February 9th, 2022 at 5:53 PM ^
Sounds like a great trip! Modern is my favorite New Haven apizza. I say skip Louis Lunch - the burger sucks. Save room for more pizza (Pepe's, Bar)
February 9th, 2022 at 3:45 PM ^
Commence deep-dish (Chicago style) vs thin (NYC style) argument
February 9th, 2022 at 3:58 PM ^
I’ve always disliked the debate because they’re all great in their own way (when done right). There’s usually a pretty cool story behind each regional style as well.
February 9th, 2022 at 4:51 PM ^
Agreed!
February 10th, 2022 at 12:00 PM ^
Okay, i'll bite.
NY/Naples style can be good, but the bread and oven need to be bakery quality. I'll usually buy their Caprese sandwich instead of a pie.
Chicago style isn't even pizza. Its more a bread bowl than anything. Can't even eat a second slice. I'll get the baked ziti or lasagne instead.
Detroit/Sicilian style has the best bite and flavor, from the caramelized cheese and focaccia style dough. People fight over the corners for good reason.
February 9th, 2022 at 3:46 PM ^
The original Shield’s Pizzeria in Detroit. I will never forget eating there with my grandfather, father and uncle and watching the 1978 Gator Bowl live on the tiny TV set above the bar. We all could not believe what we saw when Woody punched Charlie Bauman. My dad and I still talk about that scene to this day.
February 9th, 2022 at 10:58 PM ^
If I remember correctly, that game was on New Years Eve. Woody went out in style with the whole country watching.
February 9th, 2022 at 3:48 PM ^
Wildwood boardwalk New Jersey
February 9th, 2022 at 3:50 PM ^
Barry's Pizza in Houston TX and Slice of New York in Sunnyvale CA.
February 11th, 2022 at 10:39 AM ^
Unfortunately, Barry's closed in 2020.
February 9th, 2022 at 3:52 PM ^
Patsy's in Brooklyn seemed pretty sublime at the time. Here in Tallahassee we have three or four good places, Decent Pizza--which I like with a local (Bradley's) sausage and onion--Little Italy, whose house special has basil, tomato, and eggplant--and Gaines Street Pies, owned by lefty city commissioner Jeremy Matlow, all of which carry world-class crusts; I love the white pizza with sausage and garlic. At Gaines you can also obtain some amazing cocktails from the bar.
February 9th, 2022 at 3:54 PM ^
I like Giordanno's in Chicago and Pizzapopolis in Detroit.
JT's Pizza in Grand Rapids is really good too. If you go there, ask for it "diggerized" and they throw some extra seasoning on top
February 9th, 2022 at 5:06 PM ^
JT’s in Grand Rapids is the best. The sauce is what makes it for me. They used to have a little pizza depot in the Westgate neighborhood of CP and it will always be the pizza of my childhood and now that I’ve moved back to GR, my adulthood.
Fricanos a little further down on N Alpine is also great super thing crust of you’re in Comstock.
February 9th, 2022 at 6:21 PM ^
Is the JT's that's on 28th St the same owners/recipe as the old Westgate one?
February 9th, 2022 at 3:59 PM ^
Club 28 in Wakefield.
February 9th, 2022 at 3:59 PM ^
My favorite pizzas all time:
1. Del Rio bar, A2
2. Comet Pizza, Washington D.C.
February 9th, 2022 at 4:07 PM ^
My son owns a super hot Detroit Style pizza place in San Clemente, CA called Gibronis (https://gibronispizza.com/). He basically sells out every night he is open. His pizza is, to me, the closest to the real Detroit style pizza from Loui's in Hazel Park (Loui was the original chef in the 40's).
February 9th, 2022 at 4:53 PM ^
Very cool!
February 9th, 2022 at 4:09 PM ^
Top tomato in Philadelphia.
Literally every slice of pizza I've ever had at any store in NYC.
February 9th, 2022 at 4:22 PM ^
Many in chicago: Pequod's, Lou M's, original Uno and Due
Zachary's and Cheeseboard in Berkeley, CA
February 9th, 2022 at 4:24 PM ^
A special treat for those of us who live south of Boston, bar pizza. 10 inch pies that are incredible. Some to the best are;
Town Spa - Stoughton, MA Cape Cod Cafe - Brockton. Lynwood Cafe - Randolph.
Santarpio's in East Boston is awesome. Check out the Barstool Pizza review with Portnoy and Julian Edelman, classic!
February 9th, 2022 at 8:22 PM ^
I love some South Shore Bar Pie. I tried Town Spa this past fall and it was amazing. Also glad that Cape Cod is now in the grocery stores. Makes a great late night bite after a few beers. I actually bought a ten inch Lloyd pan to try to recreate Town Spa but haven’t quite nailed it down yet. Getting close
February 10th, 2022 at 8:06 AM ^
Town Spa ships pies. Always a pit stop after taking dog to vet to pick up some frozen pies for the freezer. Great to fire up before a football game.
February 9th, 2022 at 9:12 PM ^
Father being from Randolph, used to visit from MI every summer as a kid in the 80s - many hours spent at Lynwood with my uncles, listening to them tell me how the pistons would never beat bird, mchale, Parrish, ainge et al
February 9th, 2022 at 10:49 PM ^
Your uncles were right. Johnny Most calling Bird "fiddling and diddling", with The Chief, DJ, McHale and Danny. Great basketball !
February 10th, 2022 at 12:22 AM ^
Santarpio's Pizza of East Boston! Haven't been back in almost 50 years, but that was great pizza for those of us budget-conscious undergrads and law students back in those days.
