# Best. Pizza. Ever. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 30, 2004, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pizza-ever/237306 "2004-03-30T14:27:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2004, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pizza-ever/237306/21 "2004-03-31T11:14:56Z")
Best Pizza in Columbus, OH is at Hound Dogs. Right around High Street and Hudson. ---
**Author:** ![Who\_me\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/958977/32.png) [@Who\_me\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Who_me_1)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2004, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pizza-ever/237306/22 "2004-03-31T12:00:40Z")
> [@CandidGamera](#): > > Exsquisite thin-crust pizza, very crisp, cooked until the edges of the pepperoni curl and turn brown. Actually, sounds horrible to me… Chicago-style thick crust is what I prefer. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2004, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pizza-ever/237306/23 "2004-03-31T17:35:42Z")
If it’s got to be local chains, then I’m voting for [Austin Pizza Company](http://www.austinspizza.com/company.html). Why? They get the bread right. If you can do that, you’ve cracked the secret. ---
**Author:** ![MeanJoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanjoe/32/5693_2.png) [@MeanJoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanJoe)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2004, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pizza-ever/237306/24 "2004-03-31T20:57:44Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Best Pizza in Columbus, OH is at Hound Dogs. Right around High Street and Hudson. What “style” is that? Chicago? New York? Naples? I haven’t had it but gosh-darn-it if I must Fight Ignorance and go get me some pizza well, I’m willing to make the effort! MeanJoe ---
**Author:** ![jk1245](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/49beb7/32.png) [@jk1245](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jk1245)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2004, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pizza-ever/237306/25 "2004-03-31T21:16:35Z")
I was all set to nominate Glass Nickel for the Madison area, but **Picker** bet me to it. Guess I’ll second it. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2004, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pizza-ever/237306/26 "2004-03-31T21:42:38Z")
> [@winterhawk11](#): > > My favorite pizza in the San Jose, CA area can be found at a small chain that runs several restaurants with different names but the same wonderful pizza: The Garret in Campbell, Jake’s of Sunnyvale, Jake’s of Saratoga, Jake’s of Willow Glen, The Boardwalk in Los Altos, and The Oasis in Menlo Park. Generous toppings, great crust, and lots of cheese–fantastic pizza! > > Now I’m hungry… I’ve lived in the bay area all my life, and I gotta disagree. I think the best pizza around here is either Tony&Alba’s or Applewood in Menlo Park. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2004, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pizza-ever/237306/27 "2004-03-31T21:58:59Z")
Andy’s in Raleigh. It’s still good, even after Andy’s death and two fires. I remember when Andy died about ten years ago; the local paper ran a half page obituary for him. One local quipped that he now knew Heaven would have decent pizza. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2004, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pizza-ever/237306/28 "2004-04-01T00:16:10Z")
The best pizza this Florida boy has ever had was Lou Malnati’s in Chicago. Delicious, and so thick that even _I_ couldn’t finish it! But normally I love New York style, like the huge, thin, crispy, drippy slices you get from Cozzoli’s in mall food courts. ---
**Author:** ![Kakkerlak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bb73d2/32.png) [@Kakkerlak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kakkerlak)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2004, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pizza-ever/237306/29 "2004-04-01T08:20:25Z")
The Clover Leaf Tavern, Tacoma, WA. Crisp, greasy, cornmeal all over the bottom. The tomato/pepperoni is the best thing to happen to tomatoes since the invention of basil. ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2004, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pizza-ever/237306/30 "2004-04-01T11:50:08Z")
Chicago Thick - Lou Malnatti’s [http://www.loumalnatis.com/](http://www.loumalnatis.com/) Thin - Leona’s [http://www.digitalcity.com/chicago/entertainment/venue.adp?vid=61639](http://www.digitalcity.com/chicago/entertainment/venue.adp?vid=61639) ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2004, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pizza-ever/237306/31 "2004-04-01T15:37:57Z")
Some friends and I once got stranded for a week in Salida, a small town in Colorado. The only thing that made the slow time bearable, other than the good company of close friends, was the local pizzaria. It was called Il Viccino, but everyone in town called it “Al Pacino”. My friends and I had all lived in Rome for a semester, during which time we got hooked on pizza rustica – Italian style thin crust pizza. And that was exactly what Il Viccino served. Gormet pizza rustica from a stone oven. Heaven on earth. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2004, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pizza-ever/237306/32 "2004-04-01T16:06:37Z")
