The Best Pizza You Ever Ate!

Let's be positive. My pizza experience goes back 45 years when I worked for Chuck Martin's Pizza in Speedway, IN. I learned from a man devoted to making the best pizza possible. He spent all day preparing his sausage and crust. I know he used the best ingredients available. I learned to appreciate good pizza. He opened for takeout at 5:00 PM every day.

Fast forward to now. I was asked to check out a pizza in Minneapolis. The place was Cafe Bicko. We tried their combination special and I can say it was one of the best pizzas I have had in years. A little gem of a place, does no advertising, and if you drove by you would not know it was only a pizza place. Was it the best? Well it was the best in recent memory. So what is the best pizza you ever ate?

There used to be a great place in St. Paul about 20 years ago called Grandpa Tony's. Do you know if that's still around. They made an excellent pizza.

Best thin crust pizza-Zaffiros on the east side of Milwaukee.Best thicker crust-Pietros on the southeast side of Milwaukee....

The best pizza I have ever had was a bit off-putting to me at first. We were visiting our son and his wife in Olympia, WA, and we decided to have pizza. When it was brought home, I looked at it and said, "They can't sell pizza like that!" Turns out it was a Papa Murphy's pizza, and they build the pizza for you, but you take it home and bake it there. That was the best pizza I have ever eaten, and I would love to see a Papa Murphy's open down here in Arizona.

Jules--Jersey city NJ. Not thick, not thin. Crispy & sauce to die for!

Pepe's.

Lombardi's.

I have hit the trifecta here in this state. Pepe's (Both places), Sally's and Modern. I have yet to try Bar, on Crown St. which has received high marks. Another place that has been reviewed here was last nights destination, Roseland Apizza in Derby, CT. As I approached the driveway, my heart sank as I could see that it was closed.


====....."They can't sell pizza like that!" Turns out it was a Papa Murphy's pizza, and they build the pizza for you, but you take it home and bake it there. That was the best pizza I have ever eaten, and I would love to see a Papa Murphy's open down here in Arizona.====

I would get Papa Murphy's where I used to live out west. They were good in a way that was typical of pies west of the Mississippi, a bit thicker and more bread-like. My trick was to order a medium pizza but have it placed on a large baking circle. I would then stretch it out and create a thin crust pie. After it has cooked a while, I would transfer it from the cardboard circle and onto oven rack. This way, I have created a thin, crisp crust much like what is found out here in the east coast.

I have heard that the best pizza ever is usually the first one you ate...

mark

Charlie's Red Top in Norristown PA a local favorite since 1959

grimaldis , patsy"s or roseland

Oh, but I miss La Barbera's! It was located in West Los Angeles on Santa Monica Blvd. and made the best pizza ever! We'd order the pepperoni (more like salami, really ... moist) and garlic, and the heads would turn as it passed by other diners coming to us. I know people who'd order one to-go, pick it up, and eat it all in the car driving home.

The family lost their lease back in the 1980s, and decided to retire, rather than reopening elsewhere. The spot is now a mini-mall (what else?).

Any of the Italian restaurants on Fordham Road in the Bronx in the late 40's, early 50's.

John

Amato's Pizzeria, Lyons Avenue, Newark, New Jersey, 1964.
The Bear

Resevoir Tavern...Parsippany, NJ

De Fara's, Brooklyn NY
Totonno's, Brooklyn NY

Frank and Pat's in Green Bay

Aniello's Pizzeria in Corning, NY. Thin, crackling crust hot out of the oven, just enough sauce and cheese. I've never ordered toppings on this pizza joint's pie because the plain cheese is just that damn good. Well worth the hour drive from home.

Pizza Perfect, or Victory Pig in Wilkkes-Barre PA will both give you their best, by the cut, real sicilian pizza. De-frickin-licious.

Otherwise I suggest a pizza from Il Forno in Frederick MD.

Most of you may be to young to remember real Pizza. Back in the later part of the 1940, Gary, Indiana, the first place to make Pizza in the United States, per Collier's Mag. was FLAMINGO'S, on West 5th. Ave. near Adams St. This was PIZZA, none like it since.

Do you, anyone, remember this?

the orig lou malnatis in lincolnwood illinois

That's easy...........American Flatbread, Burlington, VT

Satellite Pizza, Bayport, Long Island.

The best place is J&S Pizza in Rosedale, Queens! It's sicilian: thick, hot, cheesy, and sliced suasage, not the kibbles and bits kind!

Jo-Jo's in Lyndhurst, NJ

Lido's Italian Food (open 50 years) in Lemon Grove, California and The Bronx Pizza in Hillcrest, San Diego. Obviously, I from San Diego!

