For those living under a rock (or those too preoccupied with actual news), there’s a new pizza in town and it’s rattling some cages. At the helm of Rico’s kitchen are two former employees of Stamford’s iconic dive, Colony Grill, and they’ve (allegedly) brought the pizza with them. Normally, we like to give new places time to settle in so that the inconsistencies, growing pains, and stupid waits normally associated with new places have a chance to die down. This time, Stamford’s newest rivalry didn’t afford us that luxury.

Establishment. Plainly put, Rico’s is a takeout/delivery joint with a few tables in it. At best, they’re a counter service pizzeria with a 45 minute wait (partially due to the buzz surrounding the “illegal” use of Colony’s recipes, partially due to the curiosity that comes with having a new pizza in town to try). We tried to call ahead four or five times to place our order before we got there but the phones kicked us straight to voicemail despite them being manned by at least two people at any given time. Nonetheless, were were taken care of by a friendly staff without having to look at creepy painted wood cutouts while delivery orders went flying out the door in the interim. While we’re talking about differences between this place and another place, it certainly bears mentioning that Rico’s menu includes calzones, empanadas, wedges, wraps, and salad offerings in addition to the contentious little pizzas that brought us there.

Pizza. The minute these pizzas hit the table, we were thinking the same thing that you are looking at these pictures, “Boy, that pie looks familiar…” Upon further investigation, it also tastes familiar. Rico’s crust is super thin with crispy edges, a hearty crunch, and a surprisingly chewy bite that you wouldn’t expect from a cracker-thin pie (unless, of course, you’ve had some exposure to pizzas like this…) that contributes chiefly to the overall flavor. Rico’s sauce and cheese meld together in an intricate lace that yields a big texture and a not-so-special flavor. While adding a stringy, satisfying snap, the cheese seems like an afterthought with its flavor. Moreover, the sauce is noticeably underseasoned and carries an unnatural sweetness beyond what we’d naturally expect from tomatoes. Couple that with the breakneck speed at which the pizza cools and you have a recipe for a pie that doesn’t hold up very well after it’s been out of the oven for 10-15 minutes.

At it’s heart, Rico’s Pizza is about the toppings. With small, cookie-sized pizzas (okay, admittedly a big cookie), it naturally follows that they become customized to the individual with ingredients that fill the gaps left open by the lackluster sauce and cheese elements. We ordered a hot oil and stingers (hot peppers) pie and one with sausage. The hot oil was bold, spicy, and most importantly, used in moderation to complement the peppers for a considerably less greasy texture than an oil topping would lead you to think (in fact, all of the pizzas were considerably less greasy). Additionally, the sausage added much needed heartiness and saltiness to the pie that it was generously strewn across. Rico’s enters the Stamford pizza scene as a solid competitor to other thin crust bar pies, with subtle improvements that set it apart, albeit slightly.

Bottom line. Rico’s is the quintessential bar pie without the bar. If you’re looking for a good, traditional pizza, there are other places to go, but if you’ve got a Colony addiction, Rico’s is a viable substitute.

Establishment: 16/30
Pizza: 21/30
Hits the Spot: 7/10 
Large cheese: $8.50 (13")

Located on the dense pizzeria stronghold of Stamford’s Broad Street is Morelli Pizza Café. Around the corner from Remo’s and a few doors down from the to-be-reviewed ZAZA Italian Gastrobar, Morelli faces stiff competition from the get-go as a uniquely themed newcomer with deep Stamford roots.

Establishment. Claiming a 30 year influence on Stamford’s pizza scene, Morelli Pizza Café exists as the reborn phoenix of the defunct Café Morelli that was once located in the purportedly cursed 269 Bedford property down the street. Creative renaming aside, the new pizzeria presents a smaller, more counter service-oriented atmosphere than the original. Resembling a clean, modernized bakery/café complete with trendy wall lettering straight out of Restaurant:Impossible, Morelli’s comes across as a place to grab a slice while passing by—not necessarily as a destination.

As we’ve mentioned, counter service is Morelli’s MO, and as such, makes the few interactions with the staff all the more important. Having said this, we were totally put off by the lackadaisical “help” we received, the awkward glares that were shot our way through the duration of our meal, and by the ill-fated attempts made to charge us for tap water. Service has a tendency to set the scene.

Pizza. We visited Morelli’s months ago. Literally months. The fact that it’s taken so long to scrap together some semblance of a review for this boring, run-of-the-mill pie should speak for itself. But it doesn’t, so here’s some more words.

