We’ve been trying to check out ZAZA for quite some time now. Since meandering through the doors of the yet-to-open restaurant back in May, we’ve stopped by only to be turned elsewhere by huge crowds, long waits, and the will of the famed Pizza Tour fedora. But at long last, we finally found the time to venture over to the former home of 122 Pizza Bistro for one of Stamford’s newest (at least relatively speaking) pies.

Establishment. ZAZA never struck us as a traditional pizzeria, mostly because it isn’t one. It’s a “gastrobar” by name, with all that it entails: a mozzarella tasting menu, Italian tapas, a huge wine bar, trendy clientele, and a lot of dark paint and red leather.

While a little off-putting and distinctly not our speed at first, ZAZA drew us in with super comfortable seating (save for the table sharing thing, which is weird), decent service, and an inviting—albeit a little vampirey—atmosphere that we really warmed up to. It didn’t hurt, of course, that their menu was anchored by a very familiar menu centerpiece—brick oven pizza.

Pizza. Typical Pizza Tour fashion, we ordered a plain napoletana pie and one with sausage in the name of science and consistency (don’t call it boring).

What was immediately striking were the vibrant colors and strong aromas of this pizza’s fresh components. On top of an expertly cooked, golden brown crust was a fresh, tangy, chunky tomato sauce; smooth, delicious mozzarella (also browned to perfection); and just enough fresh basil to give the pie a very bright flavor profile. The sauce was almost too subtle, however, as most of us felt that it was a bit under-seasoned.

The sausage pizza left a little to be desired, as our favorite topping was pretty stingily and inconsistently sprinkled across the pie (which is unfortunate because its saltiness really highlighted the subtleties we missed on the plain pie), but most of the high spots from the napoletana pizza carried over to this one. A minor knock on both pies is that their delicately thin, airy crust cools really fast—not a huge problem seeing as the three of us wolfed down these 12” personal pies in about 6 minutes, but still worth mentioning.

Also worth mentioning is ZAZA’s unusual subversion of our stupid square slices pet peeve in which a square pizza is cut into wedges, as one would expect a round pizza to be served. Mind-blowing, we know. Fortunately, the inverse of this Greek abomination of a cutting technique is hardly offensive at all and didn’t stand in the way of the top-notch flavors and textures of a really good pizza.

Bottom line. ZAZA is packed to the rafters on the weekends and it’s pretty obvious why: an inherent trendiness gets people in the door once, but dedication to clean, fresh flavors across the menu (but most importantly with pizza, of course) forces them to return.

Establishment: 22/30
Pizza: 22/30
Hits the Spot: 7.3/10 
Large cheese: $10.50 (12")

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")

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 relative newcomer to the Stamford bar scene, Tracks is located on Hope Street, filling some of the void that the defunct Fireside Restaurant left behind as both a bar and restaurant.

Establishment. Tracks Bar & Restaurant is, by and large, the friendliest bar we've been to on the Tour. We were welcomed, as if to a home, by everyone working there at some point throughout the evening, including a playful, profanity-laced conversation with Tracks' Irish-brogued owner, Jimmy. The establishment is clearly split into bar and restaurant sections, with a fully stocked bar and well-dressed dining area signifying each, respectively, all appearing relatively clean (especially considering the number that the Stamford High softball team did on the dining room before we got there). As we've mentioned, the service was overwhelmingly personable and attentive, going so far as to adjust the air conditioner return that was blowing in our faces. Tracks' lunch/dinner menu consists of Italian-style appetizers and entrees, soups, salads, and of course, pizza with some select items available on a bar-style menu (including some Irish fare) at all times.

Pizza. Tracks' pizza is a step above the average bar pie, competing with traditional pizzerias in terms of both size and taste. The crust, made in house, is thin and crunchy with a slightly darker-than-golden "shell" (quite honestly bordering on overcooked) and delicious, chewy innards. The cheese was exceptional with a delightfully gooey texture, fresh tasting (albeit somewhat muted and bland) flavors, and the temperature retention of a cast iron skillet. However, Tracks' sauce is what really brought their pie together with an immense amount of flavor caked on rather thick. While borderline overpowering, this homemade sauce elevated a cookie-cutter bar pie through our often held glass ceiling of bar pies, shattering any preconceptions we may have had. The sausage, our topping of choice, was very light in color and carried a unique, much appreciated flavor while giving the pie further dimension despite its striking resemblance to deer turds. As we've mentioned, this bar pizza remained white hot throughout our meal, framing a surprisingly good pizza experience.

