View Full Version : Best Pizza ever?
Averageman
08-21-22, 09:42
Don's Pizza Lowell Indiana.
Perfect thin to medium crust fresh veggies qualoity meats.
Their hayday was in the late 60's to mid 70's. Extra Meat pizza with extra greem peppers.
My mouth would water when Mom would bring it home.
CharlieDeltaJuliet
08-21-22, 10:13
Bonanno’s Pizza in Las Vegas! I had their BBQ chicken pizza and it was the best I have ever had. But trust me, if I ever make it to Lowell, I am trying it. I love pizza!
The best pizza ever is a Double Decker Deluxe by Walt's Pizza in Marion, IL.
Gabriel556
08-21-22, 11:15
Averageman, are you local to around there? I grew up 30 miles south of there and currently live about 60 miles NW. Going to have to try that one next time I’m in the area. Have you tried Arnie’s? Think they started in Lafayette, but they have a few locations now. Love their pizza. Being a Hoosier, I grew up on thin crust and can’t really enjoy the Chicago style.
I don't know where it is, but I'm still looking. The only thing I know is that deep dish Chicago style is not my thing.
Diamondback
08-21-22, 12:18
Homemade. Family recipe, we do our own and choices of toppings usually end up 2-3x thicker than crust, or did back when we still cooked.
Restaurant, still looking.
I love pizza like I love women: big, small, thick, thin.
There used to be a place in Chapel Hill, NC, Pepper's Pizza. The staff had tats, piercings, the women had more hair on their legs than I do. But some of the best pizza, ever.
My cousin owns a couple pizza shops in Mississippi, one in Biloxi, Brooklyn Pizza. I am very partial to it. Always rated as the 'best pizza on the gulf coast,' it's New York style, slice are huge, and just divine. Every time I travel anywhere and within 100 miles, I stop by for pizza (I get the family all-you-can-eat-for-free discount).
Sorry, the best pizza is not going to be in Indiana.
I’ll trust Barstool’s rankings.
https://www.onebitepizzarankings.com/
IKnowNotEverything
08-21-22, 13:57
Mia Marcos in San Antonio and Pizaro’s in Houston. Chicago deep dish is to be shunned.
Averageman
08-21-22, 13:58
Averageman, are you local to around there? I grew up 30 miles south of there and currently live about 60 miles NW. Going to have to try that one next time I’m in the area. Have you tried Arnie’s? Think they started in Lafayette, but they have a few locations now. Love their pizza. Being a Hoosier, I grew up on thin crust and can’t really enjoy the Chicago style.
No, but I lived there a while. My Dad retired from the Military and began working for Bell Telephone in the early 70's.
Thin crust is where it's at my friend.
Almost anyplace in NYC 70s/80s.
robbins290
08-21-22, 14:47
Otto's Mashed Potato Bacon Scallion Pizza in portland, Maine.
Growing up in south Florida, too many to list, most of them long gone.
Best thing about NYC transplants.
Mellow Mushroom is pretty good, as is Marcos (chain). There was a grocery store with a brick oven in Sarajevo, their pizza was awesome.
Andy
Johnny Rico
08-21-22, 15:58
Best thing about NYC transplants.
I thought the best pizza came from Chicago?
I'm definitely spoiled having Dion's Pizza all over the place here - pepperonie/green chile, or their carnivore/green chile is fantastic.
I know the particular recipe layout isn't that unique, because I've had an almost identical pizza in DC, just without the NM-specific ingredients, just at double the price, so I suspect it's a common source of the basic pizza recipe, and it's really good.
Probably a fair bit to do with the provolone mixed into the cheese, relatively neutral sauce mixture (but thick), and actually fresh dough.
I thought the best pizza came from Chicago?
Not even close.
titsonritz
08-21-22, 17:20
Sorry, the best pizza is not going to be in Indiana.