In typical Pizza Tour fashion, we ordered a large, half-plain, half-topping measuring stick pizza. The crust was a big, chewy, bready number with no shortage of air bubbles and all the flavor to match. The cheese was slightly less offensive in the flavor department with a short-lived creaminess that became gummy and hard as the once scorching hot pie cooled rapidly, and turned it into a slippery sheet that slid clean off the crust. The high spot (if you could really call it that) was the sauce, which lent the pizza just about all of its flavor. While bold and tangy, this sauce was super heavy and helped make a cumbersome pizza borderline unbearable. It should be no surprise to you at this point to find out that the meatball topping we ordered was likewise devoid of an important attribute that we call “flavor.”

Bottom line. If you’re in the neighborhood, Morelli Pizza Café might be worth a visit for its vast menu of burgers, dogs, quesadillas, and soup, but better pizza and better service is no more than a 3 minute walk away.

Establishment: 15/30
Pizza: 17/30
Hits the Spot: 5.7/10 
Large cheese: $11.00

Every once in a while, the opportunity presents itself to return to our roots as a comprehensive tour of pizzerias in Stamford. It’s been quite some time (we start all of our entries this way now) but we’ve managed to make it to some new, local pizzerias as of late, the first of which was Luca’s Pizzeria on East Main.

Establishment. Luca’s comes across as another delivery/pickup-oriented-but-still-big-enough-to-seat-six-people type of place (see: Ridgeway Pizza, Outpost Pizza, and for the masochists out there, Belltown Pizza) and it pulls the look off. Almost too well, actually. There’s nothing too spectacular about Luca’s—they have a counter, an oven, a few tiny tables that they wipe down with a wet rag now and again—but as far as setting itself apart from the 50+ other pizzerias in town that we’ve made it a point to scrutinize over the past two years…eh, not so much.

Aside from the underwhelmingly in-the-box atmosphere, Luca’s comes across as a nice place run by nice people. We were helped quickly, well accommodated (they pushed two of their miniscule couples tables together for us), and watched closely throughout our meal by the 45 people that, for some reason, were all staring at us from behind the counter. Their menu is what one would expect from such an establishment, complete with wraps, salads, deli sandwiches and naturally, pizza.

Pizza. In following with what has become our Pizza Tour protocol, we ordered up one of Luca’s finest cheese pizzas, half-plain, half-topped with meatball—a make-or-break topping if ever there was one.

The first thing we noticed about this pie was how light and airy the crust was. We were torn, however, on whether this was a good thing or not. While some argued that the pizza’s lightness was a pleasant surprise, others found it insubstantial on both texture and flavor fronts. The cheese offered a subtle, smooth flavor and pulled from the pie in delicate, stringy threads, but would have been better served if it covered the whole freaking pie.

As you can see, there’s a good inch and a half of sauced crust on this pizza encircling the stingy application of everyone’s favorite dairy product. Speaking of sauced crust, it’s when we got to this lovely bit of pizza that the utter blandness of the sauce really stuck out. There were subtle hints of oregano and other not-so-discernable spices, but we like to get punched in the face with flavor, and this one didn’t do the job, nor was its cooked-down clumpiness very appealing texturally.

Luca’s topping list is extensive with nothing too crazy and everything we’d expect (plus half-oddballs like fresh clams, broccoli rabe, prosciutto, salami, etc.), including the underwhelming but still comparatively tasty meatball topping we ordered that most certainly began its life as an actual meatball.

Bottom line. Luca’s is alright, but as a new pizzeria, it brings nothing special, extraordinary, or overwhelmingly different to an established landscape of restaurants that are as good—or better—at using this particular cookie cutter.

Establishment: 17/30
Pizza: 18/30
Hits the Spot: 5.5/10
Large cheese: $12.95

With our merry band of pizza tour brethren missing an integral member since we wrapped up our Pizza Tournament last summer, we don’t often get to judge Stamford pizzerias through the same lens as before. I say this, of course, because for but a brief moment last week, the Pizza Tour rode again into Vigilante’s Deli, the new pizza in town, that fights crime on its own terms! (HT – JR of Streets of Stamford).

Establishment. While technically one of the newer pizzas in town, Vigilante’s has been around in deli form for five or so years, offering up hot and cold sandwiches and other typical deli fare along with Italian dinner specialties. As is the case with most delis, Vigilante’s isn’t particularly large, but it’s close quarters and small, personable staff make each visit feel comfortable and homey. Seating is pretty limited in the cooler months, but we found ourselves to be very comfortable outside on one of their huge picnic tables on a temperate, summer evening.

