The canonical version and where to order it.
A thin oval of pizza dough cooked directly on a wood-fired grill, blistered on both sides, then topped and finished briefly off-fire. Crisp, smoky, charred-edged; invented at Al Forno in 1980 by Killeen and Germon.
George Germon and Johanne Killeen invented grilled pizza in 1980 when they opened Al Forno on South Water Street in Providence. The technique (dough straight onto the grates, no pan, no peel) had no American precedent; the closest analogue is the Apulian focaccia-on-coals tradition. The original Al Forno grilled pizza Margherita (tomato, mozzarella, basil, olive oil) is still on the menu. The technique was widely copied through the 1980s and 90s; Germon and Killeen wrote the Cucina Simpatica cookbook in 1991, which spread the method internationally.
1 editor pick for Grilled pizza in Providence, ranked by editorial score. All Providence signature dishes · Grilled pizza across every city.
Al Forno on South Water Street invented grilled pizza in 1980 under Johanne Killeen and the late George Germon. Wood-fire kitchen, baked pasta.
OrderA grilled pizza Margherita and the baked penne with tomato cream sauce.
TipTuesday to Saturday only, 17:00-20:30. No reservations for parties under five; walk in by 17:15 or book on Tock.
Grilled pizza makes more sense with someone from Providence explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.
Guided tour · 3.5 hours
Enjoy a food tour with a felonious twist. Come take a taste of Providence's Italian neighborhood while also learning about its historical characters who didn't always ...
Guided tour · 3 hours
Savor the flavors of Providence’s Little Italy on a guided dinner stroll. Enjoy a 4-course Italian meal with antipasto, house-made pastas, and desserts.
Water activity · 2 hours
Enjoy a relaxing morning cruise around Boston Harbor with a moderately narrated tour of the main sights. Savor brunch as you sail in style aboard a classic 1920s-style boat.
