Stepping out of my taxi in northeast Philadelphia, the aroma of freshly-baked dough tickles my nose. My stomach churned in anticipation when I entered Tacconelli’s Pizzeria, greeted by the classic Mamma Mia! showtune “Money, Money, Money” playing softly from a jukebox and various families joyfully indulging themselves in award-winning pizza.
The secret behind this authentically Italian family-owned pizza parlor is its old-fashioned, 400-square foot brick oven that cooks every morsel of crust to be perfectly crisp. The Tacconelli’s experience begins long before you arrive at Somerset Street. Prospective customers must call in their order early in the day, preferably before noon, to reserve their dough. You snooze, you lose.
My companion and I seated ourselves at one of the booths that lined the walls and were greeted by a wonderfully friendly waitress. The menu, nice and simple, offered nothing but pizza. As we would soon find out, there was no need for alternatives. We wasted no time picking our pies, but not for lack of options. The waitress insisted on their signature choice, a white pie (no sauce, just cheese) with spinach and fresh tomatoes, loaded with garlic ($18.50). For our second choice, we quickly eliminated the tomato pie (no cheese, lots of sauce, $13.50), and though tempted by their other premium option, the Margherita Pie ($18.50), we settled on a standard pie (some cheese, some sauce, $13.50). The more difficult task was narrowing down the various topping offered: mushrooms, pepperoni, sausage, sweet peppers, anchovies, onions, prosciutto, basil ($2.50 each).
Our choice of half pepperoni, half mushroom did not disappoint, but the white pie, as advertised, left us wanting more. The delectably juicy tomatoes were a wonderful alternative to sauce, but the garlic was the key ingredient. The crust, hard enough to support the generous amount of toppings but “soft enough to sleep on,” as my companion noted, was coated with enough garlic to terrify the most villainous vampire. Though the garlic was plenty, if you’re really looking for a kick, order a cup of fried hot peppers for 75 cents. They had enough tang to kick your ass but not too much to overwhelm the great flavor.
The downside to this 2002 “Best of Philly” pizza palace is the $20 cab fare from University City, and the paper plates they offer leave a lot to be desired. Still, it’s worth finding a friend with a car to take you to Philadelphia’s Port Richmond and try out Tacconelli’s remarkable rustic pies. And if you aren’t already convinced, bring a few beers to this BYOB and you’re bound to bid farewell just like I did, belting out “I love Tacconelli’s!”
Tacconelli’s Pizzeria 2604 E. Somerset St. (215) 425-4983 Don’t Miss: Creating your own pie Skip: Showing up on a whim Bottom Line: Brick-oven baked pizza that hits the spot