Since delving into the pizza scene, Vigilante’s has added calzones and Stromboli to their menu in addition to a broad selection of traditionally topped and specialty pies ranging from The Vigilante to the “Vig”etable (get it?).

Pizza. Our pizzas of choice were the aforementioned Vigilante (sausage, sautéed broccoli rabe, fried Italian hot peppers) and a traditional margarita (so, we didn’t judge this place through exactly the same lens as before with our strict “plain cheese + one topping” criteria…).

Here’s The Vigilante on a picnic table, our photographer failed to shoot the margarita pie, yet again…

As far as crusts go, Vigilante’s was pretty bready and puffy, appearing relatively colorless and packing a bit of a yeasty punch without much of the chewiness we were looking for. The crust didn’t hold up well to the load of toppings offered, lending to the pizzas’ floppy, undercooked texture. All around, the cheese was very good (The Vigilante’s shredded mozzarella, and the margarita’s fresh slices of it), holding up well for a fresh and stringy bite.

The sauce was another story entirely; it was difficult to differentiate the sauce’s taste from the overpowering flavors of the specialty pie, but the clean flavors present in the margarita pizza made it pretty clear that this sauce was downright bland. Perhaps diluted by the inherent moisture of the fresh mozzarella and sliced tomatoes, this otherwise light and fresh sauce came across as being grossly underseasoned.

As we touched on before, the toppings had a tendency to overpower the pizza as a whole. However, they were quite tasty. The salty, savory flavors of the sausage combined nicely with the natural, concentrated bitterness of the broccoli rabe and the slow, spicy burn of the fried peppers for a particularly unique flavor profile.

Bottom line. Vigilante’s comes through as a deli should, with a personable, knowledgeable staff, quality base ingredients, and great flavor combinations, but the execution of our pizzas just felt off.

Establishment: 16/30
Pizza: 15/30
Hits the Spot: 5.6/10 
Large cheese: $12.95 (18")

Norwalk hasn’t really been a friend to the Pizza Tour; it’s given us gross crackery pies, puffy sauce-laden monstrosities, and 70s era garbage, that have made it very difficult to justify coming back into town. According to Jane and Michael Stern of Gourmet Magazine, Letizia’s is the light at the end of the tunnel, boasting three generations of pizza prowess dating back to 1937 that crank out pies that Gourmet mentions in the same breath as New Haven’s big boys. The Sterns also call Colony Grill’s pie “about a foot-and-a-half in diameter” and “excellent,” so we’re out to see if they really know what the hell they’re talking about with all of the Letizia’s gushing.

Establishment. Letizia’s is pretty devoid of bells and whistles, with an interior consisting of no more than a few small tables, a counter, and some Snapple coolers for a bare bones, purely utilitarian look helped along by the flour footprint-kissed industrial carpeting. Still, plastered along the walls are plenty of horn-tooting newspaper articles and awards that set the bar pretty high for a restaurant with such a clear following while making the establishment feel less like a stark white hospital. Service was as one would expect of a counter-serve establishment (read: quick, terse), albeit with a bit more tact and friendliness than we’ve come across even compared to some sit-down locales. Evidenced by the standard issue map of Italy on the wall, Letizia’s menu consists primarily of Italian specialties ranging from hearty pasta dishes, salads, and grinder-style sandwiches to their ever-present specialty and traditional pizza offerings including a “garbage” pie packed high with tons of meaty toppings.

Pizza. After sampling countless different pizzas over the past year, we can say that Letizia’s makes a very unique pie both in taste and in texture. This pizza is founded on a super thin and uniquely dense, lifeless crust that is hardly crisp, but flavorful nonetheless. Slathered virtually to the edge is a uniquely sharp and tangy sauce, with slightly metallic notes reminiscent of The Varsity Club’s party room pie (we realize that this is a very obscure reference that only about a half generation of Stamford kids will understand, but suffice it to say—this is not a particularly good thing). Cutting through this faint taste of rusty buffalo nickels was just the right amount of creamy, delicious cheese with a perfect springy snap cooked to a golden-brown, gooey consistency. Atop this Pie of One Thousand Tastes was our topping of choice, half-steak and half-a virtual swimming pool of oil that would make even the least health conscious of diners consider a napkin mop-up job before digging in (this seemed to be exclusive to the slices that we specified to be half-cheese, so we’ll chalk that up as an aspect of their plain pie). All of that said, the toppings were absolutely delicious: the steak was tender and moist, the oil was heart-stoppingly indulgent. As you may have gathered from our take on the crust, we were less than enthusiastic about this pizza’s floppy, cumbersome, ingredient slip-prone texture that had us reaching for a knife and fork from the beginning—probably the biggest knock on yet another decisively below average pie.