Cafe Italiano's pizza in Birmingham, AL, mid '60s.

The first pizza I ever had... and the last one.

I even remember eating a great pizza at Pizza Inn back in the mid 60s, I swear!
Joe

Wow, is Pizza Inn still around? I remember Shakey's was my favorite growing up in Iowa. I still see them occasionaly in California.

Does anyone remember Happy Joe's ? There was one in Spencer, Iowa in the 70's, don't know if they were a big chain or just something in the Mid-West. Wonder if they still exist somewhere?

Oregano's here in Phoenix does an excellent deep dish Chicago Style pizza. Place is always on a wait.

quote:

Originally posted by sigmagrrl

The best place is J&S Pizza in Rosedale, Queens! It's sicilian: thick, hot, cheesy, and sliced suasage, not the kibbles and bits kind!

The kibble & bits thingie really rings true to my ears. Now I know how to describe how I DO NOT want my pizza topped. Thanks, sigmagrrl!

There used to be a place in Lexington, KY, called Lexitalia and they had excellent pizza, as well as other Italian dishes. The crust was chewy and just right and the sauce not too sweet nor too salty. The same with their spaghetti, which was to die for.
Other than that (and don't laugh) I have to say Mr. Gatti's because of fond childhood memories of going there with my friends.

Andrea

I agree, La Barbaras in Santa Monica was the best. Pepe's clam is 2nd

quote:

Originally posted by Polish guy

Most of you may be to young to remember real Pizza. Back in the later part of the 1940, Gary, Indiana, the first place to make Pizza in the United States, per Collier's Mag. was FLAMINGO'S, on West 5th. Ave. near Adams St. This was PIZZA, none like it since.

Do you, anyone, remember this?

You're joking, right? Lombardi's opened the first pizzeria the United States in 1905 in New York. Frank Pepe opened his pizzeria in New Haven in 1925.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Hoffman

quote:

Originally posted by Polish guy

Most of you may be to young to remember real Pizza. Back in the later part of the 1940, Gary, Indiana, the first place to make Pizza in the United States, per Collier's Mag. was FLAMINGO'S, on West 5th. Ave. near Adams St. This was PIZZA, none like it since.

Do you, anyone, remember this?

You're joking, right? Lombardi's opened the first pizzeria the United States in 1905 in New York. Frank Pepe opened his pizzeria in New Haven in 1925.

Maybe it's terminology. Apizza first maybe but not Pizza, which is not apizza (a-beets).

quote:

Originally posted by Gizmolito

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Hoffman

quote:

Originally posted by Polish guy

Most of you may be to young to remember real Pizza. Back in the later part of the 1940, Gary, Indiana, the first place to make Pizza in the United States, per Collier's Mag. was FLAMINGO'S, on West 5th. Ave. near Adams St. This was PIZZA, none like it since.

Do you, anyone, remember this?

You're joking, right? Lombardi's opened the first pizzeria the United States in 1905 in New York. Frank Pepe opened his pizzeria in New Haven in 1925.

Maybe it's terminology. Apizza first maybe but not Pizza, which is not apizza (a-beets).

Nope.

The best pizza I ever ate was in a Trattoria in Torino, Italy. After that it has to be Mons, Belgium, then there is a really good place in Valenciennes, France. On the East Coast, I'm sure the Pepe's beats everbody, just never made it there. So my East Coast fav is Santarpios. If you can get there without a chunk of concrete smashing you in the tunnel!

Street pizza in Italy is usually always very good, but I think it also has a lot to do with the surroundings. Did anyone else notice the further south you get in Italy, the thicker the pie?

In the restaurants and in private homes, a thin crust, wood fired pizza is more of an appetizer to a very large and drawn out meal, not the main course as it is almost always served here.

I imagine the "best pizza" depends where you live, were brought up, and what you were exposed to over your life. I can't think of just one place to nominate as the best, so I will mention several that I thought were great and have made a lasting impression on my taste buds out of maybe a thousand or more that I've tried, as pizza has been one of my favorite foods.

Candlelight (northside of Chicago) makes a great real thin-crust pizza. You have to ask for it extra well done to get the tastier crispy version.

Vito's (Mesa, AZ) - great thin crust pizza from a family that moved from Chicago to Arizona and set up their fantastic restaurant in Mesa about 20 years ago.

Ed & Joe's (Tinley Park, IL) is another great thin-crust pizza place that's been around a long time and finally got recognized in Best of CitySearch as one of the top 10 best pizzas in the Chicago area. I had been going there for years before I left the area.

