Now that the busy summer season is behind us and the lovely days of fall are here, the lineups at Peppi’s aren’t so bad. We had cruised by on a particularly fine evening in July foolishly thinking we’d drop in for dinner.
The place was packed to the rafters and people were waiting all the way down the street to get in! We’ve heard that summer vacationers needing their pizza fix call an hour before hitting town so their order is ready for pickup when they arrive… makes sense to us.
Peppi’s is a great little pizzeria!
All you have to do is “follow your nose” and it will lead you to Peppi’s. The fabulous aroma hooks you as soon as you walk in. Two overhead garage doors open up the front of the restaurant to outdoor seating. Planters with herbs and flowers make a nice spot to have dinner al fresco. Inside, you can see into the prep area as they’re making your dinner — putting pizzas in and pulling them out of the oven.
Growing up at our house, Friday night was pizza night and that’s exactly what we came for on this evening.
However, it’s a fact that, for some of us, eating a salad can help mitigate the guilt that comes with making a hot gooey combo of bread, cheese and meat the mainstay of the evening meal.
Happily, Peppi’s has top-notch salads to distract you while waiting for the main event to be prepared.
There are nine green offerings on the menu including a super Caesar — the emperor of salads. It’s really fresh and we love the garlic! You’ll want to share, not only because there’s a serious amount of the pungent herb, but it’s a large serving to savour between two people. Crispy with creamy homemade dressing, lots of parmesan… wedges of lemon on the side lets you customize your salad. It’s nice to know that in the summer, Peppi’s supports local growers by purchasing leafy greens, herbs and vegetables to incorporate into their salads and pizzas.
There are over 30 pizzas on the menu, available in three sizes with regular, thin or gluten-free crust (they even offer gluten-free chicken fingers — reports have been good!). Both traditional favourites and unique combos are offered. And a real bonus: if you can’t agree on what to have, you can order half and half!
We ordered two halves — a Traditional Italian with pepperoni, mushrooms, spicy Italian sausage, seasoned ground beef and mozza, and a Cali Chicken with pesto tomato sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, bell peppers, marinated artichoke hearts, diced chicken and mozza. All the ingredients were very fresh and delicious and the pie arrived piping hot.
Peppi’s has a great staff and a great selection of beers and wine. It sure is nice to see that the wine is not excessively marked up. We will definitely go back and try other items on the menu. Rumour has it that we really should experience the desserts!
Noted on their website: “Like” us and get a FREE pizza on your birthday!
The Valley Echo’s team of mystery diners are constantly seeking out new restaurants and eateries to review.
