Blog update: Cotto is permanently closed
The doughnut frenzy is still going strong in Dublin but it's fast being caught up on by the pizza craze sweeping across the city. There are lots of pizza joints popping up in Dublin lately and some delicious options are now available.
Cotto isn't brand new, it has been open for a while in Stoneybatter and it's the sister restaurant of sandwich spot Oxmantown. They're open for lunch from Monday to Friday (12pm-4pm) serving similar food fare to Oxmantown (sandwiches, soup, salad, baked treats) and serve brunch at the weekend from 11am to 3.30pm. From Wednesday to Sunday in the evening (6-10pm) Cotto is a pizza restaurant.
Because of their opening hours until recently I've only been able to try their pizza from the comfort of FFID HQ as they're available on delivery. Yes, sometimes I'm lazy and order pizza and this is how I got hooked on Cotto. I didn't want to review a delivery so I waited to actually go to the restaurant to write about it.
Cotto is quite minimalist in terms of decor, it looks modern, bare and doesn't look like the cosiest place ever. When Mr. FFID and I visited on a Friday night the place was filled with thirty somethings and pizza deliveries were flying out the door every few minutes.
There are 10 pizza on the menu ranging from €11 for a margherita to €15. There are also salads (€6.50/€12) and interesting sauces (harissa aioli, jerusalem artichoke hummus...) and sides (kimchi cucumber, kohlrabi and napa cabbage slaw) as well as a few desserts.
Because Mr. FFID tends to think a pizza isn't enough (which it is!) we always order the focaccia and dips as well (€5); you can't have too many carbs, can you?
We love their dips, especially the Jerusalem artichoke hummus but that's because it's my favourite vegetable. Their black olive tapenade is also very decent and the garlic confit aoili is moorish, all served with a fresh focaccia sprinkled with sea salt flakes.
I've always been temped by the funghi (€14) or njuda pizza (€15) or even the parmigiana melanzana (€14) but to tell you the truth I had pizza from Cotto about five times and I've always ordered the Elliot (€15). I'm boring like that...
It has a fennel sausage, baby kale (it had cavolo nero a few months ago), chilli and ricotta toppings. It's simple but the combination works very well, the sausage is flavoursome and the ricotta deliciously creamy with a delicate flavour. The addition of chilli is so subtle that it isn't spicy at all. The pizza base is crispy and charred on some parts, excellent!
Guess what? Mr. FFID also always orders the same pizza: the diavolo (€15). It's on the fiery side, with salami piccante, njuda, jalapenos and mozarella. Quite frankly I like spiciness but I can't handle it, Mr. FFID loves it though.
After focaccia and dips, we were actually too full to finish a pizza each, we brought the leftovers home and enjoyed them the next day for lunch.
Cotto is a unfussy spot and a great option if you're looking for excellent pizza. Right now, pizza from Cotto is my favourite in Dublin and I've been recommending it to those around me. I've been only once to the restaurant but I've eaten enough Elliot at home to fully stand behind endorsing it. I have to be more adventurous though and try some of their other pizzas.
Cotto
46 Manor Street
Stoneybatter
Dublin
Cotto's website
This is an independent review, I paid for my meal.
