Words and Photographs by Steve F. | This transplant from the East Coast says, "Cincinnati is a ghost town for pizza." Ask the locals, and they'll vehemently disagree—because they grew up with their favorite pizza chains, such as LaRosa's and Donato's. These local chains offer pizza that is one step above microwaveable pizza. Simply put, it's junk. However, if you really explore Cincinnati, there is one worthy mention for Slice, and that's Dewey's Pizza.
Dewey's has the closest thing to New York–style pizza in Cincinnati, with a couple of glaring differences. First off: No slices. Yup, it's whole pies or nothing. Second: Dewey's is a polished, stylish restaurant, a big difference from most New York pizza joints. But is that so bad? I don't think so. Dewey's looks sharp, inside and out. Inside, there are big windows that fully expose the ovens and prep counters. Cool!
Let's get to the pizza. I always get the large pie (17-inch) for $11.95. I make sure to order it well done, which gives it that crisp dough and a slight crunch—otherwise, Dewey's usually bakes it on the light side, and it gets a bit too chewy and doughy. The cheese is 100 percent mozzarella (the only place in Cincy that uses all mozzarella on its pies). The red sauce is bit spicy, and not as sweet as I like it, but it's tasty nonetheless.
Overall, Dewey's is a damn good pie, and if you grade on a curve for the Midwest, then Dewey's is a fantastic pie.
I grew up in Poughkeepsie, New York (great pizza there!), then moved to Long Island (great pizza!), then Philadelphia (great pizza!), and now Cincinnati (crappy pizza!). I'm extremely thankful for Dewey's—a solid pizza place that keeps this ghost town haunted.
Where's the good pizza in Poughkeepsie? I went to school there and thought I was wallowing in pizza purgatory for 4 years. I know that there's great Mexican and Vietnamese and solid Indian over in Rhinebeck...
Good to know...I had a frightful run-in with Cincinnati's food myself recently. But what kind of cheese would other places be using along with mozzarella??
I'm a NY style pizza devotee who just happens to live in Cincy, and I've put off going to Dewey's because I just don't want to be disappointed, but the way it's described here I think it may be time to take the chance. Adriatico's is great, and also a German American family owned restaurant called Italianette Pizza (Pleasant Ridge on Plainfield Rd) has a great pie called the D 10 (don't forget the anchovies!) that is as far away from NY style as possible, but damn great!
Bullshit, bullshit, BULLSHIT! LaRosa's is pretty goddamn good. Dewey's is fine, but I'd take LaRosa's over Dewey's any day. Hell, I live in New York now, and I'd take LaRosa's over your average neighborhood New York pizza joint.
LaRosa's was once "in my opinion" THEE pizza place in Cincinnati with it's only competition coming from a small local chain named Pasquales. LaRosa get big, and the pies got small in taste, in quality & character. When I got older a chain called Cassano's was the _hit, and it was out with Buddy, and in with Cassano's. LaRosa's got so bad that I recieved a free coupon for a med 3 ingredient pie about a year ago and nearly cried at the inedible piece of crap not deserving to even be called pizza. I tossed it and thought about writing Buddy LaRosa personally and tearing him a new one but thought hey, he'll only cry all the way to the bank that day and send me another coupon.
My original post that was intended to be a reply to the Dewey's review. My apologies: Correction, the best pizza in Ohio comes from Flying Pizza, a place that's as close to NY as you'll get around here. Dewey's is no comparison. Even NY residents claim that Flying Pizza makes the best pie in OH (probably since it's NY/Italian-American owned). Not to mention, they serve pizza by the slice, which is the best way to get it if you ask me. Great site, by the way. Although a Flying Pizza review should definitely replace Dewey's, as it's in a completely different league.
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Dewey's has the closest thing to New York–style pizza in Cincinnati, with a couple of glaring differences. First off: No slices. Yup, it's whole pies or nothing. Second: Dewey's is a polished, stylish restaurant, a big difference from most New York pizza joints. But is that so bad? I don't think so. Dewey's looks sharp, inside and out. Inside, there are big windows that fully expose the ovens and prep counters. Cool! 
Let's get to the pizza. I always get the large pie (17-inch) for $11.95. I make sure to order it well done, which gives it that crisp dough and a slight crunch—otherwise, Dewey's usually bakes it on the light side, and it gets a bit too chewy and doughy. The cheese is 100 percent mozzarella (the only place in Cincy that uses all mozzarella on its pies). The red sauce is bit spicy, and not as sweet as I like it, but it's tasty nonetheless.
10 Comments:
Where's the good pizza in Poughkeepsie? I went to school there and thought I was wallowing in pizza purgatory for 4 years. I know that there's great Mexican and Vietnamese and solid Indian over in Rhinebeck...
Slice Will at 10:47PM on 01/30/07
Good to know...I had a frightful run-in with Cincinnati's food myself recently. But what kind of cheese would other places be using along with mozzarella??
Slice cathy at 8:10PM on 01/31/07
A provolone/mozzarella combo is common in the midwest and, with the correct dough and sauce, can make an interesting pie. Normally though it sucks.
Slice Philip at 2:58PM on 02/01/07
Everyone knows Adriatico's has the best pizza in the city.
Slice Anonymous at 11:46PM on 02/03/07
I'm a NY style pizza devotee who just happens to live in Cincy, and I've put off going to Dewey's because I just don't want to be disappointed, but the way it's described here I think it may be time to take the chance. Adriatico's is great, and also a German American family owned restaurant called Italianette Pizza (Pleasant Ridge on Plainfield Rd) has a great pie called the D 10 (don't forget the anchovies!) that is as far away from NY style as possible, but damn great!
Slice CompaqGirl at 6:08AM on 02/16/07
Bullshit, bullshit, BULLSHIT! LaRosa's is pretty goddamn good. Dewey's is fine, but I'd take LaRosa's over Dewey's any day. Hell, I live in New York now, and I'd take LaRosa's over your average neighborhood New York pizza joint.
Slice Joey Joe Joe at 4:32AM on 02/22/07
It's all about Adriaticos. Even Columbus agrees that it's the bombbbbbbbb.
Slice Brandie at 5:10AM on 04/06/07
LaRosa's was once "in my opinion" THEE pizza place in Cincinnati with it's only competition coming from a small local chain named Pasquales. LaRosa get big, and the pies got small in taste, in quality & character. When I got older a chain called Cassano's was the _hit, and it was out with Buddy, and in with Cassano's. LaRosa's got so bad that I recieved a free coupon for a med 3 ingredient pie about a year ago and nearly cried at the inedible piece of crap not deserving to even be called pizza. I tossed it and thought about writing Buddy LaRosa personally and tearing him a new one but thought hey, he'll only cry all the way to the bank that day and send me another coupon.
Slice Trinidad at 12:38AM on 04/08/07
My original post that was intended to be a reply to the Dewey's review. My apologies: Correction, the best pizza in Ohio comes from Flying Pizza, a place that's as close to NY as you'll get around here. Dewey's is no comparison. Even NY residents claim that Flying Pizza makes the best pie in OH (probably since it's NY/Italian-American owned). Not to mention, they serve pizza by the slice, which is the best way to get it if you ask me. Great site, by the way. Although a Flying Pizza review should definitely replace Dewey's, as it's in a completely different league.
Slice Matt at 11:22PM on 05/01/07
Dewey's is also the best pizza in Dayton, Ohio. My favorite is the "Edgar Allen Poe".
Do you know how they know it is very popular?
Everyone is "raven" about it.
Cartophilia at 2:09PM on 01/25/08