Pittsburgh Pizza Update 4-28: Andrew W.K. Pizza Party, Pizza Festival, and a Pizza Taglio Writeup

Welcome to week of Pizza Walk With Me’s Pittsburgh Pizza Update! That’s a heck of a title! Because the pizza scene is flourishing in Pittsburgh, a title with gravitas is more than necessary. 

Before we begin I really want to thank the folks over at /r/Pittsburgh! I posted my pizza update there (and I’ll continue to post them there!) which resulted in over 200 comments and some great discussions. While most people just listed a number of great pizza places, there was one point I wanted to dwell on for a moment. 

Sybertron writes:

I think some of it is the morbid overrating of some very popular places. Leading to “Lets get Mineos! It is the best Pizza in town!”
And then the out of towner tries it, is rightfully “that’s the best?” and then disdains all pizza here by default.

And this is something I’ve experienced more often than I care to admit. I’ve had pals in from all sorts of cities. Invevitably, when they land they say, “Hey Dan, you have a pizza blog, how about we get some great pizza?” Then, like a chump, I babble on and on about how the Pittsburgh pizza foundation is thick and rich with history and oozing with greatness. Then we go to Mineo’s and they nearly choke on the cheese and grease and they leave non-plussed, never to visit again.

There’s an epidemic in Pittsburgh where we are swelling with pride that we hyperbolize a lot of our traditions. To outsiders it makes us look crazy and delusional. 

In the future, as a Pittsburgh pizza ambassador, try taking a visitor to a new pizza place that’s pushing the pizza envelope. Not a pizza place that hasn’t changed in forty years.  If you want to impress people you don’t show them that old antique pizza you have, you show them that you’re on the cutting edge and capable of evolving the pizza craft.

Pittsburgh Pizza News!

Pizza Taglio Write Up

I visited Pizza Taglio in East Liberty and was inspired to write about my experience. It was magical and I think you all need to go there immediately and do not leave until you’re filled to the brim. 

It combines artisan with comfort in a unique way—it’ll reward the adventurous and satisfy the careful.

The Steel City PizzaFest Puts on a Pittsburgh Pizza Festival

On May 9th, in Arsenal Park in Lawrenceville, Second Shift Crafters and The Steel City PizzaFest are partnering to put on a music/pizza festival called “Spring it On!”. According to the press release, this is the first free music and pizza festival—not that I know of any music and pizza festivals that cost money.

It sounds like the place to be as there will be a Ms. PizzaBurgh competition, dough throwers, and a people’s choice for best pizza. You’ll be able to vote and sample pizza from the following vendors:

Spak Bros, Pizza Parma, Calente, Angelo’s, Grazziano’s, Pessaro’s, Hambones, and Cattivo.

The dark horse in this list is Cattivo. I’ve had the pizza there many times and I’m confident it’ll blow you away.  

Leading this initiative is none other is Michael Devine, aka DJ Zombo. Pretty rad. There’s more information about the pizza festival right here!

Andrew W.K Throwing a Pizza-Party Concert

Andrew W.K. (who is a huge Spak Brothers fan and has sent them a number of certificates for being awesome) is performing at the Roboto Project in Lawrenceville on June 7th,  where he will also be throwing a pizza party. 

Andrew W.K. is not shy about his opinions on pizza or parties, unfortunately the show is sold out. Maybe you can wait out back and eat some of the crusts that Andrew W.K. didn’t eat? Which is crazy to type, because he is definitely eating every inch of pizza. 

Just read his advice column where he counsels a young, pizza-addled individual.

Please Cheer for Pizza Dan at the Pittsburgh Marathon

I’ll be running the half-marathon this Sunday! This is my bib from 2013 where I ran the entire marathon. I was quite tired, but the one thing that kept me going was the entire city cheering “Come on Pizza Dan!” 

Make a difference this weekend - get out of your house and cheer on some runners. 

Here’s a Dog Holding a Slice of Pizza

Alright! That’s a wrap for this week’s Pittsburgh Pizza Update. I’m working on some interviews, videos, and more which I’ll sprinkle into the website in the coming days. A company in Chicago sent me some pizzas to review, so you can expect that soon. If you like what you read tell your friend! Tell your favorite message board! Tell a pizza shop! Or sign up for my pizza newsletter!

