Dough & Tell

The question is simple; which local pizza was the best? The answer, however, is a tiny but more complicated one. In the Arcadia University community there are four distinct pizza restaurants which are most popular among its students. The restaurants in question: Apollo’s Pizza, Trevi’s, Glenside Pizza, and Pizza Box. Whereas they all may seem similar on the surface, I mean how different can pizza be? In reality there are many small and some large differences which make these pizzas individual and definitely unique.  

For this test, a plain pizza and a specialty pizza was ordered from each of the four restaurants (except for the pizza box which only had one plain/specialty pizza to be explained later). To begin the comparison I will begin where I myself started, at Apollo’s Pizza.
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The plain (to the left) and a white sauce with feta cheese (right) were the chosen pizzas from this local restaurant for this test. The initial look and smell of Apollo’s was very appetizing with an obvious crispy cheese and thick crust. The plain pizza had a very sweet sauce followed by a doughy, airy, and chewy crust which was absolutely delicious. The crust for this pizza could stand on its own as a whole meal. The sweet tomato sauce was very surprising and added a lighter more open taste which made it easy to get down. However the pizza itself was very greasy and without a napkin to dab some away, it could be very unsatisfying to some.

Next, I tested Glenside Pizza. I ordered a plain (left) and a vegetarian specialty pizza (right). Instantly my disappointment was palpable. The look of the pizza was not that appetizing and the smell was nothing to write home about. It smelled like a cafeteria pizza and even worse than that, it tasted like one. The plain pizza had a very undercooked and dense crust which made it almost inedible. The sauce and cheese were almost as bland as a cracker despite an occasional kick of cheese at the end of the bite. The pizza was so tough that I could have broken a rock with a slice but somehow as I mentioned was raw in the middle. The specialty vegetarian pizza was a little glimpse of hope for Glenside Pizza. The crust was just as awful but the flavors and combination of the veggies and cheese were eons above the plain. Credit where credit is due, whereas the pizza wasn’t cooked to perfection, the veggies and cheese were perfectly cooked and had a nice flavor. Overall with dense and raw crust, a plain pizza that should be worth a dime, and a tasty specialty, Glenside Pizza is an affordable yet precarious option.

After that, Trevi’s was next up on the test. I ordered a plain(left) and speciality white pizza with feta cheese, caramelized onions, and balsamic glaze (right). The smell and look of these pizzas was astonishing and had my mouth watering before taking a bite. The plain pizza had a very delicious and unique sauce which reminded me of a very tasty marinara sauce you would find on a plate of spaghetti and meatballs. The fresh basil leaves in conjunction with this sweet sauce was a perfect combination. Contrary to this discovery, the crust of this pizza was very underwhelming. It was overcooked and very thin which led to an almost brittle texture. On its own, unlike Apollo’s pizza crust, Trevi’s crust was bland and way too crispy. Whereas the flavors were almost there (besides the cheese, which was nowhere to be found) the crust really brought this plain pizza down a few notches.  The specialty pizza from Trevis was no doubt cooked to perfection as the crust while still thin was chewy and delicious without that harsh overcooked feeling. The flavors of this specialty pizza were gorgeous. The feta added a sharp cheesey flavor while the balsamic and onion finished it off in a savory fashion. This white pizza unlike Apollos was perfectly blended and did not have any one overpowering spices. The flavors and cook of this pizza was spot on. So if you ever wanna spend an arm and a leg on a thin crust pizza with a good hour long wait, Trevi’s is your next stop.

Finally I ordered a Brett Farve (above), yes that’s right- a Brett Farve or better known as a cheese lovers pizza from Pizza Box. Once opening the box to this “pizza” I instantly gasped. I ordered what seemed like a normal plain pizza from their website but found something much more. Past the initial confusion and pretty hefty price—this pie was astonishing. It was a double crusted pizza which was very similar to a calzone. In conjunction with the daunting look and amazing smell, when I bit into the crunchy perfectly seasoned slice the crust was flaky and delicious. The multiple different cheeses were chewy, stringy, and added a sharp edge to the typical pizza flavor. Next time you want a pizza that’s worth the money (if you can figure out the confusing menu) then you should make a call to Pizza Box.

In final, with a basic rating system of enjoyment and flavor I would rank the best local pizza places from first to last:

1. Pizza Box
2. Apollo’s Pizza
3. Trevi’s
4. Glenside Pizza

Feel free to try it for yourself and compare your results to mine! I hope you decide wisely and more importantly, enjoy!