August 16, 2017
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice
A Margherita pizza in the wood-fired oven at Bufad Pizza, 1240 Spring Garden St.
Who's up for a little controversy?
It's the ultimate summer food: portable, delicious and communal. While pizza can do wonders to unify a group of people, piping up on your favorite pick could make you some enemies, too.
Undaunted, PhillyVoice staffers offer their advice on where to grab the best slice in the Philadelphia area. There are quite a few spots on the list that specialize in your standard sauce and cheese, while others went for a fancier pick that dishes out pies with corn puree and wild mushrooms.
While there may have been discrepancies, no tears were shed in the making of this list. Check out some of our favorites below:
A tiny restaurant with a 50-year tradition of tossing pies. (In the early 1970s, it had a much larger pizza palace just down the road that was packed with families. That location never reopened after a big fire.) A Longhitano still owns the place and the cheese still goes on the crispy thin crust first here, topped with a wonderful sweet sauce. Prices are reasonable. On Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, two medium (14-inch) pies will set you back just $12.75.
•Bob McGovern, executive editor, news
Crispy, distinctive pizza with toppings you don’t really find at other pizzerias. Brisket, scrapple and jambalaya by the slice, or a full pie if that’s what you want. The cheese doesn’t drip. It’s not greasy. Two slices and a Nantucket Nectar hit the spot. It’s also a BYOB just a few steps away from The Foodery in Northern Liberties.
•Michael Tanenbaum, staff writer
Its a good night for delivery! https://t.co/k8iVRB3JhL #tgif #fridaynight #firstfriday #rainynight #orderonline #ontray pic.twitter.com/Qkwa9KtkBx
— Rustica Philly (@RusticaPhilly) May 5, 2017
Square pies. Thickly layered cheese and sauce. Soft — but not floppy — crust. You can get a pepperoni pie for $12, which is six giant slices, essentially two meals for six dollars. It is also within walking distance of my house.
•Dan Craig, staff writer
Many creative options. Now, anyone who’s seen me eating pizza in the newsroom knows I am a diehard lover of the Hawaiian, but with this shop I gotta go Whiz Cheesesteak. Unlike Dan’s selection, it IS sloppy, cheesy, greasy and delicious. Everything I want in my hangover pizza. I can’t recall the price, but it’s worth the drive (or bike/sub) to Fishtown for this delicacy, AND there is a PIZZA MUSEUM attached to Pizza Brain to educate your ass on everything pizza-related from the beginning of time.
•Jenny DeHuff, managing editor of culture
This #FirstFriday #twoxthefun @mypizzabrain- Chorizo Cherry Tomato & Zucchini Thai Peanut Sauce slices. Starting at 5:30pm. Yum! pic.twitter.com/i1TSRLTUfd
— PIZZA BRAIN (@mypizzabrain) November 3, 2016
Crisp delicious ultra-thin crusts and top-notch ingredients. My fave is the white pie known as Zucco, which is topped with grilled zucchini, prosciutto and fontina cheese. It has a balsamic glaze. The Langelli, a mushroom pie with truffle oil, is my favorite red pie. And the place is BYOB.
•Kevin Shelly, South Jersey reporter
OK, so this one is tomato pie. Does that still count? It should because this is the best tomato pie in the world. It’s not a sit-in place but the pies are great to pick up for family parties, tailgates and when you don’t feel like cooking. Go with a friend to pick one up, though, so no one has to look for parking on the narrow, hilly streets.
•Sinead Cummings, events listing producer
This isn’t so much about the quality of the pizza itself — though it’s quite good — but about the quality of the business. Each slice is $1, but most people pay $2. Why’s that? Thanks to a unique pay-it-forward mission, homeless men and women in Philadelphia can walk into the Center City pizzeria and get a free slice thanks to those who pay extra. Post-It messages of hope and appreciation from customers adorn the walls. The eats are good. The mission is great.
•Brian Hickey, reporter
Never look down on someone, unless you're helping them up. #PayItForward pic.twitter.com/3ilIxLtjKK
— Rosa's Fresh Pizza (@RosasFreshPizza) August 11, 2017
Plain cheese pizza. Not too thin, not too thick. All around the perfect sauce, cheese and dough ratio.
My dad (born and raised in South Philly) actually comes from South Jersey to pick up a pie or two.
•Erica Roccia, digital media account executive
Thin crust, sauce on the top, and nothing but deliciousness in between. If you’re looking for great pizza in the Northeast, this is the spot. You know it’s good because they don’t deliver; you have to pick it up yourself (and once you try it, you’ll see that it’s worth the trip). Oh, and don’t even get me started on the white pie…
•Matt Mullin, staff writer
I was a tried-and-true hater of most things tomato-related until this place. The Neapolitan-style pies come unsliced, meaning you can attempt to eat them the European way and just tear at the dough. Most importantly: order any pie that involves Piennolo del Vesuvio tomatoes. They will effectively destroy your desire for any other tomatoes in the future, but the sacrifice is worth it.
•Marielle Mondon, staff writer
Tuesdays still mean $10 pizzas all night on both floors! #eastpassyunk #pizza pic.twitter.com/vLEU6fVWbF
— Brigantessa (@Brigantessa_EPA) August 8, 2017
How good is Bufad? Two years ago, I had a friend pick me up from Hahnemann University Hospital after getting tendon surgery and drive me right there to get its "summer corn" pizza, despite the cocktail of leftover anesthesia and painkillers permeating my body.
It's a cozy spot specializing in wood-fired pizza and has some small plates, too. Plus, did I mention the corn pizza? Where else can you get that? It's got wild mushrooms, corn puree as well as fresh corn, spring onion, olive oil and Pecorino Romano all for $14.
•Patricia Madej, staff writer
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice
Bufad's Margherita Pizza and the Savory Ricotta Panna Cotta with a pickled beet and orange relish, crushed pistachios and crostini.
Yes, New Jersey. Calm down – it's literally a 14-minute drive from Citizens Bank Park, and located right off Rt. 42, an easy pit stop if you're headed down the shore (or to the Gloucester Premium Outlets). If you dig a classic, thin crust tomato pie, look no further. Toppings are also great (try the sausage), they do other style pies, and they have a great starter salad. Very friendly staff, too. Before you go: get cash, as they're cash only.
•Ryan Lawrence, Phillies writer
Easily the best pizza in Fairmount. I tend to go fairly traditional, preferring their pepperoni pizza, but Angelino’s offers an abundance of specialty pies, too. And if you’re into strombolis, they’re even better. Also, the restaurant, tucked into the neighborhood, makes for a relaxed setting.
•John Kopp, reporter
Sicilian, New York, coal-fired or flat bread are offered with every combination you can think of. Their Sicilian Di Parma is my personal favorite! Grandma’s pie is always a good go, too. Pies come fully loaded and usually under $20.
•Radhika Shah, executive assistant