Friday night pizzas have arrived

My Friday night pizzas have arrived.

Pizza Taglio: Bringing Roman Style Pizza to Pittsburgh

Tony is the guy that brought his pizza to Espresso a Mano. It was a caffeinated testing ground to see if Pittsburgh was ready for an evolution in the pizza species. 

He’d deliver the pizzas around noon. Then, the pillowy soft pizza, that was perfect for bravely dipping into espresso or resting your weary head, would vanish. Look at that thing!

The patrons couldn’t resist it. Tony took it as a sign to open a pizza shop in East Liberty. And that’s how we get to Pizza Taglio.

Now this is a pizza place. It’s a long area, simple and open so Tony can greet every single person as he makes pizza. Tony is stationed in the middle of the restaurant surrounded by stacks of dough, ingredients within an arms reach and ovens to his back. 

If there was a pizza purgatory where you were sentenced to make pizzas for eternity, I imagine it would looks like this. For Tony this is heaven.  At least, I’m assuming Tony, who quit his life as a lawyer to make pizzas full-time, would consider this heaven. 

This was my view all night. I took a seat nearest to Tony so I could keep a close eye on him. I wanted to study this guy who dared bring an evolution of pizza to Pittsburgh. And in return he yelled pizza facts at me all night.

I’m reading the menu when he shouts over the glass “I finally found a cheese for the margherita pizza that I like.” Two things here before we move on.

1. I wasn’t aware Tony was on this journey. Why not just use buffalo mozzarella from Italy like everyone else?

2. That is his ice breaker? He must kill at parties because who doesn’t love to talk about exotic cheeses.

Tony continued,“Yeah, you’ll never guess the country.”

“Hmmm…not Italy?”

“Colombia!! Can you believe it? They ship the buffaloes over there and raise them in Colombia. It’s incredible!”

Tony was incredibly excited. I think he actually couldn’t stop talking about this cheese. He was thrilled beyond belief and had to tell someone. I doubt I’m the first to hear about Tony’s secret Colombian-Buffalo Cheese. 

But that’s the passion and attention to detail Tony brings to his craft. Every pizza, every topping, every piece of flour has a story.  There’s only eight pizzas on the menu and each one is carefully constructed. You can pay for extras, but why would you? That’d be like paying an artist to draw over the hair on the Mona Lisa with a half-empty highlighter that happened to be sitting in the gallery.

I chose the Greenpointer. This pizza is inspired by a pizza place in Brooklyn and, I think, built for those that crazy artistry paired with comfort. This pizza is covered in honey and soppresota.

I ordered the Greenpointer and Tony shouted over the glass if I wanted it round or square - what a question! 

I asked Tony what he thought and he paused, then said, “Round would be great.” But I must have subconsciously reacted, or Tony saw something on my face that only a lawyer would be trained to see. 

He stammered, his hands flopping dough back and forth into a pie, “Well the square would be great, too. It would work with the sauce and the cheese. Either way, I guess you could do it either way.”

I went with round. Did it make a huge difference? Did he serve me an illegal pizza? I was puzzled, but incredibly delighted.

Halfway through my Greenpointer Tony brought out a square cauliflower pizza. Before the plate could touch the table, Tony started to confess to me. He confessed how the dough is going to rise longer. And how he didn’t get a chance to check the bubble structure. I told him I’d be more than happy to check the bubble structure and that the pizza looked amazing. Should I have told him I wasn’t wearing a pizza wire?

So here’s the cauliflower pizza.

Check out that bubble structure!

This cauliflower pizza was oddly decadent. There was nothing sweet on it, but it was creamy and savory and a blast to eat. Each bite unleashed a hint of smokiness, like it was cooked atop some hickory wood chips. It had an after taste of summer camp, like you were eating a creamy, slightly charred marshmallow that your summer crush roasted for you. 

Delightful and comforting.

But here’s a kicker. On the table before me I had what most people would consider two pizzas. They have a lot in common (cheese, sauce, bread), yet these two beings could not taste anymore different. Side-by-side they seemed alien. Like one was the missing link from pizza history and the other a modern, nimble, evolution of pizza.