The bottom line. Tracks is a charming Irish pub worth visiting if only for its delightfully plucky and friendly staff; they also put together a solid, restaurant-style bar pie that isn't the best in town, but certainly won't disappoint.

Establishment: 23/30
Pizza: 21/30
Hits the Spot: 7.0/10
Large Cheese: $9.99 (14")

AWARDS WON:

2009 – Best Mother@#$%ing Waitstaff

Located dockside at Stamford Landing Marina, Paradise Bar & Grille is traditionally a summer destination because of its ambiance, happy hour, and relative seclusion on the waterfront. While specializing primarily in overpriced seafood and bar fare, they also have pizza.

Establishment. Paradise Bar & Grille is a beautiful, spacious, reasonably clean establishment that truly lives up to it's name with a unique, open air dining room overlooking the Sound marina and the fleet of private boats docked within. The breeze off the water is conveniently squelched by strategically placed propane heaters, making for a very comfortable outdoor dining experience regardless of the weather. Paradise makes up for lost patio space in the wintertime with a large, indoor fireplace, although waterside dining is far less charming when it's 17 degrees outside. In any event, the service was quick and relatively personable, but inattentive and more characteristic of the restaurant's full bar than of a table service restaurant. Paradise's (exceedingly pricey) menu consists primarily of seafood with some salad and sandwich options as well as a comparatively limited selection of specialty and traditional pizzas.

Pizza. The pizza at Paradise Bar & Grille didn't really wow us, but it still wasn't half bad. The crust was rather tasty, with a hearty, yeasty bite, but really disappointed in the texture department as it was lifelessly devoid of crispness and felt undercooked. However, the cheese seemed to be cooked to perfection with a wonderful golden brown color and above average flavor. We were less than enthusiastic about this pie's sauce as it was about average quality with an interestingly tangy, well-seasoned flavor, but appeared in such excess on the pizza that it was overwhelming. This mass of sauce made for a pie that fell apart quite easily, the cheese sliding clear off the crust at every opportunity. Our topping of choice, sausage, was also interesting and rather divisive amongst our judges, with some of us deeming it weird and borderline inedible due to the overpowering taste of fennel seeds, and some of us appreciating its uniqueness. Overall, this pizza was about on par with the bar pies we've had with some extra touches that could go either way as a matter of preference.

The bottom line. Paradise Bar & Grill is a great place to eat out if you've got some money to burn, especially during the summer, but its pizza is just about average at best, albeit interesting and somewhat unique.

Establishment: 25/30
Pizza: 18/30
Hits the Spot: 6.0/10
Large Cheese: $9.95 (12")

Located at E. Gaynor Brennan Golf Course, Zody's 19th Hole has lineage dating back to the original 19th Hole, which closed in 2004, reopened with new owners after a city-mandated $1.3 million renovation as the pluckily named Fore Seasons, later changed names to Fore, then again to the Clubhouse Grill, before fizzling, dying, and rising from its own ashes as the aforementioned Zody's. After a five-year sabbatical, the original owners have returned triumphantly to their loyal fans as well as tired, sweaty golfers.

Establishment. Catering to a unique demographic, Zody's is accommodating to just about everyone with its separate dining room and lounge areas, outdoor seating, and full bar, thus drawing far more business than the abysmally designed parking lot can handle. The dining room is spacious and offers excellent views of the course while the lounge has more of a bar feel as it's a bit more cramped, often loud and rambunctious, and always crowded. While we can't speak for the service in the dining room, the lounge service was very quick, but not very personable or attentive. Zody's offers a diverse menu including pastas, sandwiches (as well as their Italian counterpart, the panini), wraps, salads, mouthwatering entrees, and of course, pizza.

