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• FuManShoes
  I was intrigued when a friend mentioned a while back that a take 'n bake pizza place was coming to Ballard. "Finally, an affordable option for a
  quick pie," I thought. When a flyer from 'Zaw showed up under my door, I was a bit taken aback that "pizza in the raw" was commanding anywhere from $16-$19. Perhaps that's par for the course these days , especially for a place positioning itself as Ballard's "artisan" pizza shop.
  
  Taking advantage of a coupon, I visited 'Zaw and opted for the "Cowardly Apricot," a pie featuring chicken, carmelized onions, two varieties of apricot, mozarella and gorgonzola. 'Zaw specializes in thin-crust pizzas featuring organic ingredients. I went for the traditional white crust; they also offer whole wheat or the addition of flaxseed (ick). The pizza was quite good and was a snap to cook on the parchment paper 'Zaw sent me home with. It wasn't a filling pizza, which is good or bad depending on your taste. A regular size pie should serve two.
  
  The owner and workers were friendly, though I found myself repeating everything because they were mumbling and there was a din in the building. Wine pairing is a big part of the 'Zaw draw, and they offer a big selection of local varieties and microbrews and offer suggestions for each pie. They also sell a variety of Jones Soda.
  
  I'm still a bit taken aback that a thin-crust pie that you bake yourself should cost nearly $20, but this is Ballard and 'Zaw clearly isn't marketing to the Papa Murphy's crowd. The place is worth a try, though I don't see msyelf becoming a regular.
• Esky
  What a find! Don't let preconceived notions of take-n-bake get in the way, this place is perfect for those nights when you want a great meal, bottle of vino, and don't want to eat out or work at it. The pizza's really really tasty, and they've put a lot of thought into pairing the local wines with the food. The wine is TJs cheap, and they deliver it with the pizza. Haven't tried the salads yet...next time.
• Dan
  Really, you guys liked it that much. I have to disagree. I only tried it once, but I picked a pie that I figured had to be pretty representative...the Savory Savary. If you like traditional pizza, that's the one you'd choose. (hold the apricots) But frankly, I found the sauce bland, and the pie a disappointment. I haven't had the heart to try again...and I live in Canal Station.
• What?
  Nice pie. A little pricey for what you get.
• Cynthia
  My partner and I went to 'Zaw to give it a try and because the thought of a take and bake pizza sounded perfect for our night of movie watching. We were so disappointed. The pizza was far from filling and satisfying!! And after spending as much as going to an Awesome pizza joint like ZaddaBuddy's and walking out more then full we were at a lost for words to describe our frustration. We ended up eating the blandest pizza ever, only to also eat our way through munchies laying around the house the whole night as well. I just can't recommend this place to anyone, no matter their taste palate and refined opinions.
• Joseph
  Can't imagine a pizza farther away from bland. Perhaps if you are looking for a plain cheese pizza or a cheap fill, this is not the place for you. But I found the toppings and flavor to be on par with Tutta Bella, with perhaps more imaginative options.
  
  We have very much enjoyed both visits and both pizzas we have tried, The roasted veg pizza and the one with the prosciutto and bacon. Can't imagine anyone having those pizzas and referring to them as bland.
  
  I do admit that at first glance I found them a bit pricey, but not so much now that I've tried the pizza as I appreciate the organic crusts and organic and fresh toppings. I also thought that the pizza, a salad and a nice bottle of Snoqualmie wine for $30 was a good value.
  