Bouncing between the two pizzas was like skipping back and forth between planets or traveling across time. They in no way had a single flavor in common yet they share similar DNA. 

It’s simply pizza wizardry. That’s the only explanation.

I’m about to leave when he looks up and asks me if I’ll try his pizza carbonara. I’m meeting my fiancé up the street, I’m already incredibly late. “You have to try it,” he says. It sounds like Willie Wonka convincing Charlie to get inside his glass elevator. 

Do I turn down the opportunity for a pizza with an egg cracked on it? Or do I…well no, there is no alternative. When Tony offers you pizza you always say yes. It’s basically a pizza commandment.  

Here’s the end result of the pizza carbonara. It’s a white pizzas with a wiggly egg in the middle. It sits there like a king sitting on its throne, surrounded by its kingdom of cooked meats and cheese.

Tony cracked the egg on top of the pizza immediately after it came out of the oven. “The egg will be cooked enough in about 15 seconds.”

And by the time he brought it to my table it looked like your normal sunny-side up egg. 

The pizza was breakfast. The kind of breakfast you make on a sleepy Saturday morning, complete with bacon and eggs. 

At this point I was bursting with pizza. 

Then Tony brought out a cannoli. 

“So does this cannoli have a backstory too?” I asked.

Tony had retreated behind the glass and tossed some pizza, thinking. He said “Well, I’m Sicilian. I had to have something like that on my menu.”

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Pizza Taglio is something special. Tony is a force to be reckoned with—he finds inspiration for pizza, ingredients, and recipes in the deepest darkest depths of the world. What he’s doing is turning experiences into pizza, like it’s a prized form of alchemy. 

When you visit Pizza Taglio in East Liberty, you’ll walk away with a unique pizza memory. Be daring and try a pizza slightly outside your comfort zone. It could be the closest thing to knowing what another dimension taste like.  

For Tony, his next adventure is taking him to the heart of Cuba. I’m not sure what he’ll find there, but I know it’ll be great. Could it be a specially seasoned pork? Or pizza wrapped up like cigars? 

Hopefully we’ll find out soon. 

Pittsburgh Pizza Update - 4/23 - Be a Pizza Hipster

Hey! You’re reading the second week of the Pittsburgh Pizza Update! This is great news because it means Pittsburgh is bursting with pizza news. The Pittsburgh Pizza scene is rising faster than dough overloaded with yeast and set in a humid, warm room. 

I think we owe a lot of this growth to the recent changes in Pittsburgh and influx of adventurous young people. I don’t know the best way to describe it, but Tony from Pizza Taglio does. He believes the reason we have such  an insurgence in great pizzerias is due to the idea of “the hipster.” Which is in no way derogatory here. It’s a way to say people care about trying new things.

Which is why Tony can serve a pizza drizzled with honey, or a square pizza fused with cauliflower. Or why Bread & Salt can open up blocks back from Liberty Ave—Pittsburgh folks are seeking out new experiences which means these rad new places can thrive. 

Just thinking about it gets me really hyped up. Let’s get to some updates.

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One of Many “Best Pizza in Pittsburgh” Discussions

I’m a sucker for this kind of stuff. And I found a Pittsburgh Podcast called “Is That Your Kid?” where they discuss pizza. I don’t think they always discuss pizza (or it’d be called “Is That Your Pizza?”), but in this episode the cast eats and argues about Fiori’s, Pizza Milano, Bet’s, Slice on Broadway and Giovanni’s. 

You can listen to that here. Being able to hear these discussions is important. It’s such a hot topic and there is no right answer, but being able to discuss the pros and cons for something as “simple” and “basic” as pizza helps you appreciate pizza on a whole other level. You’ll begin to notice the crust in unusual ways. And the cheese will seem different. And soon you’ll understand that sometimes it’s not about the quantity of pizza, but love and passion poured into each and every slice.

Portable Pizza Sure is All the Rage

This summer the concrete seas of Pittsburgh may be without our precious Pizza Boat, but it looks like there will be other portable pizzas around town.

Urban Pie is the newest addition to the fleet. They may be setting sail this May and they’re available for all your events that are in desperate needs of a pizza oven (which are all events).

