Taking On Tulsa—My Top 5 Pizza Spots
By: Andrew Scruggs
Most people would consider themselves as experts on certain topics, but most people are wrong. To be considered a true expert, you must have more experience on that topic than most people and have evidence to back it up.
In my case, I’m an expert on pizza. I have been eating it as long as I can remember, and from around ages 3-10, I would only eat pizza and Eggo waffles, and even though my palate has expanded, I still stay true to my pizza-eating roots.
So, it is safe to say I have a lot of experience eating pizza.
This month, I have gone to 5 Tulsa/ Oklahoma-based pizza places, and ranked them for you, the reader, in hopes of steering you in the right direction next time you go out for pizza.
Every place I visit, I will be ordering a pepperoni pizza, sometimes with jalapeños. I know this will add a little bit of variability, but it's my rankings, and I’m okay with that.
If you’re wondering why not just plain pepperoni–I like the spice. It adds a bit of flavor to the pizza. I would definitely recommend trying this if you can handle the heat.
I will rank the pizzas based on these 3 criteria, out of 5 points each for a total of 15, and up to 20 with full bonus points earned:
-Overall Taste
-Texture(does it do crispy or flimsier well, both styles will be reviewed)
-Quality of ingredients- how I feel after eating a reasonable amount of this pizza.
-Bonus- restaurant having a cool interior, up to 5 points.
-The tiebreaker is determined by which restaurant got more points without the bonus.
*This list is going off of the pizzas that I had while reviewing these; this is not necessarily my overall ranking of the restaurants.
5- Savastano’s Pizzeria
Sadly I had to opt for takeout on this one, but even though it wasn’t as fresh it didn’t make much of a noticeable difference to when I eat it in the restaurant. Also, you probably noticed that Savastano’s cuts their pizza in squares, which I’ll touch on more later.
Overall Rating- 12.5/20
-Overall Taste: 3/5- The taste of Savastano's pizza is nothing too special. There’s nothing in particular that sets it back, but there’s also nothing that makes it stand out. It is a very okay pizza, and if it were given to me, I would definitely eat it, but I would likely not go out of my way to choose it over other pizza places.
-Texture: 3/5- Savastano’s pizza is very much a soft-crust pie. The slices are very small, so there’s not much of an issue with it being floppy. However, even though the crust is very soft, I wouldn’t necessarily say that it makes it unenjoyable to eat this; it just is not my preferred. I’ll also add that there is absolutely no point in reheating Savastano’s; it just feels weird eating it, and the lack of any standout flavoring makes it borderline gross. That might be nitpicky, but it is the only place that I have noticed this, and it is definitely a consideration. The texture is good when it’s fresh, but I would recommend only ordering what you will eat in one sitting, as reheating it doesn’t taste nearly as good.
-Quality of ingredients: 3/5- A theme is starting to emerge with this pizza- it's simply just average. The cheese and crust are pretty solid, but the pepperonis weren't the best. They weren’t as flavorful as what you would get at most other pizza places, and it's very noticeable. The sauce is the only redeeming quality for Savastano’s, and why I didn’t give it a lower rating. It is always very good and provides most of the flavor for the pizza, but the fact that it has to do that says a lot about the pizza as a whole. However, the pizza sits well; I’ve never felt gross after eating Savastano’s.
-Bonus: 3.5/5- There’s nothing much to say about the interior of the restaurant itself. It’s very clean and perfectly average. If you’re from Chicago, you’d probably bump this up a couple of points, but that isn’t the case for me. Something I do really like, however, is that they cut their regular (not deep dish) pizza into squares, which is a fun twist about Savastano’s that I definitely enjoyed.
Photo credit: Savastano’s
Interior of Savastano’s on Memorial Drive, Tulsa.
4- East Village Bohemian Pizzeria
This was the last pizza I ate throughout this process, and it was definitely a nice way to end things off.
Overall Rating- 14/20
-Overall Taste: 3/5- There wasn’t a whole lot to say about the flavoring of this pizza. I wouldn’t go as far as to say it is bland, but it is definitely very run of the mill. The sauce is just above average, and the cheese and pepperoni are just fine. The crust is a bit thicker, which I don’t prefer, but they did it decently well. Again, not too much that stood out to me on the flavor, but still solid.
-Texture: 2.5/5- I’m giving this the lowest rating of the places I reviewed texture wise, but it is definitely out of personal preference. I don’t like to have a excessive amount of cheese on my pizza, and this pizza definitely had a whole lot. It would fall off pretty easily, and made for a messy eating experience, along with the fact that it was really greasy. Again, this is just based on personal preference, but if you like this kind of pizza, then it will definitely be enjoyable to eat.
-Quality of ingredients: 4/5- I immediately noticed how good the quality of the ingredients were in this pizza. While I don’t really like the ratio of the cheese to other toppings, and the crust was a bit thick, I’m giving some grace due to the fact that it is just a good quality pizza. This was my first time eating it, and I walked away feeling great afterwards, no complaints whatsoever.
-Bonus: 4.5/5- This was easily the most enjoyable eating experience I’ve had during this month. It has very fun decor, and a nice, downtown Tulsa atmosphere. I will note that it is on the pricier side of restaurants, so keep that in mind. It’s not a regular dining place, but more for special occasions.
