Perogies or Primantis is the most notable food in Pittsburgh, but don’t count out our pizzerias. As a city filled with food enthusiasts and aspirational restaurateurs, Yinzers are lucky to have plenty of options. You can celebrate National Pizza Day on February 9th by trying out a slice from a local restaurant. Break out of your habits by trying a new style of slice or pizzeria below:
Benny Fierros
South Side
Benny Fierros serves up 28’ inch pies for pizza lovers with big appetites. The large slices of pizza are proof that sometimes, quantity and quality can be one in the same. If you don’t have a crowd to feed, you can pick-up individual slices as well.The founder of Benny’s was from Brooklyn, NY, leaving the pizza with a thin crust, flavorful sauce, and just enough cheese for a good cheese pull. Customers can always pick up cheese, pepperoni, or sausage. Two specials, one meat and one vegetable, are rotated on to the menu every month. In February, the specials are bruschetta and buffalo chicken. You can order online, by phone (412-709-6077), or in-person.
Slice on Broadway
multiple locations
Craving an authentic New York pizza? Slice on Broadway (S.O.B) is your best bet in the Steel City. This locally-owned and operated chain has three locations in the Pittsburgh area with three in Beechview, East End, and Carnegie. The menu stays the same across the board at all three – you can keep it simple or indulge in a loaded slice. Get creative by coming up with your own combination, starting with picking one of their three different sauce bases. You can start with a tangy tomato sauce, fresh pesto, or a herb-infused white sauce; options almost seem unlimited. Order online, by phone, or in-person at all three locations.
Driftwood Oven
Lawrenceville
Is crust the favorite part of pizza for you? Yinz will have to try an artisan pie from Driftwood Oven. Driftwood Oven started out solely as a mobile pizza oven, gaining enough support to break ground on their Lawrenceville storefront in 2017. Neil Blazen, a lover of baking, brought his skills to the table for Driftwood’s pies.All pizzas are made with an in-house starter sourdough crust. The crunch is legendary, and the flavor can’t be matched in this city. Pile your pie high with arugula, assorted Italian cheese, fresh cuts of meat, or leave it simple. Specialties pies, like chicken pesto or meatball, are worth adding to your order. No dine-in, but order online or at the store.
Mercurio’s Gelato & Pizza
Shadyside and Fox Chapel
Mercurio’s Gelato & Pizza’s expansive menu offers up paninis, pizza, salads, and gelato. All of them are well worth testing out, but their pizza take the menu to the next level. The pizzas emulate the style of traditional Neopotalian pizza. Paper thin crusts are topped fresh mozzarella and housemade sauce. The pizza menu is broken down into white based sauce and red based sauce pizzas. I recommend the “Salsiccia” – an Italian sausage seasoned with fennel. You can order take-out or online at their Shadyside and Fox Chapel locations.
Brookline and McMurray
One of Pittsburgh’s “heavy hitters,” Fiori’s Pizzeria often takes the crown as a local favorite. This family-owned Brookline restaurant has been serving the community for ages. While their menu doesn’t stand out with loud toppings and unique flavor-profiles, it’s their classic recipe that brings fans back again and again. To order call in at their Brookline or McMurray location.
Squirrel Hill
John Mineo moved to Pittsburgh in 1955 from a small town near Sicily. He purchased a street-car and set up shop in Squirrel Hill. This “Pittsburgh Famous” pizza has been topping favorite lists ever since. Three generations have owned the family-run business since then. You’ll recognize them for their notorious pepperoni under cheese style. All their dough is hand-made, their sauce is made from Italian tomatoes, and their cheese is hand-grated daily. Try ordering one of their at-home pizza kits!
Strip District and Millvale
When Chef Pete Tollman entered Smallman Galley back in 2017, everyone knew that the world of Pittsburgh Pizza was never going to be the same. His super-thick crust, square-cut, “Detroit-style” pizza certainly stands out against the standard fair. The Iron Born team is passionate about elevating the quality of pizza by focusing on every ingredient. From the housemade garlic oil to the pickled banana peppers, ingredients are hand-forged into an ever-changing list of inventive pies where flavor and seasonal ingredients are king. You can order online for pick-up from either their Strip District or Millvale locations.
This content was provided by a local, independent contributor to Made in PGH, a lifestyle blog.