Will they hit some choppy seas? Either way, it’s awesome to have more mobile pizza in the city. I’ll keep an eye on Urban Pie and update the site with any updates.

Slice on Broadway Recognized by the Pittsburgh City Council

Last week, Slice on Broadway was given their own day in Pittsburgh. For now on, every April 14 will be “Slice on Broadway Day” in Pittsburgh. And they deserve this and every award they receive. I spoke with Rico a few months back and he cares so deeply for his community. Plus, his pizza is out of this world.

Here’s a video I put together on Slice on Broadway.

Some Pizza Photos

I visited Pizza Taglio and Carhop’s pizza last week. Expect a full write-up later this week. In the mean time, here’s some photos to tide you over.

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Alright! That’s the second Pittsburgh Pizza Update. I’m working on some interviews, videos, and more which I’ll sprinkle into the website in the coming days. If you like what you read tell your friend! Tell your favorite message board! Tell a pizza shop! Or sign up for my pizza newsletter!

Pittsburgh Pizza Update 4/14/15

Woah hey!

Listen, I think we’re ready for a regular pizza column here in Pittsburgh. What’s crazy is that such a weekly column could even be possible. As Pittsburgh continues to appear on random top 10 lists that circulate around my Facebook feed, Pizza is still one of the most important advancements in this city. And quietly, there have been major shifts in the Pittsburgh pizza landscape. Which is amazing. Now when you have visitors coming into Pittsburgh and they say “Hey, pal, let’s get some good pizza” you’ll have options outside of Mineo’s. 

In classic Pittsburgh fashion, we have pizza makers that started their journey in Brooklyn, NY that have returned to Pittsburgh to make a difference. A real difference.

We have pizza makers that have traveled to Italy and know actual real-life pizzaiolos. We have restaurant owners and creators that are friendly enough to rub elbows and throw down in pizza competitions that rival the WWE in their histrionic storylines. 

Of course, it can’t be all good news. You can’t have progress without a few casualties in the pizza arena. And yes, unfortunately Pizza Cono had to shut down and move on. I tried to support them and spread their cone-shaped gospel, but sometimes the public just isn’t interested in stark change. It’s unsettling on one level and unorthodox on another. Being surrounded by Pittsburgh pizza institutions probably didn’t help. 

Which leads us to your Pittsburgh Pizza Update. 

Welcome to the Pittsburgh Pizza Update

Once a week I’ll write some updates about the pizza happenings in Pittsburgh. I’ve talked with folks who think this isn’t possible. They think there isn’t enough pizza news happening. And ya know, I sincerely doubt that. Because pizza melted its way into this country’s core fabric. 

And, if Pittsburgh runs out of events I can always hit up scottspizzatours, because if he’s not counting his pizza boxes he’s judging some underground pizza competition in Brazil which is equally fascinating. 

Let’s talk pizza.

Pizza al Taglio is Cutting its Way into Pittsburgh

Pizza al Taglio originated in Rome and is typically sold by the gram. It’s square and cooked in a tray. It’s not the Sicilian pizza you get from any other pizza shop. No, it’s much better. Pizza al Taglio is often made from a cold-fermented dough, meaning the pizza you eat is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Something like this.

That’s a fine looking pizza mattress. 

Pizza al Taglio is considered takeaway pizza, or something you grab on your way to your next appointment. “Taglio” actually means “to cut” in Italian, so it is literally just a cut of pizza. If you’re reading this and in a hurry, rest assured that you have time to swoop into one of the two pizza shops in Pittsburgh that serve Pizza al Taglio and still make whatever appointment you have next on your agenda. 

If you’re in East Liberty you can visit Pizza Taglio. Tony runs the shop down there and if you’ve ever had the pizza at Espresso a Mano, you’ve had Tony’s pizza. His shop opened a short while ago and he’s actually running out of pizza. That’s the best sentence I’ve ever typed. 

Here’s Tony showing off his pizza at Espresso a Mano. Also, Matt (who runs Espresso a Mano) told me that Tony is still hoping to supply Espresso a Mano with pizza on Saturdays. 