Interior of East Village Bohemian Pizzeria, on 3rd Street, Downtown Tulsa.
3- Andolini’s Pizzeria
I opted for their lunch special, which was unlimited slices, a very good deal, and you can have as much or as little as you want. I technically got this to go, but we sat right outside the restaurant.
Overall Rating- 14/20
-Overall Taste: 3.5/5- Andolini’s is insanely good when the mood strikes you. It is absolutely covered with toppings, which makes it pretty salty. The toppings are very flavorful, and work well together, but I can definitely only handle so much of it, due to the amount of salt. It’s a very good pizza, but not an everyday pizza.
-Texture: 3/5- Andolini’s has very thin slices, which I really like, but it also makes it pretty floppy due to how heavy the toppings are compared to the thin slice. I personally am all for this, but some people complain about their pizza being flimsy. The amount of toppings can be a bit much however, and add a considerable amount of grease, but that’s just the kind of pizza Andolini’s is, and it wouldn’t be the same without it. The grease and sliding off of the cheese is not my cup of tea (or slice of pie), but I see the merit of it.
-Quality of ingredients: 3.5/5- Andolini’s always has consistently good quality ingredients. The cheese and crust is excellent, and the pepperoni's are always great as well. However, the amount of toppings along with the salt and grease leave you feeling a little sluggish after you eat it, but not necessarily to the point where you regret eating it. Overall they have solid ingredients, but the salt and grease are the reason for some lost some points.
-Bonus: 4/5- The atmosphere of Andolin’s is very similar to a classic New York pizza joint, with their own twist on it. Andolin’s really leans on their “Tulsa Style” pizza, and their restaurant reflects that, while still pulling influence from other cities. It is always very clean, and the wood furniture is always very nice to eat on. It is always a very nice eating experience at Andolini’s.
Photo credit: Trip Advisor.
Interior of Andolini’s on Cherry Street, Tulsa,.
2- Hideaway Pizza
I had to settle for takeout again, and my mom got to the pizza before I got home, which is why there are two slices missing. I will also factor in that it is takeout and not as fresh as if I ate it in the restaurant.
Overall Rating- 15/20
-Overall Taste: 4/5- You can’t go wrong with a Hideaway pizza. A little bit too much cheese on some slices than what I would like, but it is made up for by the quality of the cheese, and the amount of sauce. Great coverage of toppings, and the flavors all work together really well.
-Texture: 3.5/5- Solid, slightly above average texture for pizza. Nothing too standoutish, no major issues. It isn’t too floppy, and isn't too firm either. It doesn’t add or take away from the pizza eating experience, so I have no complaints whatsoever.
-Quality of ingredients: 4/5- As I said earlier, I prefer having a little less cheese on my pizza than Hideaway puts on theirs, but it is always made up for by the quality of it. All of the other ingredients are consistently fresh and flavorful, and I always leave feeling good after eating a Hideaway pizza.
-Bonus: 3.5/5- I have had Hideaway more than any other restaurant in my life, and it is safe to say that this is my favorite pizza restaurant of all time, so even though I didn’t eat there this time around, I can give a good review of the interior. The booths and tables are always clean and comfortable, and the decor is very sleek with a bit of an Oklahoma twist. It is always a nice experience to eat in at Hideaway.
Photo credit: Restaurant Guru.
Interior of the Hideaway on Olympia Ave, Tulsa.
1- Mazzio’s
This was the first pizza I ate during my review process, and it set the bar very high.
Overall Rating: 15.5/20
-Overall Taste: 4/5- The Mazzio’s sauce is excellent, and has the perfect amount of cheese covering the pizza–not too much to where it is thick but enough to cover the whole slice and not be overpowered by the sauce and toppings. It has great seasoning, and a solid amount of toppings. Some people would say that it looks gross, which I can understant, but definitely don’t skip out on mazzios due to the presentation of the pizza. The taste is significantly better than you would think from just a first glance.
-Texture: 5/5- Mazzio’s does thin crust pizza better than anyone else. It is crispy and crunchy, but not crumbly. The sauce and cheese work so well with the crust, giving two complementary textures of the soft cheese brought together with the crunchy crust by the fresh marinara. I have yet to see another pizza place do what Mazzio’s has done with their thin crust pies.
-Quality of ingredients: 3.5/5- Mazzio’s clearly uses fresh ingredients in their pizzas. I always leave feeling satisfied with my meal, but not gross. This might be partially due to how light the pizza is, but it also very apparent that they prioritize using good quality ingredients.
-Bonus: 3/5 points- The Mazzio's interior is very interesting, and hasn’t really changed much over the years, which works for them due to their vintage theme. There are lots of cool pictures, trinkets, and games scattered throughout the restaurant, and it creates a very fun atmosphere. However, alongside everything being vintage, there is some stuff that hasn’t been replaced in years, leading to some damages and uncleanliness, which loses some points for Mazzio’s. Very enjoyable restaurant, but a bit outdated.
Interior of the Mazzio’s located on 101st and Sheridan, Tulsa.
Closing Thoughts
Although some of these places got relatively low ratings, I want to clarify that these are all solid dining options if you’re looking for some pizza. These lists are all based on personal preference, and everyone will have a different list.
I would strongly recommend checking out all of these places, whether you are getting pizza or not. For more information go check out the websites of each of these restaurants, listed below:
