be enjoyed fresh out of the oven in the restaurant instead of at home as take-out.
(4)Joao Pedro L.
Look no further, Vero has the best pizza I found in Cleveland yet. Let me start by explaining I come from Europe, so I'm a fan of a neapolitan pizza, with a simple non-fatty dough, which is kind of difficult to find in a lot of places in the US (even some with good pizza, but not the traditional Italian kind). And that's the kind of pizza (yes!) you'll find at Vero Bistro. This restaurant was perfect all the way. The bruschettas are delicious (try the sampler to have a little bit of each), the pizza is perfectly baked in the oven, with a thin crust and a divine flavor. If you still have some space left in your stomach, go for the gelato, you won't regret it. The service is also outstanding, everybody is as nice as the quality of their food.
(5)Sohini G.
Awesome pizza!! The crust is a delicious wood oven thin crust. My favorites are the salumi, funghi and the one with the egg on it (used to be pancetta and egg, on the current menu its the carbonera). The salads are also good. Nothing special but fresh ingredients which make a world of difference. They don't allow take out anymore...but its worth it to dine in! Some of my favorite specialty pizza in Cleveland!
(5)Steve H.
I found this place to be the perfect place for a first date. The pizza's are on the light side, which is ideal when you are going on that first date. You don't want to over stuff your self. We ordered two pizza's, Margherita for my date and I went for their sausage pizza, which they call the "la diavolo". It was spicy and quite tasty. They use Fresh Mozzarella on there pizza's, which is really refreshing with so many of the local pizza makers using Provolone or Shredded Mozz. I liked the modern aesthetic they have and really thought the wood tables were really cool. The place is not that big, which makes for a nice intimate setting when you are trying to get to know someone. IWe brought our own bottle of Cabernet and the server took care of that for us, which is nice. It's nice to be able to go to a nice restaurant and not have to pay 3x retail for a bottle of wine. I got Chocolate Peanut Butter and my date went for the Banana Dolce Latte. We both got smalls and the serving size seemed fair enough. I'm from the New Jersey area and good pizza is so hard to find in Cleveland, so finding Vero was really refreshing. I would recommend this as a solid place for an affordable date.
(5)W A.
Probably my favorite pizza in Cleveland (which is hard for me to admit because I typically like to avoid the east side). It's extremely casual which makes it easy to pop in after running around town. Haven't had a bad bite yet!
(5)Jonathan S.
Wow. Just had their pancetta and egg pizza for lunch. Eye-closing, thrill-of-pleasure inducing good: A delicious napolitano pizza, with the crust nicely blistered and charred. The egg was locally sourced, which is a nice touch. The tomatoes in the house salad were fantastic. The espresso that I finished with was fragrant and just right. Service was polite and attentive. As for the ambiance, it was nice and mellow, with some decent music playing not too loud. All in all, a perfect lunchtime experience. I'm delighted to have this place in my neighborhood.
(5)Snehee C.
Great Pizzas - wood fired ovens! Really creative options and real good stuff! But the portion sizes are small... The service is quite slow...and I am not sure if it is a great place for big groups coz of the extremely slow service...
(4)John K.
This is the best pizza in the city, hands down. Every time I've eaten here, the pizza has been amazing. The crust, the sauce, cheese, and salami have all been exquisite. My only complaint is that I don't live closer.
(5)Linda F.
We had a lovely and delicious dinner here recently. They now have a wine list (previously, it was BYOB). We ordered two pizzas (Calderone and Diavalo) and an appetizer (salumi board) for three people and had plenty of food. The pizza is excellent with a perfect wood-fired crust. The menu recommends that you eat in instead of taking out and I can see why. The pizza is served hot and with all the fresh ingredients, I think a drop in temperature (such as a trip in your cold car) can make a difference. Highly recommended!
(4)Maria B.
High quality pizza. Truly wonderful homemade crust. However, at $12-14 per personal pizza, it is a bit pricey. If you're not on a budget and looking for some wonderful Neopolitan-style brick oven pizza, this your place!
(3)Colin O.
I have been looking for a good wood fired pizza place in Cleveland for awhile. I tried Vero Bistro last night and was happily surprised! The ingredients tasted fresh and delicious. I had the salami pizza and the fresh taste of the tomato sauce stood out and really was wonderful with the occasional bite of salty, cured meat. Always a fan of an affogato espresso and gelato, I had an espresso with gelato. It tasted great but it seemed that their selection of gelato flavours was a little narrow, and it looked slightly soupy in the display freezer. But the taste was great!
(5)Grace Elise M.
I tried for nearly a year to like this place. Honestly, I am a big fan of the entire Cedar Fairmount. However, with great options like Nighttown and the relative upstart Fairmont Martini Bar producing solid kitchen choices, faster, and with better ambiance for drinking and socializing I am finally left no choice to but to create my first Yelp review and voice my displeasure. First, the restaurant is cramped, and the temperature varies wildly across the seating areas and indeed across seasons. The overhead fans are a metaphor for the menu: at first blush they are promising and interesting, but really are "sound and fury signifying nothing" as they do little to help customers stay comfortable. But the final straw was the Brussels sprouts: I love sprouts. I get them everywhere in Cleveland (try Town Hall's btw). But over the past few months at Vero the individual sprouts have decreased in size, number, and increasingly seem to be cooked to the point that they are mostly charred briquettes now. Add that I could hear the Pizza guy (who, oddly, looks just like Freddy Mercury) during my entire last meal down below yelling at the kitchen staff. Won't be going back, which is unfortunate, since I like their gelato.
(1)Arun M.
Vero Bistro came highly recommended by a few friends when I moved to this neighborhood. After a while here I noticed that they were going under renovation and decided to visit once they are open. I found the lady at the counter extremely unhelpful when I was ordering my food. She was looking at me like I should have done my homework before entering this prestigious bistro and should not waste her time by asking questions. When I sat down and launched my Yelp app; there was a check in discount offer. Up on mentioning that to the lady, I got a cold shoulder again and she said the discount will be applied to the final bill. I did not see it at the end. The ambiance is nice. Actually a perfect place in the neighborhood for a quick and nice pizza and some gelato. I would have loved to sit there for a while and enjoyed if the server was not so rude. I ordered Pizza margarita and it was very good. I really liked that the flavors. Mozerella was fresh and basil was nice. The base had some burnt parts from cooking in the stone oven. The whole thing was just very yummy (or I was so hungry at 3 PM). I would go back again just for the pick up.
(3)Hanna F.
I went here on Saturday night with a friend because I purchased the Groupon, and I would not recommend it. The service was extremely slow (it seems like they can only cook one pizza at a time) and the food was only average. We ordered the bruchetta appetizer and the beet salad for starters, both were only ok and the salad was very small. The pizza took another 20+ minutes and when it arrived it was tiny and burnt on the bottom. We thought we could split one because they were $12+ but I would not recommend sharing a pizza from here. They do have some interesting pizza toppings, and the place does have potential, but I will not be returning any time soon. FYI-it is BYOB
(2)Michael A.
Excellent food. A little pricy but worth it for the uniqueness of the pizza. Extremely under staffed. We will definitely come back.
(4)Krissy F.
This is absolutely the best pizza I've had outside of Italy. Perfectly cooked, simple but delicious, wood-fired pizzas that cannot be beat. That said, if you like Pizza Hut-style pizza with 2" thick crusts, dripping in cheap cheese topping, you simply will not like this. This is pizza as it's made in Europe - fresh, light, and mindbogglingly delicious. The pizzas cook in an oven that's 700-800 degrees - so they just cook for a moment. The bottom of the thin crust was crisp, while the top had just the right amount of sponge to soak up the delightful tomato sauce... it's that sensation of dipping your cookie in your glass of milk or coffee until it's reached the perfect point of saturation, where it still delivers the crunch but also has soaked up the liquid. Absolute perfection. The service was good but not exceptional, which I'm sure will improve with time. Sitting upstairs is great because you can eavesdrop on the kitchen, watching each perfect pizza emerge from the stove! In response to a previous reviewer who thought they could share a pizza at $12 - at my trip last week the pizzas were priced $8-10, which I would consider completely reasonable for a dinner main course. They may have adjusted their menu somewhat since opening. Remember to BYO wine... for now!
(5)Carolyn C.
On suggestion from Scene mags, very positive review or Vero, we tried it one Saturday night. One key point the article missed, was that in lieu of the fact that they don't currently have a liquor license, you CAN bring your own wine! And they provide the glasses and corkscrew! NO CORKAGE FEE! Now on to the pizza....it was delicious! We had two, (as they are only about 11" pies) The pancetta with egg, and the Capriciossa. The pancetta with egg was our favorite, but it's a weekly featured pie, and not always available. The dough is sweet and delicious, not a pan pizza, and not over loaded with cheese. These are authentic Napoletana pizzas. They have a distinct way of being cooked and served, and as the owners will tell you, best consumed on the premises. There are salads, and other small plates available on the menu, which all sounded mouth-watering. Definitely going to try next time. And don't expect to get a huge pizza, loaded to the brim, with cheese and toppings. Think Quality vs Quantity! You'll be very satisfied!
(4)Mark L.
Coming from New York, I was utterly disappointed in the pizza selection in the greater Cleveland area. The bulk of it consists of prefrozen, fast food style pies. However, Vero Bistro is the only place to go if you want fresh, authentic, flavorful pizzas made from local ingredients. Their pizzas top some of the best I've had back home and make it easily the best pizza I've ever eaten. You can always expect a slightly different menu depending on the season, paired with an equally impressive selection of italian gelato. Vero is reasonably priced for what you get. ( I also recommend the Bruschetta appetizer as it's always phenomenal.)
(5)Quinton F.
A successful conversion of the former La Gelateria in my opinion. Kept the gelato and added very authentic Napoletano stye wood-fired pizza. I'm not a fan of dining in here; however it is always an option for carry out or a table outside.
(4)Steve H.
I found this place to be the perfect place for a first date. The pizza's are on the light side, which is ideal when you are going on that first date. You don't want to over stuff your self. We ordered two pizza's, Margherita for my date and I went for their sausage pizza, which they call the "la diavolo". It was spicy and quite tasty. They use Fresh Mozzarella on there pizza's, which is really refreshing with so many of the local pizza makers using Provolone or Shredded Mozz. I liked the modern aesthetic they have and really thought the wood tables were really cool. The place is not that big, which makes for a nice intimate setting when you are trying to get to know someone. IWe brought our own bottle of Cabernet and the server took care of that for us, which is nice. It's nice to be able to go to a nice restaurant and not have to pay 3x retail for a bottle of wine. I got Chocolate Peanut Butter and my date went for the Banana Dolce Latte. We both got smalls and the serving size seemed fair enough. I'm from the New Jersey area and good pizza is so hard to find in Cleveland, so finding Vero was really refreshing. I would recommend this as a solid place for an affordable date.
(5)W A.
Probably my favorite pizza in Cleveland (which is hard for me to admit because I typically like to avoid the east side). It's extremely casual which makes it easy to pop in after running around town. Haven't had a bad bite yet!
(5)Jonathan S.
Wow. Just had their pancetta and egg pizza for lunch. Eye-closing, thrill-of-pleasure inducing good: A delicious napolitano pizza, with the crust nicely blistered and charred. The egg was locally sourced, which is a nice touch. The tomatoes in the house salad were fantastic. The espresso that I finished with was fragrant and just right. Service was polite and attentive. As for the ambiance, it was nice and mellow, with some decent music playing not too loud. All in all, a perfect lunchtime experience. I'm delighted to have this place in my neighborhood.
(5)Snehee C.
Great Pizzas - wood fired ovens! Really creative options and real good stuff! But the portion sizes are small... The service is quite slow...and I am not sure if it is a great place for big groups coz of the extremely slow service...
(4)John K.
This is the best pizza in the city, hands down. Every time I've eaten here, the pizza has been amazing. The crust, the sauce, cheese, and salami have all been exquisite. My only complaint is that I don't live closer.
(5)Linda F.
We had a lovely and delicious dinner here recently. They now have a wine list (previously, it was BYOB). We ordered two pizzas (Calderone and Diavalo) and an appetizer (salumi board) for three people and had plenty of food. The pizza is excellent with a perfect wood-fired crust. The menu recommends that you eat in instead of taking out and I can see why. The pizza is served hot and with all the fresh ingredients, I think a drop in temperature (such as a trip in your cold car) can make a difference. Highly recommended!
(4)Maria B.
High quality pizza. Truly wonderful homemade crust. However, at $12-14 per personal pizza, it is a bit pricey. If you're not on a budget and looking for some wonderful Neopolitan-style brick oven pizza, this your place!
(3)Colin O.
I have been looking for a good wood fired pizza place in Cleveland for awhile. I tried Vero Bistro last night and was happily surprised! The ingredients tasted fresh and delicious. I had the salami pizza and the fresh taste of the tomato sauce stood out and really was wonderful with the occasional bite of salty, cured meat. Always a fan of an affogato espresso and gelato, I had an espresso with gelato. It tasted great but it seemed that their selection of gelato flavours was a little narrow, and it looked slightly soupy in the display freezer. But the taste was great!
(5)Pat D.
cleveland is really getting it's groove on with neapolitan wood fired pizzas, and vero may be my new king of the hill, maybe even besting Kirtlands gem Biga, although at this level it's less about rankings and more about nuances, you can't go wrong with either place or Flour in moreland hills for that matter, less consistent but still worthy are 3 palms in hudson and crostatas in highland hts. Vero starts you off with a few worthy apps, crositini that's made with real bread, toasted to perfection, the goat cheese with pistachios and honey hits the mark. the salad with celery root was well chopped and perfectly topped with a house made buttermilk dressing. And finally we tried the litmus test of neapolitan pizzas the margherita dop, perfect char and leopard spots on the puffy, chewy yet slightly crispy handle, great san marzano tanginess to the simple sauce and the sweet creaminess of the buffalo mozz, charred basil, what else is there to ask for? Also, save room for their gelato,
(5)Melissa M.
Wonderful thin crust pizza with a great variety of toppings...and then gelato!
(4)Adam R.
Went in for gelato but after standing in front of the gelato counter for 5 minutes received no indication from the staff that they were interested in selling us any gelato. Left very unsatisfied and with no gelato.
(1)Becky R.
I read a good review about Vero Bistro and I love the Cedar-Fairmount area, so I decided to check it out. Very disappointed in the pizza. I ordered a pizza with artichokes, mushrooms and proscuitto. It was undercooked and the crust was soggy. Sadly, I won't be going back.
(2)Michael H.
This was a wonderful experience, the staff was great and the pizza was one of the best I have had in a long time. The only down side was the gelato machine was down, but this is not terrible as it means I will need to go back again for the full experience.
(5)Rehan W.
The pizza is surprisingly good. It's cooked in a wood burning stone oven (you can sneak in a peak if it's not busy and you ask). If you haven't tried it, I would highly recommend it. It would be interesting to see if there was a dipping option for the crust (the house dressing was interesting). While currently the meat options are mainly pork so I've stuck to the veg options (and they're really good), there should hopefully be a beef option on the spring menu (fingers crossed). Looking forward to returning again.
(5)Joao Pedro L.
Look no further, Vero has the best pizza I found in Cleveland yet. Let me start by explaining I come from Europe, so I'm a fan of a neapolitan pizza, with a simple non-fatty dough, which is kind of difficult to find in a lot of places in the US (even some with good pizza, but not the traditional Italian kind). And that's the kind of pizza (yes!) you'll find at Vero Bistro. This restaurant was perfect all the way. The bruschettas are delicious (try the sampler to have a little bit of each), the pizza is perfectly baked in the oven, with a thin crust and a divine flavor. If you still have some space left in your stomach, go for the gelato, you won't regret it. The service is also outstanding, everybody is as nice as the quality of their food.
(5)Yuanjia Z.
I love this cute place! I especially love the upstairs where you can just find your corner and enjoy some delicious pizza. Their pizza is very thin crusted and a little pricey but the flavor was pretty good. They could improve a little bit on the pizza though I think to match their market price. Downstairs, I love their gelato selection! It's like a hidden treasure land and I was so happy that I found it! The dude who gave me gelato was really funny and he gave me a FULL CUP of gelato it was so much that I almost couldn't finish it, yet I was so happy that I got so much gelato for just $3~ !!
(4)Jen M.
Wow, great pizza. I almost hate to call it pizza...I almost want to call it, "piazza" *(pronounced pee-ATZ-uh) or some other way more upscale version of the word because it is deserving of it. We got the Salumi pizza and the Fungi pizza and everything about them was great. Crust...wow, chewy deliciousness. I have to say...the arugula salad was disappointing. Very small and only a small heap of arugula with a few parmiagana reggiano pieces on it. And about 2 Tbsp of straight up olive oil as dressing. I am sure the piazza tastes better when dining in. vs taking out like I did. Hey, no problem, because the interior of this place is chic-ly understated that I would eat there anytime. Prices are a little steep but after I took a few bites I didn't care. 2 piazza and a (very) modest arugula salad...$34.
(4)Kelly M.
Make sure to get gelato. Best part of the meal. Pizza was good too. But, the gelato was better.
(3)Sairah L.
They have the best wood fired pizza in Cleveland. They use high quality, authentic ingredients and their crust is absolutely perfect. Just the right amount of crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. And I love that they use fresh seasonal ingredients like ramps in their specials. Seriously, their chef is a genius in the kitchen. If you haven't checked it out yet, you're missing out.
(5)Marcella B.
Deliziosa! I have been twice & the food was great both times. I brought my mom who is from Italy & she likes the pizza there a lot, which says something since she normally doesn't like pizza in America. The pizza is the perfect size for one person, especially since you have to save room for the gelato. I had good service, too. The neighborhood is very cute too, you can sit outside & enjoy your gelato on a bench.
(5)Allison O.
I REALLY REALLY REALLY love their pizza, but this place is just weird. It's an atmosphere problem and for some reason it makes me nervous! I've been there at least five times and every time I'm never sure if I'm supposed to seat myself or wait for someone to greet me and take me to a table. I met friends on one of my visits and at the time (maybe still) they offer glasses and corkscrews and everything if you bring a bottle of wine. I brought my bottle and the waiter brought glasses, but I had to ask him to go back for a corkscrew. He was very nice about it, but seemed puzzled by my request. Another time they told me they were out of red onions (this was before they used pickled onions). I thought to myself, "why don't they go across the street to Dave's and buy onions?" And then after I got my onionless pizza one of the employees went across the street to Dave's and came back with beer. Why couldn't he have bought me some onions? The service has also been extremely slow every time I've been there. I don't know. I really like the pizza and salads and bruschetta and gelato. I just wish they didn't make me feel so uncomfortable! If you haven't already you should definitely check this place out. I'll definitely be back, because food is #1 to me......it'll just take a lot of convincing. This sounds like a bad review, but I swear I really like this place. It's just so weird to me.
(3)Jeff R.
From the beginning, it was clear this restaurant has some issues to work out. The waitstaff was exclusively tending to the gelato counter leaving us to wander with no sign saying to wait to be seated. I ordered a pizza and my friend ordered a salad. The salad came out as an appetizer, and the pizza didn't come out until the salad was finished. When the pizza finally came, it was burnt. And not tastefully charred, I'm talking backyard BBQ briquettes. The next pizza they brought out was better and quite tasty. The salad was well prepared also. We did t sample the gelato, worrying that it too would be burned or come out of the kitchen the next week. The food was generally very good, but they have to work out some kinks before my next visit.
(2)Sue L.
Best pizza on the East side! I love the egg and the arugula. We go with our kids and we have a ball. End with gelato and what could be better? A lovely Italian beer! Fine ingredients and wood fired make a perfect combination.
(5)Lisa M.
Pros: gelato very good, nice decor, pleasant waitstaff. Very small, well thought out menu. Pizza quite good and wines by the glass good. Cons: our pizzas were half crust. Mind you, the crust was chewy and delicious but if I wanted that much bread I would have ordered some. Servers were attentive but the food came out soooo slowly; we were there for over two hours and all we had gotten were salads, three pizzas, and gelato. Summary: worth a try but we will probably hesitate to go back. Try crostadas in highland heights or better yet, biga in Kirkland if you need great pizza but don't want to wait forever...
(3)Carol P.
Great Pizza! I stopped for Ice-cream at the recommendation of a friend. It was wonderful. The staff are nice and friendly. Later, after realizing the ice-cream wasn't really enough for a meal, we ordered a pizza. Best I've had in a long time. Small, straightforward, simple. Great crust, wood-fired stove, simple toppings.
(4)Michael C.
Still the best pizza in the area Vero Bistro is as authentic as you will find pizza in the University-circle/little italy area, and there is definitely something to appreciate about that. Having been to Italy where I was fortunate enough to experience the fine art of pizza making by master Italian chefs, I can say that the pizza fired up at Vero Bistro takes me back to the summer of 11'. With their one of a kind wood-burning oven, Vero Bistro provides a unique rustic flare to their Napolean pizza that is not offered elsewhere in Cleveland. Crispy yet chewy crust, with a gooey center, and just the right amount of burn marks all around, just the way pizza is in Italy. Ingredients: Red sauce: San marzano tomatos (a type of plum tomato that is known for their intense flavor) are used, and an added plus, the ones used at Vero are shipped from Italy! The sauce is kept relatively simple to preserve the tomato-y taste that should be pizza sauce. 4/5 Cheese: I've had their margherita before. Small balls of mozzarella decorate the pizza. Although I personally prefer fewer, but bigger pieces of mozzarella, it's nothing to hold against them, but I've definitely had higher quality mozzarella. However, the parmesan reggiano used on some of their pizzas (asparagus special) is delicious. 4/5 Crust: Need I say more? This is the way pizza crust should be. What you want in a good pizza is a rustic, smokey crust where each bite is slightly different from the last. It may take someone who has eaten real Italian pizza to truly appreciate this crust. In my mind, this is easily the best element of Vero Bistro's pizza. I also like the light sprinkle of salt on the crust. 5/5 Vero Bistro is newly renovated restaurant (formerly La Gelateria), and the new chic interior design is the perfect setting for enjoying their pizza. With their heavy duty metallic chairs, and beautiful thick wooden tables, the decor complements the rustic feel that is Vero Bistro perfectly. Overall: 5/5 I almost forgot to mention the gelato. Creamy, rich, delicious. I especially enjoy the pistachio. Support a young restaurant! Give Vero Bistro a try, I promise you will not regret your experience. Additional note: they very recently changed their menu to a smaller, more pizza-focused one. Restaurants with smaller menus tend to be more consistent and use fresher ingredients. Food: A- Atmosphere: A- Service: B+
(5)Anne J.
Their pancetta and sunny side egg pizza is SO good. The pizza comes out of an oven with a light and crispy crust, with really good tomato sauce and melted cheese. The pancetta and the gooey egg makes it a really nice rich bite of delight. Also the dash of cracked pepper on top finishes it perfectly. This may be my favorite pizza in CLE
(5)Michael C.
I'm not sure why there are so many haters for this place. My wife and I came to visit at the recommendation of some Italian friends and really enjoyed this place. Great crust, simple, good ingredients and a nice gelato chaser. We also enjoyed a fresh, simple salad. The young man who was serving us was friendly and attentive. This is one of the better authentic pizza places in Cleveland, I think. I will be back. My only complaint is that I wish that there were more fruit flavored gelato choices, like back in the Gelateria days. Oh well, maybe there will be more next time.
(5)Rachael N.
After running with my roommate, we came across Vero Bistro. What's this?? I exclaimed. Having driven past this area every time I go to work, it surprised me that I hadn't noticed the place before. And behold- they're new, and have been open for only 5.5 weeks. It's the same location as La Gelateria- same place, just different owners. The menu boasts Italian made pizzas- mostly all napoleans and some non-traditionals. They have make your own pizza and bruschetta. I called up a friend and off we went to Vero Bistro for lunch. It was so empty- perhaps because it's new? We chose a table upstairs and got the La Diavolo. Very thin crust pizza with Italian sausage. It was strange...they got the pizza, grabbed a large old tomato can, flipped it over, and set the pizza on top of that. I wanted to be like, "uhh...really?" And there wasn't that wow factor to it...the pizza was thin and floppy..although the sausage was good, there wasn't that "fresh mozarella" taste I was hoping for either. Meh. And then, as they advertised their gelato, I wanted to get an affogato. Yet, upon ordering it, they said they didn't have it yet because they didn't have an espresso maker. What?!! Then why did you put it on your menu!! I was sad. I chose to get the gianduja gelato instead. It's one of my faves because of the nutella flavor. The portions were BIG..and the gelato was ok. Not the creamiest, but okay. I think this place has potential..once they get going and get their act together. Until then...I think I'll wait until their affogato emerges......
(3)Alex G.
When I brought my Diavola pizza back home, I was a little struck by the pizza to price ratio, as it is a pretty small pie. However, the ingredients tasted very fresh and high quality, the crust was perfectly wood-fired and I wasn't disappointed at all. I observed that their menus has more veggie options than meat. The service was friendly and my food was prepared quickly. It is a quaint little space with gelato served as well. I'd prefer to take it home, and while I won't buy this every time I want pizza, I could imagine stopping in once a month. A must-try if you live in the neighborhood and a wouldn't hurt to try if you were driving through.
(4)Bat W.
Wood fired, stone oven, the freshest of authentic ingredients and a true master of pizza. This is how pizza SHOULD be made!! Salads are and now a wine bar!! Service is attentive and involved as well as helpful. Above all try the Margarita DOP!
(5)Kevin M.
Had dinner last night. My guest ordered 1 margherita pizza with buffalo cheese, than another since it was so good. Arugula salad that proceeded the pizza was fresh and with just the right amount of shaved parmesan cheese. Lemon wedge was a great addition to the salad as well. A pretty good wine by the glass at only $7, but probably a better bargain would have been to buy the house wine at $15 for a carafe. Service was great and that was despite the fact that our attentive waitress had to serve us in the upstairs section. If you want a great, classic, thin crust, Neapolitan style pizza, this is your place.
(5)D W.
Last time I ate there was 7 months ago or so. Love the place each time...sometimes service can be a tad slow. I hear they have a wine list and am heading there right now. Great authentic pizza.
(5)Kaitlin D.
I'm teetering on the brink of four stars, but can't bring myself to do it due to the weird atmosphere and service. With some improvement, though this place could definitely earn another star or two, since the food is already there. If you like unique pizzas that retain their classic pizza foundation, come here. The flavors are unique and fresh, but not too crazy to lose the "pizza" title. These pizzas are delightful! We got the regular pepperoni and the pancetta and egg by suggestion from our server. The pepperoni was definitely good and had a good authentic homemade taste to it. No doughy, greasy waxy cheese mess. It was like the homemade pizza you make at home, except the work part was cut out. Perfect! The pancetta and egg was a definite stretch for me at first. I'm not a fan of the "put an egg on it" fad. Eggs on burgers, eggs on hot dogs, eggs on pizzas. I like eggs. I like eggs on eggs (hollandaise, what?! YES.). But eggs on top of anything else? With oozing yolk all over the rest of my dish? Ehhh...But, I put our second pizza choice in the hands of our polite server and he said that was his favorite. I figured there's no better time than the present, what with the end of the world near and all, so we went for it. WOW. I was pleasantly surprised and immediately converted (to egg on pizza...the others will have to wait). The egg added a great burst of flavor to the rich pancetta. It was wonderful! I'd definitely recommend giving this place a try. Upon walking in, it can be a little off-putting and confusing, though. The service seems inconsistent. While our server was nice and gracious, when we walked in, it was unclear whether we were to seat ourselves or not and we had to wait a LONG time for our bill, then a long time to pay it and we ended up walking it downstairs...completely unsure of whether this was what we were expected to do or not. Very confusing and strange set up. I definitely got a slow and cold, but not quite "depressing" vibe from the interior as well. The space is way too big for their quaint little mod-pizza parlor theme they're going for. They need to close up the empty wall space and perhaps get rid of the cold metallic decor and atmosphere. Really, I think the place could use some sprucing, but the pizzas are delicious enough to bring me back.
(3)Sohini G.
Awesome pizza!! The crust is a delicious wood oven thin crust. My favorites are the salumi, funghi and the one with the egg on it (used to be pancetta and egg, on the current menu its the carbonera). The salads are also good. Nothing special but fresh ingredients which make a world of difference. They don't allow take out anymore...but its worth it to dine in! Some of my favorite specialty pizza in Cleveland!
(5)Cary S.
We went to Vero for a birthday party last weekend with a group of 9 people. We were crowded in a back corner on the upper level, which was a recipe for inattentive wait staff and poor service. We waited with empty wine glasses for the majority of the meal, and I wholeheartedly believe that no Italian would appreciate THAT situation. The best aspect of the meal was the appetizers. The brussel sprouts were on point, and the cheese board was paired really nicely. If I was forced to go back I would just order apps. For real. The thing that was even more disappointing than the wine was that there were very limited pizza toppings. The only meat choices came from pigs, and there were very few vegetables to be seen. We ordered several pizzas because we were a larger group, only to learn that there is only room for three pizzas in the oven at a time, so we couldn't even get served in unison. This was an all-around disappointing dinner.
(2)Chris S.
Best pizza, and gelato I've ever had!!! Stop in there if you want to eat like you should..
(5)P W.
Vero is one of the best pizzas in Cleveland. I like Crostatas a little more but the drive to Highland Heights is awful. Vero is a good Neapolitan style pizza in a cute little restaurant on Cedar. The service is excellent.
(5)Shank S.
Coming from the greater New York area, I have been very disappointed in the pizza selection in the greater Cleveland area. It's a staple for us! Most of the pizza out here is taste like frozen pizza you can buy at the store. On a mission I stumbled across Vero, and I can't tell you how happy I am to find some good pizza here. The pizza is thin just like I like with fresh ingredients (and that is what makes all the difference in pizza) The sauce was perfect! I wasn't a huge fan of the Char around the crust but to each there own. Overall a great spot to get a personal pizza. It is a little pricey but then again this isn't dominos or pizza hut. It's an upscale pizza place.
(4)Bob L.
If I had to choose a word that would sum up our experience at Vero Bistro it would be slow. If I had to choose two words to describe it they would be agonizingly slow. I'm pretty sure that time actually slowed down while we were there. It felt like we were eating in Matrix bullet time. Allow me to elaborate. We arrived at the front door on a Saturday evening within minutes of their 5pm opening time. There were two other couples in the doorway with us. Things started out well enough and we were immediately seated at a table at the bottom of the staircase that leads to the upstairs dining area. Not a bad atmosphere. There's a gelato bar and small seating area downstairs and a larger dining area upstairs. Not huge, but it didn't feel that crampt either. Now here's where things went downhill. We placed our drink orders. 10 minutes passes before we receive them. Mind you, the place isn't all that busy and we were among the first three couples that entered the establishment that evening. We placed our food orders during the drink delivery process, two salads, a meat/cheese board consisting of a single meat and a single cheese, and a pizza. 45 minutes. That's how long we waited for our first item to be delivered to our table. I honestly couldn't remember the last time we had to wait so long at a restaurant that wasn't bodies to the walls busy. We were within five minutes of walking out and probably would have had they not finally brought something out. What made it even more annoying was watching the dozen or so pizzas go past our table while we waited. I was so pissed that I didn't order a second beer. Speaking of beer, there are only two on their list and they are both from Italian brewery Monebrea. Decent beers, though. The service was pretty C-. When the server dropped off the charcuterie he didn't bother to explain what any of the items on the board were. Just dropped it on the table and ran off. It was tasty, the nduja was well-spiced and the beer-washed Siberian Night paired well. The board also came with some crackers, cornishons, some type of spicy jam and sliced baguette. The salads were pretty lackluster. The radicchio salad - which contained very little radicchio - was quite oily and completely lacked acid of any kind. My wife opted for the house salad which was essentially a few leaves of romaine lettuce dressed with balsamic vinaigrette. We ended up combining the two salads on one plate. The sum was definitely better than the parts. Now for the pizza. It was good. Not "holy shit I'll be counting down the days until I can have this again" good, just good. We selected the cavaletto & speck variant. The brussels sprouts added a nice bitterness, the speck was a bit tough to chew through while the balsamic reduction brought a welcome sweetness to counter the salt in the goat cheese. The crust, a great combination of crispy and chewey, had a nice char from the wood-fired oven. At $16 I thought it was on the pricey side for what amounted to roughly 4 slices. Did I mention that we were there what seemed like forever? I think less time passed between sightings of Halley's Comet. I think less time passed between Meatloaf albums. Anyway, you get the picture. Our dining experience took 1hr 45min from in to out. Damn. For a place that requires us to drive all the way across town to get there, I just can't think of anything from our experience that would have me making the trip again. P.S. The way the servers and kitchen staff run up and down the staircase in this place is something like watching a NASCAR race. You know there's bound to be an accident and that's really the only reason you can't stop watching it.
(2)Natalie P.
If the first thing I see when I walk into a restaurant is a wood-fired oven, I'm a happy lady! This restaurant is quaint, aromatic, and just an outstanding choice for thin crust delicious pizza in Cleveland. Honestly, it's probably the closest to real Italian pizza you'll find for miles around, and the best part about it is all their ingredients are locally sourced. Any place that supports local businesses is an establishment I immediately respect and have no problem handing stars to hand over foot!! My chomping buddy and I started with a selection of 4 appetizers for $16 (pretty damn good deal)! From the cured meat selection, we had the prosciutto di parma and hot coppa. I appreciated that the menu listed the locations from which all the meats were obtained (prosciutto from italy and hot coppa from san fran). Both were delicious! Creamy, well sliced prosciutto is an art and these guys have mastered it! The hot coppa was peppery, spicy, and just salty enough to make me want to move on to cheese, but not so salty to make me guzzle gallons of water all night! The shot rock (sheep milk cheese) was funky but not TOO funky, you know what I mean? Sometimes you just want a chunk of good ol' stinky cheese, but you don't want one so stinky that you can't taste the rest of your meal. Finally, the chevre---I love goat cheese to the end of the earth and back and this one was great. So much better than any chevre you can buy from Whole Foods haha. Warm bread with chevre and honey= me slapping the boyfriend's hand away for every last morsel! But what about the pizza, you say? Well, let me tell you. - Salumi: We ordered the salumi and honey pizza at the recommendation of fellow Yelpers and were not disappointed! Every bite really features the flavors of salumi, honey, oregano and tomato. No one ingredient over powered the rest. The balance between sweet and savory is so perfectly achieved, that I could have eaten that entire pie myself. Next time, I just might!! - Carbonara: The carbonara is an equally good choice. The egg was cooked to runny/solid perfection! This pie was creamy and decadent mozzarella bliss with just a hint of spice every now and then- fantastic!! My only qualm was that bits of the crust were burnt, but that is to be expected with a wood-fired oven. We washed everything down with a bottle of sweet and simple Bracchetto- the perfect sweet sparkling addition to pizza. I recommend you buy the bottle, because just one glass will not suffice!! Tip: There are very few tables, so make a reservation. The servers were really great about coming over and checking in on us as we waited by the door for a table. Although, the ambiance is not amazing as there are very few tables and the servers can be a little teenage-growing phase awkward. But I don't think I'll detract a star for that! Also, check in and you'll get $2 off your order!!!
(5)Michael F.
Love the pizza & salads here. Even though I try to make myself switch it up the "salumi" is usually my go to pizza here, such a great pizza it is! Properly made & stretched dough cooked to perfection.
(5)Casey M.
every meal at vero is excellent. service is always friendly, even when they are swamped- but most importantly their food is always SO SO SO good.
(5)Nora C.
Excellent restaurant! I have been searching for a good thin crust pizza since I moved to Cleveland 11 years ago. I had the Salumi pizza. I could eat this all day long. The crust was perfectly cooked with a satisfying chew. The salami with a hint of honey was perfect. My friend got the Capua which was fantastic. They perfectly balanced the prosciutto, arugula, and black pepper. We ordered a carafe of the house red which was surprisingly good, especially for the low cost. We finished with gelato--delicious! We will definitely be back!
(5)Michael H.
This was a wonderful experience, the staff was great and the pizza was one of the best I have had in a long time. The only down side was the gelato machine was down, but this is not terrible as it means I will need to go back again for the full experience.
(5)Rehan W.
The pizza is surprisingly good. It's cooked in a wood burning stone oven (you can sneak in a peak if it's not busy and you ask). If you haven't tried it, I would highly recommend it. It would be interesting to see if there was a dipping option for the crust (the house dressing was interesting). While currently the meat options are mainly pork so I've stuck to the veg options (and they're really good), there should hopefully be a beef option on the spring menu (fingers crossed). Looking forward to returning again.
(5)George M.
great atmosphere, good service, place a bit small and limited tables and overall appetizers, salad and pizza okay..will def visit again. a must try at least once.
(3)Maximus D.
There is food prepared with the best of intentions and there is food such as that at Vero where the craft is king. And the craft, and mastery, of a glowing wood fired oven never fails to draw me in (I admit this might be partially a nurture aspect of my upbringing). It is a marvel to eat here and to witness the behind the scenes preparation on Instagram. The pizza is perfection, the vegetables out of the oven sublime, and the gelato a perfect ending to all that lovely char. Buyer be warned though as when the dough is out, the day is over. No going into the freezer for Vero!
(5)Cris L.
This is exactly what the east side of Cleveland needed. For years there has been a drought of gourmet pizza in the Cleveland Heights area (even places in Little Italy have been disappointing). The pizza is made in a wood-fired oven. There are several delicious options to try and the list rotates over time. I have never had a bad pizza from this place and have been a patron on at least 5 occasions. They combine unique flavors like salami and honey. The crust is thin and crispy. To top it off, the gelato dessert is more than filling. Generous serving sizes of this delicious treat make a fine end to the dinner. Of note, this is not a great place for large groups (there are relatively few tables that don't seat many people)
(5)Sharmeela S.
Excellent pizza. Ingredients are local and fresh. Pizzas are anywhere between 13 to 16$. I can easily finish a pizza by myself. There are 8 small pieces. Thin crust. There's metered street parking in the Cedar Fairmount area. There are probably at the most twenty tables, so I'm certain there would be a wait on weekends. Looking forward to trying their whole menu eventually.
(4)Joao Pedro L.
Look no further, Vero has the best pizza I found in Cleveland yet. Let me start by explaining I come from Europe, so I'm a fan of a neapolitan pizza, with a simple non-fatty dough, which is kind of difficult to find in a lot of places in the US (even some with good pizza, but not the traditional Italian kind). And that's the kind of pizza (yes!) you'll find at Vero Bistro. This restaurant was perfect all the way. The bruschettas are delicious (try the sampler to have a little bit of each), the pizza is perfectly baked in the oven, with a thin crust and a divine flavor. If you still have some space left in your stomach, go for the gelato, you won't regret it. The service is also outstanding, everybody is as nice as the quality of their food.
(5)Yuanjia Z.
I love this cute place! I especially love the upstairs where you can just find your corner and enjoy some delicious pizza. Their pizza is very thin crusted and a little pricey but the flavor was pretty good. They could improve a little bit on the pizza though I think to match their market price. Downstairs, I love their gelato selection! It's like a hidden treasure land and I was so happy that I found it! The dude who gave me gelato was really funny and he gave me a FULL CUP of gelato it was so much that I almost couldn't finish it, yet I was so happy that I got so much gelato for just $3~ !!
(4)Jen M.
Wow, great pizza. I almost hate to call it pizza...I almost want to call it, "piazza" *(pronounced pee-ATZ-uh) or some other way more upscale version of the word because it is deserving of it. We got the Salumi pizza and the Fungi pizza and everything about them was great. Crust...wow, chewy deliciousness. I have to say...the arugula salad was disappointing. Very small and only a small heap of arugula with a few parmiagana reggiano pieces on it. And about 2 Tbsp of straight up olive oil as dressing. I am sure the piazza tastes better when dining in. vs taking out like I did. Hey, no problem, because the interior of this place is chic-ly understated that I would eat there anytime. Prices are a little steep but after I took a few bites I didn't care. 2 piazza and a (very) modest arugula salad...$34.
(4)Kelly M.
Make sure to get gelato. Best part of the meal. Pizza was good too. But, the gelato was better.
(3)Juspaul R.
Great pizza! The burning oven they cook there pizza in is legit! Unique toppings (try the pork belly) and they have great gelato! Customer service is friendly and the layout is pretty cool! Definitely a must see in Cleveland Hts!
(5)Justin L.
Vero serves Neapolitan pizza with a super thin crust and quality ingredients, fresh from the oven. I tried the Margherita, Salumi and Egg and Pancetta. Best pizza I've had in Northeast Ohio.
(5)green f.
This is great pizza. Real Italian true pizza. I hear they only do 1-3 pizzas at a time. It's worth the wait to get pizza this good.
(5)Debbie L.
This is not your average pizza place... It is so much better! The menu is pretty limited but the options are straight out of a pizza place in Italy and they are just as good. Artisanal cheeses and meats make this place extra special and the very friendly staff are the cherry on top! Hubby and I had the Salumi pizza and it was delish! The tomato sauce is a has a very fresh and slightly sweet flavor (which I love) that compliments the slight saltiness of the Salumi making it a perfect combo. There was just enough cheese to bring a little mild creaminess to the palate and mellow everything out. We loved it! We will be back!
(4)Nour J.
Definitely the best pizza Napoletana in Cleveland and the area! We keep going for more, but the service is so slow...there was one waiter serving the whole restaurants which is spread on the two floors...then he was standing behind the gelato counter for more than 20 mns. Overall we waited 2hours for our pizzas... yes i will go back and be patient hoping that they will improve their service
(4)Allison O.
I REALLY REALLY REALLY love their pizza, but this place is just weird. It's an atmosphere problem and for some reason it makes me nervous! I've been there at least five times and every time I'm never sure if I'm supposed to seat myself or wait for someone to greet me and take me to a table. I met friends on one of my visits and at the time (maybe still) they offer glasses and corkscrews and everything if you bring a bottle of wine. I brought my bottle and the waiter brought glasses, but I had to ask him to go back for a corkscrew. He was very nice about it, but seemed puzzled by my request. Another time they told me they were out of red onions (this was before they used pickled onions). I thought to myself, "why don't they go across the street to Dave's and buy onions?" And then after I got my onionless pizza one of the employees went across the street to Dave's and came back with beer. Why couldn't he have bought me some onions? The service has also been extremely slow every time I've been there. I don't know. I really like the pizza and salads and bruschetta and gelato. I just wish they didn't make me feel so uncomfortable! If you haven't already you should definitely check this place out. I'll definitely be back, because food is #1 to me......it'll just take a lot of convincing. This sounds like a bad review, but I swear I really like this place. It's just so weird to me.
(3)Jeff R.
From the beginning, it was clear this restaurant has some issues to work out. The waitstaff was exclusively tending to the gelato counter leaving us to wander with no sign saying to wait to be seated. I ordered a pizza and my friend ordered a salad. The salad came out as an appetizer, and the pizza didn't come out until the salad was finished. When the pizza finally came, it was burnt. And not tastefully charred, I'm talking backyard BBQ briquettes. The next pizza they brought out was better and quite tasty. The salad was well prepared also. We did t sample the gelato, worrying that it too would be burned or come out of the kitchen the next week. The food was generally very good, but they have to work out some kinks before my next visit.
(2)Sue L.
Best pizza on the East side! I love the egg and the arugula. We go with our kids and we have a ball. End with gelato and what could be better? A lovely Italian beer! Fine ingredients and wood fired make a perfect combination.
(5)Lisa M.
Pros: gelato very good, nice decor, pleasant waitstaff. Very small, well thought out menu. Pizza quite good and wines by the glass good. Cons: our pizzas were half crust. Mind you, the crust was chewy and delicious but if I wanted that much bread I would have ordered some. Servers were attentive but the food came out soooo slowly; we were there for over two hours and all we had gotten were salads, three pizzas, and gelato. Summary: worth a try but we will probably hesitate to go back. Try crostadas in highland heights or better yet, biga in Kirkland if you need great pizza but don't want to wait forever...
(3)Carol P.
Great Pizza! I stopped for Ice-cream at the recommendation of a friend. It was wonderful. The staff are nice and friendly. Later, after realizing the ice-cream wasn't really enough for a meal, we ordered a pizza. Best I've had in a long time. Small, straightforward, simple. Great crust, wood-fired stove, simple toppings.
(4)Sairah L.
They have the best wood fired pizza in Cleveland. They use high quality, authentic ingredients and their crust is absolutely perfect. Just the right amount of crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. And I love that they use fresh seasonal ingredients like ramps in their specials. Seriously, their chef is a genius in the kitchen. If you haven't checked it out yet, you're missing out.
(5)Rachael N.
After running with my roommate, we came across Vero Bistro. What's this?? I exclaimed. Having driven past this area every time I go to work, it surprised me that I hadn't noticed the place before. And behold- they're new, and have been open for only 5.5 weeks. It's the same location as La Gelateria- same place, just different owners. The menu boasts Italian made pizzas- mostly all napoleans and some non-traditionals. They have make your own pizza and bruschetta. I called up a friend and off we went to Vero Bistro for lunch. It was so empty- perhaps because it's new? We chose a table upstairs and got the La Diavolo. Very thin crust pizza with Italian sausage. It was strange...they got the pizza, grabbed a large old tomato can, flipped it over, and set the pizza on top of that. I wanted to be like, "uhh...really?" And there wasn't that wow factor to it...the pizza was thin and floppy..although the sausage was good, there wasn't that "fresh mozarella" taste I was hoping for either. Meh. And then, as they advertised their gelato, I wanted to get an affogato. Yet, upon ordering it, they said they didn't have it yet because they didn't have an espresso maker. What?!! Then why did you put it on your menu!! I was sad. I chose to get the gianduja gelato instead. It's one of my faves because of the nutella flavor. The portions were BIG..and the gelato was ok. Not the creamiest, but okay. I think this place has potential..once they get going and get their act together. Until then...I think I'll wait until their affogato emerges......
(3)Alex G.
When I brought my Diavola pizza back home, I was a little struck by the pizza to price ratio, as it is a pretty small pie. However, the ingredients tasted very fresh and high quality, the crust was perfectly wood-fired and I wasn't disappointed at all. I observed that their menus has more veggie options than meat. The service was friendly and my food was prepared quickly. It is a quaint little space with gelato served as well. I'd prefer to take it home, and while I won't buy this every time I want pizza, I could imagine stopping in once a month. A must-try if you live in the neighborhood and a wouldn't hurt to try if you were driving through.
(4)Bat W.
Wood fired, stone oven, the freshest of authentic ingredients and a true master of pizza. This is how pizza SHOULD be made!! Salads are and now a wine bar!! Service is attentive and involved as well as helpful. Above all try the Margarita DOP!
(5)Kevin M.
Had dinner last night. My guest ordered 1 margherita pizza with buffalo cheese, than another since it was so good. Arugula salad that proceeded the pizza was fresh and with just the right amount of shaved parmesan cheese. Lemon wedge was a great addition to the salad as well. A pretty good wine by the glass at only $7, but probably a better bargain would have been to buy the house wine at $15 for a carafe. Service was great and that was despite the fact that our attentive waitress had to serve us in the upstairs section. If you want a great, classic, thin crust, Neapolitan style pizza, this is your place.
(5)D W.
Last time I ate there was 7 months ago or so. Love the place each time...sometimes service can be a tad slow. I hear they have a wine list and am heading there right now. Great authentic pizza.
(5)Michael C.
Still the best pizza in the area Vero Bistro is as authentic as you will find pizza in the University-circle/little italy area, and there is definitely something to appreciate about that. Having been to Italy where I was fortunate enough to experience the fine art of pizza making by master Italian chefs, I can say that the pizza fired up at Vero Bistro takes me back to the summer of 11'. With their one of a kind wood-burning oven, Vero Bistro provides a unique rustic flare to their Napolean pizza that is not offered elsewhere in Cleveland. Crispy yet chewy crust, with a gooey center, and just the right amount of burn marks all around, just the way pizza is in Italy. Ingredients: Red sauce: San marzano tomatos (a type of plum tomato that is known for their intense flavor) are used, and an added plus, the ones used at Vero are shipped from Italy! The sauce is kept relatively simple to preserve the tomato-y taste that should be pizza sauce. 4/5 Cheese: I've had their margherita before. Small balls of mozzarella decorate the pizza. Although I personally prefer fewer, but bigger pieces of mozzarella, it's nothing to hold against them, but I've definitely had higher quality mozzarella. However, the parmesan reggiano used on some of their pizzas (asparagus special) is delicious. 4/5 Crust: Need I say more? This is the way pizza crust should be. What you want in a good pizza is a rustic, smokey crust where each bite is slightly different from the last. It may take someone who has eaten real Italian pizza to truly appreciate this crust. In my mind, this is easily the best element of Vero Bistro's pizza. I also like the light sprinkle of salt on the crust. 5/5 Vero Bistro is newly renovated restaurant (formerly La Gelateria), and the new chic interior design is the perfect setting for enjoying their pizza. With their heavy duty metallic chairs, and beautiful thick wooden tables, the decor complements the rustic feel that is Vero Bistro perfectly. Overall: 5/5 I almost forgot to mention the gelato. Creamy, rich, delicious. I especially enjoy the pistachio. Support a young restaurant! Give Vero Bistro a try, I promise you will not regret your experience. Additional note: they very recently changed their menu to a smaller, more pizza-focused one. Restaurants with smaller menus tend to be more consistent and use fresher ingredients. Food: A- Atmosphere: A- Service: B+
(5)Anne J.
Their pancetta and sunny side egg pizza is SO good. The pizza comes out of an oven with a light and crispy crust, with really good tomato sauce and melted cheese. The pancetta and the gooey egg makes it a really nice rich bite of delight. Also the dash of cracked pepper on top finishes it perfectly. This may be my favorite pizza in CLE
(5)Michael C.
I'm not sure why there are so many haters for this place. My wife and I came to visit at the recommendation of some Italian friends and really enjoyed this place. Great crust, simple, good ingredients and a nice gelato chaser. We also enjoyed a fresh, simple salad. The young man who was serving us was friendly and attentive. This is one of the better authentic pizza places in Cleveland, I think. I will be back. My only complaint is that I wish that there were more fruit flavored gelato choices, like back in the Gelateria days. Oh well, maybe there will be more next time.
(5)Kaitlin D.
I'm teetering on the brink of four stars, but can't bring myself to do it due to the weird atmosphere and service. With some improvement, though this place could definitely earn another star or two, since the food is already there. If you like unique pizzas that retain their classic pizza foundation, come here. The flavors are unique and fresh, but not too crazy to lose the "pizza" title. These pizzas are delightful! We got the regular pepperoni and the pancetta and egg by suggestion from our server. The pepperoni was definitely good and had a good authentic homemade taste to it. No doughy, greasy waxy cheese mess. It was like the homemade pizza you make at home, except the work part was cut out. Perfect! The pancetta and egg was a definite stretch for me at first. I'm not a fan of the "put an egg on it" fad. Eggs on burgers, eggs on hot dogs, eggs on pizzas. I like eggs. I like eggs on eggs (hollandaise, what?! YES.). But eggs on top of anything else? With oozing yolk all over the rest of my dish? Ehhh...But, I put our second pizza choice in the hands of our polite server and he said that was his favorite. I figured there's no better time than the present, what with the end of the world near and all, so we went for it. WOW. I was pleasantly surprised and immediately converted (to egg on pizza...the others will have to wait). The egg added a great burst of flavor to the rich pancetta. It was wonderful! I'd definitely recommend giving this place a try. Upon walking in, it can be a little off-putting and confusing, though. The service seems inconsistent. While our server was nice and gracious, when we walked in, it was unclear whether we were to seat ourselves or not and we had to wait a LONG time for our bill, then a long time to pay it and we ended up walking it downstairs...completely unsure of whether this was what we were expected to do or not. Very confusing and strange set up. I definitely got a slow and cold, but not quite "depressing" vibe from the interior as well. The space is way too big for their quaint little mod-pizza parlor theme they're going for. They need to close up the empty wall space and perhaps get rid of the cold metallic decor and atmosphere. Really, I think the place could use some sprucing, but the pizzas are delicious enough to bring me back.
(3)Ashley T.
LOVE LOVE LOVE Vero! My significant other and I are practically regulars, when our schedules sync up! Get these pizzas as they are meant to be...uncut! The prosciutto, salami, and margherita pizzas are all fantastic, and I plan to try many more! Their appetizers are always changing, but always have something good. I do miss the mushroom topping they has for their bruscetta early on when they opened, but they make up for that in other great tastes. And if you dont want pizza, then they still serve the great gelatto you knew from La Gelateria previously!
(5)Grace Elise M.
I tried for nearly a year to like this place. Honestly, I am a big fan of the entire Cedar Fairmount. However, with great options like Nighttown and the relative upstart Fairmont Martini Bar producing solid kitchen choices, faster, and with better ambiance for drinking and socializing I am finally left no choice to but to create my first Yelp review and voice my displeasure. First, the restaurant is cramped, and the temperature varies wildly across the seating areas and indeed across seasons. The overhead fans are a metaphor for the menu: at first blush they are promising and interesting, but really are "sound and fury signifying nothing" as they do little to help customers stay comfortable. But the final straw was the Brussels sprouts: I love sprouts. I get them everywhere in Cleveland (try Town Hall's btw). But over the past few months at Vero the individual sprouts have decreased in size, number, and increasingly seem to be cooked to the point that they are mostly charred briquettes now. Add that I could hear the Pizza guy (who, oddly, looks just like Freddy Mercury) during my entire last meal down below yelling at the kitchen staff. Won't be going back, which is unfortunate, since I like their gelato.
(1)Matthew M.
Trying to rank a pizza shop on the Eastside comes with a few disclaimers. First off --fair or not-- the bar of excellence is raised. All things marinara and cheese are not created equal on this side of town. Because you're in the proximity of so much greatness, what might pass as above average in other parts of town are merely passable over here. That's just the way it is and always will be. Don't come to this side of the Cuyahoga and think you can just turn out some thin crust dough topped with fresh mozzarella and cook in an oven without a pan and think you've made it. Oh no, oh ye of little pizza making experience. Mastering the art of pie is much more than that. Soul and comfort can and should also play a role in the overall experience. At first glance, Vero Bistro should be so much greater, but sadly falls short. It has so much potential and with a few tweaks could be improved immensely. The bistro is located in a chic storefront in the Cedar-Fairmount district. Two story glass windows give way to a modern and minimalist interior. The space is unique to the city. It's almost Manhattan-esque. Inside there's a few tables on the first floor and even more seating up a flight of stairs. The walls are decorated with pizza box art. Abstract surrealism sketches on white pizza boxes hung on the walls. Odd, but fitting for the contemporary space. The service was my biggest gripe. Vero Bistro seems to be struggling with its identity. Is it take-out or an eat-in shop? Do you order at the counter and take to your table ala a coffee shop, or does it require table-side service? It all seems very confused. Upon entry, behind the glowing gelato freezer is a staff member asks if you'll be dining in or carrying out. When dining in, they'll allow you to select your seat and promise to be with you shortly. On this Friday night, spread through two flights of seating, there was just two servers to handle the register and all of the diners. Wait times added up and it took us at least three requests to finally get water. As most of you can attest, shoddy service can ruin a good experience very quick. As for the menu, it features pizza and a few starters. Each menu item with an asterisk next to the locally sourced ingredients. Localvores are sure to swoon at this amenity. Once the decision was made to order, we started with the bruschetta which was anything but your typical diced tomatoes on crusty bread. This version consisted of a variety of toppings that ranged from a tapenade spread to a roasted pepper puree along with the familiar diced tomato and olive oil. A nice start to the meal. Next we opted for two pizzas: the Margherita & the Pancetta & Egg pizza. Each pie on the menu measures apx. 8" across and ranges $8-$13 a pie. Very reasonable by many standards, especially for this quality. The pizza was in fact, very good. Crispy charred crust, chewy dough, minimally invasive ingredients which properly allows the pizza shine on it's own. A very well done pie I must admit. It wasn't Crostatas good, but it was good enough. It should also be noted that they don't-- at this time-- serve alcohol, but I saw others come in with bottles of wine to which they were supplied wine glasses. Pretty cool. I can see coming back to this place and hanging for a while. Perhaps bringing our own drink would alleviate the stress of worrying about the servers filling our glasses. When it was time to go, we just walked downstairs to fulfill our tab and grabbed a gelato to go. $3.50 for a small dish which was more than enough to share. Rich, milky, Italiano goodness. A perfect compliment to a very good pizza. In summary, the staff was apologetic and even seemed to realize the kinks of this still somewhat new venture. And for that, I'm willing to forgive. We will certainly be back again. I look forward to them figuring it out. Because this place certainly has the potential to be great, but without adapting an identity, it'll unfortunately just be another of a long list of slightly above average pizza shops on the East Side.
(3)Arun M.
Vero Bistro came highly recommended by a few friends when I moved to this neighborhood. After a while here I noticed that they were going under renovation and decided to visit once they are open. I found the lady at the counter extremely unhelpful when I was ordering my food. She was looking at me like I should have done my homework before entering this prestigious bistro and should not waste her time by asking questions. When I sat down and launched my Yelp app; there was a check in discount offer. Up on mentioning that to the lady, I got a cold shoulder again and she said the discount will be applied to the final bill. I did not see it at the end. The ambiance is nice. Actually a perfect place in the neighborhood for a quick and nice pizza and some gelato. I would have loved to sit there for a while and enjoyed if the server was not so rude. I ordered Pizza margarita and it was very good. I really liked that the flavors. Mozerella was fresh and basil was nice. The base had some burnt parts from cooking in the stone oven. The whole thing was just very yummy (or I was so hungry at 3 PM). I would go back again just for the pick up.
(3)Michael A.
Excellent food. A little pricy but worth it for the uniqueness of the pizza. Extremely under staffed. We will definitely come back.
(4)Hanna F.
I went here on Saturday night with a friend because I purchased the Groupon, and I would not recommend it. The service was extremely slow (it seems like they can only cook one pizza at a time) and the food was only average. We ordered the bruchetta appetizer and the beet salad for starters, both were only ok and the salad was very small. The pizza took another 20+ minutes and when it arrived it was tiny and burnt on the bottom. We thought we could split one because they were $12+ but I would not recommend sharing a pizza from here. They do have some interesting pizza toppings, and the place does have potential, but I will not be returning any time soon. FYI-it is BYOB
(2)Chet J.
Accepts Case card. Salumi is very good (their pepperoni pizza). Their wood fire pizza is great! Gelato is excellent. Service is good. Large groups may take a little while. Very good ambiance and location. Music can be somewhat loud, if you're looking for library quiet, but I like everything they play. As others have said, lots of unique choices including salads, pizzas, etc. I tried a pizza with kale on it one time, it was good.
(4)Marcella B.
Deliziosa! I have been twice & the food was great both times. I brought my mom who is from Italy & she likes the pizza there a lot, which says something since she normally doesn't like pizza in America. The pizza is the perfect size for one person, especially since you have to save room for the gelato. I had good service, too. The neighborhood is very cute too, you can sit outside & enjoy your gelato on a bench.
(5)F. J.
We went here with a Living Social coupon; we'd spotted it before and thought it looked interesting. This used to be a gelato parlor, and in many ways, it still is. There are few tables. The depressing atmosphere really kills any sense of the space (which is high ceilings and vintage detail) -- it is painted battleship-gray. Dark and depressing. The tables are unfinished oak -- looks pretty, but has already absorbed a LOT of olive oil....who ever thought this was a good idea, needs a serious re-think. The high ceilings make this noisy and unpleasant. The good points: the pizza is tasty....chewy crust and interesting toppings. They are VERY small -- about 9" I think. Not enough to share unless you just want a snack. At $10-14, this is a lot -- you could get a big X-large somewhere else. But it was tasty. The bad: everything else. Antipasto was basically a de-constructed pizza -- same dough as bread, same salumi, same proscuitto. It was good but like eating the same thing over again! The olives were pitted, jarred Kalamatas, which was disappointing. As someone else said, they seem to be barely set up to serve pizza and a few salads. They appear to be baking the pizzas ONE AT A TIME in a teeny tiny brick oven at the back. SO this takes forever. We spent almost two hours there, mostly waiting for our food. The worst: the help was just terrible....distracted. The table service barely exists. Most people order their pizza at the gelato stand. At these prices, this seems unfair. Also: we found two hairs in our antipasto, which clearly came from the server. EWWW. They disappeared around check time as well, and we had to pay at the gelato counter. Gelato is very good, but honestly, you don't expect a "bistro" to be an ice cream parlor that serves pizza half-heartedly. Which is what this is. In short: good pizza, but know what you are getting into. This is a downbeat, unfriendly place for a date that feels like you are eating in the laundry room of a basement.
(2)Maria B.
High quality pizza. Truly wonderful homemade crust. However, at $12-14 per personal pizza, it is a bit pricey. If you're not on a budget and looking for some wonderful Neopolitan-style brick oven pizza, this your place!
(3)Steve H.
I found this place to be the perfect place for a first date. The pizza's are on the light side, which is ideal when you are going on that first date. You don't want to over stuff your self. We ordered two pizza's, Margherita for my date and I went for their sausage pizza, which they call the "la diavolo". It was spicy and quite tasty. They use Fresh Mozzarella on there pizza's, which is really refreshing with so many of the local pizza makers using Provolone or Shredded Mozz. I liked the modern aesthetic they have and really thought the wood tables were really cool. The place is not that big, which makes for a nice intimate setting when you are trying to get to know someone. IWe brought our own bottle of Cabernet and the server took care of that for us, which is nice. It's nice to be able to go to a nice restaurant and not have to pay 3x retail for a bottle of wine. I got Chocolate Peanut Butter and my date went for the Banana Dolce Latte. We both got smalls and the serving size seemed fair enough. I'm from the New Jersey area and good pizza is so hard to find in Cleveland, so finding Vero was really refreshing. I would recommend this as a solid place for an affordable date.
(5)W A.
Probably my favorite pizza in Cleveland (which is hard for me to admit because I typically like to avoid the east side). It's extremely casual which makes it easy to pop in after running around town. Haven't had a bad bite yet!
(5)Jonathan S.
Wow. Just had their pancetta and egg pizza for lunch. Eye-closing, thrill-of-pleasure inducing good: A delicious napolitano pizza, with the crust nicely blistered and charred. The egg was locally sourced, which is a nice touch. The tomatoes in the house salad were fantastic. The espresso that I finished with was fragrant and just right. Service was polite and attentive. As for the ambiance, it was nice and mellow, with some decent music playing not too loud. All in all, a perfect lunchtime experience. I'm delighted to have this place in my neighborhood.
(5)Snehee C.
Great Pizzas - wood fired ovens! Really creative options and real good stuff! But the portion sizes are small... The service is quite slow...and I am not sure if it is a great place for big groups coz of the extremely slow service...
