by Steven Doyle photos by Joy Jangles
A few nights ago I was at a party that included a more than a dozen chefs from Dallas as we gathered to celebrate a birthday. It was great affair and the beer and sangria were flowing at Cane Rosso. There were enough people at the party that the owner Jay Jerrier opened his doors on his night off.
Towards the end of the evening I sat with a few people including Jerrier and discussed pizza in Dallas. Jay gave me his list of favorites and some of the others made a short list. Everyone seemed to have their special pies for different reasons. We certainly have ours. But before I share my picks, allow me to show you what some others in the area think about the state of pizza in DFW and beyond.
Ricky Avila owner of Mextopia: My favorite hands down is Louie’s on Henderson it’s been around for about twenty-five years. Brothers Louie, Chris, and their mom, they make a thin crust pie that is crispy, the sauce is a perfect blend of sweetness and tartness. I must admit I normally do not gravitate toward chains but Grimaldi’s coal-fired pie is good, the original is in Brooklyn, N.Y. Their attention to quality ingredients shows my understanding is that they only use east coast vendors. Also worth a mention is Coal Vines on Maple Ave.
Coal Vines Pizza in Dallas
Claudine Pepin, celebrity chef: I love just about anything (except fruit) on my pizza, and I’ll eat it anytime and anywhere. I know – you thought I had a more discerning palate. However, I prefer New York Style and love a simple slice with lots of chili flakes added and now that I’m back East – New Haven – Sally’s or Pepes are great! White Clam pizza – and don’t laugh till you taste it!
Chef Richard Chamberlain of Chamberlain’s Steak and Chop House: Chef TJ’s Woodfire Grill has a mobile pizza oven and does special events. He has killer potato and gouda. Pastazio’s Pizza in Addison for classic NY style.
Barman Eddie “Lucky” Campbell from Bolsa: Jimmy’s Sausage from Bolsa because Jimmy’s is the best. I try to steal one a day from the kitchen or trade whiskey for one. I am addicted to them!
Chef Abraham Salum of Komali and Salum’s: (Did not drop any names) My favorite pizza is not very exciting, I eat tomato, mozzarella, arugula and prosciutto. Love fresh mozzarella and the crispy bitter arugula just tossed in olive oil on top!
Chef Blaine Sandiford of Grace in Fort Worth: I really like Cane Rosso, Coal Vines and Fireside Pies.
Zanata pre-wood fired baked pizza
James Beard Award nominated food writer Alice Laussade: Pizza by Marco – A fantastic place for a cheap slice. I love it partly because of their great topping options (“Jalapeno, cilantro and chorizo? Don’t mind if I do.”), partly because of how awkward it is to sit there and wait for your food while Judge Judy blares on their a-little-too-loud TV. Cane Rosso – New, pricey, delicious when you’re hammered in Deep Ellum. It’s my favorite pizza place I can never remember.
Chef Jon Bonnell from Bonnell’s Fine Texas Cuisine in Fort Worth: My personal favorite is the Buffalo Chicken pizza and Buffalo Bros. After that, I’ve had some good flat pizza at Fireside pies with fresh burrata.
My favorite hands down is Louie’s on Henderson it’s been around for about twenty-five years. -Ricardo Avila
Chef Andre Natera of the Pyramid: Urban Crust is a favorite but I am also friends with the chef Salvatore Gisellu, but the pizza is really good. I like what Coal Vines is doing, and I go to Grimaldi’s some times. I was supposed to go to Cane Rosso last night but didn’t make it out on time, but I hear that is really good. A lot of the pizza in Dallas are chains.
Dallas Morning News “Mr. Dallas”: Coal Vines here, Picasso’s up north, Palomino cause of the all-day happy hour $5 pizza.
- Urban Crust
Daniel Vaughn, BBQ guru: Il Cane Rosso – Properly restrained amount of quality toppings on the best crust in town. Eat it all there because it doesn’t rewarm well. House made bacon marmalade on the ‘Delia’ is incredible. Coal Vines – Close to my office, and great for sharing the huge slices of Bolognese Pizza. Meat sauce and bechamel on a pizza is a great combo. Grimaldi’s – Sure it’s a chain, and I never was big on it until I got the meatball, ricotta and tomato pie. Brother’s on Travis & Fitzhugh – My go to for delivery pizza. There just aren’t very many decent options in the Greenville area and this one warms up well the next day.
Brooks Anderson, owner of Veritas Wine Bar: I swear to god I am not a pizza guy. Never have been, so my experience is pretty limited. Now, if you need some insight on Asian noodle soups . . . But here are my 3 favorites:
Il Cane Rosso – Hands down my favorite. Thin, light, fresh, flavorful, served piping hot straight out of the oven with a beautiful char. This is the only pizza restaurant in Dallas where I will actually go the restaurant and sit down to eat. In point of fact, I was there last night. Maybe I should point out that Jay Jerrier brings his mobile wood-fired oven to Veritas every Tuesday, so I might be a bit biased. But then again, I had eaten the pizza out of his oven before he brought his oven to Veritas, and it was my favorite then as well.