If you’re in Bloomfield you can pop into Bread & Salt. They’re deep into Pearl Street and worth seeking out. I haven’t had their pizza yet, but I’ve popped in and had some of their baked goods. If their pizza is half as good as the rosemary, basil cookie I had then we’re in great hands.

I have an interview with Tony I’m currently editing together, so look forward to that in the next few days.

Back from the Dead - Pizza Boat Sails Again

What a twist, right? Pizza Boat, some of the best pizza in Pittsburgh, has found a permanent home on Slice Island. If you have your pizza map in front of you you’ll know that Slice Island is inside the Spirit Lodge, a new event hall / bar / space in Lawrenceville, close to 51st street. 

While I always admired the nomadic spirit of Pizza Boat, I’m glad they’ve found a permanent home. But is it permanent? Who knows with these folks. They start a beef with a new adversary every week, so it’s only a matter of time before they’re back in pizza purgatory. God bless em!

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Alright! That’s the first Pittsburgh Pizza Update. I’m working on some interviews, videos, and more which I’ll sprinkle into the website in the coming days. If you like what you read tell your friend! Tell your favorite message board! Tell a pizza shop! Or sign up for my pizza newsletter!

Here’s what you missed at International Pizza Expo 2015 in Las Vegas

scottspizzatours:

PEPPERONIBMOBILE Yes, there was a pepperoni Corvette. Dan Collier drove it to the show and noticed an empty spot on the expo floor. It quickly became the best parking spot in town as well as the week’s most popular photo op. 

NIGHTMARES There were plenty of kitchy pizza hats and shirts, but the full-body costumes bring a whole new level of commitment. 

FIRECE COMPETITION Big money prizes go to the best pizza makers in categories like Italian, Traditional, Non-traditional, gluten free, pan and best of the best! 

NEON It wouldn’t be pizza without the neon.

MORE NIGHTMARES And you thought you were safe… HA!

TOSSED Yes, that is a grown man tossing dough while rocking an inflatable prison suit. Pretty cool!

Largest Stretc It’s true. Multiple tape measures are crucial when you want to be exact in your diameter calculations.

ACTUAL PIZZA Everywhere we turn there’s another person making fresh pizza. Its beautiful. 

Mambo Italia in Sewickley

Pizza from Mambo Italia in Sewickley.

Me and Tony Gemignani, author of The Pizza Bible

Me and Tony Gemignani, author of The Pizza Bible!

Pizza Lovers of the World Unite - Visit the Author of the Pizza Bible

Dear follower of pizza. Today is your day to take your pizza passion to the next level. Do you own pizza shoes? Eat pizza for every other meal? Make your own pizza? Then you’ll need to meet the author of the Pizza Bible, Tony Gemignani, today.

Not only can he cleanse you of any pizza sins, but you can ask him very poignant pizza questions. Like, what is the deal with pepperoni? What does he really think of Type 00 flour? How high should you be tossing your dough?

I don’t know the answers to all these questions, but Tony probably does. 

You have two chances to meet him today. So act fast.

Visit Penn Mac in the Strip District at 1pm.

Head to Caliente in Bloomfield at 6pm.

I’ll see you at Caliente, for sure. 

Penn Mac 2:13 - Let There Be True Italian Ingredients

After posting about Tony Gemignani, the author of the Pizza Bible, visiting Caliente tomorrow night, February 13, I received a request from the tour organizer, Scott Anthony. He wanted me to mention that Tony will be spreading the Pizza Bible gospel at Penn Mac at 1pm!

Scott also told me that Penn Mac holds a special place in Tony’s heart. In the Pizza Bible, Tony mentions Penn Mac 13 times, citing the specialty store as a “source for true Italian ingredients.” And he not wrong. I buy all my type 00 flour and cheese for pizza there!

You can visit Tony at Penn Mac at 1pm on February 13th (that’s tomorrow!). 

Author of the Pizza Bible Visits Pittsburgh

Tony Gemignani is a guy who knows pizza. In fact, he wrote The Pizza Bible. This is a well-known book in the world of pizza that helps pizzaiolos decode all of the wonderful pizza secrets. 

Does that mean this is the Rosetta Stone of pizza and now you’ll be able to communicate with your pie? I’m not saying it’s not. 