(4)John K.
This is the best pizza in the city, hands down. Every time I've eaten here, the pizza has been amazing. The crust, the sauce, cheese, and salami have all been exquisite. My only complaint is that I don't live closer.
(5)Linda F.
We had a lovely and delicious dinner here recently. They now have a wine list (previously, it was BYOB). We ordered two pizzas (Calderone and Diavalo) and an appetizer (salumi board) for three people and had plenty of food. The pizza is excellent with a perfect wood-fired crust. The menu recommends that you eat in instead of taking out and I can see why. The pizza is served hot and with all the fresh ingredients, I think a drop in temperature (such as a trip in your cold car) can make a difference. Highly recommended!
(4)Colin O.
I have been looking for a good wood fired pizza place in Cleveland for awhile. I tried Vero Bistro last night and was happily surprised! The ingredients tasted fresh and delicious. I had the salami pizza and the fresh taste of the tomato sauce stood out and really was wonderful with the occasional bite of salty, cured meat. Always a fan of an affogato espresso and gelato, I had an espresso with gelato. It tasted great but it seemed that their selection of gelato flavours was a little narrow, and it looked slightly soupy in the display freezer. But the taste was great!
(5)Pat D.
cleveland is really getting it's groove on with neapolitan wood fired pizzas, and vero may be my new king of the hill, maybe even besting Kirtlands gem Biga, although at this level it's less about rankings and more about nuances, you can't go wrong with either place or Flour in moreland hills for that matter, less consistent but still worthy are 3 palms in hudson and crostatas in highland hts. Vero starts you off with a few worthy apps, crositini that's made with real bread, toasted to perfection, the goat cheese with pistachios and honey hits the mark. the salad with celery root was well chopped and perfectly topped with a house made buttermilk dressing. And finally we tried the litmus test of neapolitan pizzas the margherita dop, perfect char and leopard spots on the puffy, chewy yet slightly crispy handle, great san marzano tanginess to the simple sauce and the sweet creaminess of the buffalo mozz, charred basil, what else is there to ask for? Also, save room for their gelato,
(5)Melissa M.
Wonderful thin crust pizza with a great variety of toppings...and then gelato!
(4)Adam R.
Went in for gelato but after standing in front of the gelato counter for 5 minutes received no indication from the staff that they were interested in selling us any gelato. Left very unsatisfied and with no gelato.
(1)Becky R.
I read a good review about Vero Bistro and I love the Cedar-Fairmount area, so I decided to check it out. Very disappointed in the pizza. I ordered a pizza with artichokes, mushrooms and proscuitto. It was undercooked and the crust was soggy. Sadly, I won't be going back.
(2)Gregg S.
This was easily our sixth trip to Vero in the last six months and we were shocked at the poor experience. During our previous trips the service was good; young staff but given the price point and atmosphere it was cool. We even met a wait person who also works at the Starbucks down the road.The pizza was not great but good and their menu has a nice combination of pizza, salad and charcuterie. This trip started out bad with a ten minute wait to see anyone for a drink order. It was frustrating when another couple sat down two tables away and were waited on immediately. Ok, move on they did not see you. We ordered our drinks and then when they came, our pizza. Thirty minutes later after everyone around us had been served I asked our waiter about our pies. He looked confused and said I'll check. Ten minutes later, he can back after I waived another wait person down and said geez they had a large party and were backed up. He said after my question that they would not charge us for the pizza. We finally received our pizza, my wife's was under cooked but we were happy after an hour to eat. After easily one of our worst dining experiences, we asked for and received the check; he charged full price for the pizzas! When I asked to see the manager, he said he was the manager!! I said you need to discount this bill, he said ok and took off another $10. If it was just poor service, give them a pass and try again but they are incompetent liars. If zero stars was an option that would be my rating. Save your money and go elsewhere.
(1)Lisa K.
Best pizza I have had in a long time! Although you sometimes have to wait a little longer than other pizza places, it is totally worth the wait. The crust is cooked perfectly and every pizza I have tried is full of flavor. The crostini we ordered a few times a few months back is also delicious! The most recent time we went last week it was no longer on the menu which was disappointing, but I am hoping they bring it back soon! Finally, the gelato is a perfect treat to end your day! Highly recommend!
(5)Caroline P.
As a New Yorker I am particular with pizza. Vero shone tonight, pretty good pie. A little overpriced as one pie (which essentially ate like a personal pie to me) was about 13-16$. Ingredients were lovely, crust a little too chewy for my liking and def too thick of a crust. But a great brick over char all around. And deliciously good hot oil at the tables. Overall, I would go back but with more money!!!!
(4)Fallon F.
OH MY PIZZA. Let me start by saying I could pretty much eat pizza at Vero and only Vero for the rest of my life and be happy (okay that's a bit of an exaggeration). Every pizza I've ever eaten here has been fantastic, my favorites being the margarita, the salumi, and the capua. On my most recent visit I noticed they had updated the menu and added a few new pies, which all sounded great. We started with the parma board, which is a board of Parmesan cheese, prosciutto, local honey and fresh bread. OMG so delicious. We scarfed that sucker down. Then we split the salsiccia (italian sausage, roasted peppers, candy onions, gar lic, ricotta, caciocavallo) and the margherita (tomato, mozzarella, basil) pizzas. Both were exceptional, as usual. You really can't go wrong with any of the pizzas here. Be mindful, these are more personal sized pizzas. I would recommend one per person, because you can always take leftovers home. And save room for dessert, they have an awesome gelato selection.
(5)Krissy F.
This is absolutely the best pizza I've had outside of Italy. Perfectly cooked, simple but delicious, wood-fired pizzas that cannot be beat. That said, if you like Pizza Hut-style pizza with 2" thick crusts, dripping in cheap cheese topping, you simply will not like this. This is pizza as it's made in Europe - fresh, light, and mindbogglingly delicious. The pizzas cook in an oven that's 700-800 degrees - so they just cook for a moment. The bottom of the thin crust was crisp, while the top had just the right amount of sponge to soak up the delightful tomato sauce... it's that sensation of dipping your cookie in your glass of milk or coffee until it's reached the perfect point of saturation, where it still delivers the crunch but also has soaked up the liquid. Absolute perfection. The service was good but not exceptional, which I'm sure will improve with time. Sitting upstairs is great because you can eavesdrop on the kitchen, watching each perfect pizza emerge from the stove! In response to a previous reviewer who thought they could share a pizza at $12 - at my trip last week the pizzas were priced $8-10, which I would consider completely reasonable for a dinner main course. They may have adjusted their menu somewhat since opening. Remember to BYO wine... for now!
(5)Carolyn C.
On suggestion from Scene mags, very positive review or Vero, we tried it one Saturday night. One key point the article missed, was that in lieu of the fact that they don't currently have a liquor license, you CAN bring your own wine! And they provide the glasses and corkscrew! NO CORKAGE FEE! Now on to the pizza....it was delicious! We had two, (as they are only about 11" pies) The pancetta with egg, and the Capriciossa. The pancetta with egg was our favorite, but it's a weekly featured pie, and not always available. The dough is sweet and delicious, not a pan pizza, and not over loaded with cheese. These are authentic Napoletana pizzas. They have a distinct way of being cooked and served, and as the owners will tell you, best consumed on the premises. There are salads, and other small plates available on the menu, which all sounded mouth-watering. Definitely going to try next time. And don't expect to get a huge pizza, loaded to the brim, with cheese and toppings. Think Quality vs Quantity! You'll be very satisfied!
(4)Mark L.
Coming from New York, I was utterly disappointed in the pizza selection in the greater Cleveland area. The bulk of it consists of prefrozen, fast food style pies. However, Vero Bistro is the only place to go if you want fresh, authentic, flavorful pizzas made from local ingredients. Their pizzas top some of the best I've had back home and make it easily the best pizza I've ever eaten. You can always expect a slightly different menu depending on the season, paired with an equally impressive selection of italian gelato. Vero is reasonably priced for what you get. ( I also recommend the Bruschetta appetizer as it's always phenomenal.)
(5)Quinton F.
A successful conversion of the former La Gelateria in my opinion. Kept the gelato and added very authentic Napoletano stye wood-fired pizza. I'm not a fan of dining in here; however it is always an option for carry out or a table outside.
(4)M L.
Great service, food was excellent, pizza crust is very tasty (and i'm an east coast girl). Can't wait to come back with a bottle of wine (they are still pending a liquor license)... But, no corking fee
(5)Kamal K.
Went to Vero when it first opened. Great Pizza that has organic and fresh ingredients. Great place for a nice lunch or a quaint dinner! I love it!
(5)Jason V.
A crust that is delicately crisp and slightly burnt on the outside yet still soft on the inside sealed the deal for me putting Vero on top of my other Cleveland pizza destinations (Pepper's, Sweet Basil, Marrotta's, Crust, Angelo's, Dewey's, and Mama Santa's). Fresh toppings on the Pancetta and Farm Egg Pizza further highlighted by the cracked pepper and occasional saltiness of the pancetta rounded out this fantastic pizza. Do heed the menu's warning that this is a pizza to be enjoyed fresh out of the oven in the restaurant instead of at home as take-out.
(4)