{"id":129310,"date":"2026-02-10T21:55:20","date_gmt":"2026-02-10T21:55:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/129310\/"},"modified":"2026-02-10T21:55:20","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T21:55:20","slug":"la-di-da-pizza-warms-burlington-with-new-york-style-pizza-and-cheery-vibes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/129310\/","title":{"rendered":"La Di Da Pizza Warms Burlington With New York-Style Pizza and Cheery Vibes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Most kids love pizza, but few remain so steadfastly devoted that they make a career out of it. Then there\u2019s Celine Eid, the chef-owner of Burlington\u2019s recently launched La Di Da Pizza<\/a>. \u201cI\u2019ve always been obsessed with pizza,\u201d Eid said.<\/p>\n

Eid, who is now in her thirties, said she encountered her first pizza stone at a friend\u2019s house when she was 5 or 6 years old. Immediately, she begged her mom for one of her own. \u201cI didn\u2019t know you could make pizza in your own home. My world was blown,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\"\"Pies at La Di Da Pizza Credit: Bear Cieri<\/p>\n

That delight infuses the small neighborhood pizzeria Eid opened last September at 294 North Winooski Avenue<\/a>, in the restaurant space vacated by Despacito. The shop is a dream realized for Eid, a University of Vermont grad who spent many of her formative years in New York City consuming its legendary slices and tirelessly trying to re-create them at home.<\/p>\n

The counter-service La Di Da is casual and friendly, with delicious pies and enough whimsy to cure the winter doldrums. When my husband and I walked in the Archibald Street entrance on a frigid Sunday evening, reggaeton was bumping from hidden speakers, and the room was empty but for a few cooks stretching dough and ladling sauce in the open kitchen. We stepped right up to the register, knowing it wasn\u2019t likely to be slow for long.<\/p>\n

As my husband read the chalkboard menu and tried to decide, I took in the no-nonsense atmosphere: fluorescent lights, serviceable tables and chairs, stacked bags of flour in a supply room off to the side. Yet a wall of children\u2019s artwork on paper plates, a Valentine\u2019s tree, a disco ball, and a small case of sprinkle-adorned cupcakes and cookies topped with edible glitter made me smile as I bobbed to the beats.<\/p>\n

We were tempted by so many of the offerings that we chose four slices ($3.50 to $5.50) of four different pies: a regular cheese with tomato sauce and a chimichurri for me; pepperoni and a Hot Mama special \u2014 Calabrian chile, roasted mushrooms, caramelized onions, ricotta and chile oil \u2014 for him; plus a cupcake for later ($4.50). They came out of the kitchen in just a few minutes, and each slice was so big it needed its own plate. Full pies, which sprawl 18 inches or larger, run $26 to $36. Eid often posts photos on Instagram of them busting out of their boxes. They include a \u201cnot boring\u201d white pie ($34) with fresh mozzarella, fresh garlic, caramelized onions, ricotta and basil oil; a no-frills tomato pie; and the Hot Mama ($36).<\/p>\n

Each of our choices threw the textural party you want from a hefty slice of pizza \u2014 crispy, chewy and gooey all at once. We appreciated the extra dimension that a halo of Parmesan (standard on all pies) lent to the crust: The smooth shreds brought savoriness to the airy, toothsome edge. The chimichurri slice was a standout, with juicy mushrooms and a punch of garlic and herbs. Dollops of ricotta piped on after baking created a creamy-cool contrast.<\/p>\n

\"\"Celine Eid and Mo AlDoukhi putting the finishing touches on a half-baked pie. Credit: Bear Cieri<\/p>\n

Like the New York slice shops it\u2019s modeled after, La Di Da has a menu of pure carbs \u2014 not a salad in sight. So far, the only departures Eid has made from pizza are garlic knots and the sparkling desserts, which she makes herself. Just like her pizza, the chocolate chip cookie ($4.25) strikes the perfect balance of crispy and chewy. The candy-bar cupcake both looks and tastes like the product of a trained pastry chef, demonstrating that Eid\u2019s culinary talents extend to more than just \u2019za.<\/p>\n

Whole pies can be ordered ahead online, but slice availability depends on what\u2019s recently been fired. Eid relies largely on her own preferences to shape the menu and adds specials when she has the bandwidth. Unique ingredients on her main pies \u2014 such as caramelized onions, hot honey, and a gorgonzola-and-fig jam combo \u2014 keep things interesting, while the regular cheese is sure to please a purist. Eid herself is vegetarian and has found that customers generally don\u2019t miss the meat, but she recently added real pepperoni as a concession to the carnivorous.<\/p>\n

\"\"Celine Eid Credit: Bear Cieri<\/p>\n

Eid often sports a good amount of flour on the Dickies coveralls she wears as a uniform. She appears to be living out her childhood aspirations.<\/p>\n

As parents do, Eid\u2019s mom gave in to her pleas for a pizza stone and got her one as a holiday gift. It was not a passing phase.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll through high school I was making pizza, trying to perfect it, even in the middle of the night,\u201d Eid said. She wrote her college application essay on pizza and landed at UVM, where she studied nutrition and dietetics.<\/p>\n

All through high school I was making pizza, trying to perfect it.<\/p>\n

Celine Eid<\/p>\n

After graduating, Eid moved back to the Big Apple and taught middle school science. In her off-hours, she continued tinkering with her recipes and started a pizza pop-up at a local bar in 2023. \u201cIt was the best part of my week. It was awesome,\u201d Eid said, noting that she felt like her pizza was a small but joyful part of people\u2019s lives. \u201cSomeone came to the pop-up after they gave birth,\u201d she recalled.<\/p>\n

After 10 years in New York City, Eid realized that many college friends had stayed in Vermont, so she moved back and carved out a spot in a familiar neighborhood. \u201cI lived in the Old North End when I was in school and loved it. I\u2019m happy to have found a storefront here,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Earlier this winter, Eid navigated staff shortages due to college breaks, but now she has found her rhythm. \u201cPeople in the building were asking us to open on Mondays, and I\u2019m always for opening more often,\u201d Eid said. She added Monday service as of January and extended hours until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, so La Di Da is now open every day but Tuesday.<\/p>\n

\"\"The counter at La Di Da Pizza Credit: Bear Cieri<\/p>\n

As my husband and I dug into our slices, a steady stream of people wandered in. One couple came with rolled yoga mats in tow. Another pair drank beers at the counter while waiting on takeout. A caterer talked biz with the pizza makers while a lone diner at a table pulled out a knitting project. All were bundled against the winter cold in big coats, boots and hats. I imagined viewing the tableau from outside a fogged window, the \u201cslices\u201d sign welcoming people in from the slushy sidewalk for a few minutes of light and music, a slice of nourishment and of human connection.<\/p>\n

A friend joined the knitter, and the two caught up over a Gemini pie ($36). The spicy staple of La Di Da\u2019s menu, topped with sauce, mozzarella, broccolini, vegan Italian sausage and hot honey, impressed them, they said. \u201cIt\u2019s very good, very different,\u201d reported Dorsey Hogg of Colchester. \u201cThe crust is crispy. The cheese is nice. The sauce is tangy.\u201d Kate Belluche of Burlington added that she appreciated the unique and generous ring of Parmesan on the crust. Overall, she said, \u201cIt\u2019s a great pizza experience. I hope they exist forever.\u201d<\/p>\n

I do, too. Happily, given Eid\u2019s lifelong devotion to pizza, it seems likely she\u2019ll stick around for a while.\u00a0<\/p>\n

La Di Da Pizza, 294 N. Winooski Ave. #112C, Burlington, 540-8333, ladidapizza.com<\/a><\/p>\n

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