After several recommendations to go to Fireside Pies, we could wait no longer. This week we were off to their location in Grapevine. There are 4 restaurants in the DFW area (#5 opens in Ft. Worth in October 2011) and we have been to 3 of the locations over the years. We prefer the Grapevine location because it is the closest to our house, and doesn’t typically have a BIG “Dallas” crowd. Consistency, Consistency, Consistency. We have probably been at least 10 times, and each visit you can expect the same results. Certainly, there are nightly specials posted on the chalkboard, but in general the ambiance, service, and food remains the same... Thats why you will either love or hate Fireside Pies, and with the 2010 “Best of D Magazine” award, most folks seem to really like it!
Fist and foremost the restaurant is beautiful inside, the decor and layout of the place is the best we’ve seen this year. Definitely a great “date spot,” but also appropriate to bring the kids along and not worry about a little noise. The service is always friendly and helpful as they navigate first timers through the unique choices of pizza. You won’t find the standards here, but I am sure you could create your own if you just wanted to pick your toppings. However, that is what make Fireside Pies so great, is the incredible selection of one of a kind pies! Unlike the traditional pizza joint, this place has fantastic appetizers, salads, and drinks. You will never find my wife at Fireside Pies without a glass (or Pitcher) of their sangria. My complaint with the pitcher of ice, I mean sangria, is that they fill the glass vessel to the TOP with ice. For $32 a pitcher you will be lucky to get 4 glasses, before the ice melts. Also, a family favorite is the Fireside Cheese salad. With enough to share, this salad is a staple you won’t find my wife without when she shows up.
On to the pizza. The menu includes their standard 12 pizzas, and typically they will have a “special” posted up on the board. Like I mentioned before, there is nothing standard about the 12 listed on the menu. This time we picked 3. We got the “Straight Pie” which is just the four cheese blend, for the kids. Second was the “Peta Pie” that includes goat cheese, balsamic mustard portobellas, arugula, roasted red peppers, roasted pine nuts, and charred Tomato Vinaigrette. As you can see, they throw in everything but the kitchen sink. For the final pie, I was going to select one called “Hot n’ Crumbled,” but instead was talked into the evening special. It was called “Chicken Sausage Pie,” and it took the server about 2 minutes to describe all that it entailed. Simply stated - it was delicious. The pizzas all come in one size (about 12”) and they average about $13 a pie. Considering the quality of ingredients and the final result, it is a fair price to pay. The “Straight Pie” was one of the better cheese pizzas that we have had, but the flavor or the Fire Roasted Pie Sauce did not appeal to the kids. The Peta Pie offers a fantastic blend of flavors and routinely ranks as one of our favorites. We really enjoyed the evening special, but with all of the off-beat combinations a basic sausage pizza would have been a nice change of pace.  |
| Chicken Sausage Special |
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| Straight Pie |
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| Peta Pie |
The Final Report: 7.5 out of 10
If you are looking for a change of pace from your standard pizza night out, you have to try Fireside Pies. If your style of pizza is a big juicy slice of NY pizza that droops off the side of a paper plate, this is not your place. Offering an extensive drink and appetizer selection on top of a creative list of pizzas - D Magazine wasn’t far off by naming Fireside Pies one of Dallas’ Best!
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