When it comes to finding fast, delicious food perfect for almost any occasion (probably not ideal for weddings), pizza always comes to mind. It’s in my top 5 fast food hall of fame and when made correctly, it’s hard to argue against ordering it to fight the eternal enemy we call hunger.
I’m a pizza fanatic, but only of the kinds that Al Bundy or Homer Simpson would enjoy. No pineapples, spinach, lettuce or whatever other atrocities places like CPK and hipster bars can come up with. I’m talking about the basics, pepperoni, cheese, bacon, sausage, ham, etc.
The best pizza is greasy, relatively inexpensive, heavy on toppings and doesn’t have cardboard crust. In the past 10 days I’ve enjoyed a pizza (or 5) and decided to share some of the photos.
First up was a very economic option found only in Los Angeles. It’s called La Pizza Loca (the crazy pizza) and it’s a Latino pizza chain that makes a pizza called “La Gigante,” a literal “giant” pizza that costs just $10 and has 32 square-cut slices. It’s far from a perfect pizza, but it is ideal for hanging out with friends or watching sports on a reasonable budget. For a few extra dollars ($12.99) you can make it a meat lovers gigante and they add ham, bacon and sausage. Not wanting to choose between the two, I went with both.
After that I went for the thin crust, New York style with Greco’s NY Pizza. I’ll admit up front that me and the traditional New York style don’t get along. I’ve never been crazy about really thin crust or dry crust, which I know other people really enjoy. With that said, I still hit up Greco’s with an open mind and gave it a fair chance. The pizza was more expensive ($19 for a large pepperoni and cheese pizza) and it was definitely very thin, but the pepperoni was good, the sauce had a nice kick and the melted cheese was delicious.
And now we arrive at my favorite part of this post, where I focus on a special pizza spot called Joe Peeps. Remember when I said that the best pizza is inexpensive, greasy and isn’t afraid to make you conquer a mountain or two of toppings on your journey to pizza heaven’s peak? Well Joe Peeps is that place. They specialize in making pizzas that drown in whatever toppings you love, all served on top of a thin yet soft crust and fluffy bread made fresh every day. My personal favorite is their 18-inch XL Pizza, covered in pepperoni and sausage, which I had this past Sunday. Feast your eyes on this delicacy (those are “light toppings” by the way), which has 10 slices and comes out to about $22.
I’ll finish the post off with a classic choice and one I grew up on. The one and only Pizza Hut, who offer a great deal with their $10 special for any large with up to 3 toppings. As far back as I can remember, I would bug the heck outta my mom, brothers and sisters to make sure we would order some Pizza Hut, specifically the meat lovers one with pan crust. It’s about as greasy as you can dream of and has the awesome combination of delicious pepperoni, sausage, bacon, ham and nostalgia all in one. I went there with my older brother today and just like it has for decades, it made the day even better.
Don’t believe me? Just watch.
What are your favorite pizza places? Let me know on Twitter @TheCherchLife.