I’ll trust Barstool’s rankings.
https://www.onebitepizzarankings.com/
I'm sure it is delicious but ain't going to NY for no damn pizza.
https://www.oprah.com/own-oprahshow/the-best-pizza-in-america-video
Oprah's girl went to this Pizza place in Phx az where people wait for hours to get his Pizza. "Pizzeria Bianco" is supposed to be legendary but I have never been able to wait 3 hours for any food. People wait in 105 degree temps for this Pizza, I shit you not.
Menu is fixed, you choose one of his options, period.
Diamondback
08-21-22, 17:51
I'm sure it is delicious but ain't going to NY for no damn pizza.
Ditto, or anything else outside of AMNH and USS Intrepid. Even then the hostile climate between the northern/eastern PA border and those two sites is "nah... wait and see if it improves."
Almost anyplace in NYC 70s/80s.
This. My paternal grandmother lived in Queens, upstairs from a pizzeria. I’d gorge myself whenever we visited, NY style thin crust that folded in half FTW.
However my mother, being a native Sicilian, made traditional thick crust pizza when I was growing up. Homemade dough and sauce (never, ever had sauce from a jar) was amazing and I didn’t know how good I had it.
Wedgewood Pizza in NE Ohio (Youngstown area, probably the only thing that area has going for it).
Not even close.
That's like saying you can't get real Italian food in the US. While NYC obviously has fantastic pizza they aren't using magic water or flour. Excellent pizza can be found in lots of places. There are even NY'ers (gasp) in Chicago making secret formula pizza in Chicago. There is even Chicago style pizza in NY, they haven't all been tried and hung as witches.
Best Pizza comes from the Pizza Triangle, which is roughly an area from philly to jersey shore up to Connecticut.
Johnny Rico
08-21-22, 18:44
I find this question unanswerable. It's like asking which is your favorite Mexican restaurant. I haven't been able to find a single joint that does everything well. I have a favorite place for tacos, one for burritos, one for enchiladas, and one for carnitas.
It really depends on what I'm in the mood for. I go to different spots depending on whether I want a NY thin slice, a Chicago deep dish pie, or a simple margherita pizza.
While NYC obviously has fantastic pizza they aren't using magic water or flour. Excellent pizza can be found in lots of places. There are even NY'ers (gasp) in Chicago making secret formula pizza in Chicago.
NYC is the Epicenter of great pizza. Have some chefs migrated far from NYC? Sure, but that is not the norm.
Sorry, the best pizza is not going to be in Indiana.
I dunno, I’m going to say that though it may not be “best,” I really liked Gelsosomo’s version at their NW Indiana locations. Their crust was outstanding.
NYC is the Epicenter of great pizza. Have some chefs migrated far from NYC? Sure, but that is not the norm.
You have never been to South Florida.
FromMyColdDeadHand
08-21-22, 19:19
CHicago style 'tavern' thin crust- but the key is that is has to have sausage on it, made is Chicago. I travel 20 weeks a year for the past 20 years and for some reason no one else makes pizza sausage right. Uno chain- not right. Giordanos chain- pretty close. Like peaty water to make Scotch, for some reason no one else's fennel Italian sausage is right.
Vito and Nic's was the first Chicago tavern style that when I ate a piece was better than I had thought a pizza could be, it is damn good pizza. I spent a week and $500 on pizza when I was in Chicago last month. Ledo's pizza on LaGrange road was my second favorite.
You have to eat Chicago style tavern pizza with sausage. It's a bratwurst with out mustard otherwise. It is incomplete. It isn't an extra, it is a required item. Like cheese on a philly sandwhich.
New Your style? meh. It's OK, not enough topings. I was NYC this summer also and we went to four 8.5+ places on the BarStool Sports rating system. Only one was what my wife would consider 'good'.
Now, it has been 20 years since I had New Haven/Rhode Island pizza that some say is the best. I'll have to give it a try again.
