Best Pizza in Town? The Exponent decides
>>Print ViewPublication Date: 11/13/2009
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Ordering pizza from a new restaurant can be a strange and nerve-racking experience, and the unknown factors can be overwhelming. Will it be dry and bland or greasy and garlicky?
To head off the stress and distress brought on by the next pizza party or late night mozzarella craving, seven Exponent staff members decided to test out seven local pizza chains’ offerings and rank them. The results follow.
Each pizza was scored on crust, sauce and toppings, with each reviewer giving it a composite score out of 15; only the composite scores are recorded here, with an average, individual high, and individual low presented. Pizzas are ranked by average score. Reviewers voted to sample pepperoni pizza, which was held to be most indicative of each restaurant’s overall quality. The price presented is that of a 12-inch one-topping unless otherwise indicated.
HotBox
The highest-ranking pizza overall was described as “solid,” with variations on “good sauce” and “good pepperoni” coming up frequently in critiques. One reviewer gave it a perfect score, saying, “Spices, great cheese, the best sauce and perfect crust.” Another reviewer, however, commented that the crust tasted burned, while a third said only that it was “OK overall.”
Average score: 11.9
Highest score: 15
Lowest score: 9
Price: $8.64 (10-inch pizza)
Toppers
Most reviewers ranked this pizza fairly high, with one praising its lack of grease compared to some other contenders. A majority of the reviewers found it to be a little flavorless, with one commenting that she was “not a fan of the sauce – no seasoning.” One reviewer described it as having “great personality,” while another noted the chain’s “great answering machines.”
Average score: 11.3
Highest score: 14
Lowest score: 7
Price: $9.99
Boiler Market
This pizza was notably different from the others, with nearly everyone noting its spiciness and unusually soft-yet-crispy crust – though one reviewer described it as “solid, not great.” Two reviewers described it as “herby,” while others liked that the pepperoni was under the cheese. One reviewer described it as “really good make-at-home pizza.”
Average score: 11
Highest score: 13
Lowest score: 7
Price: $10.64
Monical’s
Reviewers enjoyed this pizza’s thin crust, which was said to have a good texture with “just the right amount of crunch.” However, it received low scores on the sauce, which was, according to most reviewers, insufficient in quantity.
Average score: 10.9
Highest score: 14
Lowest score: 8
Price: $10.29
Puccini’s
The crust received nearly universal high marks, with one describing it as having “the perfect thickness.” Most complaints centered around the sauce, which was described as heavy and a little sweet – one reviewer said it “tastes like spaghetti.” The lowest scorer said it “leaves something to be desired.” Two reviewers particularly enjoyed the parmesan cheese added to the top of the pizza before baking.
Average score: 10.9
Highest score: 14
Lowest score: 6
Price: $10.25
Marco’s
“Grease” and “garlic” were recurring themes in this pizza’s reviews. One reviewer described it as “flaccid,” adding that the garlic was “over-the-top.” However, another reviewer declared the crust to be of “perfect thickness” and loved the spices, garlic and cheese.
Average score: 9.1
Highest score: 14
Lowest score: 4
Price: $10.49
Mad Mushroom
The lowest-scoring pizza in the test, with four composite scores of 8. Critiques centered around its crust – which one reviewer described as chewy and another as “like wet cardboard” – and pepperoni, which “tasted ‘off’” and “masked the flavor of the pizza.” “Tastes like elementary school pizza,” one reviewer lamented.
Average score: 6.7
Highest score: 8
Lowest score: 4
Price: $9.09