The bottom line. While this pie was immensely flavorful, most of it’s flavor is derived from a strong, gaudy, sub-par sauce that overwhelms an otherwise thin and incoherent pizza that is nothing like anything we’ve ever tasted—and not in a good way.

Establishment: 18/30
Pizza: 15/30
Hits the Spot: 6.3/10
Large Cheese: $11.75

Just when it seemed like we were finished, we got a request for this little gem that slipped past us despite having been around Stamford for 17 years. Impossible to visit during normal Pizza Tour hours, we had to make a special Monday afternoon excursion down to Canal St. for this one.

Establishment. Catering to the office lunch crowd, Vinny's Dock House (not to be confused with Vinny's Backyard) is primarily a deli and is open accordingly ("Daily, In Season from 7:30 am," for what it's worth). Located dockside (no surprise there), Vinny's has a very unique ambiance, clean indoor and outdoor tables, and a view of the water that you can't get elsewhere (save for Paradise Bar & Grill). The service was what one would expect of a deli: quick, businesslike counter service that was less than personable, but personable enough. Vinny's menu includes breakfast options, salads, hot and cold deli sandwiches served on Arthur Avenue breads, hot special entrees (meatloaf, chicken, pork chops, fresh fish on Fridays), pastas, and thin crust personal pizza à la "The Colony."

Pizza. Modeled after "The Colony's" iconic bar pie, the pizza at Vinny's Dock House evolved from a traditional Italian-style pizza "in the pan" to its current, derivative product upon customer requests over Vinny's time in Stamford. The whole wheat crust (which was admittedly a secondary option as they'd run out of their primary white crust) was extremely thin, making up for a prominent lack of flavor with an overabundance of crunch and char. The cheese tasted average at best with its weak flavors and rather salty notes in addition to being very dry and congealing fast (not unlike Colony, after all). The sauce was a relative highlight of this pizza, tasting of fresh tomatoes with a light, clean, simple bitterness and little else. That said, this underseasoning did not impress everyone. Our topping of choice, homemade meatballs, made this pie much more palatable due to both their abundance and immense flavor. Nonetheless, this aspect was unable to pull Vinny's pizza from its role as nothing more than a mediocre bar pie imitation of one of the most overrated pizzas in Stamford.

The bottom line. While we're sure Vinny's Dock House is a fine deli, their pizza is a lackluster imitation of admittedly better pies in town, with flashes of meatball brilliance that left us wondering what this pizza would be like if it would just be itself (that's the moral of the story, kids).

Establishment: 17/30
Pizza: 16/30
Hits the Spot: 5.3/10
Large Cheese: $7.50 (12")

A Stamford fixture for almost 30 years (over 20 in its current location on Cove Road), Emilia's Italian Deli & Pizza is a family run deli and pizzeria. Open until 7ish (some days until 8, some until 6...call ahead), Emilia's touts "the BEST Italian food in town," and while we can't speak for their pasta dishes and catering, we're certainly in the position to judge their pizza.

Establishment. Emilia's is, in essence, a deli with a pizza oven. We walked into a moderately sized, bright room with various coolers (of both the drink and ice cream persuasions), a deli counter and little else. Expect no more and no less from this establishment, it is what it is. That said, we were rather impressed with their abundant seating (especially compared to most delis), cleanliness, and fine selection of motorcycle magazines to peruse as we were waiting for our food. Emilia's service (Emilia and company) was extraordinarily attentive and personable, possibly because we were the only ones there at the time but more likely because that's how good family restaurants are run. Additionally, their menu is very enticing, but limited to deli specialties such as sandwiches, hot wedges, pasta dishes, salads, and antipastos, as well as both traditional and specialty versions of "Emilia's Famous Pizza."

