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Pizza Expo 2012

International Pizza Expo
March 13-15, 2012
Las Vegas Convention Center
$199 Registration
www.pizzaexpo.com

The International Pizza Expo is coming to Las Vegas, March 13-15, 2012 (Tuesday through Thursday) at the Las Vegas Convention Center. There will be some 6000 attendees participating in pizza contests, seminars, and exhibits. Should be interesting.

Here's a couple videos from previous years:

Las Vegas International Pizza Expo! by TasteOnVegas
Tony Gemignani Keynote (Part 1) by PizzaTodayMagazine
Joe Fugere Keynote (Part 1) by PizzaTodayMagazine
Sean Brauser Keynote (Part 1) by PizzaTodayMagazine

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Political Pizza Party

What is it with pizza and politicians in Las Vegas this week? First we have President Obama getting multiple pies from the new pizza kid on the block, Dom DeMarco's Pizzeria Obama Opts for Small Hotel, Local Pizza on Vegas Visit. Then we have Rick Santorum visiting Manhattan Pizza and making pizzas Rick Santorum visits Manhattan Pizza (Las Vegas Sun). Finally yesterday we have Ron Paul getting lunch at California Pizza Kitchen Ron Paul stops at California Pizza Kitchen at the Fashion Show Mall for lunch in Vegas

All this within the span of a week. I guess politicians love pizza? Maybe I should be a politician...

UPDATE

Today, Friday, February 3, 2012, Mitt Romney is supposed to stop by Metro Pizza in Henderson www.facebook.com/metropizzalasvegas/posts/10151248626705370. Now I know something is up lol. Are they trying to win the Herman Cain pizza vote?

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Upper Crust Pizza Review

Upper Crust Pizza
1910 Village Center Cir Ste 6
Las Vegas, NV 89134
(702) 243-1700
www.summerlinpizza.com
(Near Summerlin Pwky & Town Center Dr)

Upper Crust Pizza Las Vegas

Upper crust pizza is located in the Vons shopping plaza near chronic tacos. As I pull in front of the store front, I see a car parked out front with several bumper stickers of Boston sports teams, which I'm guessing is the owner's car. Immediately gives me the feeling I am in the right place. Maybe this will be real East coast pizza after all. Walking inside the place is busier than any other non-restaurant pizza place I've been to off the strip. I see the slice pizza behind the glass and it looks good--I'm excited.

The woman at the counter is exasperated presumably because it's a busy night. There's a guy behind the counter whom I'm assuming is the manager/owner who seems pretty attentive to everything that's going on in the shop; he's getting dine-in customer's finished with their meals takeout boxes, opening the door for people, and just in general seems very hands-on with what's going on in the business. That's a good sign. Someone who cares. Often the problem with the chain restaurants is that the people working there, while possibly being very good workers, just aren't going to care like someone who's got their heart and soul in a business. How do you franchise heart? There are chains who do a great job such as Grimaldi's but those seem to be the exception.

Order a large cheese and large pepperoni. The pizza looks good.

Pepperoni Pizza from Upper Crust Pizza Las Vegas

Getting home I grab a slice of cheese. It's good. Really good. The sauce and cheese combine and have subtle butteriness to them that is divine. The flop of the pizza is the best out of all the pizza I've tried in Las Vegas. You hold a slice and it droops beautifully down and if you shake the slice, the tip flops back and forth like a wet noodle.

Flop of slice of pizza from Upper Crust Pizza

The pizza crust has a just the right amount of char on it:

Bottom of pizza crust from Upper Crust Pizza Las Vegas

I have a slice of pepperoni next which is also delicious. In a rare occurrence I actually enjoy the plain cheese slice more than the pepperoni. The cheese is that good that just it doesn't need anything added to it.

Cheese pizza from Upper Crust Pizza Las Vegas

Another great thing about this place is you get currently get a large cheese pizza for $10 with an online coupon on their website. This is one of my new favorites of Las Vegas and definitely some of the best pizza in Las Vegas.

