The St Louis (not just style) Pizza Thread (St. Louis, University City: food, health)

[ajf131]

I can't believe you think there are no good pizza parlors around here. Have you tried Joney's, Racanelli's, Cicero's, Cecil Whitaker's, or any place in The Hill? If you're really having that hard of a time finding a good place for pizza in a city like St. Louis, you really aren't looking.

[aragx6]

I really have to stop reading this darn thread -- it makes me so hungry!!

Jill, just so you know, the reason your links didn't work is because you're too new a member. Once you've made a few more posts you'll be able to post links nice and easy!

[Jill61]

Ah, thanks. It was weird -- they previewed correctly, then posted like a big mess. No amount of editing would make them look right again, so I gave up and posted without the linked cites. Oh well, perhaps next time. Thanks for the heads-up.

[Jill61]

I just remembered another place I grew up going to; Frank and Helen's Pizzeria. It hasn't been updated since it opened in 1956, but I remember their pizza as being fantastic, especially the bacon pizza. They don't just lay strips of fatty, chewy bacon on top, whole. No, they cook the bacon up nice and crisp, then crumble it and pile it on thick all over the top.

I haven't been back there in nearly 20 years, so for all I know my memory could be completely flawed, but mmmmmm, I always loved Frank and Helens.

http://www.frankandhelens.com/index.html

[ajf131]

Originally Posted by Jill61

I just remembered another place I grew up going to; Frank and Helen's Pizzeria. It hasn't been updated since it opened in 1956, but I remember their pizza as being fantastic, especially the bacon pizza. They don't just lay strips of fatty, chewy bacon on top, whole. No, they cook the bacon up nice and crisp, then crumble it and pile it on thick all over the top.

I haven't been back there in nearly 20 years, so for all I know my memory could be completely flawed, but mmmmmm, I always loved Frank and Helens.

Frank and Helens Pizzeria

Yep. Frank and Helen's Pizzeria...it's located on Olive Blvd. west of Hanley Rd. Its fried chicken is excellent as well.

[SoStLouis]

Not places like Pizza Hut and Imo's (although it's a local chain). Your favorite Mom & Pop shop.

Hands down, Serra's Pizzeria. I know the family very well, they're all 1st/2nd generation Cicilians (sp?). Most amazing pizza you will ever taste I can promise that. Everything else they serve is amazing too, all their pastas and meats. The atmosphere is bar-none as well. It's right off 270/Dorsett or 70/St. Charles Rock Road.

The owner is a true rags to riches story, came here with nothing, opened the pizzeria. He now owns a good percentage of all Bridgeton/Maryland Heights property, rents houses and strip malls, employs much of our youth at his pizzeria and gives back to Maryland Heights/Bridgeton whenever he can. He's a tough man to work for but he pays fair and he doesn't settle for anything but the highest quality when it comes to everything.

Check em out, 314-739-0881. 12218 McKelvy, Maryland Heights, Mo 63043. Serra Pizzeria, Maryland Heights, MO, 63043 - YELLOWPAGES.COM

Coming from Dorsett is a bit complicated because there are like 5 different McKelvys in Maryland Heights.

From 70 and St. Charles Rock Road. Coming west (from the city), make a right, coming east (from St. Charles), make a left onto the Rock Road. Go up a few lights, at McKelvy make a left. Continue on past the hospital, cross the 70 bridge, then the 270 bridge, at the McKelvy/Creve Couer Mill intersection make a left and it's in that lot right behind the Mobil and across from 711.

A good breakfast spot is Tony's, in the same strip mall. Amazingly cheap donuts, amazingly good donuts. Amazingly cheap breakfast sandwiches, amazingly delicious sandwiches.

Name yours!

[ajf131]

I'd vote Joanie's Pizzeria, in South St. Louis in the historic Soulard Market on 2101 Menard Street where Menard intersects Russell Blvd. That is the best damn pizza I've had around here, period. I'd also recommend Cicero's, at the intersection of Delmar and Kingsland in The Loop. My final recommendation would be Guido's, in The Hill, on Shaw Blvd. just west of Kingshighway Blvd.

[DinsdalePirahna]

It moved. Lake Saint Louis Pizza. The owner was from Jersey and made the closest thing to a real Pizza this side of the Mississippi. Homemade sauce, no provel and a medium-thin chewwy crust.

I haven't found anything like it since.

[DeBaliviere]

Originally Posted by DinsdalePirahna

It moved. Lake Saint Louis Pizza. The owner was from Jersey and made the closest thing to a real Pizza this side of the Mississippi. Homemade sauce, no provel and a medium-thin chewwy crust.

I haven't found anything like it since.

There are plenty of good pizza places in STL that don't use provel or the thin, cracker crust:

- Black Thorn - Tower Grove South
- Pi - Delmar Loop (coming soon to Kirkwood)
- Ferraro's - Soulard
- Bridge & Tunnel - Washington Avenue
- Talayna's - Multiple locations
- Vito's - Midtown
- Racanelli's - Multiple locations
- Joanie's - Soulard
- Onesto - Southampton
- The Good Pie - Midtown

There are other places like Mattingly's (Benton Park), The Stable (Benton Park) and Three Monkeys (Tower Grove South) that aren't pizza joints per se, but make a good pizza.

Those are just a few, I'll try to think of some more. I'm not a fan of traditional, STL style pizza, despite having grown up here.

[DinsdalePirahna]

Racanellis and Talaynas are weak. They are definitely better that the crap they try to pass off as Pizza in California, but still mediocre.

I'll give the other a try when I'm in the area and hankering for a slice.