This Friday, February 13th, Valentine’s Day Eve (a day I use to declare my love for pizza) the author of the pizza bible, Tony Gemignani, will be visiting Pittsburgh. He’ll spend the morning at Penn Mac where he’ll be doing a book signing. In the evening he’ll pop over to Caliente Pizza & Draft House from 6pm to 8pm to sign books and talk pizza.

I’m really excited and I’m hoping to get a chance to interview Tony. He probably has some amazing insights in the world of pizza. Hope to see you at Caliente this Friday!

Slice on Broadway in Pittsburgh - Feeding a Neighborhood with Pizza

Slice on Broadway sits along the train line in Beechview. Rico, one of the founders of Slice on Broadway, brings fresh toppings, meats and cheeses to your traditional New York style pizza.

Slice on Broadway is unassuming. At first glance you’d think it was just another shop trying to compete with Fiori’s. But it’s more than that, it’s delicious, fresh and friendly. Rico spares no expense when it comes to pizza. Every bite and crunch of a crust emits a “thank you.” It’s like Rico and his team make every pie especially for you, their valued customer. 

Read more about Slice on Broadway on Pizza Walk With Me. Visit their website or follow Slice on Broadway on Twitter for some hot slice action. 

[update] Pizza Shop Gets on Twitter, World Explodes

[update] - it looks like that Spak Brothers account was a fake. Hope no one got duped by the offer of free pizza. The fact that a fake Spak account could set the world on fire goes to show the community Spak has cultivated, quietly, over the years. Here’s a tweet from the real Spak Brothers account that has since been removed:

@SpakBros @EastEndBrewing @moarhops hey whoever is manning this fake account I’m going to find out who you are and fuck up your entire life.

The following is the original article, complete with the now removed fake tweets.

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I’ve worked a few jobs specializing in social media. Depending on where you work it’s like being confined in a crib complete with a rattle and a stuffed animal. It’s fun at first, but boy does it get tired when everything is covered in your slobber.

Spak Brothers, one of my favorite Pittsburgh pizza places, got a fancy new Twitter account and is completely off the handle in the best way possible. Does pizza making day in and day-out turn you crazy? Or does Spak pizza give off an aura that makes life thrilling, exciting, and worth living? Either way, the enthusiasm they show for their fans and product make me want Spak more than ever. Is that what viral marketing is?

Anyways, they’re killing it and I wanted to share some of their tweets with you.

Hey real quick.. if you want Organic Veg’s or Artesian spices, go out in a field and lick some dirt #worldsGreatestPizza

Toying with the idea of setting up apartments above SPAK so #superSpakFans can be close to the pies as possible

Don’t forget fam. Free slice till end of Jan. Stop by and show this tweet

Just a reminder: Chicky Parm, Philly Steak, BBQ, Portobello… All key players in our #HoagieGame.

Another day. Another several dozen of the world’s best tasting pizzas. Voted number 1 8 years in a row by planet earth.

Nothing tastes as good as a slice of Spak soaked in a glass of @WigleWhiskey overnight.

Like this if you think we should get an Adams Family pinball machine for the dining area.

Follow Spak Bros. on Twitter. Worst case scenario you get a slice of pizza.

Being snowed in can make you do some crazy things. Humans weren’t meant to be surrounded by walls. The pressure building and light limited to a rusty keyhole is enough to drain the fluid from your brain and bring on the crazy.

One way to ward off Cabin Fever is to eat pizza. These people, these heroes, spent the snow storm ordering pizza after pizza hoping that the grease, cheese and sauce would keep them them from devouring one another.

My pizza associate, Chad, has really been a driving force behind discovering new pizza. He sent me these images exclaiming that “a rat made this pizza then dropped some tokens in my glass of beer.”

It’s Chuck E Cheeses pizza and I expect a more thorough report from him soon.

Slice on Broadway

I recently made it out to pizza cavern known as Slice on Broadway. I had a long chat with the owner, Rico, about his wonderful pizza, inspiration and what makes Slice on Broadway so good. Despite being surrounded by a number of Pittsburgh Pizza institutions, they find a way to stand out and deliver a unique pizza.

Enjoy these pizza pics (that’s some crispy prosciutto you’re looking at) I got a wild dispatch in the works!