  I will return and think it is definitely worth a try for someone who enjoys good quality and fresh food.
• Anthony
  Way too expensive, I'm sorry Zaw but there are other folks who live in Ballard besides the people who live above your pizza shop. Give me Mama's on the hill anytime over this pretentious nonsense.
• J.Crew
  I agree with most of the posts on here. Far too expensive for take and bake. I can make better pizza with TJ's ingredients for half the price and I don't have to wait 45 minutes to take it home. The staff were snobby, and the pizza is less than satisfying. Maybe worth a try if you have a coupon, otherwise, stick to the really good stuff you already know.
• Susan
  Mmmmm....I loved Zaw - just tried it the other day. Their pizza is flavorful and is a nice change from the less than average pizza you generally find in Seattle. The wine and beer is a nice touch too. Not sure about the posters who complain it is expensive - seems good value to me and prices are comparable to other pizza places in the city. Plus there is nothing like the smell of a pizza cooking in your kitchen. Seriously, I just may try to pass it off as a home made dish one of these days.... :)
• Alex
  I finally checked this place out based on a recommendation from a friend who frequents the Capitol Hill location. I've walked by several times, but have been wary to try it as I'm not completely confident in the functioning of my oven. The staff were helpful with my decision making, and set me up with an apricot, chicken and blue cheese pizza, a wedge style Caesar, and a 4 pack of Session Lager stubbies (served in an inconspicuous Jones Soda holder). Total bill was under $35 with tax. They made sure I had the cooking instructions down and sent me on my way. Got home, set the oven to pre-heat, cracked a Session (twist off cap is false advertising - OUCH), and dug into the Caesar. So far so good, as the Caesear dressing had lots of garlic and anchovie flavor like it should, along with some nice chopped red onion that worked well for me. What's that beeping noise coming from my kitchen? Oh, oven is now hot. I carefully took off the plastic and slid the pizza onto my oven rack just like they told me. I like the fact that this part didn't require use (and subsequent cleaning) of any of my kitchen supplies. 10 minutes later, I checked the pizza and it looked really good. A little brown around the edges, so I pulled it out (again without mishap), and put it back on the cardboard from whence it began, then began slicing. Jeezuz, that is one fine tasting slice! Unlike anything I've eaten. Apricot jam, wheat crust, blue cheese, chicken, sweet onions, all playing in sweet harmony. I stopped myself after inhaling about half the pizza and salad. I'm sold, addicted, already planning my next trip. As I'm now initiated to the process, I think I'll call ahead next time. I'll plan to attempt other items on the menu, but that apricot pizza will be calling my name!
• pizza love
  I really like ZAW. They use fresh ingredients, love the thin crust, and inventive toppings. I've been there 4 times now, and will definitely go again and again.
• Pat
  Great pie, super fresh. very friendly staff.
• Stacey
  Zaw?
  Went there One time.
  The Only reason I bought a pizza is Because the Pizza guy (in the back) basically SOLD the pizza to me with passion, this guy loved pizza and could spin it over his head? very cool! It was a great pizza!
  They have (had?) a great staff.
  The guy ended up being the manager of the place with his wife?! Rusty & Beverly? Very cool people. (I thought they owned it?)
  
  So I go into get another pizza and talk with the couple, They quit? Figures.
  Replaced by someone who had no idea how to make a pizza, then passed off to a girl with no smile or charm that took my money? I figured it woyld be the same,
  The Pizza was crap?! I will never return!!! Never.
  
  
  When asked Where I could locate the other managers, the new employee said that they moved, but added that I was the 5th person looking for them.
  
  Places like this need to realize that customer service is one thing, great food is another, but keeping a well groomed staff thats happy to be there is more important.
  its the old phrase "You get what you pay for" Well I'm sure the new counter girl gets minimum wage. I got minimum service.
  
  I later read that its owned by two Canadian gay guys that are named the same?
  I'm sure they are a cool couple too? "I'm off to Tutta Bella"
• Greg
  Thanks for all the comments being posted. I am one of the owners of zaw – and living 5 minutes from this location, the Ballard store is of particular interest to me. We are really proud of our food and our staff, so comments and feedback we receive are important as they help us to continually get better.
  
  We don't usually respond in the blogs as we think it is a great open forum for customers to share thoughts among each other – but we were a bit concerned with the last comment that called out one of our staff members and we didn't want that comment to go unanswered as we have a small staff with employees from the Ballard area who are proud to be working in the Ballard area. We feel that we have built a great team in Ballard and are really pleased with how quickly they've come up to speed and are serving great food with great service. We have been receiving very positive comments about the group that we have working there and the level of customer service. About a month ago, two of our senior employees moved back to Hawaii to be closer to family and the group that has been formed in Ballard over the past month has been doing really well looking at the overall feedback we have been receiving. With that being said, we are always looking to improve, so we are happy to hear specific comments or specific feedback that can help us to get better. You can often catch me at the store, or we would certainly be happy to hear from you at feedback@zaw.com <mailto:feedback@zaw.com> where you will always get a response back from us.
  
  Overall, we have been really happy with the response for zaw that we have received in Ballard and want to thank all of our new customers in the area for their support since we opened a few months ago. We work hard to source local beer, wine and food grown and prepared with great care – and are committed to having our ingredients as local, fresh and organic as possible (we are in fact quite proud that we don't even have freezers). Using items such as organic flours in our crusts and other top notch ingredients that are locally sourced does cost more sometimes, but we think it is totally worth it to support those types of growers and suppliers – and worth it for the taste and quality of food for our customers. We hope you agree.
  
  Thanks again for the comments – and please don't hesitate to drop us a note at feedback@zaw.com <mailto:feedback@zaw.com> if you have any specific comments or suggestions to help us get better.
  
  Thanks,
  Greg Scott
  zaw Food & Beverage