By Isabel Soisson By Isabel Soisson | August 16, 2019 | Food & Drink, National,
Fact: pizza is one of the few foods that can constantly evolve, because it’s so simple to switch it up. Everyone has their favorite topping, whether it’s traditional like pepperoni or more adventurous like pineapple. But what about eggs? Or pistachios? Artichokes? Pizza is being reinvented each day—especially in Philly. Here, five of the best places to find your new favorite slice.
Zavino is popular for a lot of reasons, some of which include their drink selection, tons of appetizers and of course, their pizza. Zavino offers the standards like Margherita, but one of their most popular creative pies is the Short Rib. The idea for “The Shortie” came about after the chef decided he wanted to combine a savory yet high-end touch with truffle oil. After that, they made the pie even better by topping it with braised short rib, fontina, caramelized cipollini onions, and baby arugula. 3200 Chestnut St., 215.823.6897, uc.zavino.com
Barbuzzo offers a newer, Mediterranean take on pizza right in the heart of Center City. Since the restaurant’s inception in 2010, the Uovo pizza has offered guests a little bit of everything: shaved asparagus, guanciale parmesan, fior de latte, and truffled local egg. It’s topped with Barbuzzo’s secret white sauce to add a little kick. Of course, it’s not hard to see why it’s been a best-seller since day one. 110 S. 13th St., 215.546.9300, barbuzzo.com
The Brussel Sprouts pizza both confuses and delights patrons at all Slice locations—from Fishtown to Rittenhouse and beyond the bridge. It started as a special offered only in Fishtown, but grew so popular it became available at each location. Eating a pizza with vegetables on top may seem counterintuitive, but hear us out: the pie is also topped with mozzarella, provolone, 1732 Meats pancetta and a balsamic glaze. Multiple locations, slicepa.com
Wm. Mulherin’s Sons’ is known for their diverse, seasonal menu, but the true focus is on the wood-fired pizza. The pizza kitchen, comfortably situated in the back corner of the restaurant, makes you feel like you’re in Italy. The Speck and Egg pizza, specifically, fills the whole room with a smoky, meaty smell as well as the rich scents of the caramelized onion, potato and fontina. It’s topped with a garlic crema and an egg right before it hits your table, so it’s runny and warm enough for you to spread around the pie. 1355 N. Front St., 215.291.1355, wmmulherinssons.com
The Carciofi pie at Osteria tempts you to step outside your comfort zone. Topped with artichokes, bufala mozzarella and pistachios, it’s definitely not your mother’s homemade pie. The light, fluffy texture of the mozzarella juxtaposes the crunchy feel of the pistachios, and will have you questioning whether you’re even eating pizza. 640 N. Broad St., 215.763.0920, osteriaphilly.com
Photography by: Zavino photo courtesy of Kristy Sevag; Barbuzzo photo by Jason Varney; Slice photo by Kory Aversa; Wm. Mulherin's Sons photo by Matthew Williams; Osteria photo by Sculson Collective