Restaurant Review: Bryn Mawr Pizza

Restaurant:
Address: 600 West Lancaster Ave., Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
Rating: (out of 5 stars): ★★★1/2
Style: Pizzeria
Food: Tasty Greek-style pizza, cheesesteaks and salads
Atmosphere: Neighborhood pizza shop
Parking: Street parking can be challenging
Service: Casual and friendly
Price Range: Inexpensive
Unique Features: Extensive variety of steaks and chicken steaks, stromboli and daily specials.

is not the most original name for a pizza shop, but what they lack in originality they more than make up for in terms of taste. The shop is small but has been around for decades. A recent visit on a Friday night showed that despite the down economy, business is booming. The phone was ringing off the hook and four different staff members deftly moved around each other as they prepared pizzas, cheesesteaks, calzones, strombolis and whatever else people were having for dinner that night.

We went in and ordered a Hawaiian pizza, a cheesesteak with peppers, mushrooms and onions, a chicken cheese steak with spinach and some mozzarella sticks. The Hawaiian pizza was better than your garden variety incarnation as it had bacon and green peppers in addition to ham and pineapple on top. Each bite was quite meaty. The thick Greek-style crust was a nice golden color and had a wonderful crunchy texture. My dining companion complained that the cheese, toppings and sauce didn’t extend far enough out on the pie, but I thought it was fine just the way it was.

The cheesesteak, with all the bells and whistles, was quite tasty. Some might want to see actual slices of cheese, but I loved that the cheese was melted into the meat. Every bite was juicy, well seasoned and had plenty of cheesy goodness.

The chicken cheesesteak with spinach was something I had never seen before. While onions, peppers and mushrooms are always offered as toppings, spinach is rarely an option so I jumped at the chance. The leafy greens and chicken were cooked together quite nicely and not the least bit dried out. The combination was seasoned well and a healthier alternative to a typical cheesesteak.

The mozzarella sticks had a nice crisp crust and deep amber color. They were decent tasting, although some sticks were hollow since all the cheese had melted out. The marinara sauce had a bright tomato flavor but not much else. These fried treats tasted just like the ones you’d find at any other pizza place.

The service was casual but friendly. We watched ESPN while we waited patiently for our order and observed the organized chaos behind the counter. Delivery men came in and out and brought families, college kids and everyone in between their Friday night dinner. The food was good, the prices fair and the best part was that there was no kitchen clean up required. Not a bad way to start the weekend.