Pizza. We really liked this pizza. Aside from being one of the better deals in town ($9 for a whopping 18" monstrosity), Emilia's pizza delivers a very original, homegrown taste that smacks of traditional Italian flavors. Their crust was incredibly unique with a crisp base, a crunchy but chewy and airy consistency, and light sourdough notes. Complementing this flavor very well was an abundance of tasty, stringy cheese that wasn't at all greasy but did unfortunately congeal into a thick slab a bit faster than we would have preferred. Another knock against this pie was the utter lack of sauce; what we could taste of it didn't disappoint as it was fresh and simple, but there just wasn't enough on the pizza to carry any substance or play a larger a role than separating the cheese from the crust. However, our topping of choice, sliced meatballs, was extraordinarily substantial, finding its origins as an actual whole meatball (rather than a sprinkling of ground beef masquerading as one) and seasoned to perfection. All in all, this was a very good pizza marred only by the lack of sauce (or excess of cheese?) with a flavor and texture that more than made up for it.

The bottom line. Emilia's is a deli, dressed up with just enough accommodations to pass as a restaurant, but their pizza is excellent and definitely worth trying for lunch or an early dinner, especially given their extremely reasonable prices.

Establishment: 15/30
Pizza: 20/30
Hits the Spot: 7.3/10
Large Cheese: $9.00 (18")

AWARDS WON:

2009 – Best Bang for Your Buck

Located rather unsurprisingly on Summer St., Summer Street Deli & Pizza seems to be open exclusively for breakfast and lunch (and presumably brunch) despite claims of being open until 8 pm. Its proximity to Planet Pizza may draw comparisons, but Summer Street offers a very different Greek style pizza (to Planet's New York/Neapolitan pie) and doesn't lie, straight-faced, about their abysmal parking situation.

Establishment. While near impossible to find open for dinner, Summer Street Deli & Pizza is surprisingly comfortable, larger than one would think from the outside, and a decent lunch option if you're in the area. We walked into a moderately sized dining room adjacent to a considerably large dining room, both of which smelled absolutely extraordinary. Unfortunately, these big, comfortable rooms were filled with tables as steady as Dane Cook is funny. Boasting family ownership since 1984, Summer Street's diverse menu consists of deli sandwiches, hot wedges, pasta dishes, Greek specials, and of course, pizza.

Pizza. Summer Street's pizza conforms to the traditional Greek pan mold with an airy, buttery crust that was cooked to perfection. The cheese and sauce were collectively average: both moderately flavorful and very complementary to the crust, but nothing extraordinary. The sausage, our topping of choice, was spastically strewn across the pizza and was also of average quality at best. As with most Greek pies, Summer Street's product tended to stew in its grease over the course of the meal, becoming less enticing with each additional (infuriatingly square) slice; this pie was considerably greasier than the rest, so this effect was noticeably amplified. That said, the last slice still wasn't terrible and managed to "hit the spot" quite effectively.

The bottom line. If you happen upon Summer Street Deli & Pizza and it's open, their pizza is worth trying, but don't expect to be blown away...expect to be full.

Establishment: 17/30
Pizza: 19/30
Hits the Spot: 7/10
Large Cheese: $12.00

Across the street from Vinny's, Springdale Pizza offers a unique alternative to both their atmosphere and product. A family owned and operated restaurant, Springdale offers a simple menu featuring Italian dishes, salads, wedges, and both traditional and Sicilian pizza.

Establishment. Springdale Pizza offers the environment one would expect of a local pizzeria. Family owned, Springdale's father/son outfit makes for a charming and friendly experience. Obviously not too concerned with frills, Springdale is decorated mostly with vendor swag and a handsome rug picturing a plucky Italian chef (incidentally, the rug also tripped a kid and sent his pizza flying...). Their moderately sized dining room was very comfortable for our party of four, and our table was meticulously set with admittedly gaudy ceramic plates right before our pizza hit the table. We suspect they knew that they were being rated, as other patrons in the restaurant seemed to be eating off fine paper goods.

Pizza. Its a good thing that we were eating off of regular plates, because this pizza would have turned the paper ones translucent. Aside from the divisive greasiness factor however, Springdale makes an excellent pizza. What stood out most were the incredible flavors present in their sauce. Well seasoned, fresh, and tasting of fresh crushed tomatoes, Springdale's sauce is some of the best we've come across so far. Their thin crust was baked to a fluffy and breadlike consistency while the cheese remained warm and gooey throughout the meal. The sausage topping we ordered was very generous albeit a bit lacking in flavor and came in the form of large, meaty chunks. Texture did suffer a bit, as the airy crust began to soak up some of the aforementioned grease by the second slice, but overall, we were very happy with this pie.

The bottom line. Springdale offers a traditional father/son pizzeria experience, making up for minor gaudiness with an excellent pizza.

