5.4.08
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With the talk of a possible Papa John’s boycott in Cleveland, this has me wondering, what is your favorite pizza shop?
Personally, my favorites are Angelo’s, Roman Fountain and Donte’s. Let’s hear yours!
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For a typical pizza night I like Don Gi’s pizza on Cleveland’s westside near Broadview and Pearl.
For those nights when I want exception pizza - Angelo’s hands down.
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+1 | May 4, 2008 @ 5:40 pm
Why is the action of a major chain, like Papa John’s so surprising? They have locations all over the nation, and their marketing for a team in one city will usually impact the locations in a competing city.
I do not frequent chains, when I can help it.
My favorite Cleveland pizza shop is Giuseppe’s on Mayfield. Tony and his staff make arguably the best pizza. Why? It’s the sauce. Fantastic! Further, they welcome you into their small shop. A few visits and you are a friend.
My only question is this: Where can you find a good Chicago style pizza in Cleveland?
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+1 | May 4, 2008 @ 6:39 pm
My favorite pizza joint is Bar Cento. Best pizza in Cleveland.
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--1 | May 4, 2008 @ 7:55 pm
Anything but Pizza Hut. That place is the worst.
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+1 | May 4, 2008 @ 8:33 pm
No chains for us… just family-run restaurants.
Yes, Angelo’s in Lakewood, followed by Danny Boy’s in River, and a good deep dish @ Pizza by Robert in Westlake.
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+1 | May 4, 2008 @ 10:19 pm
@Valdis: Thanks for that recommendation. I’ve been by Pizza by Robert many times, but never stopped in. That will change this week.
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+1 | May 4, 2008 @ 11:07 pm
Napoleon’s Pizza on State Rd. in Parma has a very good Chicago style deep dish.
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+1 | May 5, 2008 @ 6:37 am
Angelo’s and Papa Nick’s, but they are both too far from where I live so I end up making my own pizza or having frozen (the Freschetta rising crust Harvest Wheat is actually pretty good, IMO).
The pizza at Bar Cento is good, but too gourmet. Sometimes you just want a “utility pizza.”
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+1 | May 5, 2008 @ 7:15 am
@Christine Borne: Agreed on Freschetta. It’s pretty damn good for frozen pizza.
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+1 | May 5, 2008 @ 7:18 am
Dewey’s Pizza, Mama Santa’s, Fahrenheit, and the Beach Club Bistro.
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--1 | May 5, 2008 @ 9:21 am
Oh, and Guido’s in Ravenna. It was the only pizza for me while I was at Kent State.
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--1 | May 5, 2008 @ 9:32 am
Biagio’s in Willowick and Primozz’s in Mentor are my two “local” faves.
Mama Santa’s is the best I’ve had in “Cleveland”
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--1 | May 5, 2008 @ 9:36 am
Angelo’s in Lakewood and Avon. Hands down.
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+1 | May 5, 2008 @ 9:37 am
All of these are fine, I’m sure, but they can’t begin to touch the sublime experience of LaRich’s pizza. It was a legendary hole-in-the-wall sit-down place for maybe 20 years near the John Carroll campus, and now survives only as a takeout shop in Highland Hts. But it’s eminently worth checking out. Phone number is (440)449-2360.
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+1 | May 5, 2008 @ 11:37 am
Thanx for the reminder about LaRich’s, John. It was a big weekend hangout, and I spent lots of money there with the female persuasion in High School,trying to get….
Anyway, Geraci’s for traditional Za, but I am boycotting them, because they shrunk the serving sizes of everything BUT the pizza.
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+1 | May 5, 2008 @ 11:57 am
Dewey’s Pizza is good, Teresa’s in Mayfield but Bar Cento has the best pizza in the city.
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--1 | May 5, 2008 @ 1:30 pm
Geraci’s was always a close #2 in that race, Joel. And I’d be willing to bet we were in LaRich’s at the same time at least a dozen times back in the day. It was indeed quite the place to take dates, especially if you had limited means. Women–okay, girls–were always entranced by that giant Grossberger’s salad. Remember that thing–a heap of lettuce and cheese piled on a pizza tray?
