Best non-Neapolitan style pizza in the burgh (Pittsburgh, Lebanon: buy, calculator)

[erieguy]

Good stuff. Last I was there and in Brooklyn was when Blue Bloods first started and was taping. Looking forward to seeing the changes since then.

[tclifton]

Originally Posted by gladhands

DiFara

From Wikipedia:

In spite of its renown, Di Fara's has been closed in 2007 and in 2011 due to unsanitary conditions

Sounds yummy!!

[gg]

Originally Posted by erieguy

What's your favorite NY pizza?

Don't know if I have a favorite, but the last pie I had was out in Brooklyn called Victoria Pizzeria. It is way out by Coney Island almost.

[gladhands]

Originally Posted by tclifton

From Wikipedia:

In spite of its renown, Di Fara's has been closed in 2007 and in 2011 due to unsanitary conditions

Sounds yummy!!

It's literally one octogenarian dong everything by hand, including grating the cheese.

[gg]

Originally Posted by erieguy

You should post your recipe so someone can open a place. If it's as good as you say, someone will certainly put it to use.

Pretty sure if you're not used to as you say "new Pittsburgh", you haven't had the opportunity to visit most restaurants or pizza shops.

I have tried pizza all over the place here, even drove down to Slice on Broadway, which wasn't bad for our region.

I don't know if the recipe is as important as the technique. I would use a spicier sauce that has some zing, but not too much sauce and it certainly wouldn't be sweet. Also, i would want to find a good cheese blend that has lots of flavor and that browns a little here and there, not totally white. Then the dough can't be handled to death or it gets too tough. Then the most important part is cooking time. Pittsburgh doesn't seem to know how to cook a pizza because they are raw. I want a little chew and a little crunch on the outside. Most good NYC pizzas are a little greasy, so that is the norm and is welcome. That is one of the reasons people fold the slice so the grease doesn't go all over the place it is controlled. Toppings need to be fresh and quality. No canned crap! Also a good pizza should even be good plain. That is one thing I would say about a Vinnie Pie, they weren't very good plain. The toppings really made the pie since he really had good toppings.

[erieguy]

Originally Posted by gg

I have tried pizza all over the place here, even drove down to Slice on Broadway, which wasn't bad for our region.

I don't know if the recipe is as important as the technique. I would use a spicier sauce that has some zing, but not too much sauce and it certainly wouldn't be sweet. Also, i would want to find a good cheese blend that has lots of flavor and that browns a little here and there, not totally white. Then the dough can't be handled to death or it gets too tough. Then the most important part is cooking time. Pittsburgh doesn't seem to know how to cook a pizza because they are raw. I want a little chew and a little crunch on the outside. Most good NYC pizzas are a little greasy, so that is the norm and is welcome. That is one of the reasons people fold the slice so the grease doesn't go all over the place it is controlled. Toppings need to be fresh and quality. No canned crap! Also a good pizza should even be good plain. That is one thing I would say about a Vinnie Pie, they weren't very good plain. The toppings really made the pie since he really had good toppings.

Sounds like you need to try some more places. As to raw, it sounds like you prefer well done. Any shop will cook it longer if requested. As was mentioned, Anthony's Coal Fired is charred/well done and they advertise it that way.

Fresh ingredients are not hard to find and cheese can be flown in from most anywhere if that's preferred...and grease isn't hard to find if that's what you prefer. Quality ingredients aren't limited to NY only 6 hours away.

Seems most want only a slice, which are limited in the area and most have been sitting around waiting to be reheated. Pizza needs to be eaten out of the oven in which many NY shops offer slices. Whole, fresh pizza needs to be ordered, not old cheese congealed slices...and it sounds like you're still unaware that you can still get a Vinnie Pie.

[erieguy]

Originally Posted by tclifton

From Wikipedia:

In spite of its renown, Di Fara's has been closed in 2007 and in 2011 due to unsanitary conditions

Sounds yummy!!

Nobody said anything about it having to be clean.

[MamieRose]

I've eaten plenty of NYC slices when we lived closer and use to visit more frequently. I think it's a "thing" that is not easily reproduced in other areas because you need to have high volume to sell by the slice and keep it fresh.

While I get there is plenty of bad pizza in Pittsburgh (and agree the sweet sauce!), I like Slice on Broadway, Badamo's, Il Pizzaiolo and Harry's. Also agree that Anthony's is very good. Guess we're lucky to be in the south hills....

[erieguy]

Originally Posted by MamieRose

I've eaten plenty of NYC slices when we lived closer and use to visit more frequently. I think it's a "thing" that is not easily reproduced in other areas because you need to have high volume to sell by the slice and keep it fresh.

While I get there is plenty of bad pizza in Pittsburgh (and agree the sweet sauce!), I like Slice on Broadway, Badamo's, Il Pizzaiolo and Harry's. Also agree that Anthony's is very good. Guess we're lucky to be in the south hills....

Exactly!

Unless there's a line of people waiting and/or pizzas are coming out of the oven and being cut and served as fast as the shop can handle, I don't even think about eating a slice that's been congealed and sitting in it's own grease waiting to be reheated...and an entire pizza that's been eaten after sitting in a box until it gets to its destination isn't the same as when it's eaten straight/fresh from the oven.

[tclifton]

Originally Posted by gladhands

It's literally one octogenarian dong everything by hand, including grating the cheese.

Sounds a bit like Vincent's i.e., one of those places that people love to say how much they love it to the point where they're happy about cigarette butts and grease.