Establishment: 18/30
Pizza: 23/30
Hits the Spot: 8.5/10
Large Cheese: $11.50

AWARDS WON:

2009 – Tournament Finalist (8th place)

Not to be confused with The Original Pappas Pizza (Pappas I, for all intents and purposes), Pappas Pizzeria (Pappas II) is located on Hope Street in Glenbrook. Not unlike Pappas I, Pappas II is known for 10" personal pies, and the endless buy five, get one free promotion. However, Pappas II also offers online ordering with delivery. Incidentally, Pappas II also stakes claim as the best ("you've tried the rest, now try the best!"), so we'll have to put an end to this.

Establishment. Pappas offers a large menu with a laundry list of non-pizza items in addition to many specialty pies. Unlike Pappas I, Pappas II has a relatively spacious dining room that is both inviting and does not make one feel as if they are about to be hacked to death. Pappas large, comfortable booths are also a far cry away from the kitchen furniture that the other place has to offer and the overall experience felt a great deal cleaner, to say the very least (although the parking situation was equally nonexistent). The service was friendly and quick, and our table was bussed for us; so seriously, try the pizza.

Pizza. Its hard to call Pappas' pizza unique, as its pan crust and presentation are eerily similar to that of Pappas I and cost $2 more, but it's very good nonetheless. The pan crust was perfectly cooked, golden brown, and delicious while the cheese was above average and cooled no quicker than the rest of the pizza. As you might remember, this was a huge problem with the other Pappas' pizza and needless to say, we were quite delighted that Pappas II solved that dilemma. The sauce lacked some flavor, but was good overall. We noticed that our pie was allowed to sit for a few minutes before being delivered to the table which made for a slightly cooler pizza with much more coherent flavors that wasn't prone to falling apart like a budget Chinese sedan. Overall, Pappas Pizzeria offers a very good product and is clearly the best Pappas in town.

The bottom line. When we told Pappas Pizzeria they scored better than Pappas Pizza, they responded, "I could have told you that!"

Establishment: 18/30
Pizza: 21/30
Hits the Spot: 8/10
Large Cheese: $12.00

Hamilton Pizza is located down the street from Stamford's only bowling alley seventh self storage place on what was once the worst paved road in town, Hamilton Ave. Billed also as a deli and grill, Hamilton is open at 6 am for breakfast and offers a comprehensive lunch and pizza selection including subs and wings in addition to its signature pizza before closing promptly at 8 pm.

Establishment. Now open for breakfast on Sundays (!) and until 9 on weekends, Hamilton Pizza boasts a large dining room with seven less tables than it should have, four portly patrons that take up three of those tables, and an often nonworking restroom. This restaurant is uniquely decorated with an assortment of flags, the vines of a plant creeping across the ceiling, a poster featuring local businesses circa 1992, and a personalized 8-by-10 glossy of the incomparable Joey Styles. Undoubtedly, Joey comes here for Hamilton's rather extensive menu and friendly service (and possibly because of his affinity for V8, which they proudly carry).

Pizza. If you were to list all of the pizza places in Stamford and ordered it from best to worst, Hamilton Pizza would probably be right in the middle. We did, and it is was when we wrote this. The traditional Greek pan crust was flavorful, buttery and breadlike, and the cheese was very good while it was hot, but the sauce was barely a step above bland. The pie came out of the oven freakishly hot and exuded all sorts of oils and grease that may have left our mouths with second degree burns. Hopefully our pizza was an exception to the norm, as it was indubitably overcooked and about 30 seconds of cooking away from being burnt (not "caramelized," as some idiot guest judges might claim). Regardless, this didn't take much away from anything but the pizza's texture. Also its overall flavor.

The bottom line. Hamilton Pizza is an interesting, considerably dumpy restaurant with godawful hours, an extensive lunch menu, and an average pizza on a good day.

Establishment: 14/30
Pizza: 19/30
Hits the Spot: 6/10
Large Cheese: $11.50

Only open since February 1st of this year, Westover Pizza is easily the newest pizza restaurant on our tour and a welcome addition to Stamford's robust pizza selection. Westover boasts its affiliations with both John the Baker and Michael's, bringing to mind some of the better pies in town and setting some high expectations to say the least.

Establishment. With an obvious lean towards take-out, Westover Pizza has a very small dining room that can accommodate 2-3 small parties at best with no restrooms to speak of. However, they make more than due with what they have with sparkling clean tables, a delightful staff, a considerably large menu, and a glorious vaulted ceiling that doubles as pizza box storage. Westover competes valiantly with full-fledged pizza restaurants and was surprisingly accommodating given its small size.