People have to stop giving NYC pizza the credit they do. Just because our media elite think its the best, doesn't make it so. And I'm not a native Chicagoneer. I've lived and travelled all over and there is no better class of pizza than a chicago tavern style sausage pizza. This NYC worship has to stop.
This is actually simple.
I've been to NYC, the pizza is amazing.
I've been to Chicago, the pizza is amazing.
I grew up in South Florida, the pizza is amazing.
I've been to Italy, the pizza is amazing.
You can also go to virtually any real city and find amazing pizza. It's not the water, it's do they use high quality ingredients, is there a Baker's Pride over (or similar or wood fire or coal fire) and do they know what they are doing. It's been over 100 years, the pizza secret is out.
There are literally hundreds of places in NYC that perfected the formula over 50+ years ago and from there it has gone everywhere.
There is also no "one style" of pizza. NYC style is amazing, Chicago deep dish is amazing and there are about six other variations on the theme that are amazing. This one might taste different from that one but once you get above a certain "quality level" they are all amazing.
It is simply easier to find amazing pizza in some zip codes. That is the only true difference. You can also find "poor quality" pizza even in NYC. Usually it's the sauce, somebody comes up with a "we are different" recipe and it results in a pizza that has an almost rancid taste.
CHicago style 'tavern' thin crust- but the key is that is has to have sausage on it, made is Chicago. I travel 20 weeks a year for the past 20 years and for some reason no one else makes pizza sausage right. Uno chain- not right. Giordanos chain- pretty close. Like peaty water to make Scotch, for some reason no one else's fennel Italian sausage is right..
THis post practically gives me heartburn
FromMyColdDeadHand
08-21-22, 22:17
THis post practically gives me heartburn
That’s how you know it’s good sausage. It’s like being with a Thai hooker and not getting VD, you know you didn’t get one of the good ones.
My brother worked for Sysco, the food distributor and he gave up trying to sell sausage to mom and Pop pizza places in Chicago because it just wasn’t worth it.
It's a small world here on M4C, but if any of you make it to the armpit area of America where the rio grande river meets el golfo de mexico...Milanos pizza in Weslaco is life changing. I recommend pizza as appetizer to hold you over for the lasagne.
If they are closed then Arturo's cabrito on 83 is a brilliant 2nd.
This is actually simple.
I've been to NYC, the pizza is amazing.
I've been to Chicago, the pizza is amazing.
I grew up in South Florida, the pizza is amazing.
I've been to Italy, the pizza is amazing.
You can also go to virtually any real city and find amazing pizza. It's not the water, it's do they use high quality ingredients, is there a Baker's Pride over (or similar or wood fire or coal fire) and do they know what they are doing. It's been over 100 years, the pizza secret is out.
There are literally hundreds of places in NYC that perfected the formula over 50+ years ago and from there it has gone everywhere.
There is also no "one style" of pizza. NYC style is amazing, Chicago deep dish is amazing and there are about six other variations on the theme that are amazing. This one might taste different from that one but once you get above a certain "quality level" they are all amazing.
It is simply easier to find amazing pizza in some zip codes. That is the only true difference. You can also find "poor quality" pizza even in NYC. Usually it's the sauce, somebody comes up with a "we are different" recipe and it results in a pizza that has an almost rancid taste.
Invariably if they have a sign in the window that says "The Best Pizza in NYC!", it's not, and far from it.
FromMyColdDeadHand
08-22-22, 10:36
Invariably if they have a sign in the window that says "The Best Pizza in NYC!", it's not, and far from it.
And don't eat at pizza places on the corner, only the middle of the block. On the corner realestate is too expensive and means that they are high priced or a tourist trap.... That is what I was told.
SIDEBAR
There are no real alleys in Manhattan??? Noticed it when I was there. All the trash is on the curb, along with deliveries. Our guide told us that there are four legit alleys in Manhattan, but only one is avialable for movies. People write movies about NYC and don't realize that there aren't alleys, but they still want the gritty 'alley' scene that is in all the NYC crime movies. It is a self-licking, media driven, falsehood, that keeps on being repeated and everyone accepts- there are no alleys in Manahattan and the pizza isn't that good.
