Top five Baltimore area pizza places?
Let me reveal my ulterior motives up front. If I were to ask for the best pizza in the Baltimore area, we'd probably get a lot of responses citing the same small group of places. By asking for your top five, I'm hoping to do two things.
First, I hope to get some mentions of places I've not tried, rather than a series of "me too" accolades for the top places. Second, I hope to find out something about how you rank the top handful, which will give me some insight into how your preferences map to mine, which will come in handy if you mention someplace I haven't tried.
That said, I'd also like to request that if you have a particular set of toppings that you use as your benchmark, please mention what it is. If instead, you like a place particularly for the variety of toppings available, mention that, too.
To kick things off, my top five at the moment are
1. Matthew's
2. Joe Squared
3. Cafe Amore (Glen Burnie)
4. Iggie's
5. B.O.P.
Close-but-no-cigar - Uno's (yeah, I know - it's a chain), if only because it's the closet thing to Chicago deep dish in the area, though the Uno's chain has badly degraded their "deep dish" from the original.
In my case, my usual benchmark pizza is sausage and onion, at least for thin crust pizzas.
Warthog
Aug 21, 2006 02:34PM
My top 5...well, 5 would be stretching it unfortunately. I'll say:
1. Chef Paolino's (Catonsville) - Great pizza by the slice
2. Matthews - I love the Great White
3. Cafe Amore - Plus great pastas and sandwiches at lunch
And I can't think of any other Pizza that I've been happy with in all of Maryland! However, I haven't gotten to Joe2 yet. My list of disappointments is pretty big, however. Iggie's (good toppings, terrible rolled-out crust), and in Ellicott City Serafino's and Luna Bella (now Della Notte), both with wood-buring ovens and terrible pizza, Egyptian Pizza/Al Pacino, BOP all have been disappointing. Actually, the chains Bertucci's and Three Brothers can put out decent pizza, but I'll still reserve my list for pizza that I really like.
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RE: Chains
I feel your pain. I, too find some of the better chain pizzas to be above the average for pizza in this area. I guess Baltimore just isn't a pizza town. But it could be worse. At least we have a few independent places that rise above the mundane and beat the best of the chains - perhaps this thread will turn us on to more. I've seen some localities where the more run-of-the-mill national chains were "as good as it gets" when it came to pizza. Now THAT is scary for a pizza lover!
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TutTI Gusti in Canton is very good...the cheese is good without too much tomato sauce
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The takeout/delivery pizza from the Jay's/Viccino restaurant group. Although the crust/sauce isn't the best I've ever had, their wide selection of free! veggie toppings makes up for it. Most of their veggies (zucchini, broccoli, spinach, tomato, garlic, eggplant, etc) can be added for no additional cost.
Also, Al Pachino Cafe has some interesting topping combinations. The crust is often too sweet/doughy, but the tandoori chicken and summer squash pizza is addicting.
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I actually love Maria D's pizza in Fells Point!
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Have you ever been to Pizza John's in Essex? I think it's THE best pizza in Baltimore, hands down. It also has to be the cleanest restaurant I have ever seen.
1. Pizza John's
2. Matthew's
3. Fortunato
4. Iggy's
5. Egyptian Pizza (moved from Fells Point to Belvedere square). Specifically, tandoori chicken pizza.
I just realized I left off Fortunato in York Rd (and added it to my list).
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Thanks for the tip on Pizza John's! I went last night, and it's a good pie - the sort of "community favorite" independent pizza place that is very common back home in Chicagoland, and seems like an alien concept around here. I got my usual large sausage and onion, and I was impressed. It may not be the best pizza I've ever had, but it's a product they can be rightly proud of. I was particularly intrigued by the sauce - it looked like the sort of dark, slow cooked, herb-laden sauce some Italian granny would make to put on pasta. Some will like it, some won't, but that's the idea. I'd much rather go to a place that strives to achieve the owner's idea of the perfect pizza, with whatever quirks or unique aspects that might imply, than to go to a place that is content to churn out yet another "OK" pie that's no different than that being produced by any of the other places in the area.
