Where to Eat in Scottsdale AZ: LAMP Woodfire Pizza

Update on August 10, 2012: If you are familiar with this blog, you know that I only write about positive experiences I have with local vendors as I really want to see good local businesses and local business people succeed.

Unfortunately, after an incident that occurred tonight while dining there, I can no longer recommend or endorse this restaurant. I wish the owners the best of luck, but sadly we will not be returning.

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I recently had an opportunity to try out LAMP Wood Oven Pizzeria up in North Scottsdale. It is located in the same complex as Mastro’s on the northeast corner of Pima Road and Pinnacle Peak and faces the parking lot in that area where the group of restaurants is.

LAMP is a great place to go for a casual meal, whether you go with friends, on a date night, or even with kids or grandkids. You will enjoy tasty, hand-crafted food in a lively setting.

This space is clean, contemporary and open and the pivotal focal point when you walk in the room is the red, mosaic tiled wood oven with the word “LAMP” inlaid. The wood used to cook the pizza is lined up under the oven, ready to go.

There are a number of tables throughout the space as well as outdoor seating on the patio. Or, you can take a seat at the counter and watch all of the pizzas being prepared and baked.

The night we were there, we tried a few different things to share amongst ourselves. We started out with the LAMP artisan bread which was fresh and delicious. Then, we tried the Simple Salad which came with lettuce, onions, tomatoes, shaved Parmesan and a great vinaigrette. We really enjoyed the salad and it was a good-sized serving that was great for sharing around the table. (There are a number of creative salads on the menu that would all suffice for a meal if you are not in the mood for pizza.)

For the pizza, we tried two different kinds – one vegetarian and one meat. For the vegetarian option, we ordered the The Simple which was a traditional margarita pizza topped with shaved Parmesan, fresh arugula and a little bit of extra virgin olive oil drizzled on top. We really enjoyed it as it the thin pizza was very flavorful, but you got a nice peppery bite from the arugula. If you wanted meat as an option on this one, prosciutto is offered as an addition.

The meat pizza was a build-your-own design with sausage and pepperoni. I didn’t get a chance to try it, but it looked delicious. There were very generous servings of both of the meats and it disappeared quickly. The sausage is actually locally prepared by Defalco’s Italian Deli in Scottsdale.

They have all a large number of different kinds of pizzas divided into red sauce pizzas and white sauce pizzas. One that caught my eye was The Kensington, a white pizza with figs, goat cheese and arugula. I will definitely have that the next time.

In addition to pizza and salads, they also have a pretty decent appetizer list with things like zucchini cakes and meatballs to antipasto and crostini.

And it to top it all off at the end of the meal, they do have a nice little dessert menu that includes ricotta cheesecake, gelato and even a dessert pizza. And if you want to get a little more creative and channel the good old days, they also have three specialty milkshakes, including one that’s made with Nutella, one with amaretto cookies and a final one with toasted marshmallows. (Note: If you want to make these milkshakes “adult style” with a splash of a coordinated liqueur, they can do that as well.)

Overall, LAMP was a really nice, casual dinner we had a great time and a great meal. The open space does mean it’s noisy, so if you prefer a quieter experience, you might want to sit out on the patio weather permitting.

More Information:
LAMP Wood Oven Pizzeria
8900 East Pinnacle Peak Road
Scottsdale, AZ 85255
(480) 292-8773
LAMP Pizza Website
Sundays and Weekdays: 11:30am to 9pm
Fridays and Saturdays: 11:30am to 10pm
– Closed Mondays