For those of you in Columbus: If you believe that crust’s purpose is merely to convey the toppings to your mouth in a somewhat orderly way, you have to try The Pink Cricket in Lancaster. An everything pizza there is about an inch tall, but only two millimeters of that is crust. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2004, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pizza-ever/237306/33 "2004-04-01T17:31:36Z")
> [@Tapioca Dextrin](#): > > If it’s got to be local chains… Do you mean to tell me that the best pizza you’ve had was from a non-local chain? ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2004, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pizza-ever/237306/34 "2004-04-01T23:11:36Z")
… and I brought back Massey’s Pizzas …but you can’t have them, they’re mine! Mine, I say! Ahem. Well, I’m getting lots of lovely suggestions of places to try if I ever find myself travelling through any of these towns… though any suggestions for the Columbus area are next to useless, since the only reason I wouldn’t get Massey’s there is if I were out of their delivery area and couldn’t go pick it up. 😉 Though I do mean to try Donato’s once. Had a lovely time at the concert, maybe I should open a thread about it… ---
**Author:** ![Mithril](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mithril/32/3517_2.png) [@Mithril](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mithril)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2004, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pizza-ever/237306/35 "2004-04-01T23:55:27Z")
> [@buttonjockey308](#): > > Pie in the Skys’ brick oven pizza, namely the goat cheese/artichoke/portabello/alfredo is so damn tasty, i’d put it on a calendar. Ooh, I’ve been there! It’s fantastic! Mmmm, fancy pizza. ---
**Author:** ![benlormat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d26b3c/32.png) [@benlormat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/benlormat)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pizza-ever/237306/36 "2004-04-02T05:20:38Z")
Only a heretic would think that a chain could make the best pizza. Unless things have changed dramatically (I haven’t been in NJ for several years) the best pizza, bar none, was made by Angelo’s in Fords, NJ. Until my best friend moved to Florida, he would send me pies via UPS next day air. Angelo’s alone makes up for any shortcoming the rest of the world feels New Jersey has. ---
**Author:** ![porcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac91a4/32.png) [@porcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porcupine)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pizza-ever/237306/37 "2004-04-02T05:41:31Z")
Even though I’m from Chicago, Chicago-style pizza is not my favorite. My absolute favorite of all time is [Aurelio’s](http://www.aureliospizza.com/index.htm) - mostly in the south Chicago suburbs, but also in the city proper now, and in some west and northwest cities. Thin, crunchy crust, but not too thin, with a slightly sweet sauce. Sausage to die for. When I was in college, my best buddy worked in one, and when he made 'em for me, they were extra good. ---
**Author:** ![Sengkelat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Sengkelat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sengkelat)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pizza-ever/237306/38 "2004-04-02T07:12:04Z")
I’m amazed none of the Bay Area folk has mentioned Zachary’s Pizza. One in Berkeley, one in Oakland. They make Chicago style; starting from the bottom it’s crust, toppings, cheese, more crust, and a fantastic stewed tomato sauce on top. (they also make a thin-crust version which I’ve never bothered to try) It’s a true pizza pie, about 2" thick, and one slice is a meal unto itself. MaxTheVool, I’ve had Tony&Alba’s many times, and it’s really inconsistent. It’s often not so good. For thin crust I prefer Giovanni’s, off Lawrence near 101. Pizza My Heart is also quite good, if you want your pizza as flat as physically possible. ---
**Author:** ![Tentacle\_Monster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba9def/32.png) [@Tentacle\_Monster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tentacle_Monster)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pizza-ever/237306/39 "2004-04-02T07:24:46Z")
> [@CandidGamera](#): > > …cooked until the edges of the pepperoni curl and turn brown. Unless all the cheese on the pizza is burnt, I doubt that’s the case. More likely: They take the pepperoni and toss it into a skillet, and fry the grease out of it until the pepperoni is brown and curly. Exquisite! ---
**Author:** ![Thaumaturge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/858c86/32.png) [@Thaumaturge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thaumaturge)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pizza-ever/237306/40 "2004-04-02T07:30:20Z")
> [@benlormat](#): > > Only a heretic would think that a chain could make the best pizza. Unless things have changed dramatically (I haven’t been in NJ for several years) the best pizza, bar none, was made by Angelo’s in Fords, NJ. Until my best friend moved to Florida, he would send me pies via UPS next day air. Angelo’s alone makes up for any shortcoming the rest of the world feels New Jersey has. Hmm, I’ll be there on Sunday…have to check it out. Out here where I live, Amici’s pizza is the closest thing I’ve found to authentic east coast pizza. Nice thin crust, lots of grease, and they get the cheese just right. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pizza-ever/237306.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pizza-ever/237306.md?page=3)