I grew up in an area where pizza was taken seriously. You were an Aurelio's guy, or a Sanfratello's guy, or possibly a Geneo's guy, if you played softball (16", slow pitch, bare hands - Chicago style!)and liked pizza with your beer, rather than the other way around. And you were willing to argue the merits of your favorite over the other at the drop of a hat. That's been one of the biggest cultural adjustments to living out here. Not only are there very few such "community flagship" pizza places, but "pizza" is deemed a commodity food. Around here, with few exceptions, one goes for "pizza", not a *particular* pizza. I see some of the same sort of loyalty to particular crab shacks, but even there, it just doesn't seem the same.
Maybe it's not so much the location, as a change in the culture. Few people back home play Chicago Style softball anymore, and maybe the old loyalties and passion about pizza is also dying. Maybe we're all being programmed to the "chaining" of America, where you can get off a plane anywhere in the continental U.S. and be largely unable to tell where exactly you are, because the same stores and the same restaurants are in the same commercial developments everywhere.
Forgive me ranting. I weep for future generations. Or should I say "Generic-ations"?
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I'm so glad you tried it! I think that either very few people outside of Essex know or even care about Pizza John's. I have told about a billion of my friends but none of them have even bothered to go outside of the city to try it. My family drives out there almost every weekend.
I read on their web site that the family (3 brothers, I believe) originally came from Abruzzo (sp?) in Italy, so maybe it (the sauce) is a recipe that came from that region of Italy.
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what does the 16" refer to in softball??
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Circumference, I believe. It's about the size of a grapefruit. Most other places in the known universe use a 12" ball and gloves, whether playing slow pitch or fast pitch. Those of us in the Chicago area historically played 16", bare hands, "no guts, no glory". You can tell a softball player in Chicago by looking at his hands - most serious players have fingers that are no longer anything close to straight, thanks to multiple jams, dislocations, and breaks over the years.
Tying back to food, the pizza and bar culture of the Chicago area is strongly tied to softball, though 16" softball is sadly dying out. Many of the local leagues have teams sponsored by pizza places and bars, and so loyalty to a particular pizza place is in some circles tied to loyalty to one's team.
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The Papa John's family (Coruzzi) are indeed from the small village of Collevecchio near Teramo in the Abruzzo Region of Italia. Good chow!
Casale in Abruzzo
http://villacasale.net
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The family is from the small town of Collevecchio near Teramo in the Abruzzo Region of Italy. Their pizza is highly recommended.
Casale in Abuzzo
http://villacasale.net
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Based on the recs here, I just tried fortunato's for the first time. Great slice with a thin crispy crust. Now one of my faves. Thanks, hounds.
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Fortunatos!!!! We used to go there all the time...try the chicken and broccoli pizza! I also like Egyptian Pizza.
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Do you have an address, directions, or perhaps a description of where Pizza John's is located, for those of us who don't know the Essex area well?
Thanks!
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http://www.pizzajohns.com/location.html
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I always wince a bit when pizza topics come up.
We all know what we like and yet we argue about what is "real" pizza (NY vs Chicago vs St. Louis vs Baltimore vs whatever)
My favorite place is BOP for a slice.
Is it the best in the world? No. But it is a good slice.
Matthew's is good as well I just don't like their prices.
Now I buy fresh dough at DiPasqaules in Highlandtown and make my own that is much better than the rest.
But I do still swing by BOP for a slice when I need a quick fix.
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I can't come close to five, but when I have a craving for pizza it's usually for BOP's. I haven't been to Uno's in probably six years, but I used to like their deep-dish. Come to think of it, there used to be a place in Owings Mills Mall (is that what it's called) that had great deep-dish pizza. Haven't been there is probably ten years. Does anyone else remember this?
I'll have to try Matthew's (I live about two miles from there and never knew about it).
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The only one I can add is Speranza's in the food court in the 300 block of N. Charles St. Nice thin crust pizza, good veggie toppings.
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What about the pizzas at that place accross the street form towsontown mall, for some reason the name eludes me but i remember it was great NY style pizza. also amazing chicken parm subs.
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Villa Pizza and Pasta Mista are both on Dulaney near the mall (I think Villa is on the same side of the street, though). I don't think there are any on Joppa or Fairmount, so... Pasta Mista?
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yea its pasta mista.
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I accidentally ran in to Pasta Mista a week and a half ago, I found it to be a high quality pizza. Definitely worthy of a revisit. I also like Pizza Johns from the one experience I have had there.
www.roguefood.com
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Pasta Mista is one of my favorite. They are also opening in Canton right next to the Five Guys in February
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First off, my benchmark is always a plain cheese pizza. And I don't mean a margheritta. Some places correctly make the distinction. For example, Iggies just added a cheese pizza that is great (I forget the name she uses, but its towards the bottom of the menu).
