Hip to Be Square: Forno by Bottega Slices up Pies Roman Style

Last Friday the team behind Sanlitun’s Italian eatery Bottega opened their new restaurant, Forno, located next to Sanyuanqiao’s Phoenix Galleria Shopping Mall. On the surface, Forno adheres to the same principles of traditional Italian cuisine and rustic dining that has come to define its predecessor. Aside from simply providing pizza and pasta, however, Forno’s concept has a few unique qualities that set it apart from not only Bottega, but Beijing’s pizza scene at large.

Classic Rome... Meet modern Beijing

Billed as “a new Roman-inspired pizzeria and trattoria,” Forno is staking its claim, and hopefully fame, on pizza in teglia, or pizza in the tray. Commonly found on the streets of Rome, pizza in teglia is a crispy thin crust pizza cut into squares, as opposed to the triangles we all know and love. What’s more, they’ll be one of the city’s only pizza slingers to offer single slices, a welcome treat for folks in need of a quick bite or late-night munchies. Other Roman-centric dishes on offer will be an arancini-style street food called suppli, as well as a decadent pasta topped with cacio cheese and black pepper.

Images courtesy of Forno