The Mexico City pizza scene is still in its infancy. Most of the styles tend to follow the Neapolitan model – wood fired, high heat, etc. Ardente has two locations in CDMX and we visited their newest location in the Condessa neighborhood, where Alfonso Jarero has brought his expertise in gelato making and is now also making excellent pizzas.
Chicago has a wealth of pizza styles – deep-pan, deep-dish, tavern and stuffed are the homegrown styles, but there’s also Sicilian, Detroit and Neapolitan. When it comes to Roman pinsa, however, choices are more limited. Adam Weisell was born in Rome, so he brings a lot of experience and his own taste memories to the menu at Munno, an Italian restaurant with a dedicated pinsa program.
Matthew Grogan loved the pizza from Grimaldi’s (and later, Juliana’s) so much, he quit his job in finance to help Patsy Grimaldi continue his vision. The New York native has seen Grimaldi through good and bad times, and feels the weight of carrying on that vision well into the 21st century. We discuss the complicated history of Grimaldi’s and Juliana’s, including the special challenges involved in running a coal-fired oven beneath the Brooklyn Bridge.
Vincenzo Onnembo was a film student in Rotterdam, but in 2018 wound up in Amsterdam with a business partner, making Neapolitan-inspired pizzas at nNea. He has since opened a carryout operation next door – a much easier option since getting a reservation at the restaurant could take months.
David Peña fell hard for New Haven style apizza, so after a deep research trip – where he spent time in some famous kitchens like Frank Pepe’s – he returned to Texas with new vigor and the idea to replicate the traditional apizza (ah-BEETS) in the Lone Star state, about 30 minutes outside Dallas at Fortunate Son (yes, named for the Creedence Clearwater Revival song).
Rony Stark grew up in Italy, with an appreciation for homemade pasta and pizza. But when he moved to Nashville several years ago, he saw an opportunity to create something no one had done before: Roman pinsas. At PennePazze he offers both handmade pasta and these light and airy pizzas, and is expanding the business.
A pair of Filipino cousins joined forces with their Mexican friend to open a unique pizzeria in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago. Novel Pizza Cafe combines both of the partners’ cultures, but also thinks of itself as and all-day cafe. We took a closer look at how they make both a Chicago thin pie as well as a deep-pan.
We revisit this wonderful pizzeria from the Upper West Side of NYC, now that they have a second location downtown. Frank Tuttolomondo’s square slices at Mama’s TOO! are incredible.
We revisit L’industrie in NYC this week, after they came in 80th in the world from the 50 Top Pizza organization. We are revisiting this classic because they now have a second location in the West Village, but we spoke with owner Massimo Laviglia way back in 2020, when he was still finding his footing.
For nearly 80 years, Rose Barraco George has been a part of legendary Vito & Nick’s in Chicago. A true blue collar joint since it’s inception as a bar in 1920, the bar/restaurant continues its tradition of making one of the finest tavern style pizzas in the city.
