Pittsburgh Pizza Tour: Pizza Bowl Style

What even is the Super Bowl, am I right?

My good friends Laine and Shannon, also known as Pittsburgh Pizza and Pittsburgh Plates (shoutout to Instagram for bringing us together) decided to stop at some of the most popular pizza spots in the ‘Burgh and taste ‘em all. But now I really can’t eat pizza for like a month.

Anyway… here’s a look into our itinerary and my overall thoughts:

1. Mineo’s & Aiello’s

I literally arrived at Shannon’s to two pizza pies from these spots, which happen to be essentially right next to each other. I had never tried either spot before but have seen in photos the amount of cheese Mineo’s puts on their pizza. If you haven’t please see below and LMK your thoughts, but to me this is the definition of a cheese avalanche. Or a literal cheese ocean.

As far as taste and my favorite, I’m really here for Aiello’s. The cheese ratio makes a lot more sense, plus the flavor of the cheese is definitely more elevated than Mineo’s. The sauce on this one is sweeter than Mineo’s, which I really liked and it paired well with the cheese.

My consensus here: Aiello’s all da way. I cannot with that Mineo’s cheese ratio.

2. Benny Fierro’s

This hands-down my favorite spot for fast-casual pizza. Not only is the size ideal (aka it’a bigger than my face) but it’s also the closest to NJ pizza I have found in the ‘Burgh. I usually go for the pepperoni slice, but on this day, I decided to try the spicy (labeled as “not too spicy”) sausage which was a good move. But the pepperoni will forever be my favorite. If you’re looking for a solid slice of pizza (and one slice is all you need here) this is your spot.

My consensus here: Benny’s is the move, especially for pepperoni.

3. Beto’s

So, this place is known for their cold cheese on their ‘za. Literally just cheese thrown on top of sauce and crust. I have ben intrigued by this for years now but just haven’t gotten myself to this spot! So, I had to change that during the Pizza Bowl.

Many people we’re confused when they saw my Instagram story and were questioning (or confirming) the fact that it’s an elevated Lunchable. Remember those? Anyway, I was really here for this. I liked the weird combination of cold cheese (which was very good) and hot sauce and a crispy crust.

My consensus: JUST TRY IT ONCE.

4. Slice On Broadway

I had never heard of this spot before today, however it was a solid slice. They had their plain pizza by the slice, so that’s what we went with. Good, melted cheese, a tangy sauce, and I really appreciated the fact that they put out hot pepper flakes and parmesan cheese on their tables. It made me feel like I was in NJ again!

My consensus: A solid slice of plain pizza if you’re on the hunt for a good slice.

5. Fiori’s

The last stop on our tour. By this point, I was the definition of full, but there’s always more room for pizza. The pizza literally came out of the oven and onto our table in 30 seconds and was COVERED in grease. Like I have never seen that much grease on a pizza in my entire existence. Regardless, I recommend eating this pizza while it’s still hot. So basically on fire. That’s when the cheese is the meltiest and the tastiest, and the grease isn’t too much of a problem. (Or just use a napkin and blot the grease off. That works too.)

My consensus: I would try this again, but the grease was overwhelming.

My overall thoughts lie in the fact that I may never crave pizza again, however I have discovered that I am a fan of cold cheese on a pizza. Who even am I?!

I have been a Benny’s fan for a while, so I think my favorite spot of the day aside from them was Aiello’s. They pleasantly surprised me and clearly know how to make a good, flavorful, and solid pizza pie.

What are some of your favorite pizza places in Pittsburgh? Where should I go next? Email me at hungrygrlbigcity@gmail.com!