When that pizza comes out of the oven and is garnished by whatever pizzaiolo is behind that counter, I consider that pizza finished. Pizza isn't home to too many accessories outside of a sprinkle of parmesan cheese or chili flakes. Pittsburgh, of course, has a rich history of serving pizza with a side of ranch dressing for dipping. But, it wasn't until Pizza Taglio opened that I tasted, what I would say, is the perfect companion to pizza: Mike's Hot Honey.
Mike's Hot Honey is exactly what it sounds like; it's honey that has chili flakes soaking in it. The result is a dressing that, as Jim would say in the video above, a bit of heat and a bit of a sweet.
Mike's Hot Honey got it's start in Paulie Gee's, a pizzeria in Brooklyn. The creator of Mike's Hot Honey, Mike Kurtz, was inspired by a creation down in South Africa. Mike discovered this in Brazil when he was hiking through the mountains and discovered a mysterious village with a more mysterious Brazilian pizza parlor. In that pizza place they were soaking chilis in vats of honey - Mike was inspired and brought the idea back to the United States.
When he became a pizza apprentice at Paulie Gee's he created the Hellboy - a pizza drizzled with this hot honey. It was an instant classic. Somehow, the honey outshines the pizza and customers demanded to have the honey on its own. Not one to argue with customers, Mike began to bottle and sell Mike's Hot Honey on its own.
It's rare for a single topping to outshine a pizza itself, but Mike's Hot Honey is a unique creation that should be in every pantry across the globe.
Here in Pittsburgh Tony Giamarita pays homage to Paulie Gee's with his Greenpointer pizza. It's my favorite pie at his shop and is topped with mozzarella, spicy clabrese sopressata and a generous drizzled Mike's Hot Honey. While this pizza can sometimes gives me heart burn it's too delicious not to order. It's a staple of my visit to Pizza Taglio and one of the best pizza's in the city.
Well, it’s official. Italy and Naples are the clear owners of Neapolitan pizza. Unesco, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, has given pizza “intangible heritage” status. Meaning it is officially part of Italy’s cultural tapestry. They official own neapolitan pizza.
This makes sense as they’ve been trying to regulate and control pizza for years. Everyone knew that neapolitan style pizza belonged to the fine folks in Naples, where it was originally created, but now it’s official. There’s some comfort in official decrees much as there’s comfort in Neapolitan pizza itself.
Because of strict regulations neapolitan pizza’s consistency is rivaled only by Starbucks. You can walk into any restaurant that features the pizzaiolo mascot (a man in a white outfit and black mask) and know exactly what you’re getting. It’s a sign of quality, fresh cheese, and San Marzano tomatoes. As it’s grown in popularity there have been several liberties taken to the pizza that stalwarts find quite offensive.
The regulations are extensive, but if you had created one of the most popular foods and saw it evolve into a medium to house things like buffalo chicken and ranch dressing wouldn’t you go the extra mile to put some rules around the lawless mess? But those rules can stifle creativity. My favorite pizza comes when pizza makers take the neapolitan style and tweak it ever so slightly to create what pizza enthusiasts call “neo-neapolitan” pizza.
The Green Pointer from Pizza Taglio is a wonderful evolution of the future of pizza.
Neo-Neapolitan Pizza Enters the Ring
Neo-neapolitan pizza gives the pizzaiolo more control and agency about how to cook the pizza. Whether they want to mess with the shape, cheese and tomatoes, or the temperature of the oven. Neo-neapolitan is an evolution of the classic, and if pizza wants to maintain its ubiquity you’ll see the younger generation adopt fewer guidelines. After all, a refusal to change and adapt has doomed plenty of industries.
A perfect example of neo-neapolitan pizza is what Tony makes at Pizza Taglio. Tony cooks at a lower temperature and plays around with the rise time of dough and core ingredients. It may look like the Wikipedia entry for pizza, but someone from Naples would see the difference almost immediately. The Green Pointer is what happens when someone who knows the rules and regulations around pizza and understands the right way to (respectfully) break them. The creation isn’t disastrous or alarming, it’s familiar but at the same time new and intriguing.
Neo-Neapolitan pizza builds a bridge between the past and future. It’s a fun spin on the classic, but contains enough of the fundamental aspects of pizza to deliver that comfortness that we’ve come to expect from neapolitan pizza.
Another view of the delicious Green Pointer, which I would love to be eating this very second.
Pizza Expo is an astounding event that happens every year in Las Vegas. Last year I sent my associate editor, Tom Tallarico, to the show to cover the pizza news. Tom loves pizza so much he always capitalizes the word. You can read his Pizza Expo Coverage from last year here. With a year under his belt, as well as at least 100 more pizza slices, Tom is ready to tackle the 2017 Pizza Expo.These are his unedited reports.
PIZZA EXPO 2017
Well back at the EXPO again. Been looking forward to getting back since LAST March. And as time passes, Pizza becomes more popular (if that is possible) and takes on more & interesting iterations, i.e. Wood fired, 90 seconds in & out of the oven (as authentic as it gets), creative sauces & toppings & more shops than ever. Over the past year, my Pizza adventures have included:
Periodical Pizza fests around the city with prominent participants including Driftwood oven, Caliente, Graziano’s, Pizza Taglio among others.
