Louisville Pizza
Yesterday, Megan posted about those awesome breadsticks from Papa John's. What she said is so true; sometimes it's hard to remember that the big national pizza chain started in Louisville. They're simply everywhere! Megan got me thinking about the first time I ever ate at a Papa John's. In a very Kentucky moment, I was spending the summer at Centre College for the Governor's Scholars Program. When I "discovered" the Danville Papa John's, I didn't realize that the next twenty years of meetings, study groups and ball games would feature orders from Papa John's, nor did I realize the Louisville connection. I simply loved that garlic butter.
Louisville has always been a pizza town to me. In addition to the ubiquitous Papa John's empire, some of my all-time favorite slices of pizza can be found along Bardstown Road. Now, Louisville doesn't have a signature pizza style, like New York or Chicago. It does, however, have a well-established foodie movement and an unwavering commitment to local foods and products. You can always find high-quality ingredients and a well-constructed slice. Here are a few of my favorites:
Wick's Pizza
Ask any true Louisvillian, and they'll tell you that Wick's is the place to go for huge, deep-dish pizza smothered in quality ingredients. Their pepperoni is so fresh and spicy that you'll wonder if you've ever eaten pepperoni before. A funky, laid-back atmosphere (there's often a live band). Five locations across the Louisville area, but the Highlands location is where you want to go.
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| Wick's Pizza, Baxter Avenue. |
Ask any true Louisvillian, and they'll tell you that Wick's is the place to go for huge, deep-dish pizza smothered in quality ingredients. Their pepperoni is so fresh and spicy that you'll wonder if you've ever eaten pepperoni before. A funky, laid-back atmosphere (there's often a live band). Five locations across the Louisville area, but the Highlands location is where you want to go.
The Douglass Loop location -- located next to a Graeter's, just in case you're still hungry -- is one of my favorite pizza places in town. Fat Jimmy's offers a light, delicate slice of pizza with a sweetly tangy tomato sauce. This is a fantastic lunch pizza.
Impellizzeri's has the best true Sicilian-style pizza in town. A Louisville staple, Imp's is an amazing place to dine al fresco with a chalice of Stella. (The salads, breadsticks, and dining room are all pretty nice, too!)
Spinelli's offers big Brooklyn-style pizzas, and has distinguished itself in the fun Highlands neighborhood by offering late-night delivery (until 4:30 a.m.) and even later dine-in options (until 5 a.m.). Everybody's ordered Spinelli's at some point, even if everyone hasn't been brave enough to try their signature fried Oreos.
What is your favorite Louisville Pizza?