The best pizza: Six restaurants to
vie for top honors at annual contest

Just about everybody who likes pizza has a notion about what constitutes a good one. On the other hand, there are people like me who’ve never had a pizza they didn’t like.

People from Chicago and New York will say they have the best pizza, as will those from Old Forge, Pa., self-proclaimed “Pizza Capital of the World.” (Just ask Hillary Clinton, who visited there last year during the presidential campain and still frequents the Pennsylvania town quite often.)

Granted, some are better than others. But with that said, whether it’s a single-topping pizza — even ones with just cheese — or one loaded with four kinds of cheeses and splattered with a ton of sauce and generous portions of meat or veggies, you won’t find me turning down a slice —or two or three — of any of them.

That’s why I gladly accepted an invitation from Emily Wright of the Grand Forks Housing Authority to once again be a judge at the Best Pizza in Grand Forks Contest. We’re less than a week away from event, and I can hardly wait.

All of the restaurants that entered last year are returning, with the exception of Boston’s, which has closed. On board for the Aug. 3 showdown, which again is being sponsored by the Housing Authority, are Green Mill, ’l Bistro, Mamma Maria’s, Rhombus Guys, Sbarro and Slapshot. Last year, all placed in the top two in at least one of the six categories — Best Kids’, Best Crust, Best Gourmet, Best Value, Most Creative and People’s Choice.

The third annual contest will feature an interesting dynamic, Wright said, which will come from not having a “reigning champion” in the areas of Most Creative and Best Kids’, both of which were won by Boston’s Pizza last year.

The contest, which is open to the public, once again will be held in the Link, 300 Cherry St. The People’s Choice category, which is voted on by all in attendance, kicks off the judging at 6 p.m.

Another person who shares my fondness for pizza is Tony Trimarco, director of UND’s Memorial Union and a Brooklyn native. Tony, “the pizza-loving guy from New York” and returning master of ceremonies for the contest, says he comes from a family of “pie” lovers. He said his mother used to make homemade pizza when he was growing up and that his grandfather did it during the holidays.

Of course, his preference is New York pizza, which comes round (Neapolitan) or square (Sicilian). Trimarco says there’s a pizza place on just about every block in New York City, many of which have a street-side window where you can order a slice. As a kid, he said his mom would give him a quarter — “15 cents for a slice and a dime for a Coke.”

Asked why he thought New York pizza is so good, Trimarco said it’s because of the reservoir water used to make the dough, which comes from upstate aquaducts.

While going out to eat pizza has always been one of my favorite pastimes, I’m hoping that taking part in this year’s contest will inspire me to start making my own at home.

Making homemade pizza can be tricky, but if a person learns how to do it well enough, you can satisfy a craving while saving money.

And saving money is one thing all pizza lovers can agree on in these trying times.

Tiedeman is food editor at the Herald. Reach him at 780-1136 or toll-free at (800) 477-6572, or e-mail at jtiedeman@gfherald.com.

Tags: jeff tiedeman, best pizza in grand forks contest, grand forks housing authority, tony trimarco, features, food, columns, pizza