Speaking of Driftwood Oven, have enjoyed their fare at various brewerys around town. Also, happy to see press release touting Neil being recognized with a Rust Belt Rising Chef award. Congratulations to him.
Eric Von Hanson with his award winning Pan Pizza from Caliente
Speaking of award winners, last year’s Pizza Expo Champion for Pan Pizza, Eric Von Hanson had the Pan Pizza put on the menu some months ago. But the big surprise is they have put the actual Pan winner, the Quack Attack, on the menu as well. Have to get one at least once a month.
Always enjoy the Brunch at Spirit Lounge featuring their wonderful pizza product including watching a Steeler playoff game there.
Two class places in Chicago; Bleuna & Paulie Gee’s out of NYC. Went to see Tony Scardino hard at work. He is an associate of Tony G. who I met last year at the Expo.
Up and coming pizza maker, Anthony Scardino with Pizza Walk With Me associate editor, Tom Tallarico
Always enjoy mainstays Fazio’s in Lawrenceville & Casa del Sol in Aspinwall.
Many others that I have missed as well. But haven’t been to Spak Bros. yet which I need to get to. It’s on my list.
Vytauras of Citizen Pie waving hello!,
Of course, Pittsburgh Pizza fest. I missed it as I was in Ohio. However, on my way home per a colleagues recommendation, I stopped at a place in Cleveland called Citizens Pie. Outstanding Pie!!! Some of the freshest ingredients/topping ever. The Soppressata was cut thick & exceptional. Turns out, Pizza maker/owner Vytauras will be at the Expo this week for the 1st time. One of his guys will be competing in the Box folding contest trying to break the World record.
A slice of pizza from Citizen Pie in Cleveland, Ohio
All that said, now looking forward to a Fun Fun week. Actually the weekend in Vegas was quite fun already.
Tony at Pizza Taglio is constantly testing out new things in his pizza kitchen. Some days he'll bring out a plate of cheeses from exotic locales, other days he's working on perfecting a calzone filled with ricotta and nutella.
I was lucky enough to be hanging out in Tony's kitchen the night he made Sicilian pizza. The dough rose for two days and was cooked in a pan, giving it a crispy exterior and a soft interior. With a smile on his face he told me how bewildered pizza eaters are to find that the cheese goes underneath the sauce in a Sicilian pie.
"Little do they know it's to prevent the cheese from burning." Genius. And look - it bubbles up to the top naturally.
You can watch a video of the pizza being made up above. It's a tiered process—as the pizza cooks you add more items on top of it. In total it took about 20 minutes to cook a single pie.
I couldn't keep my mits off it. It was crunchy and soft. The sauce was made a few hours before. The sauce contained a single anchovy. I don't know if it made a difference, perhaps because the total package was so delicious. I didn't have time to think about the effects a single fish could have on an amazing pizza. Thinking about it now...is it possible a single fish could impact the flavor of the pizza? Hmm...
I hope this becomes a staple of Pizza Taglio's menu. It's the perfect pizza to share with pals. As you work your way towards the center you find yourself in the midst of a pizza mess. Sauce and cheese gloop every which way. It's then that you drop your guard and simply enjoy the pizza. No need to worry about a mess or looking good for whomever. A deliciously sloppy pizza will warm your spirit and instill pizza confidence into your soul.
Welcome to the top 9 pizza moments in the Pittsburgh Steel City, Baby. I was looking back at this year through the lens of a pizza journalist and thought to myself, “Wow, this has been an incredibly wonderful year for everyone involved in Pittsburgh pizza.” That’s right! That means you, the pizza consumer, and even you, the pizza maker!
Pizza is glorious. I could stop typing after that and you’d nod your head in agreement. But for real—there is no food that inspires passion and community like pizza does. We gather around it, we sing its praises and it’s something we eat a few times a week no questions asked. The last line Frank Sinatra sings in the song It’s Nice to go Traveling (a song about seeing the very best sights in the world) is “make a pizza.” The dude travels the world and when he comes back all he wants is to kick his shoes off and make a pizza.
That’s the power of pizza.
So. Pittsburgh is a place you can’t go to a bar more than twice without becoming best friends with the bartender. It’s friendly and has more pockets of communities than the roads have potholes. So it goes without saying that Pittsburgh has a strong pizza presence. Especially so in 2015.
I wanted to run down my nine favorite pizza events that happened in Pittsburgh in 2015. So here's 9-7
9: Andrew W.K. Threw a Pizza Party in Pittsburgh
If you’ve eaten at Spak Brothers you’ve seen this photo of Andrew W.K. with a pizza guitar they have hanging by the register. The dude loves to party and he knows the number one ingredient for a party: pizza. In a recent advice column he says, “Pizza is a state of mind. Pizza is way of looking at the world. Pizza is part of a true belief that we as humans can create our own sources of true joy. And the joy that pizza brings is real and tangible. “
Andrew W.K. could easily be the poster child for pizza and the fact that he made it to Pittsburgh to throw a pizza party is incredible. Of all the cities! Wondering how enamored with pizza he is? Read his advice column where he counsels a pizza addled youth.
