Feb. 9th is National Pizza Pie Day! Take today to celebrate by biting into one of Gainesville's great slices! Besides being endearingly greasy, pizza counts as a vegetable now, too, according to Congress. So, why not fulfill your daily recommended amount at one of the pizzerias listed below?
Junk Shop Pizza: Satchel's Pizza
One of my favorite Satchel's bumper stickers reads, "I'd rather be eating pizza" and relates to almost every college student ever. Satchel's Pizza strives to do two important things for the Gainesville community: treat their employees correctly by providing fair wages and make delicious pizza the right way — with love. In addition to their fantastic and totally customizable pies and slices, Satchel's offers a vegan pesto pizza and a millet and flax seed pie. While you're there, try to snag a table in their renovated VW van or their treehouse out back!
Crusty Pizza: Leonardo's by the Slice
Leo's is notorious for having pizza as crusty as the people who serve it. However, pizza here flies out of the ovens faster than a student leaving Gainesville for Spring Break. While you're there, try a slice (or two!) of the Spin Tom or the Florentine. Leonardo's' mainly thin-crust style doesn't skimp on zesty tomato sauce or melty cheese. Don't forget to throw in an order of their famous garlic rolls to munch on while you wait for your oven-warmed slice to be ready.
Monster Pizza: Five Star Pizza
So, there you are. It's 2 a.m., and the club just let out. The first logical step out of the doors is finding your way home, right? Wrong. The first logical step is always to find pizza. The best nights ALWAYS end in pizza. During late night hours, Five Star is there to deliver what you will remember (or not remember) as some of the best pizza you've ever had. Enter the Piezilla. At a whopping 24 inches in diameter, this pie means business, so you and your hungry friends better get serious. Side effects: You will regret this pizza in the morning. Just kidding, it was totally worth it.
The Pizza that Never Sleeps: Big Lou's
Big Lou's is your classic New York style pizzeria. They feature an open kitchen with employees shuffling whole pies on wooden paddles in and out of large ovens somehow forcefully and gracefully. Try one of their many specialty pizzas, like the Big Lou's House Special, which has an olive oil base topped with fresh tomato, prosciutto, ricotta, garlic and oregano. If you're not feeling adventurous, a basic cheese slice is perfectly adequate. However, before you go, check out Seriouseats.com, which describes the only correct way to eat a New York style pizza with "The Fold Hold."
Frat Pizza: Italian Gator Pizza by the Slice
I don't care how wild Swamp, Cantina or Grog was, because at the end of the night, there will be nowhere in midtown more packed than Italian Gator Pizza by the Slice. The best of Florida's Greek life lines up around the corner for slices of steaming hot, late-night pizza served out of a simple to-go window. Although the menu is limited, only offering cheese or pepperoni by the slice, midtown bar hoppers have no complaints chomping down on a slice or two before heading home. Just remember frat stars, pizza grease and pastel polo shirts don't mix!
Club Meeting Pizza: Domino's Pizza
Shout out to Domino's for luring us to club meetings we never intended on joining with the promise of free pizza. You may not be the greatest, but you can always be depended upon to satisfy a pizza craving.
Posts in Chomp and Chew appear on Thursdays. You can get more at Becca's personal blog, www.becca-bakes.com
Can you conquer the Piezilla? (Disclaimer: pizza suit not included.)
