Favorite pizza places (past, present)

[jazzbo]

I'll list my two favorites: Giordano's in Chicago, and Conan's in Austin (I'm a deep dish guy!)

[J Larsen]

My neighborhood delivery place, Lombardi's, is pretty good.

Grimaldi's in Brooklyn (right over the bridge) is also very good.

John's on Bleecker is often very good.

This is somewhat controversial, but I also really like the Patsy's on the UES.

I haven't had pizza outside the city that compared to the best pizzas in NYC. I'm not saying it doesn't exist (in fact I bet it does), but I haven't had it.

[Free For All]

I'd have to second Lon's choices (wow, I'd forgotten about Conan's, I loved their pizza!). Lon, you do have good taste in.........well, good taste.

I also like Uno's (Chicago) and I don't think I've ever had a bad slice in NYC. There is an Uno's in KC (also Austin, I believe, in addition to others) but they're not as good as the Chicago original IMHO.

I haven't found any place in KC that I'm wild about, though I do like Waldo Pizza.

I make it at home quite often- I like to cook the crust a bit before putting the toppings on (to avoid soggy crust)- I also saute the veggies for a bit (for the same reason). I like sausage (or pepperoni), green pepper, onion and black olive. I also like the combination of canadian bacon and green olive. Not TOO much cheese.

Damn, now I'm hungry...... :rsmile:

[Dan Gould]

While I was at FSU, there was a place across from the dorm called The Pub. Perfect amount of garlic in the sauce made it an incredibly great pizza, and to top that off, they ran a coupon in the school paper, one topping large for $5. I knew people who used that coupon to make their food budget stretch the entire week.

[DukeCity]

We made a veggie pizza at home last night that was pretty damn tasty. But all-time has to be the stuffed spinach pizza from Giordano's in Chicago. Made even more satisfying as it gets delivered when it's 10 below outside (with a generous tip for the guy risking his life to bring it, of course).

[Aggie87]

My favorites overall were visiting the authentic mom & pop places that were neighborhood restaurants in Stuttgart. There are alot of Italian immigrants in Germany that brought the good stuff with them.

I had Pizzeria Due in Chicago years ago, and remember that being delicious. Didn't know there was an Pizzeria Uno in Austin, may have to check that out some time.

In college we had a couple of joints that were popular - The Flying Tomato, and Double Dave's. I think these are more nostalgic for me than they were good pizza. Double Dave's had a good selection of imported beer, and after you drank so many, you earned t-shirts, mugs, and your name on a plaque. I think mine's still up there, 20 odd years later.

[Noj]

BJ's in Burbank makes a mean pie. They're also a microbrewery.

[vibes]

I've been to Uno's in Chicago, and it was great, but I prefer Gino's East. That's the best pizza I've ever had, I think.

I've never tried the pizza in New York, but one day I will. My wife has heard so many good things about it that she wants to take a trip to NYC (she's never been) for the sole purpose of eating pizza.

[Stereojack]

Pizzeria Regina in Boston's North End. First went with my parents over 50 years ago, and have been hundreds of times since. Still the best!!

http://www.polcaris.com/pizzeriaregina.htm

[Alexander]

My favorite pizza will always be Bob and John's on Hertel Avenue in Buffalo, NY. It was the first place I was allowed to go to BY MYSELF when I was a kid. Me and my friends used to go there for lunch on Saturdays. We'd all share a basket of wings (they have GREAT Buffalo wings. No place outside of Buffalo seems to make them the right way) and each get a slice of pizza. They served Squirt (a grapefruit flavored soda (or "pop," as we called it in Western New York)) in little green bottles. Ahhhh. It was heaven. After lunch, me and my friends would hit the comic book shop (Fantasy World, right down the street) and then go to the North Park theater to see a movie. Ah, weekends when I was twelve...

[Alexander]

Pizzeria Regina in Boston's North End. First went with my parents over 50 years ago, and have been hundreds of times since. Still the best!!

http://www.polcaris.com/pizzeriaregina.htm

Never had the pizza there, but the Boston House of Pizza off of Comm Ave has AMAZING subs. Best subs I've EVER had, anywhere...

[Stereojack]

Never had the pizza there, but the Boston House of Pizza off of Comm Ave has AMAZING subs. Best subs I've EVER had, anywhere...

Stick to the subs.

[(BB)]

In the mid to late 80's Pagliacci Pizza in Seattle was a destination location for me. I have had it a few since to confirm that they are the benchmark I compare all other pies to.

Pizza My Heart in Santa Cruz, is also a great place, although the Palo Alto store for the same company has the much better name.