Top 5:
Iggies
Vicinno's (order pizza "well done")
BOP
Special mention to the now defunct Appricella in Little Italy to further gauge my pizza tastes.
I also love Matthew's but for me, they are in a different categroy than the above.
Same with places like Joe2 and Thirsty Dog. I enjoy going and eating, but its more like like flat bread or open-faced sandwiches than pizza (sorta, kinda, you know what I mean?)
I am now down to one slice of Maria D's in Federal Hill per year just to reassure me of how far they have fallen and to see if they ever plan on coming back up.
Edit: Wow, I just read that and am depressed. Sorry, I couldn't be of anymore help Warthog. Post back to this thread if you try some place and like it.
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It's Matthew's Pizza all the way for me. But where and what is this BOP that you guys keep talking about?
Maria D's in Fed Hill is pitiful. Vito's out in Owings Mills is tolerable.
I miss NYC.
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It's Brick Oven Pizza (I think - I didn't know either)
Thanks,
Kevin
http://www.boppizza.com/
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BOP is Brick Oven Pizza, on the square in Fells Point, across Lancaster St. from Bertha's.
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It's also horrible pizza...don't waste your time. I think the only reason it keeps appearing on these lists is that people generally eat it after they've gotten drunk in Fells Point when anything with grease will taste good.
The only pizzarias even worth trying in the Baltimore area are Matthew's, Chef Paolino & Ledo's (again a chain, but at least a tasty Maryland based one). Charm City ain't exactly pizza heaven.
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You lost your credibility with me by recommending Ledo's...yuck! I'd take BOP over Ledo's any day.
Does Matthew's Pizza have weird biscuit-like crust like Ledo's? If so I can save myself the trouble of trying it.
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Trying again - prior reply to Hal L's Feb 06, 2007 post didn't seem to "take".
Matthews is a style unto itself. It's thicker than a "thin crust" (even the usually doughy thin curst that seems to be the norm in Maryland), yet it's neither the thickness nor the consistency of a "Chicago Style" (AKA "Deep dish") pizza. The closest comparison I can come up with is what is sometimes called "Sicilian style". Another factor is that Matthew's "small" is about 10", and a "large" is about 12", which has an effect on the crust-to "inside" ratio. While I can't promise you'll like it, I'd say that Matthew's is unique enough to be worth a try, rather than depending on inadequate comparisons.
As for Ledo's, there seems to be great variation from location to location, even if the recipes are nominally constant. I've liked Ledo's in some locations, and hated it at others. As with my comment about BOP (also just posted), I prefer to stick to places that are a bit more consistent from visit to visit.
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Matthew's Four Seasons pizza is the best I've ever had, bar none.
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LOL...I'm not going to be lectured on credibilty by someone who recommends BOP as the best pizza in the area. Good god. Ledo's is definitely different from the BOP, Dominoes, and Little Caesar's you're used to. They're Greek and use a Phyllo dough for their crust which makes for the different consistency you misdescribed. They're also a bit inconsistent from branch to branch and none seems to match the original (now closed) at Adelphi Shopping Center in College Park. But they are still head and shoulders above that Fells Point abomination you recommended which apparently puts puke from the local bars in their sauce for that "special tanginess".
But honestly, arguing about the best pizza in Baltimore (with the exception of Matthew's) is kinda like arguing about the best BBQ in Nova Scotia. Come up here to NYC and I'll point you to some real pizza.
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Umm, the original Ledo's was still open the last time I drove by there two weeks ago.
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no need to feel uncomfortable. that's good news. i'd read they were closed numerous places.
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BOP's pizza isn't anything like Dominoes or Little Caesar's. Your credibility is suffering again. :-)
I love phyllo, but not for pizza dough. I don't think puff pastry works for pizza dough, either.
My favorite pizza nowadays is the stuff I make myself. I make my own dough, too.
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They're very comparable from a quality perspective. Pizza! Pizza!
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I checked on the Ledo's website hoping this news about the original being open was true and there is no listing of it. Can anyone confirm this at Adelphi Shopping Center in College Park?
