Old-School Pizza in Philadelphia: Long before there were water-filtering, artisan flour-dusting scholars of pizza in the area, there have been corner shops and family-owned parlors making the regional specialty of tomato pie and other local fan favorites. These pizzas might not hew to centuries-old Italian hydration ratios—but they perform just fine on any taste test.
Best of Philly's Old School Pizza Pies
Sometimes simple inspirations go a long way, especially in the world of strip-mall pizza purveyors. At Charlie’s Pizzeria in Norristown, the oven turns out “red top pizza,” a New York-esque pie that adds a signature dollop of extra red sauce on top. 107 W. Germantown Pike, Norristown, (610) 275-1403, pizzacharlies.com
Gennaro’s Tomato PIE specializes in a tomato-forward American Neapolitan pizza—not to be confused with the typical Philly tomato pie in a square format. The East Passyunk Avenue-area bring-your-own-bottle (BYOB) spot channels a classic pizza parlor with its décor and keeps things classic with basic toppings and simple salads. 1533 S. 11th Street, (215) 463-5070
Open 89 years and running, Marra exudes charm and authenticity. The pizza, thin-crust and built on the same recipe as its owner’s grandparents used, showcases the best of Italian-American traditions with Philly flair. 1734 E. Passyunk Avenue, (215) 463-9249, marrasone.com
Pizza lovers enter through the back door at the 40-year old Limerick “speakeasy” Penny’s Pizza (now with a second location in Oaks), which is open Thursday through Sunday. The house specialty: “upside-down” pies made with a crispy cornmeal-dusted dough. 68 W. Ridge Pike, Limerick, (610) 489-3636; 180 Mill Road, Suite 4, Oaks, (484) 924-9766, gotcornmeal.com
There are no wedge-shaped slices at Santucci’s Pizza—just pillowy squares with sauce over cheese. Santucci’s original locations populate Northeast Philadelphia; the family recently brought their addictive square-shaped pies to Bella Vista and North Broad Street. 4010 Cottman Avenue, (215) 332-4333; 460 W. Street Road, Warminster, (215) 441-9400; santuccis.com; 4050 Woodhaven Road, (215) 281-2900, joesantuccisquarepizza.com; 2313 W. Venango Street, (215) 288-2900; 901 S. 10th Street, (215) 825-5304; 655 N. Broad Street, (267) 639-6014, santuccispizza.com
Diners can order pizza and only pizza at the iconic BYOB Tacconelli’s, where there’s a (strongly) suggested three-topping limit for the crunchy, thin-crust pies. It’s also advised that wannabe patrons call the lauded Port Richmond pizzeria in advance to reserve their dough since it’s made infinite quantities daily. 2604 E. Somerset Street, (215) 425-4983, tacconellispizzeria.com
A proud Philly tradition, tomato pie, and its practitioners attract a devoted clientele. Around Valentine’s Day, lovebirds get cozy in the tiny booths at the legendary Tony’s Place in Northeast Philly to feast on the tomato pie, which comes in a heart-shaped form for a limited time each year. 6300 N. Frankford Avenue, (215) 535-9851
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Also, See.
- Where to Find the Best Pizza Spots in Philly
- Mama Palma’s Pizza Happy Hour in Philly
- East Passyunk Philly: Birra Pizza
- Philly Ranked at Top Pizza City in America
- Pie Five Pizza Coming to Delaware and Philadelphia
