Psst! The secret is the dough. Hand-crafted 'Neo-Neapolitan pizza' arrives in Five Points

Pizza is more than just a meal, it's a passion at a newly opened Five Points restaurant showcasing artisan Italian cuisine.

Rodrigo's Craft Pizza at 1029 Park St. specializes in hand-crafted, freshly made-from-scratch "Neo-Neapolitan style pizza" featuring a unique and complex dough as well as mozzarella cheese made in-house and seasonal ingredients.

The restaurant replaces Crane Ramen, which closed abruptly in November 2022 after four years. Opening in 2018, Crane Ramen was Jacksonville’s first craft ramen bar and the second location for the Gainesville-based restaurant, which has since closed as well.

Rodrigo's Craft Pizza — from owner and self-taught pizzaiolo Alex Rodriguez — currently offers a "soft opening launch" lunch and dinner menu of "purposefully crafted" personal pizzas, Panuozzos and calzones.

The menu will be expanded in the coming weeks to include in-house-made pasta as well as a selection of appetizers, salads and more, Rodriguez told the Times-Union.

Rodriguez said the restaurant is testing fresh pasta recipes and that he hopes to begin serving gnocchi, spaghetti, fettuccine, and cavatelle dishes in about three weeks.

He said he's taking his time to make sure everything is right and ready before rolling it out. His goal is for the family-owned and operated restaurant to be more than just a place for pizza and pasta, Rodriguez said.

"Our goal is simple: to make pizzas we'd proudly serve to loved ones," said Rodriguez, adding he wants to be the place where family and friends "share special moments."

On the menu at Rodrigo's Craft Pizza

Rodriguez, whose family are longtime New York restaurant owners, said he chose Five Points for the pizzeria because of its vibrant sense of community.

The neighborhood also reminded him of New York, specifically the Brooklyn area. He also was drawn by the opportunity for his restaurant to be the first of its kind in Five Points.

Five Points also offered an opportunity for him to introduce his interpretation of Neo-Neapolitan pizza to fellow pizza lovers.

The dough, Rodriguez said, makes all the difference.

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A meticulous blend of flours, the dough demands patience. It undergoes a 72-hour fermentation process that enhances its flavor and aroma. It's also easier to digest, he said.

Rodriguez said the pizza is baked at a high temperature in a quick-cooking gas-fired Pavesi oven with a rotating floor. The rotation "ensures a consistently perfect cook on our pizzas."

"Pizzas cook in just 90 to 120 seconds due to the extreme temperatures of 700 degrees or above … Gas offers greater control and consistency in our cooking process," he said of why he prefers gas instead of a wood-fired oven.

Also making his pizzas stand out is fresh seasonal ingredients, said Rodriguez, whose priority is using local producers whenever possible.

Rodrigo's signature pizzas include:

• Bella pizza ($19): Tomato sauce, fresh Mozzarella, prosciutto, Arugula lettuce, grape tomatoes, Balsamic vinegar and fresh Parmigiano

• Nutty Mortadella ($18): Tomato sauce, fresh Mozzarella, Ricotta, Mortadella, pistachio pesto, pistachio bits, basil, oregano, extra virgin olive oil and grated Parmigiano

• Georgie's ($17): Spicy tomato sauce, fresh Mozzarella, sausages, mix of peppers, red onions, jalape?o, basil, oregano, extra virgin olive oil and grated Parmigiano

• Margharita ($14): Tomato sauce, fresh Mozzarella, basil, oregano, extra virgin olive oil and grated Parmigiano

Panuozzos are a type of Italian street food sandwich, generally with scratch-made bread similar to ciabatta.

Rodrigo's uses the same fermented dough for its Panuozzos and calzones as its pizzas. The sandwiches then are stuffed with a variety of fillings.

• The Pistachio Whisperer Panuozzo ($19): Pistachio pesto, burrata, mortadella, pistachio bits, extra virgin olive oil and grated Parmigiano

• Panuozzo Sweet Love ($18): House tomato sauce, burrata, prosciutto, chili flakes, hot honey, basil, extra virgin olive oil and grated Parmigiano

• Calzone Clasico ($15): Tomato sauce, Ricotta, fresh Mozzarella, basil, oregano, extra virgin olive oil and grated Parmigiano

Rodriguez hopes to have the bar area at the back of the restaurant ready within about three months.

Jacksonville has a lot of potential and there is a "lot of opportunity" here for the restaurant, he said.

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In the heart of the Five Points retail district, Rodrigo's Craft Pizza is on the same block as Sun-Ray Cinema, Mixed Fillings Pie Shop, Hoptinger Bier Garden & Sausage House, Hawker's Asian Street Food, 904 Tacos, Waffle Cone and Biggie's Pizza.

Rodrigo's is open from noon to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and closed on Sunday.

Teresa Stepzinski is the dining reporter for the Times-Union. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @TeresaStepz or reach her via email at [email protected].

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This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Rodrigo's Craft Pizza opens in historic Five Points in Jacksonville