Providence Pizza Review: LaSalle Pizzeria

LaSalle Pizzeria
Originally uploaded by The Pizza Review

LaSalle Pizzeria is located on Smith Street near Elmhurst. They claim to be the official pizza of Rhode Island College, and sometimes it seems RIC -- not the food -- is the main focus at LaSalle. The pizza is fairly run-of-the-mill. While nothing wows or offends, there were a few too many air bubbles in the pie. By far the weirdest part of LaSalle Pizzeria was that they cut the pizza into ten slices. Not only is the 36° slice a bizarre angle, but it is difficult to make the five cuts even enough to ensure roughly uniform slices. Another quirk: rather than dispensing Coke or Pepsi, LaSalle's vending machine serves the mysteriously labeled "Cola." Perhaps a reader can shed light on this. In any event, LaSalle is a fine option for tasty, if ordinary, pizza. Three Stars

See more pictures of LaSalle Pizzeria here.

LASALLE PIZZERIA
(401) 228-3004
1005 Smith Street
Providence, RI 02908

Good Pizza We've Eaten Lately: Via Via IV

Via Via IV, originally uploaded by The Pizza Review.

When we're too lazy to write up a new review, we'll occasionally post a picture of one of our tastier pizza escapades. Via Via IV's margherita pesto pizza fits the bill. It's a little pricy, but try it if you feel like splurging.

Providence Pizza Review: Saki's Pizza

Saki's Pizza
Originally uploaded by The Pizza Review

At just $1.25 a slice, Saki's Pizza is certainly affordable. Keep in mind, however, that affordability is pretty much all you're going to get. Eating Saki's pie is indeed a challenge, and each additional slice pollutes your digestive system even more than the previous one. The sauce is difficult to describe, but "really bad" is an accurate (and lazy) label. The crust carries an unfortunate flavor and lacks consistent form. The cheese is also a culprit, but its crimes are minor compared to the rest of this atrocity. We appreciate inexpensive pie and are willing to overlook certain shortcomings if the pizza is cheap enough, but Saki's is simply a disaster. Pizza Queen, by no means a hub for luxury pie, is about a block away; unless price is the sole determinant of your pizza decisions, choose the Queen over Saki's. One Star

See more pictures of Saki's Pizza here.

SAKI'S PIZZA
(401) 831-1299
199 Weybosset Street
Providence, RI 02903

Providence Pizza Review: Pizza Queen

Pizza Queen
Originally uploaded by The Pizza Review

While getting a haircut last year, the barber mentioned that he previously worked at Pizza Queen, earning it a spot on our "To Try" list. We recently ate a couple of the Queen's pizzas with him in mind. Pizza Queen offers inexpensive pies that could fairly be described as independent Domino's. Many pizza loyalists dismiss this variety of low-quality pies, but the fact of the matter is that these pizzas have a rightful place in the pizza pantheon. Nobody would want to resort to Domino's-esque selections every time they desired a pie, but sometimes it's just what the doctor ordered. From this perspective, Pizza Queen is satisfactory: they make the most of subpar ingredients and keep prices low. Their coupons are particularly enticing. If you only enjoy high-end pizzas, be sure to steer clear of Pizza Queen. But for those of you who recognize the virtue of (occasionally) indulging in greasy, lowly pizza, Pizza Queen is a worthy option. Three Stars

See more pictures of Pizza Queen here.

PIZZA QUEEN
(401) 351-2500
215 Weybosset Street
Providence, RI 02903

Providence Pizza Review: Fellini Pizzeria

Fellini Pizzeria
Originally uploaded by The Pizza Review

Fellini Pizzeria, located just off I-195 on Providence's East Side, specializes in gourmet pizzas, much like its neighbor on Wickenden, Pizza Pie-er. The two are just blocks apart, but their pizzas are quite different. Fellini's expansive slices have a thin crust with limited cheese and sauce, in the form of New York-Neapolitan. The pizzeria features high quality crust, sauce and cheese, all of which contribute to its fairly high prices. A basic pie will cost you $15, but their specialty pizzas are $20. Fortunately, a $2 coupon is often available from the restaurant's web site. Like Pie-er, Fellini slices survive refrigeration with ease, maintaining their flavor and consistency. (Their white pie, in fact, tastes better cold than warm.) Those who enjoy a typical pizza-eating atmosphere may scoff at Fellini's environment, which feels slightly upscale, but you can't find a better thin crust pizza in the area. Four Stars

See more pictures of Fellini Pizzeria here.

