Columbus Style Pizza Not Your Thing? Try These Other Regional Styles Inside 270
Posted by CMH Gourmand on July 1, 2020
Columbus has changed a lot over the last twenty years. Franklin and Delaware counties are among the fastest growing in the country. Today, many residents are transplants to our city. This may come as a surprise to some of you but there are some among us that do not like Columbus style pizza – thin, cut into squares and piled with pepperoni. There are others that do have an affinity for our preferred pizza pie but want to expand their horizons while staying in place this summer and fall. If you can’t travel to the style of pizza, I’ll tell you where you can find it here in Columbus.
New York Style Pizza
The first pizzeria in the United States was most likely Lombardi’s in New York City opening in 1904. Over the years, New York style pizza became defined as a pizza with the thin, floppy crust with a thick, dense and chewy crust ring and high gluten flour. Can cut into big triangle slices. Most New York transplants assume a good version of this style is not be be had in the capital city. They are mistaken. Here is where you can find bona fide New York slices or pies.
Paulie Gee’s
The Paulie Gee’s in the short north is the first westward expansion of Paulie Gee’s in Brooklyn. Terry Gibbs crafts authentic NYC style pies with high end ingredients and some of his own variations as well.
Borgata Pizza
Borgata Pizza now has two locations. In the early days, it was a little known spot on the Northeast side of Columbus. Today, even expat-New Yorkers make an effort to find their way to the doors of either Borgata.
Sarafino’s
This long time North Market fixture continues to please the taste buds of even the more hard core slice eater. Grab a slice while you support other North Market merchants on your next shopping trip.
Unicorn (formerly Slut Sauce) need I say more?
Detroit Style Pizza
Detroit Style pizza is definitely different. The origins of this style go back to 1946 at a place called Buddy’s Rendezvous (still open today as Buddy’s Pizza). This style has some relationship to Sicilian style pizza – it is rectangular in shape, thick like focaccia bread and originally baked in drip and parts pans used by automotive dealerships. It is also typical to char the ends of the crust to make it extra chewy and crunchy.
Paulie Gee’s
The aforementioned Paulie G’s also makes incredibly good, albeit pricey, Detroit style Pizza. The quality of the ingredients justify the price but $20 for six slices is hard to swallow on a regular basis.
Yes, I am mentioning a chain. Jet’s Pizza makes a respectable Detroit style pizza and I have heard many local foodies quietly admit that they have a hankering for the Turbo Crust at Jet’s.
Sicilian
Adriaticos
Adriaticos’s makes three types of pizza, the most beloved is their Sicilian Pizza in the form of a Buckeye Pizza. The Buckeye is a large 18 x 24 sheet of Sicilian style pizza that can feed 10 – 12 or more people with ease. It is offered at a bargain price on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Chicago Style
Chicago style pizza has origins going back to 1943. Ike Sewell had a vision to make pizza a family meal and as thick as a pie so it could be eaten with a knife and fork. The guy back in the kitchen figuring out how to make this new style work was John Malnati. Ike’s place changed names a few years later to Pizzeria Uno. Lou Malnati’s took his fathers know how and recipes to start a chain of his own. Chicago style pizza is thick. It is cooked at lower temperatures for a longer period of time, typically about 40 minutes. The order of ingredients is typically different that other styles – sauce on top, then cheese, then toppings resting on the dough in that order.
Yellow Brick Pizza – Tristano’s Chicago Stuffed Pizza
Tristano’s Pizza in Grove City closed in 2016. Before the end, Yellow Brick apprenticed with Lou Tristano to learn how to make his version of Chicago style pizza. I considered Tristano’s among the best in Columbus. Lou made a good pie. He started working in his family’s Chicago area pizzeria before high school. The Yellow Brick version is about 94% as good as his, I will take that any day.
Giordano’s Pizza
Yes, the legendary Giordano’s pizza has a location in the Columbus area located near Polaris. I like their salads more than their pizzas. They are good but something is lost in the move to Columbus.
Meister’s Pizza is hard to find, tucked in the back corner of Meister’s Bar but it is worth the effort to find.
Massey’s Pizza
Massey’s does a respectable version of Chicago style pizza which I need to try again.
Rhode Island Style Pizza
Typically served in strips – this pizza sometimes features a sauce with a kick. It has roots in what is called Tomato Pie.
Yellow Brick has Rhode Island roots and inspiration but not quite a true to style Rhode Island Pie.