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D'Amore's Famous Pizza Review

D'Amore's Famous Pizza
Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino
3663 Las Vegas Blvd S
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 778-0300
www.damoresfamouspizza.com
(In Miracle Mile Shops near self-park entrance)

D'Amore's Famous Pizza in Planet Hollywood

I've had a place called D'Amore's Pizza Connection on my list of potential places for a long time however I'm thinking this place is not related to the D'Amore's Famous Pizza I'm discussing here. Not sure. The place I did go to was D'Amore's Famous Pizza in Planet Hollywood. I heard about the recently opened location in Planet Hollywood on twitter.

Finally happened to be in Planet Hollywood this weekend so I decided to give it a try. Walking in the place has a chain restaurant vibe. My first impression is that this is like Sbarro's. Young adults working following the franchise system but I question whether their is craftsmanship in that. A few chain places do manage to do this well, notably Grimaldi's.

Get a few slices of pepperoni and pepperoni and mushroom.

Slice of mushroom and pepperoni pizza from D'Amore's

Slices of pepperoni pizza from D'Amore's

First thing I notice is that the pizza is really thin. This may be some of thinnest pizza I've had. Thin is good. +1. The slices also have a nice flop to them. +2. Biting into my first slice however I'm struck by the ordinary-ness of this pizza. The best way I can describe is it's bland. The crust is decent I'll give them that.

Flop of slice of pizza from D'Amore's

Bottom of pizza crust from D'Amore's Famous Pizza

As I read their takeout menu I notice that they highlight the low calorie/low fat nature of their pizza as compared to other pizza places. Uggh is this diet pizza? For example, they show the fat content of D'Amore's to be 3.8g per slice as compared to Pizza Hut's 46g per slice. Newsflash I'm not eating pizza to be healthy. There's nothing wrong with being healthy, I encourage it, but when I'm eating pizza I'm in full enjoyment mode not watching calories mode. Like low fat ice cream or diet soda it doesn't make sense to me.

Given the disparity in fat and calories between D'Amore's and other chains I guess the pizza is pretty good considering. However for best pizza in Las Vegas this does not make the cut.

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Cugino's Italian Deli & Pizza Review

Cugino's Italian Deli & Pizza
4550 S Maryland Pkwy
Las Vegas, NV 89119
(702) 895-7561
www.cuginositalian.com
(Maryland Pkwy & Harmon Blvd. Across from UNLV in same plaza as Chipotle)

Cugino's Italtian Deli & Pizza

I've heard people praising Cugino's so I decided to check it out (although there is another Cugino's on the West side on Vegas Dr, not sure if they're related). Cugino's is different from all the other pizza places I've been to in Vegas in that it is a Deli as well as a pizza place. Cugino's is situated across from UNLV and as such I imagine it must do pretty good business although it wasn't particularly crowded when I went. Walking in the place smells like.. cheese. Not necessarily delicious cheese from cooking pizza, but cheese from the huge slabs in the deli. The place has the feel of a small cluttered mom and pop convenience store. My first instinct it to walk out and come back another time because based on the appearance, the smell, and the lack of customers I'm wondering how good the pizza will be. I decide to check it out. Order a large cheese and pepperoni.

The pizza is ready fast in about 15 minutes or so. The pizza smells good. Opening the box it looks good too:

Large Cheese & Pepperoni Pizza from Cugino's

The slice flop:

Slice of cheese from Cugino's Pizza flopping

Biting into my first slice, my first impression is the pizza is good but not amazing. The crust is different from the last several places I've eaten at. Dom DeMarco's, Biaggio's, Familia Pizzeria and the Cosmopolitan all have a chewy crust (sometimes too chewy), while Cugino's crust almost has a crunch to it. Not like a cracker or anything but just a soft crunch. It stands out in my mind and I like it. The flavor is good and as with Familia Pizzeria I'm borderline on this one. It's good pizza and if you live in the area you should go there. I wouldn't say it's the best pizza in Vegas though. Bottom line I would say it's worth checking out.

