Attempt #55 - Red Vespa Pizzeria

The Venue

208 E Main St.

Solon, IA 52333

(319) 624-2080

South of Cedar Rapids is a small city which has lately contained an influx of wealthy people who work in the metro Iowa City area. The Red Vespa is no small Iowan town pizza joint, it is a classy place with a large bar and liquor selection as well as containing classy, Neapolitan Wood-fired pizzas. Booths, tables, and bar seating exist, with authentic hard wood floor, and an Italian brick oven tops it off as a great place for pizza. The service was excellent; the waitstaff was very accommodating and friendly.

You can check out their website at www.theredvespa.com, or on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RedVespaSolon/

Menu

The Pizza

Chicago Style: No

Crust Thickness: Thin

We had five participants so we ordered six pizzas, which only came in one personal size. They did not offer any different size, or crust. In fact, they only offer gourmet options-to order our pepperoni, we had to order the sausage and substitute the sausage for pepperoni. The Red Vespa has daily pizza specials, each with a unique topping which is not on the menu. The pieces were cut into quarters, since they are meant to serve 1-2 people each.

Mediterranean – House-made Pesto Cream Sauce, House-made Mozzarella, Prosciutto Di Parama (Crudo), Arugula, Sweet Grape Tomatoes, and Shaved Parmesan, $15

Bee String, $13

Sweet Corn – Sweet Corn, Creme Fraiche, Garlic Olive Oil, Prosciutto Di Parma, Sicilian Oregano, and Fresh Mozzarella, $14

Bee Sting – Spicy Soppressata, Calabrian Chilies, Honey, Chili Oil, $13

Rugula – Arugula, Prosciutto Di Parma, shaved Pecorino, $13

Pork Love – Prosciutto Di Parma, Soppressata, and Fennel Sausage, $14

Pepperoni – $13

The Verdict

The pizza was thin, with a slightly beady rim to it. Sadly, the excess of wonderful toppings made each pizza soggy in the middle (which explains the poor crust rating). The topping selection was amazing (see the menu for details), with unique twists and combinations of flavors. Speaking on that note, the Bee Sting was rated as the groups favorite pizza, mildly spicy chilis paired with sweet honey and spicy soppressata! What a awesome tasting pizza. The Sweet Corn came in second, and was very noteworthy (I almost couldn't decide!). The sauce was good, but a bit on the light side. The cheeses were great, however, I felt that their oil may have been the main concern of the crust's sogginess. Nevertheless, if you are in the mood for a unique pizza, take a drive and give them a try.

Here are our ratings, where 1 = worst and 10 = best.
Overall 8.80

Cheese 8.20

Sauce 9.60

Topping 8.00

Crust 6.60

Venue 9.20

Favorite Bee Sting

Rugula, $13

Mediterranean, $15

Sweet Corn, $14

Slices

Pork Love, $14

Pepperoni, $13