2015 TOP PIZZA MOMENTS IN THE STEEL CITY BABY - Moments 6-4

We’re back for another wonderful look at the finest pizza moments to grease up the city of Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh can be unassuming. It’s a city drowning in the soil of history. Slowly but surely we’re seeing germination of innovation. From the soil wonderful inventive plants are popping up to make the landscape varied and wonderful. What a great ecosystem.

Anyways, it turns out that this is an awesome environment for pizza. Did you know I type that sentence 60 times a week? Wild. Well, let’s get to it. Moments 6, 5 and 4 are just ahead!

6 - The Steel City Pizza Fest Happened

DJ Zombo put together Pittsburgh’s first Pizza Festival because...well why not. It was a wonderful event held in Lawrenceville’s Arsenal Park where Bloomfield, Garfield and Lawrenceville’s finest pizzerias came together to sell pizzas.

But, it wasn’t just a couple of booths with pizzas. Oh no. There was the Pizza Pinup contest where anyone could enter and be voted Ms. PizzaBurgh. Spak Brothers held a pizza eating contest every hour. Anyone could enter and race against the clock to eat a large pizza the fastest.

It was as disgusting as it was beautiful.

Graziano’s ended up taking home the people’s choice award, edging out Angelo’s by a single vote! How exciting. I hope to see Pizza Festival make a return next year.

5: Pizza Dojo 3: Driftwood Oven vs Pizza Boat

Driftwood Oven's Pizza Dojo lineup

There’s nothing better than a good pizza rivalry. Pizza Boat knows how to ham it up for the crowd and play the pizza heel. I’ve had many folks ask me if Pizza Boat actually hates other pizza makers and the answer is obviously yes.

Just look at Jeff’s vicious attacks on Driftwood Oven in this video from the competition:

I’m just glad everyone made it out alive.

I hope Pizza Dojo never goes away. It’s an amazing way to introduce pizza innovations and bring a community together around great pizza.  As I wrote in my summary of the event:

Pizza Dojo isn't about a single night in Pittsburgh, it's about trying something new in the Pittsburgh pizza scene. Pushing one another to innovate and make better pizza.

Instead of existing side-by-side for years on a street in Squirrel Hill and pretending that the world on the other side of the counter hasn't changed, the pizza makers that enter the Pizza Dojo emerge with a new perspective. A new definition of pizza. Confidence to try something new and push the pizza envelope to the edge of the table.

4: Tony Gemignani visits Pittsburgh

You may not know Tony Gemignani, but he’s responsible for spreading the pizza gospel across the country. He’s written The Pizza Bible, an amazing book that covers every nook and cranny of pizza fundamentals. He’s put on clinics and has been crowned the World Pizza Champion.

And, this year he paid a visit to Pittsburgh to sign copies of his book and show off his pizza theory.

He’s a guy that loves making pizza. His motto is “Respect the Craft.” And that’s a mentality that I see more and more pizza makers in Pittsburgh adopting. They put ingredients on pizza with a purpose. Nothing is haphazard and everything has a reason.

Meeting Tony was awesome, but the turnout for the event was even more impressive. Caliente was filled to the brim with pizza enthusiasts waiting to talk with Tony and exchange pizza tips.

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So that's Pizza Moments 6-4! You can read moments 9-7 here. 

Pittsburgh Pizza Update 5-5: Pinup-Pizza Calendar, Pizza Photo Journal, and Another “Best Pizza in Pittsburgh” List

Another week in Pittsburgh, another week of pizza news that you have got to be devouring. So much news, in fact, that Bill Peduto mentioned to me during the half marathon that he’s thinking of turning The Point into a slice of pizza. 

The fountain would of course erupt with tomato sauce and cheese to alert citizens of any important pizza news.

Crazy but totally true. But hey, let’s talk Pittsburgh Pizza News & Happenings.

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Pittsburgh Pizza Pinup Contest

On May 9, Pittsburg Pizza Fest kicks off in Arsenal Park, as part of Spring it On. It’s a pizza event I wrote about last week because there will be a really great pizza competition where you’re the pizza judge. And if you think you can look super cute while eating pizza you may have a future in a pizza calendar!. 

As part of the Pittsburgh Pizza Fest there will be a Pittsburgh Pizza Pinup Contest. Here’s a quote from the Facebook page for the event:

We’ll be offering a chance to be part of our Pizza Pinup calendar for 2016 that will be in pizza shops all over Pittsburgh!

Bring your best pizza outfit and pose with a greasy slice for a chance to win. 

A Pizza Photojournal

If I had a motorcycle I’d pop wheelies 24/7 and peel out on my way from pizza place to pizza place. I’d ride into the sunset, launch off a ramp and land on a cushion of cheese.

I’d wear a jacket made out of uneaten pizza crust and my helmet would be a greasy pizza box. 

Some motorcycle owners drive their motorcycles to every pizza place in Western Pennsylvania. Some motorcycle owners start a pizza journal.

Meet The Pizza Journal. It’s an Instagram account manned by two dudes with motorcycles who eat pizza. It’s a smart use of the medium and a great way to distribute bite-sized pizza thoughts.

They are really keen on discovering the flaves.

The Best Pizza in Pittsburgh in Thrillist

I’ve never met a “Best Pizza” list I’ve agreed with. Which is probably a good thing—if we all had the same opinions on pizza then every pizza shop in Pittsburgh would just be a replica of Spak Brothers.

There doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to this list of on the Thrillist. It’s a smattering of interesting pizza places in Pittsburgh that would show up in any Reddit comment thread about pizza.

Most pizza list adheres to an ancient architecture. Which usually contains:

• The classic pizza tossed by an old guy.
  
• The classic pizza tossed by a younger person.
• The weird pizza that “you have to try trust me.”
• The vegan/gluten friendly pizza,
• The artisan pizza using local ingredients.
• The pizza you eat when black-out drunk/hungover

You can read Rossilynne’s list on the Thrillist here and see how many archetypes show up on the list!

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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. Tell your favorite message board! Tell a pizza shop! Or sign up for my pizza newsletter!