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+1 | May 5, 2008 @ 2:24 pm
And Greg, there is no real Chicago deep dish pizza in Cleveland that I’ve ever heard about. How Giordano’s would clean up here if it ever opened a location….
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+1 | May 5, 2008 @ 2:29 pm
John,
That salad was huge!
I know I was there when Ernie was, for sure…
Joel
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+1 | May 5, 2008 @ 2:54 pm
first off, the american pizza has become the new sandwich, appearing on menu’s everywhere! over here in the detroit shoreway neighborhood, along the lake, nearly every new and existing bar/restaurant of merit, including Latitude 41º North, Luxe, Stone Madd, ReddStone, Gypsy Bean & the Parkview, have pizza on their menu. therefore, determining who has the best is akin to deciding who has the best sandwich. i think one could weed out lots of these ‘pizza places’ by removing the ones that don’t have a dedicated take-out window! while unfortunate, that would eliminate bar cento.
what remains is Angelos; best when ordered with sausage & mushrooms.
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+0 | May 5, 2008 @ 3:08 pm
Certainly plenty to choose from. Bar Cento for the trendy pizza. Valentino’s for the traditional pizza. Fabio’s for the late night craving (they deliver to Tremont, Ohio City, Downtown until 4am)
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+0 | May 5, 2008 @ 3:38 pm
Hard to have a favorite by these are mine:
1. Pizzaz in Mayfield Village
2. Jimmy Dadonna’s in Solon
3. Antonios at ParmaTown
Papa John’s? Well, at 23 cents who can argue.
Jim
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--1 | May 5, 2008 @ 4:00 pm
Come to think of it, Joel, I think I remember you trying to talk a couple of your dates into considering buying a franchise…
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+0 | May 5, 2008 @ 5:33 pm
I’m surprised no one has mentioned Players on Madison…
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+1 | May 5, 2008 @ 5:58 pm
Marrotta’s on Lee Road in Cleveland Heights…no delivery, but the most like a classic NY pie.
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+0 | May 5, 2008 @ 6:46 pm
My favorite sauce in all of Clevedom is Mama Santas, Mirabile’s in South Collinwood was a close second until their mama died, Gentile’s on Broadview (see the Don G’s review) also has a pepperoni bread to die for–Galluci’s runs a close second on their pepperoni bread. Hands down, best pizza–Mama Santa’s. I should note that I am not Italian, but Italian-by-proxy.
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--1 | May 5, 2008 @ 10:52 pm
When we lived in Cleveland we’d go to Akron (my husband’s home town) to have Luigi’s Pizza. Is it still there?
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+0 | May 6, 2008 @ 6:31 am
My local, utility pie is probably Guys Pizza. When we had people over to help us work on the house, Pizza Pan is close by for quantity.
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+0 | May 6, 2008 @ 6:35 am
George,
I am feeling a dinnertime Blogger Meetup in the near future. How about one at a Pizza place???
Joel Libava
[Getting hungry!}
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+0 | May 6, 2008 @ 6:58 am
i challange anyone to try my pizza at cafe marika if you do not enjoy it and feel it is a great value i will personally refund the cost to you. contact me at 216-752-0828 after you try it to get the refund
michael@lucys
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--1 | May 6, 2008 @ 7:56 am
Maxim’s. Used to be on E. 185, now in Mentor on Lakeshore / rt.615. I grew up on it!
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--1 | May 6, 2008 @ 8:22 am
Angie’s Italian Restaurant in picturesque Barberton, OH. It’s not just good for inexpensive pizza, it’s good, period.
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+0 | May 6, 2008 @ 8:23 am
Chiming in late but I must mention Capri pizza in Middleburg Heights. Despite their unassuming surroundings (they are in a strip mall) they consistently turn out the tastiest pies I’ve had in Cleveland.
When in Akron, gotta go with Luigi’s.
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+1 | May 6, 2008 @ 8:24 am
Yes, Sharon, Luigi’s (if you mean the one right by downtown on the north end of Main Street) is still there. I have never had their pizza but their ravioli florentine is awesome :-). That’s what I always get there.
