I have been all over the state, staying in various hotels and ordering a pizza for dinner sounds like an easy objective. Not so easy when you are as picky as I am. Anyone out there have a favorite pizza place they want to share?

 

    Lets share the best mom and pop pizza places in our communities. If you like pizza hut or papa johns then dont waste your breath on this post!! :-D

Mama Santa's and Valentino's in Little Italy (Cleveland)

Goodfellas - Athens, OH

Cameo's - Put in Bay, OH

 

Both especially good hammered at 2 AM.

Vincenza's - Downtown Cleveland

I will second Goodfellows as well, but for the Cincy area, (West Side)  Trotta's and Queen City Pizza both come close to that Athens masterpiece.

Well if you folks ever make it to Tiffin there is a place called Reino's they have a delicious pizza called the Frankie's Original it has a chunky tomato sauce, hardstick peperoni, very high quality cheese the kind that takes a minute to chew instead of dissolving in your mouth like so many chain restaurants. They have a very tasty pizza and has been around for over 50 years.

In order of taste/preference

 

1.  Luigi's - Akron

2.  Capri Pizza - Middleburg Heights

3.  Leaning Tower of Pizza - Mansfield

Oh, and Pizza Bogo (Cleveland Heights/Hudson/Akron) is really great for gourmet-type pizza.

I have to beat mrnyc to this thread and mention my fave in Lorain - Yala's on Oberlin Avenue where "a pizza with a little cheese is like a kiss without a squeeze

Trattoria in Little Italy

Oh, and Pizza Bogo (Cleveland Heights/Hudson/Akron) is really great for gourmet-type pizza.

 

For gourmet pizza, Dewey's ( in Cleveland Heights, as well as Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky, Dayton, St. Louis, and Columbus) is fantastic.

 

Grimaldi's in Brooklyn Heights!

I have to say Dewey's in Cincinnati.

Dewey's, Dewey's, Dewey's

Delisi's in Medford, New Jersey...

 

Havent tried pizza in NE Ohio yet. To be honest, I'm kind of afraid to. Dont get me wrong. I grew up on Ohio pizza, not the chains but small places. Then I came to New Jersey/Philly and fell in love with 'real' pizza. It's not like Chicago, it's not like New York. It's just New Jersey pizza and I'm going to miss it when we move

Coccia House-Wooster

Delisi's in Medford, New Jersey...

 

Havent tried pizza in NE Ohio yet. To be honest, I'm kind of afraid to. Dont get me wrong. I grew up on Ohio pizza, not the chains but small places. Then I came to New Jersey/Philly and fell in love with 'real' pizza. It's not like Chicago, it's not like New York. It's just New Jersey pizza and I'm going to miss it when we move

 

I've never heard of anyone actually missing Jersey.. haha

Delisi's in Medford, New Jersey...

 

Havent tried pizza in NE Ohio yet. To be honest, I'm kind of afraid to. Dont get me wrong. I grew up on Ohio pizza, not the chains but small places. Then I came to New Jersey/Philly and fell in love with 'real' pizza. It's not like Chicago, it's not like New York. It's just New Jersey pizza and I'm going to miss it when we move

 

I've never heard of anyone actually missing Jersey.. haha

 

LOL I dont know that I'll miss the actually state.. but I will miss Delisi's pizza, Pic's wings and tails, and Gaetano's garlicbread cheese steaks... ohhh and panzarotti's... :D

 

When we went to Cleveland to sign our lease, I saw a poster for a "Philadelphia Cheese Steak" and it had steak-ums, onions, and red and green peppers....

 

I stood in disbelief... blinking... and then I started to laugh and toyed with the idea with going in there and telling them I could increase their revenue by showing them how to REALLY make a Philadelphia Cheesesteak

Kitten, im sure cleveland will be glad to have you! lol

Yes..but do they have panzarotti's? ;)

I've had pizza from various parts of Ohio as well and I'm really not impressed by the rest of Ohio's versions of pizza for the most part.  I do love Dewey's which is pretty much out of the part of Ohio that I would think it would be hardest to find a decent pizza.  I also really like Marions pizza out of Dayton.  For that style of Ohio pizza where they cut the pizza in small squares its pretty good.  Northeast Ohio pizza places for the most part do not cut their pizzas into tiny squares.  Its conventional pie shape and cut unless its a sheet pizza and its more in a NY-style.

 

I've been told there are some Youngstown pizza parlors that are able to pretty much reproduce NY style pizza.  I have no idea what a "Jersey-style" pizza might be.  But I'm sure there's enough variety throughout Northeast Ohio between Y-town, Akron, and Cleveland and all their Italians to find at least decent pizza and potentially phenomenal pizza.  In Akron, my favorites are Luigis and Rizzis.

I live now close to Farinaccis and thats pretty good.  For a local chain Zeppes is nice too.  The only good pizza I've tried in Cleveland is Deweys.