Pizza. Westover's pizza is pretty good. The char on their perfectly thin, New York style crust couples very well with above average quality cheese on a screaming hot pizza. However, we felt that there was a bit too much sauce on our pie and that the excess of sauce was largely underwhelming in terms of flavor. Judges' heads butted with regard to the pizza's texture, as it was less crisp than most we've had but as perfectly cooked as a NY/Italian style pie could be (see: Ridgeway). Suffice it to say, this disagreement is merely a matter of taste. Westover clearly puts out an above average product and will work hard to make its way into Stamford's pizza landscape as a new favorite.

The bottom line. Westover Pizza is the new guy in town and there's no reason not to welcome them to the neighborhood by enjoying a very good pizza, hot out of their oven.

Establishment: 18/30
Pizza: 20/30
Hits the Spot: 7/10
Large Cheese: $11.95

The Original Pappas Pizza (not to be confused with Pappas Pizzeria) is located in the heart of Stamford downtown. Known for its signature 10" personal pies, its perpetual buy five, get one free promotion, and its offering of half cooked pies for your home baking enjoyment, The Original Pappas is quick to distance itself from "its imitator's recipes and/or practices." Pappas claims to be "The ORIGINAL AND BEST," and as a public service, we're determined to verify at least the latter of those claims.

Establishment. Pappas boasts a diverse menu with pasta dishes, wedges, and appetizers in addition to its signature pizzas. Incidentally, they also boast a hallway-sized dining room with cramped tables that can barely handle a large pizza, let alone a party of three or more. Cleanliness is questionable as Pappas relies on its loyal patrons to bus their own tables and doesn't put on a big fuss if they do a mediocre job (how nice of them). On the way to the restroom, situated in a remote back corridor, one might notice a conspicuous shower curtain obscuring what looks to be cleaning equipment, but may easily be an organ trafficker waiting to hack you to death and harvest your kidneys. But seriously, try the pizza.

Pizza. Pappas' pizza is pretty good. The pan crust is buttery and golden brown while the sauce is very flavorful and perfectly portioned. The cheese is average, but it cools far earlier than the rest of the pizza (notably the painfully hot sauce) and thus lends itself to one of the many texture issues that plagues this pie. This pizza was also overwhelmingly greasy to the point where the second slice was noticeably less crispy than the first because it became so soaked with oil (if that's your thing, that's not necessarily bad). These issues might be avoided by ordering two or three of Pappas' small (10") pies, which are admittedly better. The meatball topping was obviously once a meatball, as it carried the unique flavor that one cannot get out of ground beef and was rather tasty. Hot out of the oven, Pappas' pizza is respectable, but as it loses temperature and starts stewing in its own grease, weird things may happen.

The bottom line. Pappas has pretty good pizza if you eat it quickly, and—as the less than inviting atmosphere suggests—you will.

Establishment: 12/30
Pizza: 18/30
Hits the Spot: 6/10
Large Cheese: $10.75

Planet Pizza is a smallish pizza chain with six other locations outside of Stamford. They offer online ordering, pizza by-the-slice, and are within walking distance of many office complexes in town. Not to be confused with Michelina's mythical 18" pie, Planet's pizza actually measures 18" in diameter and as it turns out, that's the only unique thing about it.

Establishment. We'd be hard pressed to say that the Planet Pizza experience doesn't feel like a manufactured one. Aside from the sub-par (read: slow, very slow) counter service, Planet Pizza offers a relatively delightful atmosphere with large, spotless tables, booths that can easily fit three to a side, and outdoor seating. Everything is arranged very methodically and as such, the restaurant can probably fit many, many more people than it's two stall parking lot allows for. That said, this antiseptic dining room has very little character and all the markings of a chain.

Pizza. Manufactured or not, Planet Pizza offers a pretty decent product. With a sizable, breadlike New York style crust, a generous sprinkling of slightly above average cheese, and moderately tasty sauce, Planet's product is good, hot out of the oven. Just good. Time is not kind to any of the parties involved, as everything loses too much of its zing once the behemoth pie begins to cool, including the topping of choice (sausage) which did not impress from the beginning.

The bottom line. Planet Pizza offers a big, average pizza and big, clean tables at which to eat it.