[Kalo]

Pizzeria Regina in Boston's North End. First went with my parents over 50 years ago, and have been hundreds of times since. Still the best!!

http://www.polcaris.com/pizzeriaregina.htm

What Jack said.

[NaturalSoul]

Adam's Pizza and wings which is a local spot. Also enjoy Grimaldis (only been the the Scottsdale location).

[GA Russell]

I like New York pizza. My favorite pizza growing up in New Orleans was a small restaurant called The Italian Villa.

The Board of Health closed them down. Considering the general incompetence of everything related to the New Orleans government in those days (the 60s, but I've no reason to think life is any different today), the kitchen must have been really filthy! Maybe it was the dirt that made the pizzas so delicious!

[catesta]

Sorry I don't share the same enthusiasm as some of you when it come to deep dish pizza.

I'm a purist and pizza was never meant to be made that way.

New York has many great pizza joints, here are a few favorites..

In Brooklyn....

DiFara (Avenue J, Midwood)

Totonno's (near Coney)

L&B (86th Street, Bensonhurst/Gravesend)

Grimaldi's (on Fulton)

Casa Calamari (Bath Ave)

Queens...

Nick's (Forest Hills)

New Park (Howard Beach)

Michelangelo’s Famous Thin Pizza (Astoria and Great Neck LI)

VI (Bayside)

Staten Island..

Joe and Pat's

[Unk]

I'm vegetarian, so I've no first-hand knowledge of pizza, though I certainly have had some fine times in pizza joints here and there. In the San Francisco area, it used to be Zachary's...before they went all chainy. Pizza Luce in Minneapolis. Joe's on Manhattan, not to mention Ray's and Ray's and Ray's and Ray's. Village in LA. Aldo's in Fresno. Nicntoni's in Phoenix/Gilbert. La Bella Vita in Brussels. Pizza Land in Muscat. Pizza 69 all over Iceland.

[rachel]

I haven't had pizza outside the city that compared to the best pizzas in NYC. I'm not saying it doesn't exist (in fact I bet it does), but I haven't had it.

I agree with that wholeheartedly. And like Catesta, I never got into the deep dish; only way to make pizza is New York style.

John's on Bleecker is often very good.

Sentimental favorite is Nicola's pizza in Rehoboth Beach Delaware, home of the famous Nic-a-boli (sausage, sweet peppers, and extra cheese... )

[sal]

My favorite Chicago pizza was Giordianos for a long time, but it has now been bumped down in favor of Lou Malnati's.

I love Chicago style stuffed/deep dish pizza, but I must admit I'm a sucker for the thin crust. I don't remember names, but I do know that the best pizza I've ever had has been in New York.

[BruceH]

Pizzeria Regina in Boston's North End. First went with my parents over 50 years ago, and have been hundreds of times since. Still the best!!

http://www.polcaris.com/pizzeriaregina.htm

What Jack said.

No argument here.

Edited July 8, 2007 by BruceH

[BruceH]

In the mid to late 80's Pagliacci Pizza in Seattle was a destination location for me. I have had it a few since to confirm that they are the benchmark I compare all other pies to.

Pizza My Heart in Santa Cruz, is also a great place, although the Palo Alto store for the same company has the much better name.

The late, lamented Pizza-A-GoGo on University Ave. in Palo Alto closed several years ago and was a replaced by a "Pizza My Heart"----may have been the same company, but the pizza formula was a little different. Too bad, because Pizza-A-GoGo was my kids' favorite pizza place without a doubt.

But we also dig Toto's in Millbrae, a great family place.

There was a pizza place in Portland, Oregon that was kind of a hole in the wall but had great pizza, but I'm blanking out on the name.

[Unk]

Quick pizza-related aside. My friends always used to send me out to pick up the pizza...after they learned a lesson. Before, they'd sent one of my friends, Pat (R.I.P. old friend). Well once, Pat came back, and the pizza looked a little funny. He had some story about it sliding around in the box and getting messed up. I counted up the slices; hmmm, an odd number. Seems that Pat used to snag a slice, then reconstruct the remainder on his way back to the flat. How long he pulled this off, we'll never know, but he always had seemed a little more than willing to make the trek. I, the non-pizza-eater, became the go-to guy.

[marcello]

Pizzeria Regina in Boston's North End. First went with my parents over 50 years ago, and have been hundreds of times since. Still the best!!

http://www.polcaris.com/pizzeriaregina.htm

What Jack said.

No argument here.

I fourth that!

Edited July 8, 2007 by marcello

[Eric]

If ya ever make it to Kansas:

http://www.wheatstatepizza.com/op.html