The Mission

Pizza is EVERYWHERE. I pass at least 10 establishments that sell pizza on my 12.5 mile (mostly country) commute. I could double or triple that amount if I included a few adjacent streets. In Onondaga County there must be several hundred places you can buy pizza.

Some people would say, “There is no such thing as a bad pizza.” I can remember saying that myself, but it was probably after midnight in the college dorm, when even the empty box looked good. The reality of the Syracuse area is that while pizza is very easy to find, really GOOD pizza is hard to find. Do you think I’m wrong? Am I too picky? We need more pizza research in Central New York! That’s what this blog is all about. If I can save you from a bad pizza experience, or direct you to a good one, then the mission has succeeded!

There are so many pizza places, obviously the demand is high. Why is there so much demand if so much of the product is so bad? Some of the reason has to do with regional and personal preferences and tastes – one person’s perfect pizza is another person’s poison. Sometimes we tolerate substandard pizza just because of convenience, speed, location, or price. Maybe we tried a good place, but some key person was on vacation and/or they had an “off” day.

Personally, I knew nothing of pizza until I was about 13. These days it is hard to imagine ANY child who is not familiar with pizza, but back in the 60s and 70s, we didn’t have pizza at school. I grew up in a rural meat and potatoes household, and all our meals were made at home. Then one day, I came along with my parents to pick up my older siblings from a party taking place in the church basement. There was some pizza left over, and someone offered me a piece. Fortunately it was from Roma in Ithaca (now closed), and it was quite good! I was hooked.

It can be dangerous to speak dogmatically about matters of opinion, and pizza preferences are no exception. When we really love it, we will drive way out of our way to get it. What makes pizza good (or bad?) We’ll talk about that as we review pizza from Syracuse and Central New York, but here’s what we’re generally looking for:

1 – Crust: Fresh, with a crispy bite, not soggy. It should have a pleasing bread taste all on its own. Brick oven baking is preferred, but we’re open to screen and pan baking if it is done well. We prefer thin crust, but thicker crusts will be given an opportunity to prove themselves. A good char (but not burn) is preferred.

2 – Sauce: Bright, tomatoey, and fresh with a simple and gentle blend of spices. Not too salty, not oily.

3 – Cheese: Moderately applied, not overly stringy, not greasy. Should be lightly browned in spots.

4 – Toppings: Fresh (not canned) veggies, modestly spiced meats with little grease.

Overall, the key word is balance. That’s what makes good pizza so enjoyable – a pleasing mixture of complementary flavors. No one thing should dominate; all of the flavors should blend to create a complex, satisfying taste.

It is all about the taste, certainly, but a possible 5th factor is restaurant atmosphere. Pizza joints that are REALLY bad, or REALLY fun/amazing/friendly can and will affect the rating. Some of the restaurants we review may be places we’ve visited numerous times. Many will be first-time visits. We’re eager to have readers’ suggestions, and we will also be looking for online reviews to get suggestions.

This blog was inspired by the fine work done by Pizza Guy, who’s blog is a fun read, and is highly recommended by the pizza geek.