Neighborhood-Kids All Local. All for Kids. All the Time.

Kid-Friendly La Fiamma Wood Fire Pizza

by Joanna Nesbit6/20/2008 4:02:26 PM

It’s Friday afternoon, and I’m pondering the best way to skip cooking dinner. Bet you are, too. My first thought is La Fiamma Wood Fire Pizza, on the corner of Chestnut Street and Railroad Avenue.

La Fiamma Wood Fire Pizza opened in 1998.

The reason why I love this place so much in just a word? Noodles. Yep. The buttered noodles. Not for me, mind you—I’ll take the pizza—but for my fickle son.

I don’t know if Dan and Ken Bothman knew their restaurant would be so family-friendly when they opened in 1998, but as far as I’m concerned, they got it just right. For starters, the menu satisfies everyone in my family, beginning with those buttered noodles for just $2.50 because, believe it or not, not all kids love pizza. Those who do, however, can order a kid-sized cheese or pepperoni pizza for $2.00 and $2.50, respectively (ages 10 and under only). Now that’s affordable.

The beauty of ordering personal pizzas for kids is we adults can order our own (medium will do for two) and we don’t have to hear a single “Ewww, I don’t like [fill in the blank].” That pretty much makes my night.

The menu at La Fiamma will please all ages.

La Fiamma is known for its gourmet pizza with crust made from scratch and toppings such as kalamata olives, feta, and shitake mushrooms (my personal favorite is The Bella). But if you prefer to pass on pizza, La Fiamma also offers panini, pasta dishes, entrée salads, soups, and antipasti. You really can’t go wrong here.

And for some reason, my kids—who normally boycott salad at home—love the dinner salad, so on La Fiamma nights, I know they’re getting their requisite veggies for the day (while I’m relaxing with a Boundary Bay beer).

The kid-friendly ambiance, especially lively on Fridays, is the second reason I love this place. I never feel we’re imposing on an adult-only crowd. Servers greet kids with coloring sheets and crayons and usually a bit of pizza dough to play with (if they forget, just ask). Painted in warm colors, the restaurant is open and airy with a bank of windows and high ceilings, so squawking from a little one never seems disruptive here.

Kids can enjoy dinner and a show at La Fiamma.

On sunny evenings, you can opt for a meal on the deck, which is also a great place for a stroll with kids in need of a break from the table, at least when it’s not too crowded.

If you asked my kids what they love about La Fiamma, they would probably say “Getting to watch them make the pizza.” At the back of the dining area, where a counter separates the patrons from the wood-fired oven, you can perch on stools and watch the cooks fling the pizza dough high in the air. Kids never tire of watching.

Word to the wise: plan to arrive a little early on the weekends, say by 5:15pm, to avoid a wait. This place is popular. And hey, here’s one of the best kept secrets in town: you can buy balls of dough to make your own pizza at home. It’s not on the menu, so just ask at the counter.

La Fiamma Wood Fire Pizza is located at 200 E. Chestnut Street in Bellingham, WA. They are open Monday to Thursday from 11 AM- 10 PM, Friday and Saturday from 11 AM – 11 PM, and Sunday noon – 10 PM.

A Note About the Author: Joanna Nesbit

Joanna Nesbit is a home-based freelance writer. She thinks she can write and parent at the same time. She and her husband, Curt, are developing new interests through their two kids, including chess, Girl Scouts, soccer, and horses. In her limited spare time, she enjoys reading, running, and good beer.