Quest For The Best Pepperoni Pizza

Pizza is classic take-out food. Easy to grab a slice on the way to class, pick up a box for a party, or order-in while watching a game. Even though it might seem simple, the right combination of cheese, sauce and pepperoni can create a tasty concoction—the wrong combination can be a disaster. And let’s not forget the crust. The crust is a make-it or break-it in the pizza world.

Stonington, Mystic and Pawcatuck have an abundance of pizza options and while I couldn’t try them all, I headed out to taste how five local places prepared their pepperoni pizza.

On a rainy evening I picked up a small box of pepperoni pizza ($7.95) from the Stonington Pizza Palace on Route 1. Each of the eight slices in the box had about two to three pieces of pepperoni. I was expecting more, after all it's pepperoni pizza. Taking a bite I found that despite the lack of pepperoni, it was a nicely seasoned slice of pizza—the pepperoni offering just a bit of spice. The crust was light, airy and crispy, but greaser than I expected. The sauce was a bit skimpy, but all in all this was decent traditional pizza—the kind you buy in bulk for your kids after a tee-ball game.

Mango’s Wood-Fired Pizza was next up on the list, in Olde Mistick Village. Splitting a small 12” pie ($12.50) with a couple of friends, I again found the amount of pepperoni to be lacking—only about two pieces per slice. The pepperoni, however, was placed underneath the cheese significantly cutting down on the amount of grease traditionally associated with pepperoni pizza. The wood fire gave the crust a pleasant, smoky flavor—but overall the pizza tasted bland and in need of a good dose of seasoning. This pizza had the nice surprise of fresh mozzarella, melted evenly, with a bit of sprinkled shredded cheese on top.

Over in downtown Mystic, I headed straight for Pizzetta where pepperoni pizza is available in a 14” round pie ($12.50). Admittedly the spot is one of my pizza staples in the area, plus where else is it possible to get a pizza box that has pop-out pizza plates. I was excited to bite into a slice of pepperoni pizza, only to be disappointed. Each taste was like eating a spoonful of salt. There were plenty of positives. The crust was thin and soft, there was an abundance of pepperoni, and the sauce was balanced and flavorful. But all that was drowned out by the overwhelming taste of salt. I wondered if someone knocked over a bowl of it on top on my pizza.

Staying in Mystic, my next spot was Mystic Pizza because really any pizza taste test wouldn’t be complete without a slice from the famous joint. While the pizza might not be “A Slice of Heaven,” it comes close with a unique taste. I tried the small pepperoni pizza ($8.30), which had about three or four pepperoni pieces per slice. However, there was less sauce than I would have liked, but the sauce had a great flavor.  Overall the pizza was a bit greasy, but then again, it is pepperoni pizza.  For that spring stroll through downtown, look no further than this iconic pizza place.

For my final stop, I headed over to Pawcatuck to the new Melany’s, in the former spot of Germano’s. Picking up a medium pepperoni pizza ($11.75), which is the smallest size, I was immediately greeted by spicy, seasoned smell. Like a kid unwrapping a birthday present, I was pleased to find a plethora of pepperoni—about seven or eight pieces—on each of the six large slices. This pizza had a crust that was soft without being too doughy, and a great taste.  And if you like sauce, you get more than most of the other places. All in all, it is certainly worth a trip to check out this re-designed place.   

Verdict: A close battle between the hidden pepperoni and mozzarella cheese of Mango’s Wood-Fired Pizza and the numerous pepperoni and tasty crust of Melany’s.  In the end, the winner of Stonington-Mystic’s Culinary Creations is Melany's.

Do you agree? Vote in our poll and tell us which of these eateries you think has the best pepperoni pizza.

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