EXPLORING MAIN STREET PIZZA

Story and PhotoS by Michael Stoll

So it appears that my hope expressed in the previous issue of Austin Living did not come to fruition. If you need reminding, I had hoped by this point the COVID-19 situation would have subsided enough to allow me to do my usual Area Eats article where I write about the delectable offerings from one of the dining options in Austin and the surrounding area that have not previously been featured in the magazine.

That is clearly not the case, but when given lemons, I have opted to make the metaphorical lemonade. It’s easier then throwing them back and demanding oranges.

That is why I have decided to have this particular Area Eats feature focus on my favorite food: Pizza.

I fancy myself a pizza connoisseur. Why? I am so glad you asked!

I have loved pizza ever since I was a little kid, and while my tastes changed over the years, my love for pizza has remained ever present. It was fitting that my first job in high school was at the Lilburn, Georgia, location of Papa John’s Pizza. The pay wasn’t glamorous, nor were many of my fellow employees, but it was my first introduction into the art of making pizza.

Yes, I said art. It may look simple, but hand-tossing a consistent crust with

as few air pockets as possible takes practice. If you ever see footage of competitive pizza making (yes that is a thing), you’ll see some serious talent from serious pizza makers.

Papa John’s was just the tip of the iceberg. Throughout college I held jobs at various pizza shops, from inside cook to delivery driver to assistant manager. Some were chains, like Donatos and Sbarros, while others were local So this is my small mom-and-pop shops you couldn’t find anywhere else. The last pizza restaurant I worked at was Big connection to Pie in the Sky in Kennesaw, Georgia. Fans of the fame, and it is all Travel Channel show “Man vs. Food” might be familiar with that name as that was where original thanks to pizza host Adam Richman did his eating challenge – a 30inch, 11-pound Carnivore Pizza that needed to be consumed in an hour (with a partner, not alone). This was after college, when I was a broke historian looking for extra work. Fortunately, I knew owners Dirk Tendick and Chris Day from another local pizza restaurant we all worked at together. Although Richman and partner Drew Middlebrooks failed the challenge, Big Pie’s business skyrocketed after the episode aired and Day asked me if I was still looking for extra work.

So that is my small connection to fame, and it is all thanks to pizza.

In my travels, the first thing I tend to look for is whether or not my destination has a local pizza shop. I have eaten thousands of slices in many states throughout my life, from New York style to Chicago style, from stuffed crust to Sicilian crust, from conveyor belt ovens, brick ovens and wood-fired ovens. I have consumed everything from your hole-in-wall greasy pies to unorthodox creations. I have yet to consume the Bellissima Pizza, which features lobster and caviar, from Nino’s Bellisima Pizzeria in New York City.

And with a $1,000 price tag, I never will.

Bottom line, I love pizza. So it was only natural when my wife and I moved to Austin in 2016 that I should seek out, you guessed it, the local pizza restaurants. Enter Steve’s Pizza and George’s Pizza.

When discussing these two long-time Main Street landmarks with locals, it was apparent there was a divide. While some liked both, others were fiercely loyal to one or the other. With this in mind, I had to see what I thought.

When I peruse a menu at a new pizza restaurant, the first thing I look for is the list of specialty pizzas. In the case of George’s and Steve’s, I decided to focus on their most unique creations in determining my favorites. For the purposes of this experiment, I eliminated any specialty pizzas commonly found elsewhere (such as Supreme, Veggie, Meat, etc.) and any specialty the two had in common (such as Taco and Bacon Cheeseburger).

With the parameters set, I proceeded to try the remainder. On the adjoining page are my top three picks from both.

So of all of these pizzas, which one is my favorite? I am so glad you asked again!

I have no doubt you have been wondering which pizza that I, the overly opinionated (and rather rude) Area Eats writer for Austin Living, believe is the best among all of the offerings (don’t roll your eyes and deny it). Whose restaurant reigns supreme?

I’m only going to write this once.

My favorite pizza, which from here on out decides who is the best among the two, is ...

We’re sorry; the ending of this article was lost at sea before it was sent to print. As author Mike Stoll said previously, he would only write the name of the winner once and in true divalike fashion has refused to type the name again. Based on ocean currents, we believe the ending is somewhere around the Korean Peninsula, possibly being investigated as American propaganda by Kim Jong-Un.

3The Pesto Chicken – If you’ve never had pesto as a sauce option, you really should. This pizza features a pesto base with chicken, red onions, green peppers and tomatoes. The first bite gives you a hit of basil and garlic with saltiness from the Parmesan cheese.

2The Greek Special – I am a feta cheese addict. While some think its sharp, salty taste is too strong, I find it to be a good accompaniment to various dishes, pizza included. Throw on top of that gyro meat, a unique pizza topping in its own right, and you’ve got a top-notch savory pie. This one was only slightly beaten out by my favorite pizza from George’s. That distinction goes to …

1The Beckel Special – Like the aforementioned Pesto Chicken, the Beckel forgoes traditional tomato sauce and opts instead for George’s homemade hot sauce.

Then comes the meat: beef, bacon and ham. How this combination of hot sauce and meat came to be, I don’t know, but it works.

I can hear some of you now: “Oh no! Hot sauce! It’ll be too hot!” And you would be … wrong. The hot sauce is there simply to impart flavor, not make you sweat. The other toppings help balance it out, so even those with a low heat tolerance can enjoy this one. 3Greek Chicken – As previously stated, I love feta cheese. This pie comes with onions, red and green peppers, chicken and Kalamata olives with a feta sauce in place of traditional tomato sauce. I cheated a bit and ordered mine sans olives because, to be blunt, I despise olives. That being said, the sweetness of the onions and peppers balances well with the saltiness of the feta.

2Bacon and Ranch BLT – This one was a surprise. Topped with bacon, lettuce and tomato (obviously), this wouldn’t seem like much. But then its creator made the decision to use ranch as the sauce base, changing the flavor profile in a very good way. Genius or mad scientist, whoever came up with this one deserves credit.

1Buffalo Chicken (and then some) – I can only set the stage for you on this one by telling you the online menu did not include a list of toppings. From what I could tell, it appeared to be buffalo chicken atop bacon, ground beef, barbecue sauce and cheddar cheese. It seems an odd combination, until you bite into it and are greeted by a blend of spicy buffalo sauce contrasted with the sweetness of the barbecue sauce. You will want more. Oh yes, you will want more.