FUN FACT: Even if you know of Mike Eruzione, captain of the 1980 USA Olympic hockey team that won the gold medal, then you might not know that his father had a second job, working as a waiter at Santarpio's. LINK
For those of us living in the metropolitan NYC area, New Jersey just had their second annual Pizza Bowl contest featuring 16 of the top pizza places in the state and the winner was Maruca's of Seaside Heights and Asbury Park. Might have to plan a concert trip to The Stone Pony in Asbury Park and check out the pizza at Maruca's.
February 9th, 2022 at 4:25 PM ^
btw why didn't someone tell me TODAY was NPD? I ordered pizza last night, one day early.
February 9th, 2022 at 4:26 PM ^
Best pie for me was in positano. Here in north county San Diego, I enjoy Rosatis thin crust. Years ago SD was voted the best city for pizza, which is a huge stretch.
February 9th, 2022 at 4:40 PM ^
Even when I lived in Chicago I liked Vivio’s better. Maybe it was the animals mounted on the walls. That said, Chicago Pizza and Grinder is pretty good, although I am not sure it is pizza.
February 9th, 2022 at 4:40 PM ^
Best pizza I've ever had and longest wait for a pizza (5 hours over the course of two days, it's a long story) but totally worth it. It's in Phoenix of all places.
https://www.pizzeriabianco.com/pizzeria-bianco-heritage-square
February 9th, 2022 at 5:18 PM ^
One time in high school I was house sitting for my aunt and uncle and, long story short we decided to have a party and clean out their well-stocked beer fridge. Later we ordered a pizza but passed out before it was delivered. The next morning I cleaned up the house and left because they were getting home that afternoon.
As it turned out, they never actually did deliver the pizza that night, so they delivered it once they opened the next evening. My aunt reminds me to this day about how nice it was to come home to a super clean house and get a free pizza delivery for dinner. But with a wink of the eye she also laments not having any beer to go with the pizza.
Cheers!
February 9th, 2022 at 7:05 PM ^
What about that one time at band camp, though?
February 9th, 2022 at 7:11 PM ^
You're not ready for that story. But maybe I'll tell it at the MGoCamping trip.?
February 9th, 2022 at 4:43 PM ^
Maybe not the best I’ve ever had but Mancino’s Pizza and Grinders is damn fine pizza imo
February 9th, 2022 at 4:57 PM ^
Never had their pizza, but their grinders are fantastic.
February 9th, 2022 at 5:01 PM ^
Loui’s, Green Lantern Pizza, Cloverleaf and Alibi’s.
February 9th, 2022 at 6:52 PM ^
Good call on Green Lantern. Way back in the day Peppina's in Lincoln Park, MI was quite good.
February 9th, 2022 at 9:18 PM ^
Peppina’s twisty dessert FTW. I also loved the amethyst garden. Was so sad to see it go - fond memories . We also used to hit Cathay house just down dix Toledo regularly way back when…
February 9th, 2022 at 10:04 PM ^
February 9th, 2022 at 5:02 PM ^
Wow!!! Notty Pine in Troy! Hometown or RPI perhaps?
February 9th, 2022 at 6:28 PM ^
+1 for both Notty Pine mentions....
February 9th, 2022 at 6:45 PM ^
I grew up in Troy. While Troy didn’t have a ton going for it back in the 80’s they certainly had some wonderful Italian restaurants
February 9th, 2022 at 7:22 PM ^
I go back to the early 70s in the AST area. IIRC, they also had a meatball sub that was amazing. If that place just closed, the old man had to be in his 90s, no?
February 9th, 2022 at 5:08 PM ^
No votes for Bernie O's in North Muskegon?! The Twist is simply delightful.
February 9th, 2022 at 5:10 PM ^
Best Pizza ever? Royal Pizza (closed) Brighton Beach, Brooklyn. Open 24 hours which was critically important during those years.
Remo's Pizza - Stamford, CT.
Checkmate Pizza - Concord, NH.
Joey's Pizza - Henderson, NV (they had to import their water for the dough (true story)). The old man was from The Bronx - home of great pizza makers.
Pizzeria Regina - Boston's North End
February 9th, 2022 at 5:12 PM ^
Nino's in Buffalo. There's a ton of good local places for Buffalo style pizza (which most people don't even know exists - and no not spicy chicken on a pizza, it's an actual cultural style of pizza), but Nino's was consistently my favorite.
February 9th, 2022 at 5:41 PM ^
Lived in Buffalo for a year and go back every summer, but I've never had buffalo style pizza. I'll have to give Nino's a shot this year.
February 9th, 2022 at 5:14 PM ^
If you're ever in Loudonville Ohio vacationing, visit Trail's End Pizza and try their signature pie with their selection of craft beer.
Trail bologna and baby Swiss cheese with a honey mustard sauce is absolutely amazing.
February 9th, 2022 at 5:16 PM ^
I’ll answer this differently. (1) growing up:Father and Son (2) In High School: Little Caesar’s (3) In College: Cottage Inn, Backroom and Bells, (4) 2000’s: Tweenys, Cottage Inn and (5) Today: Masterpizza, Marottas and Crostata…
and when in Rome, NY, Chicago….
February 9th, 2022 at 6:22 PM ^
Cottage Inn was special for me.
Pizza place on South University (free double crust) (forget name) clerk had a sense of humor. Asked if wanted 6 or 8 slices. Replied 6 because we couldn't 8) Requested half with mushrooms. Clerk responded which half, left or right? Replied that we preferred every other slice. We got every other slice. Made our day.