Pietana (Lexington, Kentucky)

Pietana in Lexington, Kentucky, offers great flavors that are a little off the beaten track! Check out our review of this locally owned pizza place.

By: Alisha Trenalone

If there's one thing we love here on the blog, it's those little local restaurants that pride themselves on fresh ingredients and a fun eating experience. And if it's pizza?! We're there!

Pietana in downtown Lexington, Kentucky, is our latest discovery in that category. We love it as much as we love Miguel's Pizza, another great eatery, about an hour's drive away in Red River Gorge.

Pietana is a family-run restaurant, and, as our waitress gladly informed us, tries its best to source ingredients locally. Order or view the menu here.

Getting There

Pietana is located at 210 Rosemont Garden, Lexington, which is a not-too-busy side street near the Southland area, with easy parking in front of the restaurant.

It's right across the street from an adorable tea shop called Olive's Apron, which we also love.

Looking for fun activities in the Lexington area? Check out the University of Kentucky Arboretum, Raven Run Hiking Trails, Talon Winery, Evans Orchard, or the Bourbon Trail!

As soon as we arrived, we headed for the vacant outdoor dining patio. Its sturdy wooden tables and chairs and sunshades placed thoughtfully overhead made it a relaxing place to wait for our food.

Pietana Pies

The menu at Pietana has a nice array of salads, sandwiches, and appetizers.

But what really stands out are the "signature pies." That is, pizzas named after members of the family, with some topping combinations that might surprise you!

You can also build your own pizza, but once you browse down through the menu, there's a good chance you'll land on something that intrigues you.

Like the Bonnie's Breakfast pizza, featuring plenty of sausage and bacon, egg, onion and cheese.

Or maybe the Uncle Collin, with its garlic cream sauce, spinach, mozzarella, red onion, roasted chicken, bacon, and ranch drizzle.

When my mom and I went, we opted for the lunch special, which was not only a great deal at $9, but also gave us the chance to order different pizzas and sample each other's!

The side salads that came with our lunch were beautiful and appetizing. The spinach and arugula were at peak yumminess (and the shaved Parmesan didn't hurt either)!

I ordered the Becky B lunch size pizza, pictured below. With its garlic cream sauce, goat cheese, spinach, and roasted corn relish, it was the perfect option for someone leaning toward vegetarian options.

My mom ordered the Sir Francis, which turned out to be sort of the pizza version of a hearty roast beef sandwich, with pickle, onion, and barbecue sauce. She really enjoyed it.

The portion sizes are generous for lunch, especially by the time you finish the side salad. The pizza crust is wonderfully thick and fluffy. In fact, if you have a small appetite you might even find yourself asking for a box to take a piece home to snack on later!

If you arrive at Pietana for dinner and order pizza, you'll get a full-size pie as shown below.

Lexington is full of great restaurant options no matter what you're in the mood for. Check out Condado, Han Woo Ri, The Local Taco, or Athenian Grill! Take an ice cream break at Crank & Boom. And for something fancy, don't miss the Kentucky Castle, Dudley's on Short, or La Petit Delicat.

It will come as no surprise that Pietana also offers a dessert pizza with Nutella and berries, pictured below!

You can order your meal from Pietana online or over the phone. If you want to dine in (or on the patio), we found that service was quick and attentive!

Can't get to Lexington right now but still craving pizza? Check out our recipes for focaccia pizza, apple gorgonzola pizza, or campfire pizza with veggies!

This petite but welcoming restaurant is definitely worth a visit the next time you want pizza!