Aurelio's (Naples, FL) - a family from south suburban Chicago got a franchise from the small Chicago Aurelio's group of pizza places and opened one of the best pizza places in Florida down in Naples, FL. On most occasions, it excels and is actually better than it's parent restaurants up north.

Home Run Inn (Chicago) - truly one of the best pizzas of all time and it just won the Number One best pizza award in several sources, including Best of Citysearch 2006 for the Chicago area (actually tied with Lou Malnati's Pizzeria).

Fricano's (Grand Haven, MI) - makes an outstanding ultra wafer thin crust pizza. At this location, you don't have to ask for it well done to get it crispy as it always comes crispy and very tasty. In the summer there are lines out the door and they have no air conditioning in their restaurant! Amazing and unique place.

Paul's (Clearwater, FL) - superb thin crust pizza with some great flavor and spices. Just visited there last night.

Vito & Nick's (Chicago) - considered by Chicago "south siders" to be the King of thin crust pizzas. And it is fabulous.

Barnaby's (South Bend, IN) - don't laugh, this Barnaby's makes one of the best, flavorful thin crust pizzas in Indiana and is very popular with Notre Dame fans.

Lou Malnati's (Chicago) - The original one in Lincolnwood, IL makes the best deep dish pizzas in the world. Their other locations, though, are inconsistent and "hit and miss," especially their Wells St. location.

Charlie & Millie's (Seminole, FL) - a little dive with a handful of tables that makes an excellent thin crust pizza. Ask for it well done to assure crispiness.

Pizzeria Due's (and Uno's in Chicago) -- was one of the great deep dish pizzas ever, but that was back in the "good ole days." It's very different today, unfortunately.

Fox's Restaurant (Oak Lawn & Beverly, IL) -- one of the greatest thin crust pizzas I have ever had. It has a kind of Anise spice flavor to the pizza that makes it's taste extra unique.

Louisa's (Crestwood, IL) - fantastic pan pizza from a former cook at Pizzeria Due's. She quit her cooking job and opened her own restaurant about 15 years ago and it has been a phenomenal success ever since.

I'm sure that I missed some other good ones, but there's always another day.

The Colony Grill and Modern Apizza in Connecticut (both are great, but different from each other).

Mike's Restaurant, Fairhaven, MA.

The Nest, in Mattapoisett, MA, used to serve great pizza, but they're long gone. And I do mean long.

Back about 14 years ago, when my family was just me, my husband and a 1-year-old, we took a trip to San Francisco. We stayed in a motel in Pacific Heights, and the first or second night there we ordered a pizza from a nearby place we found listed in the phone book. My husband went to pick it up, and when he got back and told me how much it cost, I was horrified. (Can't remember what the price was now). But one bite told us it was worth every penny. It was HUGE, for one thing, but just as delicious as it was big. Can't for the life of me remember the name of the place, but I do remember the pizza.

Pepe's is probably up there on my list too, but I've only been once, and it was so long ago I don't remember it.

Sylvia's Pizza in Allen Park, Michigan

Pepe's = 1st, Modern Apizza= 2nd - both in New Haven

the now defunct Valentino's Pizza, in Reedley, CA. I can still remember the smell when you'd walk in.. it hit you square in the nose... red sauce, peppers, sausage...ahhhhh... it had a medium thick crust, hand sliced mozzarella, the bottom charred properly..I've never had a pizza that was its equal since.. you can't find pizza like that here in Fresno.

Last April, I ate at Sally's Apizza and Pepe's in New Haven on back to back nights and there is no doubt they were the two best pizzas I have ever tried. I did like the sauce at Sally's a little better, so I would name that as my #1. One caveat.....Pepe's didn't have the white clam pizza that night so I will have to go back one night when they do.

Both going back a number of years----

Charlie's, a tavern north of downtown in Little Falls, MN (late 1980's early 1990's).

Pirro's in Ithaca, NY, this during my career at Cornell in the late 1960's.

And, while no one asked about the worst, any pizza made by any Dominos store during the past 5 years.

Wally
Plattsburgh, NY and Cornell '67

No contest, the best pizza I ever had is a shrimp and clam from DiCiccos, in Fresno CA. And, of the DicCiccos branches, the one on Clovis Avenue in Old Town serves the best shrimp and clam pizza; they use whole belly clams there (although I'm afraid they might be canned).

Only thing is, you have to be careful not to fill up on the fresh bread before your pizza arrives.

Curve Inn Pizza, Bass Lake IN, early '70s, best I've ever had. Crust so thin you could barely pick it up, may as well have been tissue paper.

