Veiled behind a seedy exterior lies a treasure trove of taste. Tucked into the corner of Gov. Nichols and Decatur Streets, Angeli on Decatur has been serving specialty pizzas, pastas and sandwiches for years. A mere walk from local nightlife hotspots, Angeli on Decatur prides itself on catering to those looking for a hardy late-night snack.
From the street, the redbrick building is extremely unassuming. Rainbow-colored neon lights flicker through the dirty windows, and from outside the double doors your strongest sense may stop you in your tracks. A fusion of roasted garlic, freshly cut onions and sautéed peppers tease your senses.
On the inside, the décor takes an even deeper dive. Two oversized paintings of eight obese angels hang from dingy yellow walls, and each corner is accented with its own cluster of nonfunctioning disco balls.
The dimly lit dining room is a little dangerous. Be careful – there’s a dip in the middle of the floor that spans the entire length of the restaurant. Sobriety and good vision are crucial.
At Angeli on Decatur, it’s sometimes hard to distinguish the staff from the guests. Our server was a man who had apparently found some good fortune in the Bluegrass State. No uniform, no apron, just a pair of jeans and a T-shirt that read, “Gettin’ lucky in Kentucky.”
Though his taste in fashion may have been humorous, his taste in food certainly was not. Based on his recommendation, we ordered the Divine Portabella and the spicy tomato spread.
Less than half a Guinness later, the appetizers arrived. The Divine Portabella is a grilled chicken breast and sautéed portabella mushrooms swimming in a sea of a cream-based spicy red pepper sauce. It was just as our server had promised: “divine.”
The spicy tomato spread – sun dried tomatoes blended with crumbles of feta cheese and diced walnuts – came out with one flaw. There wasn’t nearly enough.
For the entrée, our server suggested the Lucifer’s Special, a pizza baked on house-made dough, topped with mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, Italian sausage, ham, onions and jalapenos. However, we decided to disregard his suggestion and order the Chicken Diavolo pizza and a small pasta salad.
The pasta salad came to our table five minutes after ordering it. The cold spiral noodles were tossed with tomatoes, kalamata olives, mushrooms and red onions, then drizzled with a blend of olive oil and dusted with fresh dill. Suggestion: Never split this dish; it will always end in a fight.
The pizza arrived about 10 minutes after the pasta but with a bit of a twist. Though we had asked for the Chicken Diavolo, he brought us the Lucifer’s Special. The lesson learned here is always listen to your server. The pizza was sinfully delicious.
Angeli on Decatur offers a menu that is suited for any budget and is located at 1141 Decatur St. Angeli on Decatur hosts live performances every night between 7 and 10, featuring bands such as the Jazz Vipers and Dr. Guitar and The Franklin Avenue Underpass. The restaurant is open seven days a week, Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m.-4 a.m.
Jared Bailey can be reached at [email protected].