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+0 | May 6, 2008 @ 8:24 am
@franpro: (AKA Joel Libava): Sure, but which one?
@michaelfeigenbaum: guess I didn’t realize you had ‘za on the menu, but I will vouch for the artisan hot dog.
@paulius: when did maxim’s move? i’ll have to go check them out.
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+0 | May 6, 2008 @ 8:48 am
Augie’s on State Road in North Royalton and Rascal House on the Cleveland State campus.
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+0 | May 6, 2008 @ 10:49 am
I like Romitos Pizza West in Independence, as it is very similar to the pizza we always got at DiBella’s on Larchmere when I was a kid. Thick chewy crust and great sausage and pepperoni. Alas Dibella’s is no longer there. (Boulevard Blue built on the old Dibella’s location and that’s a pretty cool place as well.)
Closer to home I am most likely to get Dewey’s on Lee. As many others have mentioned it is also quite tasty.
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+1 | May 6, 2008 @ 7:12 pm
[…] picked up my post on BFD asking readers for their favorite pizza […]
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+0 | May 7, 2008 @ 6:19 am
Angelo’s in Lakewood most definitely, followed by Danny Boy’s in Rocky River. I’d actually say that Danny Boy’s has the best Chicago-style pizza I’ve ever tried, and I’ve had Giordano’s, Pizzeria Uno (the original), and Lou Malnati’s in Chicago … they were all pretty good, but just couldn’t compare to Danny Boy’s version, especially if you like sausage on your pizza, because it’s a solid LAYER of sausage. Pure delicious evil in every bite. I also have fond memories of good pizza at Guido’s on Route 306 in Chesterland. Square pizzas, but the sausage was homemade, which can’t be beat. And I have days where I really miss a good Pisanello’s pizza from Bowling Green …
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+0 | May 7, 2008 @ 9:30 am
Carmelo’s on E. 222nd in Euclid is some of the best pizza around. Cleveland, and the surrounding area, has so many good mom & pop pizza places that you never need to go to a ‘chain’ pizza place. Angela Mia’s in East Cleveland, Carmelo’s in Euclid, Congin’s in Collinwood, Villa Rosa on 185th, Mama Santa’s in Little Italy. I’m sure there’s a bunch on the west side, but I’m an east-sider myself….
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+0 | May 7, 2008 @ 11:47 am
The oldest pizza pie shop may be over in Garfield, on Turney. Cathy, who answered the phone–(216) 641-4433– tells me that the place has been there 55 years, which takes it back to 1953. We used to call it Musarra’s, and thought it dated back to 1958. We also thought it was exceptional, original, and authentic. Now, the new owners these past three years have made spelling the name simpler, or more goof proof, if you have trouble remembering how many r’s to use with Italian names:
Tasty Pizza & Restaurant–Garfield
4812 Turney Road
Garfield Heights, OH 44125
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+0 | May 7, 2008 @ 3:18 pm
I second the votes for Beach Club Bistro and Angelo’s (the one in Avon Lake is now closed, by the way) and will add Stonehouse Grill on Center Ridge in Westlake.
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+0 | May 7, 2008 @ 6:17 pm
East Side: Geraci’s (or Dewey’s, if you want something unusual, like a Green Lantern.)
West Side: Angelo’s
Downtown: Vincenza’s and Captain Tony’s.
Tremont: Edison’s
Best that delivers to my house: Zeppe’s
Gone but not forgotten: Trio’s Pizza, Rocky River.
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+0 | May 8, 2008 @ 4:38 pm
Dante’s in West Park is the best on the near west side, hands down…
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+0 | May 9, 2008 @ 1:01 pm
Geppettos on Detroit in Lakewood, but why the rebrand and why no more baked potato pizza?
Freschetta’s are pretty great too.
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+0 | May 9, 2008 @ 3:14 pm
Thank you for all the contributions.
Here’s a summary of all the places listed in the comments:
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+1 | May 11, 2008 @ 7:42 am