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| - While drinking in a brewery in Braddock, I pulled up my Yelp app and realized that Vincent's Pizza Park, a Pittsburgh icon, was only 2 miles away. I wasn't particularly hungry but I knew by the time I got home I would be and I'd be regretting not stopping by. So I did.
I've heard stories and seen pictures of the infamous Vinnie Pie so I was excited to see what all the fuss was about. The dining room wasn't anything special but I was there for take out. I ordered up a medium (I panicked and thought the small wouldn't be enough to have leftovers), half plain and half pepperoni. I was told it would take 25 minutes but I wasn't waiting more than 20 despite the steady flow of customers who had called ahead. I sat in the corner and peered into the kitchen, witnessing the toss the dough in the air as it was prepped for the ovens. I watched as pies slid in the oven, rotated around and were pulled out of the ovens. Pizza making has been mastered at Vincent's.
I was handed my order in what I like to call the "Vinnie package." My pie placed on a cardboard tray then wrapped in butcher paper and stapled at the edges. It smelled delicious. Once home, I unwrapped the Vinnie Pie. Each pie that comes out of that kitchen is like a snowflake, unique in its own shape. The bottom of the pie will inevitably have some of that black from the oven, just enough to add a little smokey taste. There's a lot to like about a Vinnie Pie - a lot of crust (that's crunchy on the outside but soft on the inside), a lot of cheese (so much that it seems to sink towards the center), a lot of grease (that you may find absorbed into the crust). If you're looking to eat healthy, this is not the place.
That very first bite can be difficult to handle. Some say you need utensils but I dared to use my hands to tame the grease soaked dough and gooey cheese. Two slices were about all I could handle until I admitted defeat. I should have just gone with the small pie.
I noticed that many of the reviews are years old but the heart of Vincent's seems to live on. My one star deduction is only because it felt a little pricey even after a few drinks. But if you're looking for a pizza that's outside the box, a Vinnie Pie will satisfy.
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