Who Delivers the Best Slice in Mamaroneck?

Adam Kuban, a leading pizza authority and founder of a weblog called Slice, which is currently part of SeriousEats.com, a darn good foodie forum, has been quoted as saying that pizza is a perfect food. His reasoning: "Depending on what you order in terms of toppings, one slice can embody the entire food pyramid: fats, oils, sweets; milk, yogurt, cheese, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, beans, nuts; vegetables; fruits; bread, cereal, rice, pasta."

But that does not mean, with the myriad of pizzerias we have, that all slices are good. Some would even say that only fresh out-of-the-oven whole pizzas are the way to go, that slices lose something in the cutting.

Well, that's one point of view, and many dedicated foodies are debating the issue vigorously. The world of pizza is big; it is one of our favorite convenience foods, and discussion about the subject can run the gamut from serious rules proposed by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana in Italy on what constitutes the proper pizza dough, to your very own opinion about a favorite pizza place.

The variety of pizza styles in the U.S. and internationally makes the subject even more complicated. There's New York-style pizza, Sicilian pizza, Greek pizza, Chicago-style deep dish pizza, Pizza al taglio, New Haven-style pizza, Hawaiian pizza, California-style pizza, St. Louis pizza, Mexican pizza and Detroit-style pizza, just to name a few. The designations go on from there.

For the purposes of this survey, we stayed with the Neapolitan-style pizza we all know.

There are five places that serve Neapolitan style pizza in Mamaroneck (Mamaroneck Diner serves a commendable Greek-style pizza, too). During my quest to find the best slice of pizza in town, I encountered a lot of local color,  interesting personalities, and patrons operating and frequenting these spots—each an expert, of course, on what constitutes a good slice of pizza.

I only ordered a regular cheese and tomato slice in each place since this should serve as the benchmark for whatever topping you choose. If the regular slice does not pass muster, then add-ons will not sufficiently do the job. I had to make my own decisions for this survey, so I hereby offer my final judgements (in no particular order) with all modesty and a full belly:

1) Sal's Pizzeria, 316 Mamaroneck Ave. (914-381-2073)

Founded by Michael Derose in 1964, many regard it as 'the best pizza in town', but first a little background: this spot got a major booster shot years ago when food editors from the old Journal News (known as the Westchester-Gannett Newspapers in the '80s and '90s) designated Sal's the best pizza in the county. The lines out the door increased dramatically. Similarly, Sal's has made the list of Westchester Magazine's 'Best of Westchester' fairly regularly since 2003. And it was a really good slice back then. But is it now? We went in to find out.

Inside, the bustling counter was loaded with pizza delivery boxes piled high and  a number of pies sitting in waiting, a practice that goes on in many pizza places. The problem is, if slices are not moved fast enough, even quick reheating in the oven will not bring back the freshness. Sal's, however, moves a lot of merchandise, so a slice of pizza here normally will not have been sitting for too long.

The Tasting: I ventured in the middle of the afternoon on a Monday (a good time, apparently, since there was hardly a wait), and took that first bite out of my slice before doctoring it up with any condiments. It was good; the pizza with cheese part had a fairly thin crust, good flavor and all, but became too chewy and dry towards the crust. Condiments are available at every table: salt, pepper, grated cheese, hot pepper flakes, oregano, garlic powder. It was a decent sized, regular slice priced at $2.25. Somehow, I remember it being more grand years ago.

(Many regard the Sicilian slices here supreme, but we stuck with the plan on this outing.)

2) Pizza Gourmet, 597 Boston Post Rd. (914-777-1056)

Sicilian-born owner Phil Lonemedico and his manager Phil have been operating this cozy, 30-seat eatery for 13 years, and while the weather lasts, there is outdoor seating. It is a pleasant room with Mediterranean paintings on the wall and display counter.

The Tasting: I made a late afternoon Monday visit. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the pizza here. The slice is thin-crusted with thicker crust and full of flavor. In fact, I ate all of the crust. Condiments were at every table. It was a good sized, regular slice priced at $2.50. Extras: 75 cents each. We liked it!

3) Jimmy's Pizza, 808 Mamaroneck Ave. (914-698-5804)

Owners Jimmy and Olga Kapakos have been feeding their pizza to generations of students at nearby Mamaroneck Avenue Elementary School for 35 years. It is a cozy, 25-seat spot housed in a free-standing building with both counter and booth seating, resembling a small diner/luncheonette. It is rustic and retro inside, and perhaps could use some refurbishing, but they do serve an interesting pizza.

The Tasting: I visited at early dinnertime. Jimmy was alone in the store. It was the most different slice I had yet tasted. Once reheated, the cheese blistered and browned, and the entire thin-crusted slice had a soft texture. I found the condiments off in a corner of the counter and added some extra grated cheese and pepper flakes. It needed a boost. It was a smaller sized slice priced at $2.25.

(An individual sized cheese pie is a $5 special on Tuesdays only; a large pie is $10 on Wednesdays.)

4) Village Pizza & Pasta, 1029 West Boston Post Rd. (914-381-2445)

Anthony Ormario opened this place 13 years ago across from Mamaroneck High School, and it is a favorite among students and faculty there. The dining room is cheerful and there is seasonal seating outside attached to the deli next door. There is free parking, too.

The Tasting: I got there on a Tuesday about 2 p.m. and took my slice outside. The pizza was very good, thin-crusted with all the elements tasting very fresh. Jesse, the friendly pizzaioli, said the pie had just come out of the oven. It had a pleasing, crusty chew to it. One of the best slices I had tried. It was a larger sized slice priced at $2.50.

5) Joe's Pizza & Restaurant, 260 Mamaroneck Ave. (914-698-2829)

This place seems to play second fiddle to big Sal's up the avenue, but their pizza is right up there with the best in town. Owner Joe Corglia brought this spot to Mamaroneck 19 years ago and it is a charmer in decor and atmosphere. The cozy 20-seat dining room is painted in off-white and decorated with food and cooking ornaments and artworks.

The Tasting: I went there on a Tuesday afternoon. There was one other patron. The  blistered slice had the thinnest of crusts I had found on my tour and it was quite good with a pleasant crunch to every bite. Same with the crust.  It was a larger sized regular slice priced at $2.25.

There you have it. I enjoyed my pizza foray, but as you can imagine, it is time to move on to the other foods for a while. I would enjoy hearing your opinions, too. Feel free to comment.

Morris Gut is a restaurant consultant and former restaurant trade magazine editor. He has been tracking and writing about the dining scene in greater Westchester for over 25 years. He may be reached at: 914-235-6591. E-mail: gutreactions@optonline.net.