Tale of the Pie: Marzano's Pizza & Steaks

We were beginning to get a little concerned about the Philly Mag best pizza list after each of the last two ended up to be a bust (see posts on Franzone's and Bravo). But the list was redeemed after we sampled the pie at Marzano's Pizza & Steaks in Exton.

However, before I get into the pie, one small gripe with Philly Mag's pizza issue, or perhaps just a suggestion for the next list. Exton's not exactly down the street for us, so we expected to eat in. But this shop was definitely not built for eating in, especially with a 19-month-old. However, there was a small counter with a couple of stools, so we saddled up with the nibble in our lap and ordered a pie.

Tale of the Pie: Bravo Pizza

I'm starting to worry about the people who ran Philadelphia Magazine's pizza issue.

After a terrific recommendation in East Norriton's Charlie's Pizzeria, the magazine has now pointed us in the direction of two straight duds. If you haven't read our review of Franzone's in Bridgeport, catch it here. As for Bravo Pizza of Paoli, we tried it out on Friday. It was the essence of average. Maybe even a little less than.

I should have known we were in trouble from the start. I never had that moment when you are like, "Wow, this smells incredible." As I think about it, I never even registered a scent. The only thing I could concentrate on was how their big screen was showing some CNN story about the Tea Party at a loud volume when there was a Phillies game playing at the same time. F*c kis up with that? Was I about to order pizza from a Michele Bachman-voting looney tune? However, not wanting to judge them on their viewing habits, we ordered pizza anyway. We got a large plain pizza and a medium Chicken Parmesan pie for four people and a baby.

Tale of the Pie: Franzone's Pizzeria

Yes, my grandparents definitely had those same glasses

Another weekend, another Philly Mag "Best Pizza" spot. This time it was Franzone's in Bridgeport, a pizzeria apparently in business since 1955.

Upon arriving at this neighborhood spot with the hubby and nibble, I immediately decided that I would not look around extensively while we wined and dined. That's because I'm a bit of a clean freak, and this place was not up to par. And let's just say that our fellow diners made the Via Veneto's crowd look runway-ready.

When we saw that a half carafe of wine was only $6.95, we couldn't help but order it and laugh about what we might be getting. It ended up being a chilled red, most likely from a Carlo Rossi or Paisano jug. Oh, and two mini, slightly dirty, old-school Italian glasses that I remember being part of my grandparent's glassware collection. Beer is also quite cheap for a decent selection - $3 for a bottle of  Russian River Damnation, Golden Monkey, Prima Pils or Summer Love from Victory, or Dogfish Head Festina Pêche.

3 Quick Thoughts on ... Philly Mag's Very Best Pizza Feature

On Sunday, my dad was telling us about the cover story of Philadelphia Magazine's July Issue: The Very Best Pizza. He said he had checked inside to see if our blog was mentioned. I had to smile to myself because he really meant it. Alas, The Pizza Project has not yet graced the pages of Philly Mag, but you never know what the future holds ...

I was excited to get our issue and read the feature, especially after being so disappointed by June's Best of The Shore cover story. Uh yeah, while I enjoy looking at some ripped, tanned, shirtless lifeguards, I was also interested in hearing about the best places to eat, drink and shop.

But about the article itself - it is great and definitely worth checking out. I love how they divided the winners by category: Crust, Sauce, Toppings, At a Table and Paper Plate. We've definitely got our work cut out for us with this guide of good pizzas to review.

Thoughts from the Pizza Gallery: Franzone's Pizzeria

Looks like this Pizza Project thing is taking off! Someone actually filled out our pizza survey and left some notes. With that being said, we would like to share their experience:

Franzone's offers a thin crust sweet sauce on top pizza, which led this reviewer to proclaim them "the best sweet sauce on top of the cheese pizza west of Mack & Manko!"