Best Pizza?

ouch · Dec 7, 2008

DaveAri said:
I am going tonight. I'm paying off an election bet. I lost and dinner at L&B Spumoni Gardens is her choice for the payout.

Spumoni Gardens is a classic. The pizza is atypical (escpecially the sicilian) but it's really good. I used to love going there on warm summer evenings for a slice and a spumoni, and to watch the tough, attractive, and breathtakingly unintelligent local ladies.

ravkesef · Dec 7, 2008

kongjie said:
Sally's or Pepe's in Little Italy @ New Haven CT. Of course you'll be eating apizza, not that weird pizza stuff. If you don't want to deal with the crowds and parking, try Modern Apizza up on State St.

Interestingly enough, having traveled a bit, I've eaten at a lot of the places mentioned in this thread, and agree that they're all good. However, we Connecticut residents believe that we have the best pizza available, and the three mentioned by Kongjie are the big three in this area. Whenever the Clinton's come to town, they always head first for Pepe's. There's always a line up (though not for them,) and the selection is limited. They offer pizza with a small number of toppings, beer and soft drinks, and that's about it. The menu is on the wall, the place is bare bones--you eat, and then get out, because there are always others on line waiting to get in. He has a coal-fired brick oven that is a classic to behold, as the chefs continually move the pizzas around the oven on astonishingly long-handled peels. The pizza, when it comes, is perfection itself. Of course, aficionados of Sally's will argue that theirs is the best, and it's really a toss-up. Modern, just a couple of blocks away has a full menu--you can get grinders, calzones, and a variety of other things. Usually not too long a lineup, but that doesn't mean that the food isn't great--just different. We had a pizza hut open up in our little town, Cheshire, about 20 minutes from New Haven, but it soon went bust. no wonder, when the pizza to be had around these parts is so truly magnificent. Two blocks from our house is Rosini's pizza--not as classically outstanding as the Big Three, but that's only by comparison, because it is truly great pizza, and probably better than what's available as most pizza palaces around the country.

Now the other side of the coin: who has the worst pizza. My son, a student at UBC Vancouver tells me that in this town of first-rate restaurants, the pizza is absolutely awful.

kongjie · Dec 7, 2008

ravkesef said:
However, we Connecticut residents believe that we have the best pizza available, and the three mentioned by Kongjie are the big three in this area.

Gosh I miss them. Out here I've found a few decent pies but they don't measure up to the the New Haven 3. Plus there's a halfway decent university there, too.

Anyway, over here on the Peninsula, check out Speederia Pizzaria in San Carlos (mostly to go), Pizza Antica (pricey but tasty small pies at Santana Row, across from the Winchester Mystery House) and believe it or not, an homage to New Haven apizza in Sonoma of all places, The Red Grape Pizzaria.

ravkesef · Dec 7, 2008

kongjie said:
Gosh I miss them. Out here I've found a few decent pies but they don't measure up to the the New Haven 3. Plus there's a halfway decent university there, too.

Anyway, over here on the Peninsula, check out Speederia Pizzaria in San Carlos (mostly to go), Pizza Antica (pricey but tasty small pies at Santana Row, across from the Winchester Mystery House) and believe it or not, an homage to New Haven apizza in Sonoma of all places, The Red Grape Pizzaria.

New Haven pizza in Sonoma--will wonders never cease????

David in Boston · Dec 7, 2008

expatCanuck said:
the Upper Crust in Boston makes a fine pie.

Was in Harvard Square tonight and had two slices at their Cambridge location. Not bad pizza. :001_smile

Then I went to see the new James Bond movie with the "worse movie title in history". Wish I could say something nice about the movie.

Still Daniel Craig is a great actor.

David

big1096 · Dec 8, 2008

AACJ said:
Ouch! That hurt!

I lived in Elkridge so I know what you are talking about.

Have you ever had crabs from Costas Inn there in Dundalk? Not bad, but I prefer the ones from Scooters in Elkridge.

Just a little ribbing for my friends in the lower Baltimore County area!

I have had crabs at Costas, and they were good. My go to place now is Lady Frances, also in Essex. (I'm noticing a pattern...I need to get out more!) I've never been to Scooters...

ouch · Dec 8, 2008

You'll note that there has been surprisingly little backtalk from NY'ers in regards to comments about their pizza, mostly due to the fact that

we don't care what you think.

Having said that, I can attest to the fact that despite the proliferation of quasi high end, "artisanal" pizzerias (goat cheese and pineapple, anyone?) the state of the field has been in decline for quite some time. There was a time when you could wander into virtually any shop and be assured of a reasonably good to excellent slice. Now you may have to do some research, which I find insulting to my NY sensibilities.