You have never been to South Florida.
Sure have. It is the epicenter of Cuban food. Pizza, not so much.
I'm sure it is delicious but ain't going to NY for no damn pizza.
I go a couple times a year for family and I still work for a company in NJ so I’m there enough times to scratch the pizza itch.
LouEddie’s pizza in Sky Forrest CA is the best I’ve ever had.
Like peaty water to make Scotch
That is smoke from when the barley is dried in the malting process, not the water.
As far as the best pizza you guys are way off. It’s got to be Hawaii, that’s where the freshest pineapple is.
Sure have. It is the epicenter of Cuban food. Pizza, not so much.
You haven't been to the right places in South Florida. Every year half of NY visits for the winter, and they make pizza and demand good pizza.
They even have a few guys who play into the myth and have NYC water sent to them so they can make authentic NYC pizza in Florida.
That is smoke from when the barley is dried in the malting process, not the water.
As far as the best pizza you guys are way off. It’s got to be Hawaii, that’s where the freshest pineapple is.
And with that we revoke your credibility license.
I'm sure it is delicious but ain't going to NY for no damn pizza.
Every time I've traveled to Europe always had to connect through NY and rather than spend 4-6 hours in the airport eating overpriced crappy food, I get a taxi and go get a pizza. Do the same when connecting through Chicago.
They even have a few guys who play into the myth and have NYC water sent to them so they can make authentic NYC pizza in Florida.
Water can indeed have flavor that comes through the finished product. But you don’t need to import it from somewhere, the different salts and minerals can be added to distilled water to make it exactly the same as NYC water.
You haven't been to the right places in South Florida. Every year half of NY visits for the winter, and they make pizza and demand good pizza.
You must have missed the part of my post where I acknowledged some places do have good pizza. But no place will see the quality/density curve that NYC has.
"NYC is the Epicenter of great pizza. Have some chefs migrated far from NYC? Sure, but that is not the norm."
When I moved to DFW decades ago, Pizza sucked. Eventually though, enough customer demand, chefs and ingredients started showing up, and we had 1 good place, then 2, etc. Now quite a few decent places. But most do not even make a Sicilian Pie. :-(
We saw same thing for Philly Cheese Steaks. Terrible. But when Dave & Busters opened a store in Philly, they started shipping ingredients to the DFW stores and we suddenly had a decent Cheese Steak.
You must have missed the part of my post where I acknowledged some places do have good pizza. But no place will see the quality/density curve that NYC has.
"NYC is the Epicenter of great pizza. Have some chefs migrated far from NYC? Sure, but that is not the norm."
I was just debating that in many places it is the norm. I'm not gonna say they have the quality/density curve that NYC has. Slight distinction between the two and not sure it qualifies as an argument so much as a clarification.
But growing up in South Florida in the 80s you could throw a rock and hit an amazing pizzeria, lots and lots of NYers been coming their every year for a long time.
I could introduce you to a few transplants who strongly insist they had THE BEST pizza in all of NY and they still make THE BEST pizza when they are in Florida and that includes being better than everyone else in NY. And I've learned not to argue with NY'ers on the subject of pizza.
Also when I was in Chicago, it seemed almost half of the places selling NY style pizza were actually NYC transplants who went to Chicago because the pizzeria density in NYC was exactly as you state.
It's a small world here on M4C, but if any of you make it to the armpit area of America where the rio grande river meets el golfo de mexico...Milanos pizza in Weslaco is life changing. I recommend pizza as appetizer to hold you over for the lasagne.
If they are closed then Arturo's cabrito on 83 is a brilliant 2nd.
We ate at Milano’s back when we lived in McAllen- the food is great and their homemade sauce is fantastic. Last time we were in there the owner sat down with us and chatted for a while. Really a nice place and authentic Italian food.