I'm not adding it to the official list now although I might later. I want the site to be about the absolute best pizza in Las Vegas but at the same time I want to call people's attention to these good local pizza shops, like Cugino's. Also I want the list to be geographically spread out so that no matter where you live in Vegas you can find some good pie not too far away. So I'm brainstorming some different ideas of how to best achieve these two goals and hopefully will come up with something soon.

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Dom DeMarco's Pizzeria & Bar Review

Dom DeMarco's Pizzeria & Bar
9785 W Charleston Blvd
Las Vegas, NV 89117
(702) 570-7000
www.domdemarcos.com
(Charleston Blvd and Hualapai Way. SE corner. Next to PetSmart.)

Heard about this place a couple months back and was excited for it to open. If finally opened on December 2, 2011. Dom DeMarco's was opened by Dom DeMarco Jr. the son of Dom DeMarco of the famous New York pizzeria Di Fara Pizza. Di Fara's is often said to be some of the best pizza in New York so I was excited to try this.

Ordered a large cheese and large pepperoni for takeout. At $18 for a large cheese and more for toppings it's kinda pricey but I figure if it's as good as the hype then it will be worth it. When I get to the restaurant first thing I notice is that it's bigger and nicer and more formal than I expected. You see the pictures of Di Fara's in New York and it's this little hole in the wall place. Was expecting this to be just a simple pizza joint. But no it's a sit down restaurant with hostesses and plasma TV's and a separate bar area. You could come here for dinner the same as you would go to trendy restaurant. The place is packed.

I peek at the pizza before heading home and it looks good. Looking at the pizza in my car, there is so little sauce on the cheese pizza I almost think I got a white pizza by mistake. The pizza looks like a cross between New York style and Neapolitan. Here's the cheese pizza:

Photo of cheese pizza from Dom DeMarco's Pizzeria

The other thing I notice is the little bits of basil sprinkled on the pizza. I eat a slice of cheese and the pizza is very good. Unlike what I thought in the car there is sauce on the cheese pizza but it's very little probably the least I've ever had on a pizza. The taste of the actual cheese itself on the pizza is amazing. Really good flavor slightly sweet. The crust is a little chewier than I'd like but still very good. The pizza tastes like no other in Vegas it just has a distinct flavor. I personally could do without the bits of basil although it does add a different dimension to the pizza.

The pepperoni is also really good. And unlike the pizzeria at the Cosmopolitan which has disappointing pepperoni's on it (although still great pizza), the pepperoni's at DeMarco's are delicious, small, and savory.

The pepperoni:

Photo of pepperoni pizza from Dom DeMarco's Pizzeria

The New York pizza slice flop:

Photo of slice of pizza from Dom DeMarco's Pizzeria flopping.

The bottom of the crust:

Photo of bottom of pizza crust from Dom DeMarco's Pizzeria

This is definitely some of the best pizza in Vegas and we're adding it to the official best pizza in Vegas list. Dom DeMarco's has a unique and delicious taste. The pizza game just stepped up in Vegas. Check out Dom DeMarco's.

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Home Is Dom DeMarco’s Pizzeria & Bar open?

I saw a tweet today that Dom DeMarco's is now open. Haven't seen anything official on their website press section or from their own twitter account @domdemarcos and I can't find any news on it on the web. But as with many things twitter seems to be one of the fastest sources of information. I aim to find out for sure.

UPDATE

Ok yes I can confirm Dom DeMarco's is now open! Open till 11pm weeknights and midnight on weekends. Will this be some of the best pizza in Las Vegas? I'm excited to check this place out and find out. Here's their info:

Dom DeMarco's Pizzeria & Bar
9785 W Charleston Blvd
Las Vegas, NV 89117
702-570-7000
www.domdemarcos.com

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Biaggio's Pizzeria Review

Biaggio's Pizzeria
4235 S Fort Apache Rd Ste 160
Las Vegas, NV 89147
(702) 207-4992
www.biaggiospizzeria.com
(Fort Apache Rd and Flamingo Rd. SW corner. Off I-215 exit in Home Depot shopping plaza.)