FELLINI PIZZERIA
(401) 751-6737
166 Wickenden Street
Providence, RI 02906

Providence Pizza Review: Antonio's Pizza

Antonio's Pizza
Originally uploaded by The Pizza Review

Antonio's Pizza is located on Thayer Street near the Brown campus. They are known for their unusual slice offerings, such as black bean taco, avocado quesadilla and chicken pesto tortellini. Unfortunately, their basic pie offerings leave much to be desired. The cheese is shoddy, the sauce is lousy and the crust is unacceptably chewy. Anybody in search of high quality conventional pizza should walk the extra block to Via Via IV, which is just around the corner on Meeting Street. Indeed, comparing each restaurant's white slice is particularly instructive. The Via Via slice is a marvel, beautifully crafted and uncommonly delicious. The Antonio's variety, on the other hand, tastes cheap and unfulfilling by comparison. If you prefer pizza topped (tarnished, in this writer's opinion) with tortilla chips or avocado, Antonio's may be what you're looking for. And to its credit, the restaurant offers the increasingly rare Sicilian slice. But at the end of the day, the quality of its pie fails to impress. Three Stars

Click here fore more pictures of Antonio's pizza.

Slices: extensive selection, but they often taste like they've been sitting out all day.
Delivery: no.
Large cheese: $9

ANTONIO'S PIZZA
(401) 455-3600
258 Thayer Street
Providence, RI

Providence Pizza News: Easter Hours

Via Via IV
Originally uploaded by The Pizza Review

Many Providence pizzerias were closed for Easter Sunday today, including Fellini, Minerva, Nice Slice, Sicilia's, Tommy's and Xtreme Pizza & Wings. Fortunately, some places remained open. If you're looking for pizza this evening, try Antonio's, Doyle Avenue, Pizza Pie-er or the delicious Via Via IV. Of course, this is an incomplete list. What else was open today?

Providence Pizza Review: Olympic Pizza

Olympic Pizza
Originally uploaded by The Pizza Review

Olympic Pizza may or may not be in Providence. Some maps place it a few blocks into Cranston, but we're going to count it as a Providence pizza review. Located on Broad Street in South Elmwood, Olympic Pizza offers grinders, egg grinders, salads, spaghetti, steaks, seafood and chicken items in addition to their pizza. The pie suffers from subpar cheese and sauce, while the crust is slightly crunchy and carries a noticeable flavor. Despite the inferior ingredient quality, the pizza itself is decent. A major advantage is Olympic Pizza's prices -- the menu says $9.75 for a large cheese, but in our experience it costs even less than that. If you're near the South Side and want inexpensive pizza, consider giving Olympic Pizza a try. Three Stars

See more pictures of Olympic Pizza here.

Slices: no.
Delivery: yes.
Large cheese: $9.75

OLYMPIC PIZZA
(401) 781-1250 or 781-5999
1323 Broad Street
Providence, RI 02905

Providence Pizza Review: Pizza Pie-er

Pizza Pie-er
Originally uploaded by The Pizza Review

Pizza Pie-er is an upscale pizzeria located in Providence's East Side. They focus on specialty pizzas, offering an extraordinary array of crusts, sauces and toppings. (Check out the full menu to see all of the options, but be warned -- it's a 3 MB PDF and the prices are out of date.) Pizza Pie-er's pesto sauce (pictured) is superb, and garlic lovers will appreciate the white sauce. There is something for everyone, including thin crust pizzas, dessert pies and pizza sandwiches. As an added bonus, Pizza Pie-er's food endures the toll of refrigeration better than most.

Unfortunately, despite the quality of their ingredients, we can only recommend Pizza Pie-er in the presence of two significant caveats. First, their specialty pies may not be what one has in mind when considering pizza; they fail to achieve a top-notch plain cheese pizza. Second, their prices may be prohibitively expensive. Because of their terrific ingredients and craftsmanship, Pizza Pie-er has always charged a premium, but recent price increases may be a deal-breaker for some. The cheapest pie on the menu is $14, but most options will cost you close to $20. Moreover, they impose a $1.50 delivery charge. Still, we commend Pizza Pie-er for their exceptional quality and seemingly limitless varieties. Four Stars

See more pictures of Pizza Pie-er pizza here.

Slices: minimal selection.
Delivery: $1.50 charge.
Large cheese: $14.

PIZZA PIE-ER
(401) 351-3663
374 Wickenden Street
Providence, RI 02903

Rising Pizza Prices

More reviews are coming Wednesday. In the meantime, see this piece about rising pizza prices.

A block away is Two Boots To Go West, on West 11th Street, part of a chain, which raised its price to $2.50 from $2.25 for a slice in November; another increase is expected soon, said the manager, Efrain Aquino, 42.