Has anyone ever had Pete & Elda's in Neptune NJ? Really great with a super thin crust.

The thought of Coccia House in Wooster, OH, makes my mouth water. There's nothing like it! Half-bakes get carted all over the U.S for those of us who only make it back at Christmas.

My favorite is Soho Pizza in the Old City section of Philadelphia.

There is no better pizza in the world as DellaSalla's in Verona, PA. I've even had it overnighted to Florida!

The best was at The Gondola (gone for many years) in Charlotte NC
the next best probably at The Open Kitchen in Charlotte NC

quote:

Originally posted by doggydaddy



I have hit the trifecta here in this state. Pepe's (Both places), Sally's and Modern. I have yet to try Bar, on Crown St. which has received high marks. Another place that has been reviewed here was last nights destination, Roseland Apizza in Derby, CT. As I approached the driveway, my heart sank as I could see that it was closed.


====....."They can't sell pizza like that!" Turns out it was a Papa Murphy's pizza, and they build the pizza for you, but you take it home and bake it there. That was the best pizza I have ever eaten, and I would love to see a Papa Murphy's open down here in Arizona.====

I would get Papa Murphy's where I used to live out west. They were good in a way that was typical of pies west of the Mississippi, a bit thicker and more bread-like. My trick was to order a medium pizza but have it placed on a large baking circle. I would then stretch it out and create a thin crust pie. After it has cooked a while, I would transfer it from the cardboard circle and onto oven rack. This way, I have created a thin, crisp crust much like what is found out here in the east coast.

I have heard that the best pizza ever is usually the first one you ate...

mark

la barberas... memories!...the best...even better than n.y.'s lombardis,grimaldis,john's, ray's,etc.it was on wilshire bl.

its no stranger to these boards...hands down best pizza anywhere is maruca's in seaside park nj ...thin but foldableb crust , swirls of tomato sauce and the best cheese...maruca's rules the world!!

Pepe's in New Haven, CT

I always thought I had eaten the best pizza in my life at the various "greatest pizza" places on Long Island and Brooklyn. Then, last year while in Italy, I was taken to an old pizza restaurant around the corner from the Panthenon in Rome. Mama mia! What pizza! The best I ever ate! The crust! The toppings!
The freshness! Mama mia! It's been a year and I'm still talking about it.

The first pizza you ever eat is the best pizza you will ever eat. We all come from different places and different experiences. The first pizza I ate was from Pontillo's Pizzaria in Dunkirk, New York. ( No where near the city). You could walk into the place and watch them make your pie, I was fascinated. The second best was a place where my (then) girlfriend parents owned. A place called Chimera's in Fredonia, NY, that has (still does) the best Italian food that I have ever had. (Sorry Mario).

The Salvation Army gave me the third best pizza I have ever had.

BB (Kevin)

#1 Frank Pepe's White Clam Pie
#2 Reservior Tavern-Parsippany NJ
#3 Alta Pizzeria-Hazleton PA
#4 Benny Tudino-Hoboken NJ
#5 Mac's on the Boardwalk in Wildwood NJ
#6 Villa Rosa-Newtown PA
#7 Tony's-Morris Plain's NJ

quote:

Originally posted by Fred Ferris

Resevoir Tavern...Parsippany, NJ

BAM! You're the first one here to acknowledge the greatness of this place. I sure do miss NJ food right now!

The Pizza Pub in Wisconsin Dells serves a nice thin crust pizza. Is it the best? Hard to say and extremely subjective, but when we eat there it's usually because we're there for a winter weekend getaway and I'm sure that's an enhancer.
http://www.pizzapub.com/index.htm

Brad

quote:

Originally posted by Davydd

Let's be positive. My pizza experience goes back 45 years when I worked for Chuck Martin's Pizza in Speedway, IN. I learned from a man devoted to making the best pizza possible. He spent all day preparing his sausage and crust. I know he used the best ingredients available. I learned to appreciate good pizza. He opened for takeout at 5:00 PM every day.

Fast forward to now. I was asked to check out a pizza in Minneapolis. The place was Cafe Bicko. We tried their combination special and I can say it was one of the best pizzas I have had in years. A little gem of a place, does no advertising, and if you drove by you would not know it was only a pizza place. Was it the best? Well it was the best in recent memory. So what is the best pizza you ever ate?

What is the best pizza in Indiana in your opinion? I like Bobe's Pizza Express in Washington, Indiana. If you ever go to Bobe's order a large Farouk (with everything). One of my favorite pies is Beggars Pizza in the south suburbs of Chicago. If you ever go to Beggars, make it simple -- thin crust sausage -- Mama Mia!