Pizza. Zody's offers a 12" bar pie, which is convenient because anything larger wouldn't have fit on our tiny table in the lounge. Nevertheless, the crust was exceptionally good, being crispy, slightly chewy, and very flavorful with the perfect amount of char. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the sauce and cheese, as they fall rather disappointingly into the bar pie mold. The sauce was rather bland and in short supply atop this pizza, while the cheese, although somewhat flavorful, was nothing to write home about. However, this pie came to the table screaming hot and stayed as such through most of the meal while remaining perfectly intact, thus enabling us to suck it down in under 10 minutes, so there's something to be said about that. Our topping of choice, grilled chicken, added an interesting complementary texture (especially given the perfectly cooked and charred crust) but little flavor (it is chicken, after all). Overall, Zody's fits the mold of a bar pie and will satisfy an appetite, but it certainly doesn't stand out in a city so full of them.

The bottom line. Zody's is a very nice establishment with a respectable bar pie and a diverse, tempting menu that will almost certainly convince you to order something else.

Establishment: 21/30
Pizza: 19/30
Hits the Spot: 5.8/10
Large Cheese: $9.99 (12")

Located in Shippan, Brennan's is nestled away in an otherwise quiet, residential neighborhood. With a block party mentality, Brennan's has become an iconic hangout after Fourth of July fireworks (save for 2007) and truly embraces a small town relationship with The City that Works year round.

Establishment. Brennan's has all the makings of a neighborhood bar, from its secluded location to its old-fashioned charm and welcoming atmosphere equipped with TVs, darts, and plenty of regulars. Brennan's normally offers both indoor and outdoor seating, however, the smallish dining room was far from sufficient for our large party of six and while the patio was very comfortable, it still felt like an afterthought, furnished with cheap nesting PVC tables and chairs. Nonetheless, the service was as personable as one would expect of such an intimate locale, albeit a bit on the inattentive side at times. Brennan's menu is severely limited to regular bar fare including wings, burgers, salads, sandwiches, personal pizzas and little else.

Pizza. Having sampled many bar pies by now, we found this pizza particularly refreshing as it actually tasted good and might be the first grilled pie we've tried. Brennan's crust was thin and chewy, with a uniquely strong flavor imparted by the grill. This paired very, very well with the cheese, which was phenomenally gooey and absolutely delicious. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the sauce, which was proportioned so sparingly that we could barely taste it, let alone rate it. The grill also afforded this pizza a unique consistency: charred and cracker-like on the bottom with an otherwise light, airy consistency throughout. Unique wasn't necessarily better, as it seemed to detract from the overall quality of this pie. Our toppings of "choice," bacon and hamburger, weren't bad, but they certainly weren't anything special (Brennan's ran out of our actual choice toppings, sausage and pepperoni). Overall, we were impressed with this pizza despite its shortcomings and damning "bar pie" identity.

The bottom line. While not the easiest restaurant to find, Brennan's is a homey (albeit cramped) neighborhood pub with one of the best bar pies in town.

Establishment: 18/30
Pizza: 20/30
Hits the Spot: 7.8/10
Large Cheese: $6.00 (10")

AWARDS WON:

2009 – Surprisingly Good

Owned by famed baseball player, manager, self-proclaimed creator of the wrap sandwich, and Stamford's own Bobby Valentine, Bobby V's has been located down the street from Pappa's in the heart of downtown since 1980.

Establishment. Operating primarily as a sports bar, Bobby V's is covered from wall to wall in baseball memorabilia highlighting the success of amateur, professional, and international ball clubs as well as the borderline mediocrity of the New York Mess Mets. Bobby's can sit large parties with ease at its priceless baseball card encrusted tables, but the shear mass of televisions and the constant streaming of sporting events can tend to draw large crowds and cramp up even the most comfortable of sports bars. The service is usually hit-or-miss, but on our visit it was both personable and prompt, making us feel more at home in a loud, rowdy bar than we've felt at some restaurants (you know who you are). The menu is very diverse and includes standard pub fare, sandwiches, wrap sandwiches, Mexican-inspired specials, pastas, and full-on dinner entrees in addition to pizza.