Edison Brothers in Tremont

or

The Loft "Pizza" in Kent

 

If you are ever by Pittsburgh, there is a little town called Ambridge which has a pizzeria called "Police State Pizza" they have the best pizza I have ever had, period.

you all need to drive to tiffin ohio and try reino's pizza. It a whole in the wall mom and pop italian restaurant with lots of character and charmed. its unchanged since the 1950's and was started by a first generation italian named frank reino. his name sake pizza the "frankie's original" is absolutely mouth watering. Since ive lived in cleveland ive tried many different places and pretty much the area that i have found that has the pizza up here is parma. The market in parma is so saturated that these places have to be top quality to compete P. Jays is the best pizza i have found up here. thats my own personal taste though. No frills or funny looking toppings just good pizza.

Fabio's- Cleveland

d'Angelo's- Lakewood

Vincenza's - Downtown Cleveland

 

Agreed. No one comes close.

Ill have to vincenza's is it a sweeter sauce? or more spicey?

There was this pizza place in Bexley that was pretty good I went to (Rubio's or something?).  As far as "best pizza in the state," that is just a matter of taste.  I always was a fan of Dewey's myself.

Coccia House - Wooster

BonoTOGO is the current rage in Columbus right now.

 

http://www.columbusunderground.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=14668

 

 

 

I'm sorry, but I've never understood how crappy/greasesludge pizza + ultra-cheap price = the BEST pizza. The Loft in Kent?!? Sorry jar3232 - "thaz just NASTAY!!!".

Delisi's in Medford, New Jersey...

 

Havent tried pizza in NE Ohio yet. To be honest, I'm kind of afraid to. Dont get me wrong. I grew up on Ohio pizza, not the chains but small places. Then I came to New Jersey/Philly and fell in love with 'real' pizza. It's not like Chicago, it's not like New York. It's just New Jersey pizza and I'm going to miss it when we move

 

I've never heard of anyone actually missing Jersey.. haha

 

LOL I dont know that I'll miss the actually state.. but I will miss Delisi's pizza, Pic's wings and tails, and Gaetano's garlicbread cheese steaks... ohhh and panzarotti's... :D

 

When we went to Cleveland to sign our lease, I saw a poster for a "Philadelphia Cheese Steak" and it had steak-ums, onions, and red and green peppers....

 

I stood in disbelief... blinking... and then I started to laugh and toyed with the idea with going in there and telling them I could increase their revenue by showing them how to REALLY make a Philadelphia Cheesesteak

 

See now you contradict yourself.. are you from Jersey or Philly.. just because you live RIGHT across the PA line doesn't mean you're from both.

Loft pizza is incredibly unremarkable.  I do recall they had "buy one get one free" a few years ago.  It was something like $5 for 2 pizzas.  Its cheap and edible far but from being "the best place to get pizza"

Delisi's in Medford, New Jersey...

 

Havent tried pizza in NE Ohio yet. To be honest, I'm kind of afraid to. Dont get me wrong. I grew up on Ohio pizza, not the chains but small places. Then I came to New Jersey/Philly and fell in love with 'real' pizza. It's not like Chicago, it's not like New York. It's just New Jersey pizza and I'm going to miss it when we move

 

I've never heard of anyone actually missing Jersey.. haha

 

LOL I dont know that I'll miss the actually state.. but I will miss Delisi's pizza, Pic's wings and tails, and Gaetano's garlicbread cheese steaks... ohhh and panzarotti's... :D

 

When we went to Cleveland to sign our lease, I saw a poster for a "Philadelphia Cheese Steak" and it had steak-ums, onions, and red and green peppers....

 

I stood in disbelief... blinking... and then I started to laugh and toyed with the idea with going in there and telling them I could increase their revenue by showing them how to REALLY make a Philadelphia Cheesesteak

 

See now you contradict yourself.. are you from Jersey or Philly.. just because you live RIGHT across the PA line doesn't mean you're from both.

 

I'm from New Jersey. Our area is a suburb of Philadelphia. Every single food I listed is made in New Jersey though. The Philadelphia Cheese steak isnt the location it's made but the style. And a Philly Cheesesteak does NOT have red or green peppers in it and doesnt ...ever... use steak-ums.

 

You take shaved beef, and lots of it.. put it on the grill, using the spatula to chop it into pieces. As it's cooking you take American cheese, white, and melt it into the meat, adding onions that have been cooked on the same grill. Now, a true philly cheesesteak will offer you the choice of "Whiz or no Whiz", where they slather melted cheese wiz on it. You can also add mushrooms, some add pepperoni at times..but onion, beef and cheese melted in, not placed on the bread as you put the meat on.. that is a Philly cheesesteak.

 

 

Ok we are getting just a little off base..lol Im sure a philly sub is excellent but Im sure you dont have to be in Philly to cook one nor do you have to be in New York to make a New York style Pizza.