New Haven style Apizza
New Haven style pizza goes back to the 1920’s at a place called Frank Pepe’s. This is a thin crust pizza, coming out of a coal fired oven. Traditionally this is served as sauce with some pecorino romano sprinkled on. If you want mozzerella you need to ask for it (this is similar to the early pizzas in Columbus). White Clam Pizza is a signature style at Frank Pepe’s which was adopted by other pizzerias in the area. It is white style pizza (no red sauce) with littleneck clams. Frank Pepe’s and Sally’s Apizza are the most famous of the shops. I went to both in one day. I like Frank Pepe’s better.
Oddly, you can find a good version of this style of pizza in Franklinton, at Taft’s Ale House which is based in Cincinnati.
Steubenville / Ohio Valley Style Pizza
Steubenville style pizza, also called Ohio Valley Pizza, originated in the 1945 in Steubenville by the DiCarlo family. It is a thick crust, rectangle shaped pizza that has a layer of sauce and a dusting of cheese when in comes out of the oven. Cheese is then dumped on the hot pie with the original concept being that it will melt by the time the customer gets home. In the old days this was not always the case. Today DiCarlo’s has a Columbus location and you can decide if this style works for you or not.
Cincinnati – not really a style
If are from Cincinnati, you have heard of LaRosa’s Pizza. If you miss it, there is a location in Dublin.
Let me know what I missed.
Cindy Leland said
You got Borgata, so I’m happy! There’s something so decadent about bringing home a 20″ fabulous pizza for 2 people! It reheats in the microwave like a dream, too!
Pat Woodward said
Like a pizza tutorial with some local dining tips thrown in for good measure. Highly informative!
Pam Iversen said
Pizza New York in Pickerington..I’m a New Yorka, and I vouch for them ! Great pie..
cmh gourmand said
Thanks for the tip Pam. I have not had a chance to check them out yet. http://www.pizzerianewyork.com/
Laelle Burkhardt said
I appreciate that you included “Ohio Valley style” pizza, even though the Hilliard DiCarlo’s isn’t even close to the best DiCarlo’s – Elm Grove, WV
cmh gourmand said
Well that goes without saying. I’ve been to the Steubenville one too. Hard to replicate what they do.
Aj said
Columbus style pizza😂🤣 You might want to look into Cassano’s in Dayton. It actually spreads from Cincinnati to Bellefontaine Ohio. And predates your so called Columbus style.
cmh gourmand said
Hi AJ. I have tried Cassano’s. They were in Columbus for a few years but lost out in the pizza wars. Columbus style has been recognized outside of Columbus and has a legitimate claim to being a style.
And while Cassanos has a history going back to 1953, Columbus Pizza history dates back to the 1930’s and our first pizzeria, Romeo’s opened in December 1950.
I’d be interested in what you think about Marion’s
May the Force be with you.
BD said
Growing up in the Dayton area I had Cassano’s all the time. To this day probably 2x a month I drive to Springfield to get my Cassano’s fix. Marion’s is a good pizza also but didn’t have as often I would compare Cassano’s to Donatos and Marion’s to Massey’s in terms of customer favorites and number of stores in the city. Another outsider for Dayton is Ron’s.
Truth jones said
KINGS PIZZA BY OSU CAMPUS KILLS THEM ALL…….
cmh gourmand said
I did not know they had NYC and Sicilian style, I’ll try to check them out sometime.
Michael Aud said
New Philly style pizza from the Press Grill which originated at the original Pizza Pi on campus. The Hutras family recipe is a pizza worth trying at the Press Grill.
cmh gourmand said
Thanks for the tip. It is on the list.
ohiostatehack said
Brier Hill (Youngstown) style has a good representation at Olde Towne Tavern.
cmh gourmand said
Thank you for this tip! I will check out soon!
Julie said
Anthony’s in Bexley is the NYC style pie in Columbus!
Michael S Kinney said
You have to try Hounddogs pizza, one of the best pies that Columbus has to offer. Mild sauce with garlic butter crust is the way to go.
cmh gourmand said
Hi Michael, I do love Hounddogs and you’ll find it here in the blog among some older posts. The sauce/garlic butter combo is known as Smokin’ Joes for those that have not tried it and it us wonderful.
Mark said
I have also eaten Chicago style pizza. They are actually as thick as a pie. But ultimately, it was a delicious pizza.