There are many people making pizzas in the Louisville area, from master pizzaiolos handling furnace-hot ovens to microwave jockeys manning the local convenience store, not to mention delivery chains that Eater (according to some) has already made too much fuss over. As we begin our coverage of all things pizza for Pizza Week 2014, Eater presents some places to find pizza in Louisville. Some are iconic, some idiosyncratic, some institutions, some aren't even actual pizza parlors. Eater finds them all interesting, and welcomes additions or opinions on those included in our comments.
Luigi may come to Louisville straight from Puglia, Italy, but people can grab a slice hot from his oven that would not seem out of place in New York City.
One of Louisville's signature, Sicilian-ish pizza parlors now grown into a multi-store, multi-state chain. For a heavy, spicy taste of "Louisville-style" pizza, try the "Super Bearno’s Special" layered with sausage, pepperoni, hamburger, ham, bacon, Italian sausage, onions, green olives, black olives, fresh mushrooms, green peppers, banana peppers and extra cheese on top of thick crust with plenty of spicy sauce.
Impellizzeri's is one of the claimants for originator of "Louisville style" pizza, noted for spicy sauce, semi-thick crust and massive amounts of toppings. Other Impellizzeri's can be found in the Highlands on Bardstown Road and in the East End on Brownsboro Road.
Since 1977, Rocky’s Sub Pub has been offering Indiana-ized Italian-American cuisine, including an array of pizzas, to people wanting a taste of Italy with an amazing view of the Ohio River bridges and downtown Louisville.
Michael Paley combines his love of Italy with local sourcing. With its tire rack and mason jars Garage Bar aspires to grunginess, but its pies are cooked in a wood-fired, hand-built Ferrara oven "powered by kiln dried birch wood" creating "optimal conditions in the oven to create a perfectly cooked crust."
Spinelli's says it serves "Philadelphia style" pizza, which seems very similar to New York street slices. With a number of entertainingly decorated storefronts (and a dedication to delivering until 4:30 a.m.), Spinelli's pizza has developed a dedicated following.
Wick's has been a Louisville institution since 1991 and is home to "The Big Wick," a humongous pile of meat and cheese that's been called "one of the heartiest pizzas in town."
It's difficult to say whether "pub" or "pizza" comes first at Za's, but either way it's a popular Bardstown Road hangout with a broad beer list and a back room full of pool tables.
This former hardware store has become a Frankfort Avenue institution, serving a variety of pizza toppings on a cracker-type crust along with live music and a laid-back crowd.
It's perhaps more like a flatbread, but whatever its shape Blue Dog's "pizza" has genius baker Bob Hancock's dough arriving out of a blistering hot wood-fired brick oven. Toppings often include house-made charcuterie from heritage-breed pigs Bob raises himself.
Dough slowly risen for three days plus 1000 degrees of heat from the town's only anthracite-fired oven make Coals' mix of traditional and eclectic pizzas crispy, charcoal-y good.
Starting as a gourmet delivery service, Tony Boombozz has become a burgeoning constellation of beer and pie palaces offering a variety of pizza styles and toppings including their signature "Pollotate Pie," a combination of chicken and potato with a rosemary-garlic olive oil crust.
"Detroit Style" pizzas are square shaped, puffy pies made with marinara sauce placed above the cheese. Loui Loui's says square beats round "because the way they heat helps produce a different taste and texture in the crust compared to a traditional pan." The crust caramelizes at the edges while staying "moist and airy" in the middle, which seems to be how they do things in Detroit.
Allen Rosenberg has two locations, but only the Springhurst store has its own charcuterie room. House-cured meats and a carefully chosen crust make this pair of pizza places (the original Papalino's is in the Highlands) a must visit for pizza fans.
Luigi may come to Louisville straight from Puglia, Italy, but people can grab a slice hot from his oven that would not seem out of place in New York City.
One of Louisville's signature, Sicilian-ish pizza parlors now grown into a multi-store, multi-state chain. For a heavy, spicy taste of "Louisville-style" pizza, try the "Super Bearno’s Special" layered with sausage, pepperoni, hamburger, ham, bacon, Italian sausage, onions, green olives, black olives, fresh mushrooms, green peppers, banana peppers and extra cheese on top of thick crust with plenty of spicy sauce.
Impellizzeri's is one of the claimants for originator of "Louisville style" pizza, noted for spicy sauce, semi-thick crust and massive amounts of toppings. Other Impellizzeri's can be found in the Highlands on Bardstown Road and in the East End on Brownsboro Road.
Since 1977, Rocky’s Sub Pub has been offering Indiana-ized Italian-American cuisine, including an array of pizzas, to people wanting a taste of Italy with an amazing view of the Ohio River bridges and downtown Louisville.
Michael Paley combines his love of Italy with local sourcing. With its tire rack and mason jars Garage Bar aspires to grunginess, but its pies are cooked in a wood-fired, hand-built Ferrara oven "powered by kiln dried birch wood" creating "optimal conditions in the oven to create a perfectly cooked crust."
Spinelli's says it serves "Philadelphia style" pizza, which seems very similar to New York street slices. With a number of entertainingly decorated storefronts (and a dedication to delivering until 4:30 a.m.), Spinelli's pizza has developed a dedicated following.
Wick's has been a Louisville institution since 1991 and is home to "The Big Wick," a humongous pile of meat and cheese that's been called "one of the heartiest pizzas in town."
It's difficult to say whether "pub" or "pizza" comes first at Za's, but either way it's a popular Bardstown Road hangout with a broad beer list and a back room full of pool tables.
This former hardware store has become a Frankfort Avenue institution, serving a variety of pizza toppings on a cracker-type crust along with live music and a laid-back crowd.
It's perhaps more like a flatbread, but whatever its shape Blue Dog's "pizza" has genius baker Bob Hancock's dough arriving out of a blistering hot wood-fired brick oven. Toppings often include house-made charcuterie from heritage-breed pigs Bob raises himself.
Dough slowly risen for three days plus 1000 degrees of heat from the town's only anthracite-fired oven make Coals' mix of traditional and eclectic pizzas crispy, charcoal-y good.
Starting as a gourmet delivery service, Tony Boombozz has become a burgeoning constellation of beer and pie palaces offering a variety of pizza styles and toppings including their signature "Pollotate Pie," a combination of chicken and potato with a rosemary-garlic olive oil crust.
"Detroit Style" pizzas are square shaped, puffy pies made with marinara sauce placed above the cheese. Loui Loui's says square beats round "because the way they heat helps produce a different taste and texture in the crust compared to a traditional pan." The crust caramelizes at the edges while staying "moist and airy" in the middle, which seems to be how they do things in Detroit.
Allen Rosenberg has two locations, but only the Springhurst store has its own charcuterie room. House-cured meats and a carefully chosen crust make this pair of pizza places (the original Papalino's is in the Highlands) a must visit for pizza fans.
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