That is smoke from when the barley is dried in the malting process, not the water.
As far as the best pizza you guys are way off. It’s got to be Hawaii, that’s where the freshest pineapple is.
Dom De Luca's on the Big Island (Waimea) has damn good pizza. The Isola Grande is brazed pork belly, onion and fresh pineapple. It was really good.
WillieThom
08-23-22, 14:51
When I was younger we went on one of our Disney World trips. Funnily enough, it was our last one, now that I think about it. Anyway, my brother and I had a room and our parents had a room. One night, my brother and I ordered room service. I just got a plain cheese pizza. Today, 20+ years later, when I have these discussions, I always mention that pie. No, it wasn’t really the best I’ve ever had. But I remember it as such for reasons unknown.
As far as the best pizza you guys are way off. It’s got to be Hawaii, that’s where the freshest pineapple is.
Well, now it's the flame war I expected when this thread initially started.
I can't fully disagree, but I don't remember any places using a good garlic white sauce to properly take advantage of what they had access to.
Diamondback
08-23-22, 16:01
My favorite homemade was Sicilian seasoned olives and German hard salami from the local Kraut deli. The latter jumping to almost twenty bucks a pound put a stop to that...
Modern Apizza New Haven, CT. is the best pizza I've ever had.
Modern Apizza New Haven, CT. is the best pizza I've ever had.
When in CT you should have also tried Zuppardi’s in West Haven or Roseland in Derby
My favorite homemade was Sicilian seasoned olives and German hard salami from the local Kraut deli. The latter jumping to almost twenty bucks a pound put a stop to that...
What's funny is one of the best tasting Italian pizza's I've ever had was in Munich, Germany. That was surprising. There are pizza places everywhere on Europe but didn't expect anything exceptional.
For almost two years my small town here in Iowa had a wonderful Italian place with legit NYC style pizza, the owners were from Kosovo.
I don't remember any places using a good garlic white sauce to properly take advantage of what they had access to.
It’s a shame more places don’t. Not everything pairs well with tomato sauce.
1) Garlic white sauce
2)Jalapeño and or habanero pair with pineapple. Some crushed red pepper at least, baked in preferably.
3)Ditch the Canadian reject ham, go with pepperoni.
I’m going to call this the Johnston Atoll, kinda close to Hawaii but not at all the same thing.
Or, if you can’t be seen in public with fruit on your pizza: Get a pepperoni pizza on garlic white sauce and put habanero pineapple hot sauce on it.
just a scout
08-24-22, 15:11
First, Chicago does New York style pizza better than New York does.
Second, Lou Malnati’s. Nothing else needs to be said. Pizza is a religion in Chicago and Lou’s is our Mecca. (The original in Lincolnwood). All the rest of your pizzas are nothing more than poor, failed imitations of perfection already realized.
And anyone who puts pineapple on pizza is a war criminal and probably abused small animals as a child.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
First, Chicago does New York style pizza better than New York does.
Second, Lou Malnati’s. Nothing else needs to be said. Pizza is a religion in Chicago and Lou’s is our Mecca. (The original in Lincolnwood). All the rest of your pizzas are nothing more than poor, failed imitations of perfection already realized.
And anyone who puts pineapple on pizza is a war criminal and probably abused small animals as a child.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Malnati's is excellent pizza, but I also really enjoy Giordano's.
Agree with the pineapple stuff, might as well at at California Pizza Kitchen. Some of them taste good, but it really isn't pizza anymore.
Also remember the first coal fire pizza's I ever had. Completely changes the flavor of pepperoni and everything else. Can't be described if you never had one, I didn't think it was possible for pepperoni pizza to get better until I had a coal fire version. Some people don't like them because the edges of the crust get a little burnt, but it makes for a damn good thin and crispy.
When in CT you should have also tried Zuppardi’s in West Haven or Roseland in Derby
Thanks. Bookmarked in case I'm ever back to New England.
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