Sunday Funday: Pizza Edition

While Philly may be known for its cheesesteaks, most people have already decided on their favorite place. (For me, it’s Pat’s.) But where to find go-to pizza? After sifting through lots of neighborhoods, here is a guide to help you decide on where to get phenomenal pies in Philadelphia.

First, educate yourself!  This post was originally inspired by the new Pizza Brain museum in Fishtown (2313 Frankford Avenue).   There’s not many cooler things in Philly than the world’s first museum dedicated to the art of pizza. Oh, did I mention it also doubles as a BYOB pizzeria! Their pizzas include the freshest, local ingredients – including a special called Taylor Figbottom, which features bechamel base, spicy fig jam, jalapeno relish, Maytag bleu cheese, and roasted walnut.  No lie, it’s the best combination of sweet, spicy, salty, and wonderful. To top that, Little Baby’s Ice Cream parlor is next door and features a Pizza flavored ice cream, which resembles a rich and creamy margherita.

When it comes to pizza, I’ll admit that I’m not exactly hard to satisfy, but it makes the delicious, flavorful pizzas just THAT much better.  And that’s what you’ll find at Tacconelli’s BYOB in Port Richmond/Kensington.  In fact, this establishment has become so popular that you have to call ahead to reserve your pizza dough. (215.425.4983 – you’re welcome.) When they make the crust perfectly, it’s crisp on the outside with a little bit of chew and loaded with garlicky, herb flavor. Like me, they believe in keeping things simple and recommend no more than 3 toppings on their pies. My favorite: prosciutto and onions on a Marinara pie. P.S. Cash only.

If you haven’t gone outside in a while you may not have noticed the rise in the food truck trend.  Well, that will all change once you find the wood-fired pizza at Pitruco, which beats out many of its traditional brick-and-mortar competitors. They’re serving made-to-order personal pizzas in some traditional ways (Margherita) and some with a twist (Sausage: meatballs with bechamel, Radicchio: braised with mushrooms and balsamic). On Tuesdays and Thursdays, you can find them on Drexel University’s main campus for lunch. For dinner, you can catch them Thursdays in Bella Vista until 8PM. Recommendation: Spicy garlic with pecorino.

Yes, eating pizza in front of your TV on your couch is a fantastic pasttime, but sometimes pizza deserves to be upscale. No one does that better than Osteria.  That’s no surprise considering it’s owned by Marc Vetri, Philadelpha’s resident top Italian chef.  Try their house special, the Lombarda pizza with house-made sausage and a baked egg on top. And when in Rome, indulge in their extensive wine, beer, and cocktail list – presented to you in a high-tech iPad. (Though speaking of upscale pizza, shout out to Zavino for their Polpenttini with ricotta-stuffed veal meatballs.)

For decades, Lorenzo & Sons has been a landmark on South Street, where you can always count to see its lights on. Here, size matters. Whether you’re a local or a tourist, giant slices of greasy pizza for $3 never seem to disappoint. For that, they get an honorable mention.  Plus, for me Lorenzo’s brings back many great night memories for my friends & I.  I’m sure I’m not the only one.  However, you’re going to have to wait to get a Lorenzo’s slice because sadly the restaurant went up in flames this past June. Luckily, they are not deterred, as the owner promises to rebuild.

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