Imagine my delight when I read a new pizza joint opened in town. Imagine my further delight to realize that it is open until 4AM. Actually, I don’t really care about that, I much prefer to be sleeping at 4AM than eating pizza.
Enter Bobalu’s, which was recently opened by the children of the folks that own Bobalu’s Southern Cafe on Big Coppitt. My only experience with the original restaurant was strolling in about 9:45PM after being stuck on the bridge near Duck Key for 2 hours (more on that here), and having a rather grumpy woman stare me down and bark “We’re closed.” Not so Southern or welcoming.
I did not let that lapse in hospitality deter me from trying the new place next door to the Green Parrot (see, now it makes sense that they’re open until the wee hours, doesn’t it?) After three grueling sets of tennis, we were quite hungry when we arrived. Although the menu is not huge, they do have some salads, sandwiches, chicken wings, and, of course, the famous New Haven style pizza.
The large salad lived up to its name, and was fresh and good, a pretty basic combination of lettuce, tomato, cucumber, olives and pepperoncini. The pizza, however, was very good. I have been searching for actually good pizza in Key West, not just something merely serviceable that you get so many other places here, but something well worth my pizza-eating calories.
I found it. Bobalu’s pizza comes in one size, which is perfect for three not terribly hungry people, or two ravenous -from-tennis-playing people. The crust is thin, crispy and not overcooked. A little heavy on the cheese, but the sauce is zesty and flavorful. The fresh garlic and mushroom toppings were evenly spread out and a good addition.
Bobalu’s is not cheap – the pizzas start at $11.95 before toppings, but it is good, definitely worth a visit at practically any time of day, or night.
