I had no idea what to expect when I heard the phrase “Brazilian-Italian fusion.” But that’s the premise behind San Paolo Pizza and Wine, which opened in Waikiki in January (it’s in the former Outback Steakhouse).

The eatery is owned by three Brazilian entrepreneurs — Andre Alves, Danilo Bento and Douglas Castro — who live in and love Hawaii. According to Alves, Italian immigration and traditions are strong in Brazil, with around 30 million Brazilians being of Italian ancestry.

“I wanted to create something unique in Hawaii,” Alves says. “We import a lot of our ingredients from Brazil and Italy. There are a lot of qualities that make our pizza different from the other pizzas here.”

If it’s your first time there, ordering can be a bit confusing. Three pizza options are available: small (serves one), San Paolo (serves two to three) and the San Paolo half-and-half (still serves two to three, but you can choose more than one flavor). I recommend going with a group and ordering several San Paolo half-and-halfs to share since there are more than 15 flavors to choose from.

The pizza dough is unique because it features a long fermentation process, resulting in a light but slightly chewy texture, according to Alves.

“We use a high-quality flour that comes from Italy,” he says. “When using a high-quality flour, you’re able to get a dough that has more air inside. Sometimes, when you eat pizza, it feels heavy — you just eat one piece and you’re full. You’re going to be able to eat a lot more of our pizzas without having that sensation.”
The menu (beyond pizzas) is on the smaller side, but the restaurant plans to add more appetizers, desserts and brunch dishes in the future.

We tried the coxinha ($6.90 for four pieces), or crispy croquettes filled with chicken; polenta ($8.90), or deep-fried cornmeal served with a spicy tomato sauce; and burrata salad ($18.90). Coxinha are petite, crispy, bite-sized wonders filled with a delicious minced chicken mixture and dollops of Catupiry cheese. And, you can’t go wrong with the burrata salad, which includes a bed of arugula topped with burrata and confit tomatoes.

Now, onto the San Paolo half-and-half pizzas. Our group ordered Calabresa with Catupiry ($21.50-$39.90) — tomato sauce, Calabresa, Catupiry, olive oil and onions — which is the bestseller, along with Brazilian four cheeses ($24.90-$46.90). While I enjoyed the Calabresa’s savory flavor, the Brazilian four cheese pizza — a mouthwatering concoction of mozzarella, Caciocavallo, Parmesan and Catupiry — was my fave. While it wasn’t as gooey as I expected (no cheese pull here), the combo was delightful.

“Catupiry is extremely popular in Brazil; it’s used in so many recipes,” Alves says. “It’s a creamy cheese with a slight Parmesan flavor.”

The Portuguese ($22.50-$41.90) — tomato sauce, mozzarella, smoked ham, hard-boiled eggs, black olives, olive oil, green peas and onions — was one of the more unique flavors. I’ve never seen peas on a pizza before, but our group agreed that this combo worked, in terms of textures and flavors.

Dried tomato with arugula ($21.50-$29.90), pepperoni ($21.90-$35.90), and honey and brie ($19.50-$35.90) are popular options for those who want more traditional flavors.

“Pepperoni is such an American pizza; everybody loves it,” Alves says. “We are generous with our toppings; there is no skimping anywhere.”

Since it has a sweeter aftertaste, honey and brie is a good choice in lieu of a dessert pizza. But, speaking of dessert pizzas, flavors range from pistachio ($19.90) to chocolate and strawberry ($19.90). We got the latter, which featured the same pizza dough topped with chocolate, strawberries and condensed milk. It’s perfect for indulging in while enjoying the live music.

The restaurant recently started offering a pizza of the month: May’s flavor was mushroom with Catupiry cheese and truffle oil, while June’s special was garlic shrimp with pesto. The cheesy truffle pizza was right up my alley and I was sad to see it go. However, the most popular pizza among customers will eventually be added to the eatery’s menu, according to Alves.

“We’ll have a pizza of the month, and after three months, we’ll do a vote,” he says. “The pizza that gets the most votes enters in the menu permanently. Go on our Instagram page
(@sanpaolo_pizzaandwine) to vote for your favorite.

I intend to have 35 to 40 pizza flavors once we have the full menu.”

San Paolo Pizza and Wine

Address 
1765 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu

Phone
808-425-5396

Hours
Daily, 4-10 p.m.

Website
sanpaolopizzeria.com

Instagram
@sanpaolo_pizzaandwine

Price: $ $
Parking: Validated parking ($5 for four hours) at Ilikai Marina parking garage  

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta’s column focuses on new restaurants and dining experiences across Hawaii. Follow Kelli on
Instagram (@kellishiromabraiotta).