As the Pizza Tour draws to a close, we find ourselves with few "original" restaurants (that is, restaurants that have been in the pool of Pizzas to be Toured from the very beginning) to choose from. Aside from special requests, bars, bagelries, and the like, Amore is the very last true pizzeria on the Stamford Pizza Tour. Located in Springdale, the family-owned Amore Restaurant has been a quiet staple of classic Italian cuisine in Stamford for over 30 years.

Establishment. Amore is a tastefully decorated Italian eatery complete with dark hardwood furniture, a black marble bar top, ceramic tiled floors, fancy arched doorways, and unmistakably classy low, ambient lighting. Amore's seating is comfortable and spacious, spread out across two large dining rooms and a fully stocked bar. The service was highly attentive and courteous, checking on us multiple times during our visit to deliver copious amounts of phenomenally tasty spicy garlic bread baskets and to assure us confidently that we were going to like their pizza (and possibly to snoop out their scores as well). Their menu consists exclusively of authentic Italian fare, including classic antipastos, soups, salads, and house made pastas, as well as both traditional (meat, seafood) and exotic (boar, ostrich, venison) entree offerings in addition to gourmet pizza.

Pizza. In a word, this pizza is extraordinary. In many words, the crust was thin, chewy, and yeasty with a crisp, crunchy bite and the perfect amount of char. The cheese was also far above average with a moist, stringy texture and moderately salty taste, cooked to golden brown perfection. The sauce was an absolute highlight, as it had the unmistakable taste of fresh, crushed tomatoes, was perfectly seasoned, and was overwhelmingly flavorful. This pie came to the table hot and likely would have stayed hot for many days had we not housed the entire thing in a matter of minutes. Each slice held together very nicely both mechanically and otherwise, presenting extremely well balanced proportions and flavors and that played well off of each other and caused little to no ingredient slip. The sausage, our topping of choice, wasn't nearly as stellar as the rest of the pie, but it was still very, very good despite being the "weak" link of this pizza. We were very surprised at the relative emptiness of this restaurant when we Toured on a Saturday night, because Amore could very well be serving the best pizza in Stamford and should be packed to the rafters.

The bottom line. Amore is a traditional, authentic Italian restaurant with all that it entails, from a warm, inviting atmosphere to an absolutely phenomenal "big pizza pie." That's Amore.

Establishment: 23/30
Pizza: 25/30
Hits the Spot: 9.0/10
Large Cheese: $13.50

AWARDS WON:

2009 – Best Pizza

2009 – Tournament Champion

2009 – Best of Springdale/Glenbrook/Belltown