I fell in love with a pizza parlor in Chesapeake.

Pizza Amanti (“lovers” in Italian) opened its doors in April near Chesapeake Regional Medical Center.

It offers 12 padellino-style pizzas baked in small round pans (about 11 inches) in a Stefano Ferrara wood-fired oven — built in Naples, Italy — with oak and maple woods. The dough transforms into golden, crispy crust with a soft, airy center within minutes. The restaurant prepares everything in-house, including the bread for the bruschetta, the vinaigrettes and desserts. It also spends time experimenting with Filipino flavors on pizza.

Owners Gianrico “Rico” and Shannon Mercado took over the former Pizzeria Bella Vista by Signorelli spot in March. They will showcase pizza inspired by the Philippines at their grand opening celebration scheduled for Sept. 20.

“The timing was right,” said Rico Mercado, who left his 17-year career at FedEx to open the restaurant.

Shannon and Rico Mercado, owners of Pizza Amanti. He grew up in Naples; his Filipino and Italian heritage is reflected in the fare. (Stephen M. Katz / The Virginian-Pilot)

The husband and wife run the business with the help of their daughter, Alexis, and Rico’s brother, Raul Mercado. Family means everything to them.

Rico grew up in Naples with a blend of Italian and Filipino cultures and cuisines. His father, Nabor, who is Filipino, served in the U.S. Navy and, while stationed in Italy, met Rico’s mother, Giuseppina. She taught Rico the importance of using simple, quality ingredients.

It showed during my recent visit. The Giuseppina, a classic Margherita named after Rico’s mother, set the bar high for other pizzerias. The house-made red sauce won me over with its freshness, smooth consistency and nonacidic aftertaste. I would pay $10 a jar to have it at home. The charred, crispy crust exceeded my expectations too. My only complaint: I wanted more basil; I can never get enough of that herbaceous beauty.

The da Vinci at Pizza Amanti features Italian sausage, spicy salami and classic pepperoni. (Stephen M. Katz / The Virginian-Pilot)

The da Vinci arrived at the table topped with flavor-packed Italian sausage, spicy salami and classic pepperoni — a carnivore’s dream. The combination didn’t make the pie greasy, which allowed the cheese to pull its own weight. I enjoyed my sample, but I kept thinking about the Giuseppina.

The toasted Cornetto di Amanti with ice cream — a croissant filled with Nutella and ice cream, topped with powdered sugar. (Stephen M. Katz / The Virginian-Pilot)

This left my belly meter a few inches from full, so I indulged on the Cornetto di Amanti, a decadent dessert worth every bite. Creamy Nutella lined the middle of a warm, flaky croissant that had been toasted in the wood-fired oven and then stuffed with vanilla ice cream (an extra charge). Everything wrong with the world seemed small as the cool sensation meeting no resistance from the rich hazelnut-chocolate absorbed me in the moment. Then, my fork alternated between the pastry and the accompanying strawberries and whipped cream to create a mouthful of goodness.

That’s amore.

Rekaya Gibson, 757-295-8809, rekaya.gibson@virginiamedia.com

If you go

Where: 927 N. Battlefield Blvd., Chesapeake

Hours: 4-8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, closed Sunday and Monday

Prices: $12 to $25 pizza

Details: bit.ly/PizzaAmanti; 757-770-3318

https://www.pilotonline.com/2025/08/27/review-pizza-amanti-chesapeake/