Pizza. Bobby V's is the smallest pizza we've seen yet, but it's certainly packed with flavors, namely that of salt. This little greaseball pie is founded on a airy, breadlike crust, shining with butter and oil that would be insubstantial if not for density of cholesterol therein. Not to be outdone, the perfectly browned cheese adds its share of lipids to the mix while carrying a unique salty flavor and oozy consistency with a tendency of slipping off the pizza altogether. The sauce was a bit underwhelming, tasting chiefly of crushed tomato with little seasoning and being rather conservatively underproportioned. Unfortunately, the sausage topping of choice amplified the greasy, salty nature of this tiny pie but was rather flavorful nonetheless. Regardless, we couldn't get past the overwhelming urge to pop a Lipitor or three after consuming this mediocre-at-best, cookie-cutter bar pie.

The bottom line. While Bobby V's inviting atmosphere is as good as the 1986 Mets, our experience with the pizza was as hilariously disappointing as the 2007 team. Order wings.

Establishment: 20/30
Pizza: 16/30
Hits the Spot: 5.0/10
Large Cheese: $7.25 (10")

Located downtown within spitting distance of Remo's and Capriccio, Bradford's Grill & Tavern doesn't exactly draw from their clientele as it's primarily a bar. Bradford's also happens to serve pizza after 5:00 PM on weekdays and all day on Saturday, so at times, they meet all the qualifications to be a part of the Tour.

Establishment. Bradford's is a bar. It has beer, liquor, darts, and TVs; as far as bars go, it's pretty well equipped. However, as a restaurant, Bradford's shows slightly less promise than The Cleveland Show. Typically, a bar atmosphere does not make for good seating or table service and Bradford's is no exception. After waiting at a "please wait to be seated" sign for long enough to know that we weren't going to be seated, we wandered into the dining "room," which is actually more of a raised platform with a few tables of assorted sizes ranging from cramped to laughably small. The service was slow and inattentive, and given the situation, that's the best it'll ever be. Bradford's menu consists of ordinary pub food including happy hour specials every day from 4-8 PM and a moderate pizza selection (as long as its after 5 PM...).

Pizza. Bradford's offers a full 16" pizza (fraudulently billed as an 18" pizza) in addition to a traditional bar pie. The crust was surprisingly exceptional, with a yeasty flavor and an elusive chewy-but-crisp consistency. The sauce didn't surprise us at all as it was every bit as bland as we feared it would be, tasting of canned tomato and little else. Alternatively, the cheese was straight-up horrible, seemingly flavored with copious handfuls of salt and grease with the texture of vulcanized rubber despite the pie coming to the table freakishly hot. Our topping, sausage, was above average quality and rather tasty, but its excess oil compromised the pie's texture a bit. Overall, the schizophrenic nature of this pizza and hit-or-miss quality of each ingredient translated to a less than mediocre product. Maybe after a few beers this pie would have been passable, but without help, it was well below average.

The bottom line. Bradford's is a bar with a big, boring pizza that should probably be ordered in conjunction with drinks, if at all.

Establishment: 16/30
Pizza: 17/30
Hits the Spot: 6.0/10
Large Cheese: $12.00

Located on Bedford Street, Capriccio Cafe has made a considerable impact on the downtown landscape in its few years of existence. Expanding from its humble beginnings onto the sidewalk and (almost unforgivably) into the hull of what was once Pat's, Capriccio is easily one of the trendiest eateries around, billing itself as "Stamford's Italian cafe that speaks European."

Establishment. Capriccio is so European, it hurts. Its dining rooms are decked out with bright colors, tiled bars (fully stocked), shiny plastic furniture, contemporary lighting, and kitchen utensils bolted to the walls. Not a stranger to huge crowds, this establishment is well equipped to serve hoards of trendy young locals with indoor and outdoor seating, a full bar, expensive imported water, and the worst music you'll ever hear. This atmosphere is rather divisive at times, as it's either hopelessly charming or really freaking annoying. A ciascuno il suo. Regardless, Capriccio's menu is an exhaustive selection of countless Italian specialties ranging from light appetizers and salads to an arsenal of paninis, piadines, and toasts, as well as heavier pastas, traditional entrees, and a mouthwatering laundry list of desserts. Also, pizza.