Establishment: 21/30
Pizza: 18/30
Hits the Spot: 7/10
Large Cheese: $13.99 (18")

J & D's is located somewhat off the beaten path on Fairfield Ave. This shouldn't dissuade you however, because they offer online ordering, free delivery, and breakfast, lunch, and dinner options. While their pizza is very good, you'd be hard pressed not to find something else on their extensive menu that will suit your taste as well.

Establishment. J & D's has a smallish dining room with enough space to fit a handful of small parties (3-4 people) comfortably and an outdoor patio that we were unfortunately unable to enjoy in the lion stages of March. Most aspects of this establishment were slightly above average, however they really won us over with complementary buffalo wings and drinks with the purchase of a large pizza. Eat your collective hearts out, complementary bread-giving restaurants, the bar has been raised. J & D's also has a very diverse menu ranging from burgers and salads to falafels and gyros as well as pizza (naturally). This, coupled with an extraordinarily kind, attentive, and accommodating staff made the overall J & D's experience a very good one.

Pizza. J & D's has all the makings of a very good pizza. The crust is buttery and crispy without being overcooked and dry throughout, the cheese is delicious and generously proportioned, and the sauce is flavorful (albeit tasting canned). The pie remained very hot throughout the meal and despite being a Greek-style pizza, was cut into slices the right way! The topping of choice (sausage) tended to cook down into little (very flavorful) grease saucers, but that's hardly enough to tarnish an otherwise excellent pie.

The bottom line. J & D's offers a very good pizza, stellar service, and wings that beat the hell out of dinner rolls any day.

Establishment: 22/30
Pizza: 22/30
Hits the Spot: 8/10
Large Cheese: $10.95

This place looks like death from the outside. Tucked away behind a Dunkin' Donuts and the hilariously named For Your Convenience convenience store, the half burnt out sign atop John's Pizza screams, "we'd probably fail our health inspection." But never fear, just beyond its doors is a downright respectable pizza restaurant.

Establishment. Beyond the hideous exterior is a bright, clean, spacious pizza parlor with a diverse menu and loud, boisterous counter service. Unfortunately, John's only takes cash which is a practice that we believe should be reserved for drug dealers, hookers, and Slovenians. Also, one kind of has to navigate through the kitchen to get to the bathrooms, but beggars can't be choosers, yes?

Pizza. Here's where the place takes off. John's Pizza is excellent. The dough is made in-house daily, the cheese is great, the pie would have stayed piping hot for 3 days straight had we not finished it in 6 minutes, and while the sauce isn't perfect, it's worlds better than some of the flavorless garbage we've been subjected to thus far. Everything falls into place to yield a superb product save for the less-than-stellar toppings (meatball, read: crumbled ground beef). Had it not been for John's unfortunate use of the dreaded cut-the-round-pizza-into-square-pieces-leaving-four-crustless-and-undesirable-center-slices technique, we might be willing to just give them the trophy now.

The bottom line. Uninviting and brown from the outside, John's offers an excellent, delicious product to those brave enough to delve into its guts: the kiwi of Stamford pizza restaurants.

Establishment: 17/30
Pizza: 23/30
Hits the Spot: 9/10
Large Cheese: $11.75

I'd like to preface this review by noting that Belltown Pizza is located a few hundred feet from Belltown Park. Countless little league baseball games and summer camps emanate from the park on a daily basis all throughout the summer, and there's something to be said about pizza-by-the-slice and a cold soda after standing outside for 4 hours on a scorching hot day. Unfortunately, extreme dehydration and hunger may be the only things keeping Belltown in business because their pizza is not doing them any favors.

Establishment. The restaurant is very small and very cold. There is no bathroom and the dining area is marginally passable as one if there are more than two parties eating. However, the restaurant is open relatively late and the service is on par with any decent pizza parlor in the area, so that's good. The menu is also fairly diverse, offering Sicilian and conventional style pizzas with a wealth of topping selections. Again, that's good.

Pizza. Here's where it gets considerably less good. The pizza came out of the oven freakishly hot and stayed as such for approximately 28 seconds. The crust felt undercooked, the sauce was largely flavorless (albeit abundant), and the cheese slid clear off each slice before congealing into an inedible mess in the aforementioned 28 second window. The toppings (mushrooms and meatballs) were the highlight of Belltown's product when they were coaxed into staying on the pizza. *Judge Dan's opinion differed from Judge Elliot and Judge Scott's opinions in that he thought the pizza wasn't half bad.

The bottom line. Belltown offers a mediocre product that quickly cools to an outright bad one.
Establishment: 15/30
Pizza: 16/30
Hits the Spot: 6/10
Large Cheese: $10.95