Moonlight Pizza

Moonlight Pizza certainly proved itself Tuesday night when I ventured there for my weekly pizza fix. Located off West Morgan Street (615 W. Morgan Street, Raleigh, 27603) in downtown Raleigh, Moonlight gathers a various crowd. From college kids, to older folks, to families, everyone was enjoying some pizza at Moonlight that night.

The atmosphere at Moonlight was great. It was unique with a black painted ceiling, romantic bulbed lighting, and star cut-outs that give the impression of a starry night sky. There is a plethora of booths and intimate tables that can seat both large groups or quaint couples. The whole restaurant is decorated with artwork. The parts I loved the most were the lighting and the ceiling, which really partnered well with the overall theme.


The pizza itself was amazing, I was actually shocked by how much I enjoyed it just because I didn't know what to expect after looking at the menu. The menu was overwhelming, with 10 specialty pizzas, over 40 toppings, pasta's, calzones, and salads. I looked over the specialty pizzas carefully, trying to find something that really popped out to me. I asked our waitress, who preferred to remain anonymous, what her favorite pizza was. "I love the Blue Moon Specialty pizza, because it's different but delicious! No one would ever think pine nuts would be great on a pizza," she said. The most interesting thing I observed about the menu were in fact the toppings, which were very original. From roasted corn to pistachios, the toppings were vast and so different from any other pizza place I've been too. I decided to be boring, at least in comparison to the menu, and order the Otto's Five Phase Specialty pizza; a pizza that included five regular toppings of your choice. It looked mouthwatering as the waitress placed it in front of me. I was almost drooling as I tried to take a picture of it.

The toppings were fresh and vibrent. The purple onions had a perfect crunch and sweetness, and the roasted garlic gave an amazing secondary flavor to the rest of the pizza. The spinach was perfectly dispersed and melted in well with the thick, stringy, mozzarella cheese. The sauce was also delightful, not too overwhelming in quantity and just the right combination of sweet and tangy.

The pizza totaled to $23.40, and we couldn't even finish it all. It was a large, specialty pizza, so really the price wasn't too bad considering. I would definitely recommend Moonlight Pizza to any pizza head whose down to try something different!