Campania – Excellent toppings, fantastic flavor combos, really good pizza. My favorite pizza delivery. We had a group of attorneys that came to Veritas almost every Tuesday for 2.5 years and when they came, they almost always ordered Campania. If memory serves, and it usually doesn’t, my favorite is the Doso with spicy sausage added. Wow!
Piggie Pies – When I feel like sloppy, gloppy, gooey pizza, this is who I call. It’s the kind of pizza where you’re still full the next morning. Spicy sausage and jalapeno.
Grimaldi's Pizza
craveDFW editor Steven Doyle: I like Cane Rosso quite a bit. But I also like different style’s of pie like those at Bryan Street Tavern and the Elbow Room. They have a certain smokey quality to them that drives me to drink beer. I certainly enjoy the pizza at Coal Vines whenever I am in that neighborhood. Order Coal Vines meatball pizza, its off the menu and delicious. Zanata is doing terrific wood fired pizza and I like both locations in Rockwall and Plano. For me its about a good crust, not too thick, and superior ingredients.
Cane Rosso, photo by Robert Bostick
When Parigi’s Janice Provost decides to open her pizza restaurant it might change the way we look at pizza. We sampled that pie at her home on our recent pizza tour and it was mind blowing.
What is your favorite pizza?
Coal Vines, Cavalli, Olivella’s, Durkin’s for old school style!
Cavalli, Can Rosso, Grimaldi’s
Coal Vines on Maple. Cane Rosso. I used to LOVE Campania, but they no longer offer pecorino, and the pies have been inconsistent the last few times I visited. Grimaldis is solid as well – love the roasted peppers.
The “authenticity” of the Grimaldi’s chain is a bit confusing. A number of relatives of the owners of the Brooklyn Grimaldi’s have opened up places with variants of the name all over the country, but its not the same thing. As someone who spent years living in Brooklyn who now lives in Dallas, I can promise you that the Grimaldi’s in Uptown doesn’t even come close to what you’ll find at that little place at the end of the Brooklyn Bridge (which isn’t even the best pizza place in NYC).
While I haven’t been to all of the places mentioned here, I have been to most of them. I’ve been disappointed in nearly everywhere. I can’t believe how many “good” places find it perfectly acceptable to serve a pie with soggy crust in the center. First rule of pizza: You should be able to pick up the slice with your hand. At half the places in Dallas, you need a knife and fork do deal with the soggy center of the pie.
I didn’t quite realize just how low my standards had gotten until a recent trip to Toronto. I lived there after NYC and HATED the city’s pizza options when I was a resident, but after my first visit back there since moving to Dallas, I found myself marveling at how good it was in comparison to here.
I don’t really get what the problem is. Both Home Slice and Southside Flying Pies in Austin do a better job than anything I’ve had here thus far (and I stress the “thus far”…won’t knock any place I haven’t yet tried).
I will admit that two places that got a lot of love in this post, Cane Rosso, and Coal Vines, are two of the few places mentioned that I haven’t yet tried. I’ll go give them a shot, and if they’re good, I’ll come back and eat my words. Lord knows I’d love to find a good pizza in this city and I’d happily proclaim their greatness to the world at large so more people could learn what its like to eat a truly great pie.
As a fellow Brooklynite, I say AMEN to the confusion about Grimaldi’s. It is nothing like the pie anywhere in NYC. You must try Coal Vines and Grimaldi’s if you haven’t already — and a new find (for me) Cavalli’s Pizzeria!
Cane Rosso, Fireside, Louie’s and Grimaldi’s… Also have to add 5th Street Pizza in Allen… They do St Louis style pizza and if u haven’t tried it you should :)!! Also have a a great chocolate gooey butter cake!
@Nylund – you’ll love Coal Vines and hate Cane Rosso. Cane Rosso is a very typical soft Neapolitan pizza that you won’t be able to pick up. If you do come to Cane Rosso, ask for Jay and I’ll show you how to handle a slice and still enjoy it. But for a NY style, I think Coal Vines does it best in Dallas.
THE CHEESEBURGER PIZZA AT SCALINI’S IN GARLAND AND LAKEWOOD
THEY PUT BOTH KETCHUP AND MUSTARD ON IT INSTEAD OF TOMATO SAUCE, SESAME SEEDS ON THE CRUST,GROUND BEEF, CHEDDAR CHEESE AND TOPPED WITH LETTUCE, TOMNATO AND ONION
No secret here! I LOVE Cane Rosso!
Besa’s Pizza & Pasta in Addison does a great cheese pizza! Thin crust, good quality cheese, NY style. And it’s BYOB…can’t beat that 🙂
I only have two: Cane Rosso here in Dallas and John’s on Bleecker St in NYC
Cane Rosso to eat in. Brother’s for delivery.