Argilla Brewing Company at Peitro’s Pizza
Is there a better meal than chomping on a slice of hand-tossed pizza and downing a pint of well-crafted beer? For me, there isn’t, and the best local spot to do that, in my opinion, is this place. The beer, brewed on premise, is amazing, but we’re here to talk pizza. Create your own pie, or pick one of the house favorites. I usually go for The Gander, Peitro’s spin on a BBQ chicken pizza, a chipotle BBQ sauce base topped with chicken tenders, bacon and fresh mozzarella. I love how they get super creative with their pies, and sometimes I’ll try out their “Pizza of the Month” when I’m feeling lucky. Cheers!
— Tyler Mitchell, Graphic Designer
Nicola Pizza
If you’re in the Rehoboth Beach area, head over to Nicola Pizza for one of the best in Delaware. The family-owned and operated pizza parlor has been delighting pizza fans since 1971 and is home to the original Nic-O-Boli, a custom Stromboli that is proportionally sized yet packed with fresh ingredients. Nicola’s sauce is so delicious and coveted by customers that it’s sold by jar or case. Come for the pizza and stay for the atmosphere. There are two floors at the Rehoboth Avenue location. The first floor has large tables and booths that fit families of all sizes, while the second floor is dotted with large-screen TVs broadcasting sports from all over the world. Stop by Nicola’s at the beach, you’ll be glad you did.
— Cindy Cavett, Contributing Writer
Vincenza & Margherita Bistro
Known as V&M, this Marsh Road establishment has offered gourmet pizzettes since opening in 2014. But in early June of this year, the restaurant began selling New York-style pies. A New Yorker would no doubt have an opinion about whether it measures up to the name, but call it what you will, it’s tasty. The restaurant is known for its baked goods, sauces and fresh ingredients, which makes this version of the Big Apple’s pie a cut above the local competition.
— Pam George, Contributing Writer
Pizza By Elizabeths
As this popular Greenville dining destination celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, the occasion underscores just how much of a trailblazing concept Pizza By Elizabeths was and continues to be. In the early ‘90s, it was the first in this area to serve gourmet pizza, was years ahead of the curve with the wine bar concept, and it was doing the farm-to-table thing long before it became fashionable. Moreover, PBE manages to do something that seems impossible on paper: bringing a chic but accessible elegance to the pizza business.
Of course, there’s more to the menu than just pizza—like the famous cream of tomato soup. But then again, how many other pizza places do you know that allow you to create your own masterpiece, working from a menu of 14 meats, 17 cheeses, 20 vegetables, 10 herbs and seven sauces?
— Jim Miller, Director of Publications
DiMeo’s
When given the choice (which doesn’t happen often in my house), I make the call for my favorite pizza in the area: DiMeo’s in downtown Wilmington. They specialize in Neapolitan-inspired pies, and I’ve never had one I didn’t love. My personal favorite is “The Paisano” (I don’t think this is on the menu anymore, but they’ll make it upon request). It features a basic pesto and tomato sauce combo, with whole roasted cloves of garlic throughout. Their entrees are delicious too!
— Matthew Loeb, Creative Director & Production Manager
Grotto Pizza
This longstanding Delaware institution conjures nostalgia for sandy childhood romps at Rehoboth Beach. Any of its locations—and not just at the Rehoboth boardwalk—deliver the consistent taste of the brand’s signature style.
— Krista Connor, Senior Editor & Digital Media Manager
Mazzella’s Italian Restaurant
This homestyle Italian, family-friendly restaurant serves hearty portions of pizza and pasta in an inconspicuous strip mall along Philadelphia Pike. My faves among their gourmet pizza menu selections include the spinach, roasted peppers & feta; Cajun chicken, tomato & cheddar; and the Italian pita—which “sandwiches” elements of an Italian sub between two thin pita crusts. Their Sicilian (thicker crust) pizzas are tasty as well—tangy red sauce with a nice, crispy crust. Slices and whole pies available, and they are open on Sundays! Check out mazzellas.net.
— Michelle Kramer-Fitzgerald, Contributing Writer
Rocco’s Italian Grill & Sports Bar
If you’re looking for the perfect pie, this establishment on Union Street has two of them. Every Friday night, we pick up our favorites to go: the Gamberi, with shrimp, crushed plum tomatoes, basil, mozz, garlic and olive oil, and the DiParma, with prosciutto, crushed plum tomatoes, mozzarella and arugula. The real mozzarella oozes off the pie, the crust is crispy yet chewy, and the specialty pizzas blow your average pepperoni and cheese out of the oven.
— Rob Kalesse, Contributing Writer
Café Sitaly
For my money, there’s nothing in the area the comes close to Cafe Sitaly on Naamans Road in North Wilmington. Legit New York-style pizza from Tony Causi, the chef who originally brought the equally excellent Marina’s to Wilmington decades ago. The plain cheese pizza and tomato pie are the best around, but it’s their Grandmom’s Pizza, just basic plum tomato, mozzarella, basil and olive oil, that rules the menu. You’ll find a line if you’re planning to eat in at their nine-table location, so order takeout or come early.
— Joe del Tufo, Contributing Photographer
Hot Spot Pizza
When it’s pizza time, I don’t put on airs—I put on pepperoni. To me, pizza in America is primarily a working-class food, and my pie guys at Hot Spot (the Miller Road location) respect that. They deliver a good old-fashioned pizza, like grandpa used to eat, free from stuff like cyclone-dried prosciutto, micro arugula, whole-grain spelt crusts, or hand-carved artisanal Romano spirals. Their menu is also about 50 pages, so if I’m in the mood for a different hot food that hits the spot, all I have to do is call my neighborhood pizzeria.
— David Hallberg, O&A Distribution
Anthony’s Coal-Fired Pizza
I don’t go out to eat much, so when I do, I like it to go somewhere that I haven’t been to before that offers a variety of delicious food choices. When I sat down in Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza on Concord Pike, I was not disappointed. The group I went with got four different pizzas: cheesesteak, buffalo chicken, white, and jalapeno. While I didn’t get a chance to try the jalapeno, I can attest to the fact that the flavors in the other three were amazingly balanced. The crust was crunchy and perfectly cooked, and complemented the cheese melting down the sides while holding up the weight of the chicken, steak, and other toppings covering the entire slice. It was an altogether great experience, where not only the pizza was fantastic, but the restaurant had an atmosphere to match.
—Emily Stover, Intern
Sovana Bistro
I’ve had the good fortune to eat pizza in Italy, where even mundane places make “incredible pizza.” The secret: light crust and fresh ingredients. Sovana Bistro, in nearby Unionville, Pa., is the closest thing I’ve had to pizza in Italy and I reevaluate that assessment almost weekly. The crust is light and crispy, the ingredients are sourced locally, and the topping combinations are creative and complementary. Of course, this isn’t exactly a secret. For more than 20 years, Sovana has been one of the top restaurants in Southern Chester County.
— Jerry duPhily, Publisher
Cacciatori Pizza and Pasta
This is a family-owned restaurant tucked away in The Shoppes at Louviers just outside Newark. The family originally hails from New York, and when they opened the shop in Delaware 12 years ago, they brought an authentic version of New York Style pizza with them. They offer 23 unique gourmet pizzas, all with cheese and crust to die for. The best feature, to me, is the sheer size of the 18-inch extra large. Pizza not your style? There’s also a full menu of pasta and sandwiches, alongside a selection of wine by the glass or bottle.
— Jacob Orledge, Intern
