Pizza in Charleston

As a native Jersey boy, Pizza is my passion.  If there were one kind of food that I could be left with on a deserted island for the rest of my life, it would be a good pizza pie. And yes, I did say “pie,” make no mistake, that is the official terminology. In the northeast I order a large, medium, or small cheese pie. We still have all the toppings, it’s just that I’m a meat n’ potatoes kind of guy, (possibly the Irish heritage), and I stick to the classic but everlasting cheese pizza.

If any of you doubt my expertise, let’s examine my resume here. I have been to dozens and dozens of pizza parlors in the northeast, the west coast, and even down south. I have eaten pizza all over the world as well: Spain, Ireland, China, and even the motherland…Italy.  Rome was about the only place that could rival America’s pizza. In the center of Rome there are dozens of pizza parlors that cook a square pizza which they fold and wrap for you to go. Delicious, absolutely delicious! But after much taste-testing, they didn’t take the cake.  The crown belongs to a place called Gennaro’s in my hometown in New Jersey.  The best pizza in the world, hand’s down. I’m always looking for something better, but have yet to find it.  Everyone whom I’ve taken with me to the place has converted.  Rome was good, but we edged ‘em out ever so slightly.

Back to Charleston. I still remember the first time I ordered pizza down here in Charleston.  I called up Papa John’s and asked for a “large cheese pie.”  The phone line was dead silent for a few seconds before the employee over at Papa John’s said, “Pie?  I’m sorry, we don’t sell pie here.” Shocked, but humored at the same time, I laughed and said a “large cheese PIZZA.”  Oh, of course. That makes a lot more sense. Who in their right mind would order a pie at a pizza joint? Apparently only me. 

Now on to the nitty-gritty of the pizza talk. I’m gonna be straight with ya’ll when I say that I am not a big fan of the pizza chains in this country.  Pizza Hut, Dominoes, Little Caesar’s, Papa John’s…they aren’t real pizza. The stuff that they put on top of the sauce is not cheese; they claim it is but I’m convinced it’s some kind of scientifically engineered living organism. I’ve never seen a pizza that could be left on the floor for five days and still be good enough to eat.  It has to be a living, breathing creature.  As much as I fear these Frankensteins, I have learned that I have to settle for something when I can’t stand the mess hall food anymore over at The Citadel. So I choose to settle with Papa John’s. I think it has a better tasting sauce, cheese, and crust. Everything else just tastes too manufactured.

Then we have the so-called pizza parlors. Basically there remains only Norm’s and Andolini’s. Norm’s is more authentic than Dominoes, but still has the same appearance, taste, and texture of the pizza chains. Andolini’s, on the other hand, is the best darn pizza in the Lowcountry. Apparently, a native New Yorker thought it a good idea to move down to South Carolina and open a pizza parlor. God Bless him. Andolini’s pizza is the closest you can get to the taste of pizza back at home.  They use a good blend of tomato sauce and cheese on top of a great tasting crust.  They are called “pies” by the way.  And you can get them as big as 19 inches…the standard size back up north.  When cooked properly, they have just enough grease to remind you that you are eating a good, unhealthy pizza, but the cheese isn’t too undercooked and the crust is firm, but soft enough for a great finish at the end. Combine that with a fountain drink or some beer and you have a perfect meal for any day of the week. 

Sean aka "Pizza Boy"
CYH  Citadel Intern