Datsa Pizza, a small place across the street from the Central Library downtown, serves — you guessed it — pizza, but they also serve much more. Despite the lengthy menu and the many, many times I’ve eaten food from Datsa, I’ve barely ventured beyond pizza (I had a hot sandwich, just once). I also haven’t ventured beyond lunchtime at Datsa, although the restaurant is open as late as 11 p.m. some nights of the week and is also open throughout the weekend.
My Datsa experience is limited to the lunch special, but it’s a good one. As I mentioned, it’s one I keep coming back for. The special is available weekdays from 11 a.m.–4 p.m., and unlike some daily lunch specials, it’s very customizable and reliably delicious and fresh.
For $8.99, customers can get an 8-inch pizza with any combination of pepperoni, sweet or spicy Italian sausage, mushroom, onion and green pepper. The meal also includes a salad or two breadsticks or chips, plus a drink. If you must have more (or different) toppings, you can choose from the larger list of ingredients for an extra charge. In addition to all the expected pizza toppings, like olives, bacon and banana peppers, Datsa offers some unique topping choices, like Cajun shrimp.
In the many times I’ve had the pizza lunch special, I’ve tried various topping combos, but most recently I opted for the basic pepperoni pizza. As always, it was hot and fresh (not pre-made like some other restaurant lunch items). I also love Datsa’s breadsticks — they’re fluffy and firm and brushed with garlicky butter. They’re served with cheese sauce, pizza sauce or garlic butter; I always get the cheese, and it’s always been a solid decision. One thing I love about Datsa is the amount of dip they give for the two breadsticks. There’s enough cheese sauce in the cup to avoid that stressful dip-to-stick rationing. I’ve never chosen the salad or chips over the breadsticks, so I can’t vouch for the salad quality, but Datsa’s never disappointed me before, and their toppings always taste fresh, so I’d bet they master the salads as well.
Datsa also offers a sandwich lunch special, which includes a 6-inch or 12-inch sandwich, plus the same drink and side choices as the pizza special, for $8.99 or $12.99. The sandwich choices include the Italian sub, ham and cheese sub, pizza sub, meatball sub, veggie sub, Chicken on the Ranch or the Chicago Roast Beef (like a French Dip).
The one time I strayed from Datsa’s pizza I had the delicious Chicken on the Ranch sandwich, which was served warm with chicken breast, bacon, tomato, ranch dressing and melted mozzarella cheese on some thick French bread.
Other Datsa offerings include chicken wings in various flavors, from classic Buffalo to honey Sriracha, large dinner salads, calzones, spaghetti and meatballs and several signature pizza creations. The Datsa Summer Breeze, a pizza with pineapple, feta cheese, red onion and mozzarella, sounds particularly tasty. Datsa also boasts weekend beer specials and live music.
With the modest price for the amount and quality of food, the central location and the free parking, Datsa’s lunch special is one to add to your regular rotation of workday treats.
Datsa Pizza
907 N. Pennsylvania St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 423-3940