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Somebody else in this thread (or maybe the DC pizza one) posted something about the original owners selling the name to the folks who run or franchise the other locations, but not much else. If that's the case, the original may not be affiliated with the franchises, and might therefore not show up on the Ledo's franchise website.
Just a theory, assuming the original is still open, as the prior poster asserts.
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I like that theory. I hope it is still open under the original owners. That place was great before a Terps game.
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In my admittedly limited experience, BOP is erratic, at best. I've had some pizzas there that were total grease slicks, and others that were pretty decent, bordering on excellent. I'm not sure if it's dependent on topping choice, who's making the pizza that day, or what. I'd love to have a consistent repeat of the best pizza I've had there, but I'm personally not willing to play "pizza roullette", so I usually stick to places where the product is a bit more predictable from one visit to the next.
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Do pizzas in non-pizza/Italian places count - or maybe this is a separate thread. Best pizzas in non-pizza places. Can't come up with 5, but there are 3 that jump out:
*Garden Pie at Bartenders (Canton) - only $6 on Mondays
*the garlicky one at Thirsty Dog (Federal Hill)
*Plain cheese at Ale Mary's (Fells Point) - I can't tell you why, but it always hits the spot
And while I am here, am I the only one who truly doesn't like BOP? Always underwhelmed...and I've stopped getting it and when I need a quick slice going to the place across the street in the Broadway Market.
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iggies
bop
others are not even worth mentioning
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Iggies pizza good ingredients, good toppings, tough dough (too much oil perhaps)
Matthews is far from traditional but perfect in what it is
Joe Squared excellent (in my opinion the best). Also you can order it on a thicker dough if you want, they even have on the menu now a lombari-style pizza made to imitate lombardi's in NYC.
Pasta Mistas in towson is excellent (spaghetti on the pizzas)
BOP is good but not good enough to be the best in baltimore as they proclaim. I'd sooner eat at any other on the list then them, but, as said before, this is really not a pizza town.
I don't know why anyone goes to Al Pacino, they don't cook the pizza.
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How could I have left off Angelo's in Hampden. Despite the novelty size of their slices, I REALLY like their pizza. Thin crust, usually well cooked.
That makes four for me:
Iggies
Angelo's
Viccino (order well done)
BOP
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I think my favorites have been hit for the most part.
I will add Italian Gardens in Kenilworth Plaza to the fray. It is always a favorite of mine.
Also, at the above mentioned Angelo's dont get "The Big Slice" it is huge, but not the same as the regular pie.
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I've only had good at pizza at two places so far in Baltimore:
1. Tutti Gusti (Canton) - Quattro Stagione & Genoa pizzas are excellent, although the sausage is a tad bit salty.
2. Matthew's (Highlandtown) - Interesting Baltimore-style with good cheese and low prices.
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Where in Canton is Tutti Gusti?
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It's at Fait and S. Ellwood. The pizza bianca is amazing. And a frequent hangout for BPD.
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Based on previous threads here, I've become quite a fan of Joe Squared. I like to go there and order takeout, and drink a couple beers at the bar while I wait.
It's good stuff.
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For some weird reason I've always like Vennaro's Pizza in Columbia (Oakland Mills). It has a unique taste that isn't necessarily good in the sense of straight up fresh brick oven New York pizza. But there's something tasty about the chewy dough, the weird spotty saucing and cheese. Maybe it's just me, I dunno.
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1. Fortunados York Rd
2. Pasta Mista Dulaney Valley rd
3. VIccinos Mt Vernon
4. Trattoria in Ellicott City
5. Thirsty Dog Federal hill
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Enrico's Trattoria at the Dorsey's Search village center between Ellicott City and Columbia makes an excellent thin crust pie.
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favorite
Thirsty Dog
Little Italy
Iggies
Least Favorite
Joe Squared- maybe I didn't order the "right" pizza but the one I got was inedible (I think it's name is the italian flag?)
BOP
Orioles Pizza
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For what it's worth, I think that the sourdough crust and the general style of Joe Squared's pizza is unique enough that it tends to get into "love it or hate it" territory. I've not heard too many people who are ambivalent about it. I don';t think it's a matter of one particular pizza there being the "right" one. I think it's more that you either love what they do, no matter which particular toppings or crust you choose, or you wouldn't like any of it.
Pizza is one of those things that people have strong opinions about - no need to apologize for one's likes or dislikes. I say that as a Joe Squared fan, but one who could understand why others might not like it.
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