Pizza. Capriccio's pizza is pretty good, but it's not what we were expecting. The crust was extraordinarily thin and crispy with not much substance or flavor to speak of, acting solely as a crunchy vehicle for cheese and sauce. The cheese was very fresh and not too greasy, but was also rather underwhelming in the flavor department as a result. However, Capriccio's sauce was tremendously flavorful and well seasoned, but it was much heavier than we'd expected, especially given the air of the restaurant itself. Coupled with the very thin crust and relatively neutral cheese, this sauce became an overwhelming centerpiece to a good, but rather one-dimensional pie. Fortunately, our "topping" of choice, sopressada, was safely nestled beneath the cheese and supplemented the pizza very, very well, adding some complexity to the overall product. Still, we weren't blown away by this pie and were left feeling as if pizza isn't necessarily what Capriccio does best.

The bottom line. Capriccio is a unique Italian cafe with a comprehensive, enticing menu, and good pizza that is probably the least of what they have to offer.

Establishment: 19/30
Pizza: 19/30
Hits the Spot: 6.7/10
Large Cheese: $7.00 (12")

When we first started the Pizza Tour, many of this restaurant's rabid, obnoxious fans assured us that Colony Grill was the uncrowned champion and that we were wasting our time searching for Stamford's second-best. We've been told for months that we were unfit to judge any places in Stamford without having been to this cathedral of hot oil and cold beer, for Colony is the measuring stick with which to judge not only pizza, but ethics, morals, and the sins of man. While that's all up for question, there's no denying that Colony Grill is a veritable icon of Stamford, CT, and we're here to find out why.

Establishment. Colony Grill is a glorified dive bar and anyone who tells you different is an outright liar. In its heyday, Colony forced its patrons to stakeout their would-be tables in a cutthroat war for the next available booth, refused to distribute restaurant necessities such as menus and plates, proudly let the phone ring when they were just too damn busy to bother answering it, and took no less than 45 minutes to complete an order, no matter how big or small it was. They did all of this with the warmth and friendliness of Timothy McVeigh. While Colony has evolved ever so slightly from its bizarre, unfriendly (and oddly charming) beginnings, they're more or less the same. Sure, the renovated bathroom/waiting room area no longer resembles something out of Saw IV, and sure, their new waiting list no longer perpetuates the free-for-all sprint for a table, and sure, menus (if you can call a list of toppings and a bunch of drinks a menu) are now generously located at all of the tables, but Colony still screams, "dive!" Now, this can all be either interpreted as fascinating local charm or as repulsive, off-putting, local dickery. We are inclined to think the latter of Colony Grill.

Pizza. Fortunately for Colony, this is where they get away with being as annoying and unbecoming a "restaurant" as they are. The pizza's good. Colony's crust is so thin that you'll be baffled as to why it takes so damn long to hit the table. Regardless, this crust is dense, chewy, crispy (try and explain those last two), and the main contributor to the unique Colony flavor that you have to taste to understand. However, Colony's sauce and cheese are nothing short of boring. While cooked to perfection and very well proportioned, the cheese is largely flavorless, as is the sauce. However, no self-respecting Stamforder (Stamfordian? Stamfordite?) will ever recommend a plain pizza from Colony, as their toppings truly stand out. Our toppings of choice were Colony's famed hot oil and sausage and while there were only but six hearty chunks of local Deyulio's sausage topping a pie pockmarked with hot oil bubbles boiling up through the cheese, they absolutely made this pie. This should be no surprise, but Colony's ultra thin pizza loses its magic when it cools down and being as thin as it is, it sure cools fast and really caters to voracious thin crust lovers that can house a pie in ten minutes or so. If you're one of those people, Colony won't disappoint.

The bottom line. For thin crust bar pies, Colony is the place to go despite having a less than welcoming environment and literally nothing else to offer. However, there are better pizzas in Stamford.

