Just under two months ago, we at lehighvalleylive.com asked our faithful readers to let us know where they pick up their favorite pizza in the Lehigh Valley. This kickstarted our journey across the region, trying 11 of the most popular pies according to the poll, and determining which one takes the pizza.
There were some overwhelming favorites among the results, but did they live up to their reputation? We’ll see. To keep things uniform, we ordered one large plain pizza at every location. Judging each pizzeria off different types of pies would create too many variables. Everyone should be able to make a good plain pizza. It’s kind of like how bartenders test each other by ordering a daiquiri — it provides a good overall baseline for quality and skill.
We based our scores on four categories: cheese, sauce, crust, and presentation. The score reflects the average of those four numbers (we went three decimal places deep).
Pizza tastes vary, and everyone likes their pizza in a particular way. Our favorite might not be your favorite, and vice versa. But the dough-slingers on our list make their pizza in generally similar ways, so the ones that rose to the top are probably going to be more of a safe bet.
Don’t agree with our findings? Let us know. Email [email protected] if there’s a pizza we should’ve tried.
The Lehigh Valley’s 11 Best Pizzas, Ranked
11. Hellertown Crossroads Hotel — 4.25
1443 Main St., Hellertown
It’s hard to put something last and not be too offensive, but there’s no way to soften the blow here. Crossroads, as beloved an institution it is for Hellertown and the surrounding community, makes a pretty underwhelming pizza. It’s small and relatively bland compared to the other pies. The worst part of the ‘za is its crust, not thin enough to be considered a thin-crust pie and not chewy enough to be enjoyable. Every bite leaves you with an unsatisfying crunch.
10. Giovanni’s Pizza — 5.75
1001 N 19th St., Allentown
Given Giovanni’s popularity in our reader poll, I had pretty high expectations going in. But I was frankly a bit disappointed with the pie, which tasted like little more than the sum of its disparate parts. The cheese, sauce, and crust were all varying levels of “just fine” on their own, but the pizza as a whole didn’t rise above that either.
9. Nicolosi’s Pizzeria and Restaurant — 5.875
1700 Sullivan Trail #3, Easton
I’m working hard to divorce the quality of Nicolosi’s pizza from the quality of Nicolosi’s dining area, which is essentially a temple to the horror genre. Posters for movies like “Carrie” and “House of 1000 Corpses” line the wall, and plastic skeletons might outnumber the people in the restaurant at any given time. The pizza itself is pretty good. The sauce is a highlight and the crust is solid, but the taste won’t blow anyone away.
8. Frank’s Pizza and Italian Restaurant — 6.5
1250 US-22, Phillipsburg
Frank’s suffers from being in a hard-to-find location (the deepest corner of a Phillipsburg strip mall) but it’s worth seeking out. It’s a quality pie that doesn’t stand out in any particular facet, but isn’t slacking in any either. The quaint dining area has a nice ambiance.
7. Steve’s Pizzeria — 6.875
1005 S Greenwood Ave., Easton
Located in a standalone building with a good interior atmosphere, Steve’s is a platonic ideal of a good pizza. None of its individual ingredients stand out on their own, but it is altogether a good slice and a good whole pie. The kind of pizza that, when you open the box, you know exactly how it’s going to taste: pretty damn good.
6. Slice of Italy — 7.125
5924 Tilghman St., Allentown
Good ‘za! Slice of Italy might be on the edge of the Lehigh Valley, but it’s one of the region’s better pies. It gets docked some points because the cheese is doused in oregano, but the pie has a strong identity and a great crust with the right amount of char to give it a bitter note that complements the slightly sweet sauce.
5. Dom’s Westgate Pizza — 7.625
2335 Schoenersville Rd., Bethlehem
Dom’s Westgate Pizza is located in the Westgate Mall. It has arguably the best crust on this list. The cheese and sauce are fine, but every bite of the pie’s overall structure is the perfect amount of chewy and tasty. It’s tough in a rewarding way, making for a great eating experience.
4. Villa Grande Pizzeria — 7.75
225 W Northampton St., Bath
Villa Grande is the platonic ideal of a great pizza. An even layer of sauce topped with a coating of tasty cheese is buoyed by a crust that finds a solid middle ground between thin and tough and soft and chewy. Villa Grande was the highest vote-getter in our initial poll, and it largely delivered.
3. Pizza Joe’s Italian Restaurant — 7.875
550 S Main St., Nazareth
There’s not a lot of separation between the top five pizzas on this list. Pizza Joe’s has the best combination of cheese and sauce, both in taste and amount. It’s tied for the best crust because of its strength in both taste and structure. The only issue is that it’s too small, leaving us wanting more.
2. Affinito’s Pizza Parlor and Cafe — 8
1328 Chestnut St., Emmaus
The most surprising pie on the list was from Affinito’s. Affinito’s standard large pizza, dotted with splotches of juicy tomato sauce and thick tomato chunks, has the most impressive presentation. It tastes great as well, with an exceptional (if a bit thin) crust.
1. Moonlight Pizza — 8.125
301 S Robinson Ave., Pen Argyl
Moonlight Pizza, a popular entry into the reader poll, is well worth the effort to acquire. The shop’s phone line opens at 2 p.m. to reserve a pie baked from Moonlight’s limited daily dough. The crust is the star of the show, with a thinner center and full outer edge that cradles the ingredients perfectly. Topped with basil leaves, it’s also quite a looker, making it almost too pretty to eat. But having tried it, I assure you, you should definitely eat it.
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