When the Beach Boys sang of Kokomo as the ultimate escape, they obviously had never been to Crozet. Nestled between mountain foothills and scattered vineyards, Crozet is a small country town that may be missed if one blinks while riding through it. And despite the fact that the town's economic accelerator doesn't exactly seem pedal to the metal, its major "industry," Crozet Pizza, is going strong.
You may have heard of Crozet Pizza, as many students place this tiny eatery on their list of "Things I Must Do Before I Graduate." It is commonly ranked above experiences as notorious as streaking the Lawn or as unlikely as spotting Dave Matthews on the Downtown Mall.
Though it may seem like a humble accomplishment in comparison to other University traditions, Crozet Pizza holds its own just fine.
For starters, how many pizza places do you know of that require reservations? This one does, and it is serious. Often referred to as the "pizza Nazis," Crozet Pizza will not serve just any person in off the street. You better have made reservations last week, even if you planned to come in on a Tuesday night, which is typically slow in the restaurant business.
Keep in mind that Crozet Pizza is more than a restaurant with exceptional pizzas - it is an experience.
Situated snugly between a tanning salon and another shop, it has only a few tables in its small space. The two-person staff is kept hard at work, with one man behind the counter tossing pizza dough and another greeting customers at the door (by name, of course) and filling orders. My first indication that this might be an unusual dining experience occurred when the greeter/waiter asked to take our order before we had hardly taken a seat. He seemed a bit perturbed when my friend said, "We'll need just a moment, please." As par for the course, there were no menus, just a chalkboard above the man tossing dough that listed the myriad ways to top your pizza. Didn't know you could put three different kinds of zucchini on a pizza, or two different types of sausage? You can, and they will.
As the sun went down in old Crozet, I dined on some of the most excellent pizza (topped with Italian sausage, tomatoes and onions) and watched again and again as the dough went spinning just above our heads. Though the restaurant appeared nearly empty, each table had a small sign on it reading, "Reserved." When a young couple ventured boldly into the restaurant and asked about getting a table, they were met with an incredulous stare and candid response: "I don't think you'll have any luck tonight." They stared unbelievingly at the vacant tables and then back at the man in front of them, decided he was serious and left. Perhaps they would have done well to call in an order for take-out, just as the customer behind them did.
Just as life in Crozet moves at its own pace (read: hardly at all), a dining experience at Crozet Pizza is best spent in a leisurely fashion. We took our time savoring not only the pizza but also the atmosphere around us.
Far from ambiance, Crozet Pizza's main pull (besides its killer pizza) lies in its paper plates, the old black-and-white photos that line the walls and the antique-looking cash register. I sincerely believed it was just a prop until I saw that the numbers had moved from $36.30 to $24.50 sometime during my dinner.
Though time may seem to stand still in Crozet, the clock of a University student never stops ticking, so we decided it was time to head back to Charlottesville and hit the books once again. On our way out, we passed the brand new gas station that looked as out of place as a SonyPlay Station in Amish country. If we had saved room for dessert, we would have ventured into the Dairy Queen just past the gas station. There is something special about going to a quaint DQ in quaint Crozet, so my friend and I decided that would be our next excursion.
With all I need to experience before I don my cap and gown, when will I ever have time to streak the Lawn or catch sight of Dave at Greenberry's?
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