8: Slice on Broadway gets their own day! April 14
I Love what Rico has done with Slice on Broadway. He went from one shop serving up pizzas with prosciutto and soppressata to multiple shops. He’s passionate, overly friendly and a pizza entrepreneur.
His pizza shops bubble with life and I’ll bet my pizza license that after you have one slice of Rico’s pizza you’ll be a lifetime convert. It’s fresh, exciting and delicious. It takes something classic and adds a modern spin. Something that is very Pittsburgh.
Well, let me just quote the official document stating that April 14th is Slice on Broadway Day in Pittsburgh.
“Whereas, Slice on Broadway, owned and operated by Rico Lunardi, has become a beloved Beechview neighborhood institution, and;
Whereas, Slice’s success has helped contribute to the ongoing renaissance and redevelopment of Broadway Avenue, which has in recent years become a dining destination for people from all over the city, and;
Whereas, Rico and his employees have never deviated from day one from their mission to deliver the “best darn pizza, sandwiches and salads money can buy,” and;
Whereas, Slice makes it a priority to make everything by scratch using the highest quality ingredients and pizza-making methods, including whole tomatoes and dough made fresh daily, and;"
7: Pizza Taglio & Slice Island & Bread & Salt Open
A slice from Pizza Taglio.
It was on a cold January night that a bright star shined above Pittsburgh. It was the start of 2015 and all was well in Pittsburgh. Things were popping along and the city was poised to grace many a top-10 list.
Like the three kings of legend wandering towards a bright light—three Pittsburgh pizza makers were inspired to set up pizza shops underneath the Pittsburgh umbrella. Yes, in 2015 we saw the opening of three of the most innovative, progressive, delicious and outstanding pizza shops.
Bread & Salt was first, opening on January 30th. I stopped in February after they opened hoping to get some pizza. Unfortunately, their system wasn’t what it was now and they didn’t have any! They've come a long way since then (which we'll get to later!). They are one of the first places to serve pizza al taglio in Pittsburgh.
Pizza Taglio is headed up by Tony, who I think might sacrifice his own life in order to get the finest / freshest ingredients into his shop. When I first met him he talked to me for 15 minutes about the nuance of the cheese he purchased.
Slice Island, a pizzeria in the Spirit Lodge, is run by the folks behind the fan-favorite Pizza Boat. They docked their ship to open up a traditional shop. They serve boxes of pizza that are so simple and complex it’s like eating a paradox.
Slice Island Peppers and Sausage
These three pizza makers are cutting edge. They’re making pizza that you could only get in the depths of New York years ago. It’s some of the best pizza Pittsburgh will ever see and it all happened in 2015.
Alright! That's part one of my three part review of Pittsburgh pizza. I'll be posting parts 2 & 3 tomorrow. Honestly, there was a lot of pizza happenings and it took some strategy to get the list down to 9. There has never been a better time to be eating pizza in Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh! The most livable city, dripping with pizza.
Maybe not entirely true, but man oh man is there a lot of pizza activity happening in Pizza. Each week I hear about a new mobile pizza unit, a restaurant trying some new pizza stuff or innovation happening with cooking techniques. Here's some pizza news for you to chow down on.
Spak is Back Baby
I spoke with Ryan Spak of Spak Brothers about their pizzeria, the surge of community support and their role as a pizza shop. They do their best to give back to their community. One of my favorite tidbits from the interview is that thanks to everyone spreading the word about Spak on social media, they saw their highest sales ever.
“The Thursday and Friday immediately following were our best sales to date which is just awe-inspiring.”
— Ryan Spak
The Pizza Company Opens in Lawrenceville
The Pizza Company exudes a sense of gawdiness and luxury that is foreign to most pizza places. Most pizza shops favor the neon or plastic sign to advertise their business. They spend most of their time in the kitchen, they'll never see it.
But The Pizza Company opts for a gold-plated sign. What does this mean for their pizza? I'm not sure. I haven't eaten their pie yet, but I know they offer a myriad of slices and their website ends in a .biz. I can't tell if that's genius or what.
The Pizza Company is a franchise local to the Pittsburgh area. The founders, Ray Stahl and Larry Stahl, opened a shop in 1992 then quickly opened three other locations. Is it manifest destiny that compels them to dot western Pennsylvania with pizza franchises?
I'm worried they put an emphasis on business first and quality second, but I'll be stopping in soon for a proper review.
A Quick Trip to Pizza Taglio
I'm trying to do a better job of chronicling pizza trips. They can get a bit crazy and a series of photos just don't do it justice.
Here's video and some thoughts on my most recent trip to Pizza Taglio. Take a look and let me know what you think.
On the pizza innovation side of things, Tony at Pizza Taglio is working on perfecting the 2-minute pizza. He's experimenting with different flours and dough to see what works best. Stay tuned for more coverage on that process right here on Pizza Walk With Me!
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.
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:
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.
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!
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.”
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?
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.
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.
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!
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!
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!