 

    I also i dont want to bash restaurants on this thread either. These people are hard working and trying to make a buck if they have a customer base and a niche who are we to judge?? Lets just talk about our personal favorites and give credit where credit is do!

andaloro's in willowick is good

here's a pic of one of their pies:

YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!

^^Damn it! You just can't recklessly go posting pictures of pizza at 1:17 in the morning! Now I'm hungry! :wink:

^^Damn it! You just can't recklessly go posting pictures of pizza at 1:17 in the morning! Now I'm hungry! :wink:

 

I called Donatos after viewing this thread; they were closed at 12:30. They love to tell you that as soon as they pick up the phone

For Cleveland, I like Pizza Joe's.  It's on the corner of Memphis and Fulton in that butt-ugly plaza.  It's so good and greasy you can actually feel your heart clogging as you eat it.  :-)  But the best pizza comes from Lou Malnati's in Chicago.  It may not be in Ohio, but it's on N Wells St a couple of blocks over from Ohio St, so it's sort of related to Ohio pizza.  :wink:

Vincenza's - Downtown Cleveland

 

Agreed. No one comes close.

 

I really don't even know why there is a debate about the cleveland area... you're absolutely right... no one else even comes close.

^ I think that the only argument would come from folks who haven't tried Vincenza's. My only complaint with them are the hours (not typically open in the evening unless there is a game or some other event in Gateway).  However, I am sanguine that those hours will expand as more folks move in downtown.

I was just about to ask about their totally lame hours.  I may live downtown, but I'm not there during working hours for god sakes!

M-F 11am - 6:30pm

 

The lines can be insane at lunch.  But I've never had anything (Cleveland area) that's really come close... And I'd throw it up against any pizza I'd been told to taste in NY during my time there.

So if I happen to get home from work early enough, will they deliver to the Avenue District?

I don't think they deliver... I think you'll have to do a flyby.

I have to beat mrnyc to this thread and mention my fave in Lorain - Yala's on Oberlin Avenue where "a pizza with a little cheese is like a kiss without a squeeze

 

haha. oh yeah. and you can get eliseo's style there too. a pizza parlor worth traveling for! say, remember the little painting up on the wall by the counter of the stereotypical italian pizzaolo guy holding a pizza? my mother painted that in the 50's when she was a teenager. last time i went i saw they had painted over it and i was pretty mad at'em.  :whip:

 

****

 

cleveland: vincenza's downtown, capri middleberg, mama santa's little italy & what's that one on warrensville? geraci's i think.  oh and players too if its still around.

 

bg: myle's pizza

 

columbus: rotolo's was ok, yes to the rubio's mention, flying osu

 

dayton: casano's, marions, giovanni's in fairborn, flying downtown

(i heart dayton-style pizza, ohio's own unique contribution to pizza style)

of all of them i like casano's best -- salt on the bottom cinches it

 

pizza that's ok, but makes me shrug "eh": the other guys in bg - pisanello's & pagliai's, deweys (love all the nice reno'd parlors tho)

 

bonus points: five alarm pizza in lorain, because it lives up to it's name - you can get an ultra-spicy pizza that will melt you into a puddle. yes....you'd have to be  :drunk: yes.  :wink:

 

r.i.p.: stella's in sheffield lake

 

*****

 

best pizza of all the world all the time is found in new haven, connecticut aka america's pizza mecca. pepe's, sally's and modernistic. i shouldn't even mention them because if you ever get to go they will ruin you for pizza for life.

 

for nyc the top of the heap is difara's, but that's obscure. downtown in manhattan i like lombardi's and john's and grimaldi's in bk all just fine. i could go on and on.

 

so here's another close-up pizza porn shot of totonno's pizza near coney island. oooh baby good pie!

 

 

 

M-F 11am - 6:30pm

 

The lines can be insane at lunch. But I've never had anything (Cleveland area) that's really come close... And I'd throw it up against any pizza I'd been told to taste in NY during my time there.

 

I think those hours eliminate it from being "the best place to get pizza". 

 

If Lola still had the same great food but it had sh!tty service, is it still the best restaurant in town?  No.

Little Italy- Valentino's. Mama Santa's is decent and inexpensive, but IMHO Valentino's is the best pie in Little Italy.

 

Tremont- Big Guys. They plop down a half bulb of garlic in the middle.

 

West Park- Dante's. The pizzeria is almost hidden away; seems to only be known to the neighborhood folks. The sauce has a nice tang and the crust  has that old pizza oven taste.

 

Lakewood- Angelo's. Deep dish can't be beat.

 

Cleveland is definitely a pizza city.

"Tremont- Big Guys. They plop down a half bulb of garlic in the middle."

 

That's no bulb, son - that's the Garlic Bomb!

The best pizza I've ever had in Cleveland was from Messina Bakery in Collinwood.  It's the typical medium-thick crust with provolone that you get at a lot of Cleveland shops, but they do it perfectly.