Establishment: 18/30
Pizza: 21/30
Hits the Spot: 8.3/10
Large Cheese: $8.00

AWARDS WON:

2009 – Tournament Finalist (6th place)

Located in the Cove, Fiddler's Green faces pretty stiff local competition from many local pizzerias nearby. That said, they offer quite a different product from the average restaurant as well as a pub atmosphere serving pizza and similar bar foods up until last call.

Establishment. Fiddler's is a bar and a pretty well kept bar at that. Comfortable (albeit somewhat limited) seating in Fiddler's dining room and bar frames exactly what one would expect from a bustling pub atmosphere: a place to drink. Pool tables, dart boards, wall-mounted televisions, and various arcade cabinets employing trackballs provide more than enough activities for the average drunkard, and the place is pretty clean for the more discriminating sober folk that may somehow find their way in here. The service is more than hospitable (and pretty quick for a bar) and the decor is both charming and overwhelmingly Irish. Fiddler's menu consists of the usual pub fare (sandwiches, burgers, salads) as well as Irish specials and personal 12" bar pies.

Pizza. The thing about bar pizzas is that they're made under the impression that the eventual consumer will probably be on their way to a drunken stupor. That said, Fiddler's pie is about on par with the other bar pizzas we've had and certainly isn't terrible. This pizza's crust is thin, crispy, and surprisingly flavorful with a generous amount of char. The cheese is considerably less so, with the consistency and blandness of any inexpensive bagged cheese you'd buy at the Grade-A (which is rather conspicuously located right across the street...). The sauce on this pizza, however, tasted fresh and relatively well-seasoned. The pie's texture left something to be desired, as it was cooked to a cracker like consistency and often detracted from both the overall flavor and the pizza's ability to stay intact. Our topping, Irish sausage, tasted like what we'd assume is a traditional Irish banger with the snap of a natural casing and the taste of a meat we'd prefer not to guess on seasoned with whatever the hell constitutes Irish seasoning, winning points for originality and uniqueness if nothing else. As a bar snack, Fiddler's Green serves an about average pie that would Irish jig itself into a less savory realm at any other location.

The bottom line. If you're going out for drinks and little pizzas, Fiddler's is the a place to go.

Establishment: 20/30
Pizza: 17/30
Hits the Spot: 5/10
Large Cheese: $8.00 (12")

Located in downtown Stamford, SBC Restaurant & Brewery is exactly what it sounds like it is. Operating primarily as a bar in several locations in Connecticut, SBC specializes in microbrews and admittedly upscale bar food including but certainly not limited to brick oven pizza.

Establishment. SBC is a brewpub in downtown Stamford equipped with all sorts of copper brewing tanks and a full bar, which is cool in its own right and certainly adds to the uniqueness factor. However, the atmosphere from the bar side tends to trickle over into the otherwise large, comfortable restaurant side, ushering in crappy music, bar service (read: slow, inattentive, terse), and drunk people. The brewery element does not go without notice either, as the restaurant carries a diverse selection of microbrews and has an industrial air that feels surprisingly genuine and necessary. SBC also has a full menu including hamburgers, steaks, salads, and other traditional bar fare in addition to pizza.

Pizza. SBC boasts a brick oven pizza with a tasty cracker-like crust and such an abundance of char that it might as well have been burnt. While just the right amount of cheese topped our pie (a welcome change to the cheese mountains we've been subjected to as of late), it left something to be desired in the flavor department as well. However, SBC's phenomenal sauce managed to carry this pizza through the flavor doldrums, adding a perfectly seasoned, perfectly proportioned element to an otherwise average pie. Possibly aware of its latent boringness, SBC manages to deliver a super thin New York style crust, cut Greek style (read: asinine square slices), on a large cookie sheet that makes the product pretty cumbersome to eat (also difficult to swallow was the astronomical $15 price tag). Idiosyncrasies aside, SBC puts together an above average pizza that's likely one of the better pies you'll find at a bar, but certainly not the highlight of their menu.

The bottom line. SBC is a brew pub that's clearly focused on things that aren't pizza; considering this, they make a fairly good product.

Establishment: 21/30
Pizza: 20/30
Hits the Spot: 8/10
Large Cheese: $15.00

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