In the old days, Mr. Aquino said, “the biggest overhead was always rent and cheese.” Now, the biggest cost is flour. Last week, he said a 50-pound bag cost $28.50; a year ago, the same bag was $12.

In the Providence area, Via Via IV and Pizza Pie-er have recently raised their prices. Have any others?

Providence Pizza Review: Via Via IV

Via Via IV, originally uploaded by The Pizza Review.

Via Via IV is the gold standard of Providence pizza. All of Via Via's pies are baked in a wood-fired oven, resulting in a crust that is crisp yet also chewy. The crust is complemented by delicious sauce and top notch cheeses. The basic cheese pizza (pictured here and here) is some of the best we've ever had, but there's much more to explore. Their all-white slice (pictured above), which contains mozzarella, parmigiano, ricotta and fontina, is exquisite. For the best slice on the menu, however, go with four-cheese (pictured here), a masterpiece covered in fontina, mozzarella, mascarpone and parmigianio and speckled with marinara. As an added bonus, Via Via IV offers 18" extra large pies, an option that is particularly enticing with such delicious pizzas. The menu includes a range of salads, appetizers, soups, sandwiches and a new line of seafood dishes. If you're near Providence, make sure you visit Via Via IV. Five Stars

See more pictures of Via Via IV pizza here.

VIA VIA IV
(401) 831-8668
205 Meeting Street
Providence, RI 02906

Providence Pizza Review: Giovanni's Pizza

Giovanni's Pizza
Originally uploaded by The Pizza Review

Giovanni's Pizza is not worth reviewing. The pizza is terrible. The prices are too high. The atmosphere is nauseating. Don't punish yourself; avoid Giovanni's at all costs. One Star

See more pictures of Giovanni's pizza here.

GIOVANNI'S PIZZA
(401) 621-8500
85 Richmond Street
Providence, RI 02903

Providence Pizza Review: Xtreme Pizza & Wings

Xtreme Pizza & Wings
Originally uploaded by The Pizza Review

Xtreme Pizza & Wings offers several crust variations: regular and thin, white and wheat. The prices are attractive: $11.50 for an 18" cheese pie. Unfortunately, the pizza itself is unsatisfactory, marked by subpar cheese and flavorless sauce. While we can't speak for the quality of Xtreme's wings, the pie does not deserve the company of a discerning pizza enthusiast. With Via Via IV just a block away, there is no reason to ever visit Xtreme Pizza & Wings. Two Stars

See more pictures of Xtreme pizza here.

XTREME PIZZA & WINGS
(401) 282-6888
272 Thayer Street
Providence, RI 02906

Providence Pizza Review: Doyle Avenue Pizzeria

Doyle Avenue Pizzeria
Originally uploaded by The Pizza Review

Doyle Avenue Pizzeria is a relatively new pizza spot, having taken the location previously occupied by Johnny's Seafood & Pizza. Doyle's pizza is fairly average -- there's nothing in particular to complain about, but it's nothing special, either. It is unfortunate that they do not offer an extra large pizza, because their large is smaller than some competitors' biggest pies. In addition to pizza, their menu also includes calzones, sandwiches, salads and several chicken dishes. If you're nearby, give them a try, but we don't recommend traveling far for Doyle Avenue pizza. Three Stars

See more pictures of Doyle Avenue pizza here.

Slices: no.
Delivery: $8 minimum within 1 mile, otherwise $15 minimum
Large cheese: $8.50

DOYLE AVENUE PIZZERIA
(401) 273-5660
114 Doyle Avenue
Providence, RI 02906

Providence Pizza Review: Sicilia's Pizzeria

Sicilia's Pizzeria
Originally uploaded by The Pizza Review

Sicilia's Pizzeria makes three different kinds of pizza: thin crust, regular crust (pictured here) and stuffed pizza. The thin and regular crust offerings are nothing to write home about; both left an unwanted aftertaste. The stuffed pizza (pictured here, here and here) is another matter entirely, containing cheese and any additional toppings inside the crust, with marinara sauce on top. The stuffed pizzas are delicious, as well as a great value. A medium cheese stuffed pizza is $10.99, but weighs enough to feed one person for a whole day. In addition to their pies, Sicilia's offers a wide selection of appetizers, salads and sandwiches. Sicilia's delivers, but it often takes up to an hour for the food to arrive. We recommend Sicilia's stuffed pies, but can't say the same about their other pizzas. The thin and regular crust pies drag the restaurant down to a 3-star rating. Three Stars

See more pictures of Sicilia's pizza here.

SICILIA'S PIZZERIA
(401) 273-9222
181 Atwells Avenue
Providence, RI 02903