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Niko's Bistro

A few weeks ago, a Fast Forward Weekly reader wrote in to sing the praises of Nikos Pizza in the Beltline. After checking with a few more sources, I thought it sounded too good to pass up, so I stopped in on a snowy Wednesday night to pick up a menu and have a look around.

Located on the same strip as Galaxie Diner and Myhre's Deli, the restaurant’s exterior is painted grey with the Nikos name in bright blue. Inside, there are a couple of tables, but my guess is that Nikos is primarily a takeout spot. Featuring large street-facing windows, the space is bright and clean with a contemporary feel.

The same goes for its takeout menus. Typically, I don’t notice the design of a takeout menu because they all generally look the same, but Nikos has done a nice job of branding the business.

With my research complete, I head home and call in an order about an hour later. Be advised that Nikos doesn’t deliver, but it’s a fairly convenient spot to pick up from, with plenty of street parking.

My husband arrives home with our pizzas (still warm!) and a Caesar salad ($8). The salad looks better than your typical takeout, with fresh romaine, loads of croutons plus chopped bacon (a nice touch) and generous dollops of Caesar dressing. It’s not amazing, but it’s tasty and pairs well with our pizza.

We sample a medium, classic pepperoni ($15) and a medium Athenian ($18) from the “greens” section of the menu. Nikos offers a variety of combinations such as the Philly Cheese & Steak, Nice to Meat Ya, the Herbivore and the American Cheeseburger. The menu is organized into specialty pizzas, classics, greens and premium.

You know that moment when you open the pizza box and can instantly tell how good (or not good) the pizza will be? From the moment I open the lid, I know Nikos pizza will be tasty. It looks perfect and smells even better.

We begin with a slice of the pepperoni. Having asked for it to be well done, we aren’t disappointed. The top layer of cheese is perfectly crisp and, surprisingly, not greasy at all. Below the cheese, there are three layers of thin pepperoni slices atop a tangy sauce that is neither too sweet nor too salty.

While this is an awesome deep-dish pizza, it must be said that it’s not made in the typical Calgary style. It’s not too doughy and the slice is good and thick. The crust is also quite nice, with the crispy cheese partially covering it for an extra bite of cheesy goodness.

The Athenian is also a great pie, even after I’ve tampered with the ingredients. Featuring black olives, spinach, fresh tomatoes and feta, I swap the fresh tomatoes for onions and request that they go easy on the spinach. I always feel fussy making such requests, but Nikos is more than happy to make my pizza dreams come true.

The result is fantastic. Aside from being a tad heavy on the olives, the pizza is delicious. The quality ingredients are full of flavour and work well with the tangy sauce and perfect crust.

I’d definitely recommend giving Nikos a whirl the next time you have a hankering for pizza. The space is clean and welcoming, the service is friendly and the pies provide the tasty comfort you secretly hope for when you order pizza. Be forewarned: You may be full after just two pieces, but that’s OK — Nikos Pizza tastes great the next day, as well.