Vecchia Pizzeria & Mercato

About

Authentic Italian food, featuring wood-fired, Neapolitan pizza. A taste of Europe in the heart of Hoover, AL.

Story

Growing up in a large Italian family, we spent a lot of time in our Nonna’s kitchen. When we decided to open Vecchia, we wanted to capture that same comfortable feeling of sitting around the table with the whole family. Yes, it gets loud and crazy at big family dinners, but there is always a feeling of love and acceptance- everyone always feels welcome. At Vecchia, we want every guest to feel like they are a part of our family. Whether you want to enjoy one of our hand-made pizzas fresh out of the brick oven or grab a growler of hand crafted beer on your way home from work, we offer something for everyone.

The first thing most people ask us about Vecchia is, “what does the name mean?” Vecchia is the Italian word for old. So, why would we call our restaurant old? We chose the name Vecchia because it represents our approach to the art of pizza making. From our hand-made brick ovens imported directly from Italy to the way we toss the dough each morning, we believe that the old ways are still the best ways. Since the 18th century, Italians have been perfecting pizza and who are we to argue with our ancestry. Authentic Italian pizza is based on simple, fresh ingredients and that's what you’ll get at Vecchia. Naming the restaurant Vecchia is just our small way of paying tribute to the pizzaioli (Italians who make pizzas) who came before us. It's a statement of our commitment to the history of pizza and great, simple, Italian food made with old-world, authentic recipes.

The Vecchia experience actually starts outside the restaurant where you can peer into the dough room and watch, as our fresh dough is prepared every morning. Our pizzaioli make the dough from scratch each day and they love the attention while they work. As you enter the front door, you’ll immediately know that Vecchia is more than a restaurant; it’s an experience. Part restaurant, part market, and part bar, you’ll feel like you’re walking through the streets of Naples. In the market up front, you’ll find growlers of craft beer, Italian sodas imported directly from the mother land, and a menagerie of other great finds from sauces and spices to clothing and other unique craft items. Once you’ve made your way through the market, you’ll turn the corner to find yourself in the middle of the main dining room greeted by our three Italian brick ovens. There’s no separate kitchen area at Vecchia; everything is prepared right in the middle of the dining room. Once you decide on your pizza and place your order, each pizza takes about 90 seconds to cook, and we’ll bring it right to your table. You can sit inside at one of our family-style tables or you can sit outside on our expansive patio where we have live music several nights each week.

Pizzas
At Vecchia, we are passionate about pizza. There are two things that make a pizza great: fresh ingredients and the right oven. We use only the very best, freshest ingredients sourced directly from Italy whenever possible. We use San Marzano tomatoes for our sauce. We use fresh dough made in-house daily. And we use authentic Italian toppings. You’re not going to find pineapples or buffalo chicken on our pizzas. If they can't grow it in Italy, we probably won’t consider using it. Once the pizza is assembled, it’s placed in one of our three brick ovens that we had hand made in Italy and shipped directly to the restaurant by Acunto Brick Ovens. Each Acunto oven is made by hand and the family secrets for assembly have been passed down for four generations. The bricks are made from soil found at Mount Vesuvius, which makes them porous and allows them to draw the moisture out of the dough for a crispier final product. Each oven is kept at precisely 900 degrees, which allows us to cook a pizza in about 90 seconds.

Craft Beers and Wines
Nothing goes better with pizza than craft beers and fine wines. Whether you are a hop lover or a grape fanatic, Vecchia has a premium selection of craft beers and Italian wines that will please even the most discerning palette. Our Italian wines vary by season, so there is always something new to try. Our staff is great at recommending the perfect pairing for your pizza. In addition to regional Italian wines, we also have an ever-changing selection of local craft beers. Our craft beers are sold in growlers, so you can get one for your table or take one to go from the market.