Any Pizza Places Like Lombardi's? (Pittsburgh, Penn Hills: best, oven, reviews)

[RRANGEL09]

I'm not a New Yorker, but I have visited that city a few times the last 10 years. I hear a lot of negative comments about the pizza in Pittsburgh, but come on there has to be atleast one good joint in the region. Are there any pizza places in Pittsburgh that tastes close to Lombardi's?

[Mtl-Cns]

Originally Posted by RRANGEL09

I'm not a New Yorker, but I have visited that city a few times the last 10 years. I hear a lot of negative comments about the pizza in Pittsburgh, but come on there has to be atleast one good joint in the region. Are there any pizza places in Pittsburgh that tastes close to Lombardi's?

Slice in Beechview is similar to Lombardi's I'd say. Same idea -- San Marzano tomoato sauce, fresh mozz, basil etc... While you're in the South Hills, a really great place to try a similar pie is at Pizza Badamo in Mt. Lebanon. It's really good.

And btw I am a former New Yorker who does not subscribe to the "New York pizza is the best anywhere and everything else is trash" mentality. 90% of what you find in New York is cheap tasteless cardboard just like everywhere else...

[RRANGEL09]

Thank you very much !

[sskink]

Short answer: no, because there aren't any good places that use coal ovens.

Long answer: does it really matter? Slice, like Apizza Badamo and countless other Pittsburgh pizzas are made in Blodgett-style ovens, not coal. Thus you're simply not going to get a similar thin but chewy crust with abundant char in all the right places. Which is not to say that those two aren't good pizzas, they are very good IMO. Just not like a good NY or New Haven coal-fired.

There is one coal oven pizzeria here (well, two if you count the Anthony's Coal Fired chain) and that's Pi Coal-Fired on Carson. I haven't been personally but have read mixed reviews. I do want to try it, but I'm surrounded by pizza places I love, so haven't felt the need.

There are some excellent wood-burning places here that'll get you very close to a Lombardi's style (and IMO, in the first case, beat Lombardi's hands down). Il Pizzaiola in Mt. Lebanon is the champ here. DOC Certified Magherita pizza (imported 00 flour and bufala mozzerella, San Marzano, etc.). Owner trained in Napoli and had Neapolitans come and build his latest dome oven, which gets to 900F+. Piccolo Forno in Lawrenceville is another good option. Bado's Cucina in McMurray is another (although they call theirs flatbread, not pizza). There's probably a couple others I'm not aware of.

But that doesn't mean there aren't other great pizzas. You can get a great pie from a Blodgett-style oven. Slice, Apizza Badamo, Claudios, Harry's are ones I particularly like.

[tclifton]

I've never had it, but there's also one in Penn Hills ( Frankstown Wood-Fired Pizza Penn Hills - Home )

[gg]

Originally Posted by RRANGEL09

Thank you very much !

I have not found a good NY slice here. At one time Pizza Sola had it, but they expanded and to be quite honest are very inconsistent, so I don't bother. Most of the time Pizza Sola is a bit raw and you never have that at a good NYC pizza place. Oh and when it was good it was called Vesuvio. Ah, it is over now. Good luck. Let me know if you actually fine a NY slice. Would be great.

Oh and most NYC is better than here.

[sskink]

Originally Posted by h_curtis

I have not found a good NY slice here. At one time Pizza Sola had it, but they expanded and to be quite honest are very inconsistent, so I don't bother. Most of the time Pizza Sola is a bit raw and you never have that at a good NYC pizza place. Oh and when it was good it was called Vesuvio. Ah, it is over now. Good luck. Let me know if you actually fine a NY slice. Would be great.

Oh and most NYC is better than here.

Vesuvio looked like a NYC pie, a la Ray's in any incarnation. But it failed the taste test badly. Bland, bland, bland.

Lombardi's doesn't sell slices. Whole pies only. Different animal than street pie.

[gg]

Originally Posted by sskink

Vesuvio looked like a NYC pie, a la Ray's in any incarnation. But it failed the taste test badly. Bland, bland, bland.

Lombardi's doesn't sell slices. Whole pies only. Different animal than street pie.

I am fine with deferring. Vesuvio was more like a Ray's, so I don't know what Lomardi's is like. As far as a good NY slice (Ray's style, although there are better slices, I think it is called Steve's in the financial district), I was vey happy years ago, but I don't think Pittsburgh is a good place for pizza.

Like I said, good luck. Let us know your findings. Hoping there is something here.

[RRANGEL09]

Thanks for all of your suggestions. I will keep these places in mind. That's basically what I am looking for, is a good tasting Margherita Pizza.

[SK360]

Stone Pizzeria down at Gateway Center, Piccolo Forno in Lawrenceville and Marios in Beaver are my favorite Margherita pizzas in the city.

I have been to Lombardis, I want to go back bad but the above suffice when I get a craving.