What made NY the mecca for pizza wasn't shops with hundred year old, coal burning ovens, fresh mozzerella (I know a guy who will, in an amazing display of Pavlovian response, unconsciously smack you if you pronounce it anything other than mutz-ah'RELL), or wacky toppings, it was the little hole in the wall run by the stereotypical, off the boat proprietor who knew how to do it right.

Those are the places I miss.

Confuzius · Dec 8, 2008

Some of the worst pizza I've ever had was in Northern Italy. I was dissapointed, but I hear it's better in the south.

The best? We've got some great $0.99 pizza places in Montreal, but the best is still my dad's home made creations, not too shabby for an irishman.

SRock · Dec 8, 2008

Confuzius said:
Some of the worst pizza I've ever had was in Northern Italy. I was dissapointed, but I hear it's better in the south.

The best? We've got some great $0.99 pizza places in Montreal, but the best is still my dad's home made creations, not too shabby for an irishman.

I've been all over Italy (North, Central, South, and Sicily) and never had a good pie. However, what most of North America considers Pizza barely resembles what is called Pizza in Italy.

Also, I've had pies all over NY and while some where good, they weren't anything to write home about.

I'll also tell you this, don't buy a Pizza in Japan, way overpriced and typically not that good.

Wishoot · Dec 8, 2008

SlagleRock said:
I've been all over Italy (North, Central, South, and Sicily) and never had a good pie. However, what most of North America considers Pizza barely resembles what is called Pizza in Italy.

Also, I've had pies all over NY and while some where good, they weren't anything to write home about.

I'll also tell you this, don't buy a Pizza in Japan, way overpriced and typically not that good.

Italy's idea of pizza is 180 degreees of our pizza. I found pizza in Italy very thin, dry, devoid of toppings and devoid of flavor. HOWEVER, the rest of the food in Italy is absolutly outstanding. The best I've ever had.

SRock · Dec 8, 2008

Wishoot said:
Italy's idea of pizza is 180 degreees of our pizza. I found pizza in Italy very thin, dry, devoid of toppings and devoid of flavor. HOWEVER, the rest of the food in Italy is absolutly outstanding. The best I've ever had.

I agree!!

Confuzius · Dec 8, 2008

Wishoot said:
Italy's idea of pizza is 180 degreees of our pizza. I found pizza in Italy very thin, dry, devoid of toppings and devoid of flavor. HOWEVER, the rest of the food in Italy is absolutly outstanding. The best I've ever had.

Very true.

ex-bugonaut · Dec 8, 2008

Wishoot said:
I live in the Milwaukee area. We know how to do beer, bratwurst and cheese better than anyone, but we are lacking in the pizza department.

QUOTE]

The Silo in Lake Bluff, IL (part of the no mans land between Milwaukee & Chicago) had excellent pizza when I went there years ago. Why not give it a try & let us know if its still any good?

ratcheer · Dec 8, 2008

I live in a city where I don't find much excellent pizza. As said above, The Mellow Mushroom is pretty darned good, but I don't really find anything that comes near to being as good as the best pizza I found in the 70's and 80's.

Tim

OldSaw · Dec 8, 2008

I gotta add one more. Chef Charle's in Elk Rapids, Michigan makes a great pizza. My wife and I usually make a special stop there when we go to Traverse City.

kongjie · Dec 8, 2008

ouch said:
(I know a guy who will, in an amazing display of Pavlovian response, unconsciously smack you if you pronounce it anything other than mutz-ah'RELL)

My mother drops the end vowels on mozzarella, prosciutto, scungilli, etc. Discussion of this phenomenon here.

Lucius · Dec 9, 2008

Mottern Man said:
In DC, Papa Johns........... that is correct, I can't find nothing here. There is a run down joint outside of Andrews (not Jiffys or Jerrys) I can't remember the name but it was good way overpriced though.

Local DC chains that are pretty good are Armand's and Ledo. Ledo is not the best pizza ever but it is very good, imo and my preferred choice in the area.

urr-lord · Dec 9, 2008

2 local place's in milledgeville ga--Deano's good but a little high,the Brick a pretty good pizza though i prefer the calzone's.

Wishoot · Dec 9, 2008

OldSaw said:
I gotta add one more. Chef Charle's in Elk Rapids, Michigan makes a great pizza. My wife and I usually make a special stop there when we go to Traverse City.

You kidding me? I practically grew up in Charlivoix and I never heard about this place. How did I miss it?

uberlegit · Dec 9, 2008

kongjie said:
My mother drops the end vowels on mozzarella, prosciutto, scungilli, etc. Discussion of this phenomenon here.

Good read, thanks for the link. I usually pronounce the end vowels, I find the people that drop them feel like they have something to prove -- at least in Maine...

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Best Pizza?

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