Biaggio's has some buzz around so I figured I'd give this one a try this past weekend. First thing I notice is their website is always slow as hell for some reason so they should get that checked out. Walking into the place it's very clean. Almost too clean. Doesn't have that feel of neighborhood pizza joint. There are several booths, plasma TV's, and a glass Deli counter showcasing desserts and various entree's. That's not to say the place is swank or something; the vibe to me is sterile. Still better clean than dirty. Anyway I could care less what the place looks like if the pie is good.

Get a large pepperoni pizza to go. The pizza's more expensive here than most places: a large pepperoni (16") is $17. Some of that probably goes to their custom boxes:

Photo of pizza box from Biaggio'sPizzeria

The pizza looks and smells good.

Photo of pepperoni pizza from Biaggio'sPizzeria

The slices have the critical New York pizza flop:

Slice of pepperoni pizza with new york pizza flop from Biaggio's Pizzeria

Diving in the pizza is good. Quite good. The cheese on the pizza is good, better than Familia Pizzeria. The crust is a little overly chewy for my taste but still good. I enjoyed the pizza here and I think if you're in the area you should give Biaggio's a try. The pizza here is not as good as the pizza at the Cosmopolitan but I think it still qualifies as some of the best pizza in Las Vegas.

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Familia Pizzeria Review

Familia Pizzeria
8090 S Durango Dr Ste 116
Las Vegas, NV 89113
(702) 896-4606
www.familiapizzerialv.com
(Durango Dr and Windmill Ln)

Heard about this place and decided to check it out. It's hiding behind a bar so it's easy to miss if you're driving by. Ordered a large 18" pepperoni which came out to about $16. Driving home the pizza smelled good in the car.

Got home and opened the pizza it looked appetizing.

Photo of pepperoni pizza from Familia Pizzeria

I take out a slice and it has that all important New York pizza flop:

Photo of slice of pepperoni pizza from Familia Pizzeria with New York Flop

The pizza is good very tasty. The crust is really good. It has a little bit of char on the bottom just how I like it. Everything about this is good except the cheese is not my favorite. Don't get me wrong it's good but it doesn't blend into the pizza and I can taste the cheese separate from the pizza as opposed to blending into a slice of heaven.

I'm borderline on this pizza being qualified for best pizza. In particular I have Villa pizza on the list for best pizza but not this place, so I may need to reevaluate. Might need to do a head to head with Villa. I'd say its about equivalent to Joe's NY Pizza slightly better. If you live in the area you should definitely check it out.

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Uncle Joe's Pizza Review

Uncle Joe's Pizza
505 Fremont St
Las Vegas, NV 89101
(702) 385-2162
(Fremont St and Las Vegas Blvd "The Strip". Next to the Fremont Street Experience)

Let me cut to the chase. If you are downtown and want pizza go to Uncle Joe's Pizza.

Now the questions remains should you go out of your way to go there? Uncle Joe's is located just a few store fronts down from the intersection of Las Vegas Blvd and Fremont St. The place is small and narrow and always has customers in it. Ordered a large pepperoni which only cost $9.99 plus tax which is a pretty good deal for food in a touristy area, downtown or not, or any area for that matter.

The pie comes out after about 20 minutes.

Photo of pepperoni pizza from Uncle Joe's Pizza

The pizza is greasy and good. It's not the best pizza in Vegas but it has a good taste to it. I'm not a napkin soaker but if I were one I would use it on this pie. The pepperoni's are full of flavor I like them better than the bland pepperoni at the Cosmopolitan Pizzeria (which, however, has much better pizza for the record). For my taste the crust is underdone. The bottom of the pie is completely golden with no darker brown char that is typical on good pizza. Overall I'd say it's almost on par with Joe's New York Pizza (note: not the same as Uncle Joe's Pizza), maybe not quite as good. Bottom line I wouldn't go out of my way to get pizza from here like I would with the Cosmopolitan.

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