546414 Thu Aug 07 08:26:56 -0700 2008 13 8 Midwest 0 3937661 Okay, I realize this discussion’s been had elsewhere (in different forms) and that it always opens up a can of worms (or bag of vermicelli), but we were disheartened…how about miseried?...crust-fallen?...to hear Pizzeria della Piazza in St. Louis has closed. It was our favorite. So, I’m going to ask the typical question, but with a few modifiers. Where is the BEST pizza in St. Louis… NO PROVEL… NO CHAINS… ???? The paternal side of my family’s been in St. Louis since before it was part of the United States. Nothing, however, has compelled any of us to like provel. So that discussion will have to be had in regard to someone else’s question(s). I’m very into basics…a thin crust, Italian sausage, with extra cheese…and I mean mozzarella. No cheese that breaks when you bite it, no cheese that makes me think there was an overstock on Velveeta. A hint of, say, fennel in the sausage or sauce or both. I’m fine with mom-and-pop style or even slightly more (dare I say it?) upscale…if $$ instead of $ can be considered upscale. It can be cooked by Italians, Italian-Americans, or just anybody who knows how to make a pizza, period. We love The Hill…we love toasted ravioli (I think I still have some in the freezer)…on occasion, I’m even willing to experiment with something offbeat, like a feta topping…we HATE PROVEL. Thanks for your time, consideration, and “reviews.” I plan to post this on a couple of different boards and see what I can garner. We’re looking for a new home-away-from-home, pizza style! Thu Aug 07 08:26:57 -0700 2008 216676 The Mikado et al. 1 3938124 A good candidate for thin crust no-provel pizza stardom is found at Pi on Delmar. If you wanted non-thin crust pizza you could go to La Pizza. Thu Aug 07 10:29:14 -0700 2008 3937661 12694 alan 2 3938257 A solid, reliable pie can also be had at Pizza-a-Go-Go on Ivanhoe in South City. They have been swimming upstream against Provel for many, many, years (they only use mozarella). I always admired them for sticking to their guns. Thu Aug 07 11:10:25 -0700 2008 3938124 38108 bakemeacake 1 3938282 Gianino's on S. Lindbergh at Watson Rd....the best. Thu Aug 07 11:19:02 -0700 2008 3937661 142642 highcard 1 3939137 Other than the crust, sauce, and cheese St. Louis style pizza's not bad. I really want to try Pi and Katie's. In the meantime, La Pizza is excellent, Napoli Pizza in St. Peter's is very good, and Racanelli's, while they used to better, is still pretty good. For slightly more upscale Dewey's is very good. It's a small chain out of Ohio, and they've got good beer! I also really like Il Vicino (sp?) in Clayton. Wood burning oven. Thu Aug 07 14:47:18 -0700 2008 3937661 95291 Richard 16 2 3939678 I think Il Vicino is a chain, a small chain, but a chain nonetheless. I used to love Racanelli's. The U City Loop version has been the best out of all the rest. What ever happened to Blackthorn? Thu Aug 07 19:25:39 -0700 2008 3939137 11826 Phaedrus 3 3940303 Blackthorn, by all accounts, is deep dish pizza. Dewey's which makes an excellent pie, does not make the kind of thin crust pizza for which OP pines. Il Vicino is a chain, but does make good pizza--again not the crisp, thin crust kind sought by OP. Fri Aug 08 06:14:46 -0700 2008 3939678 12694 alan 1 3939445 I *hope* this doesn't count as a chain but we had Dewey's last night for the first time and it was the BEST pizza I have ever had in my life. I also love La Pizza and Pizza-a-Go-Go but man, Dewey's was exceptional. Thu Aug 07 17:32:59 -0700 2008 3937661 83423 TwoPointers 2 3939703 Dewey's - so what if it's a chain - still the best. Thu Aug 07 19:37:58 -0700 2008 3939445 24022 jberendzen 1 3940463 I think the St. Louis style "Special" at Ami's on Manchester is quite good. Ask that they use only mozz. Eat it there. Thin crust pizzas don't travel well. Fri Aug 08 07:18:40 -0700 2008 3937661 19947 steveb 1 3940586 i just stopped by katie's recently- delicious, but i thought it was overpriced. worth a visit. pi is supposed to be excellent. and la pizza is hands-down fabulous- i go with friends for friday lunch religiously while still drunk. Fri Aug 08 08:01:01 -0700 2008 3937661 216946 twiststl 2 3940662 still drunk at lunch? been there. not sustainable. besides lunch was invented to clear the hangover and THEN you start in again. Fri Aug 08 08:27:38 -0700 2008 3940586 163722 hill food 1 3943198 Doesn't anyone on this board like Farrato's pizza besides me? Sat Aug 09 09:49:42 -0700 2008 3937661 141732 tusti 1 3943684 I will second/third some of the replies: love Pi's thin crust- not really a stl pizza, La Pizza rocks, same issue and same with Dewey's yum! I think Frank and Helen's on Olive has a pretty straightforward STl pizza with Moz and very crispy crust. Katie's is good- gotta tweak a couple of the salads but it seems promising. Sat Aug 09 14:55:30 -0700 2008 3937661 10462 stlSarah