Pizza Brain 2313 Frankford Ave. Fishtown (215) 291–2965
Don't Miss: The Jane Skip: Ginger Beer 0 - $10 per person
Walking into Pizza Brain, a myriad of sights, sounds and scents wipe every thought from your mind, save one: pizza. Warm pizza smells and spinning pizza dough fill the air, and all along the walls, floor, ceiling and counters is the largest collection of pizza memorabilia known to man (or so claims the Guiness Book of World Records plaque).
Though we had a blast inspecting the well–curated “Museum of Pizza”, my friend and I were glad to discover that the shop had the pizza–making chops to back it up. Pizza Brain offers a selection of almost a dozen types of 16” pies, but only three varieties are sold by–the–slice on any given day. We ordered the Jane ($3), the Forbes Waggensense ($3.50) and the Leonard Bookman ($3). The Jane was a well–executed variation on the standard "red" cheese pizza. A thin, crisp–but–flexible crust, a sauce big on tangy tomato flavor but low on sugar and a well–textured, quality blend of mozzarella, provolone and grana padano made it a must–have. But the highlight of our lady Jane was the phenomenally fresh basil: the herb tied the whole package together and addressed it to Yummytown with its slightly sweet, bold summer flavor.
The Forbes Waggensense was the same pie as the Jane, but with pepperoni on top. Another example of the benefits of quality ingredients, this artisanal pepperoni from Vermont crisped well and added a delicious peppery meatiness, sans the artificial aftertaste of chemical preservatives.
Our last slice, the Leonard Bookman, was a solid rendition of the classic "white" pie. The mozzarella/fontina cheese blend was dense, but the occasional patch of ricotta varied the texture with a burst of soft, lighter creaminess that melted nicely over the tongue. The zesty, almost minty oregano leaves matched well with the pizza’s fruity olive oil base, and together the duo did most of the heavy flavor lifting for the Bookman.
To wash it down we tried two sodas from Pizza Brain’s large selection of Pennsylvania–made craft sodas ($3 each). My friend, who was getting over a cold, had his sinuses wiped clean from one sip of his ginger beer. It was about as pleasant as licking wasabi. My almond cream soda was much smoother, and tasted like everything good about marzipan, but without the cloying richness.
Though a bit out of the way for a weekday lunch, Pizza Brain is a great opportunity to experience the young and passionate but deeply committed side of Philly’s food community. The tasteful novelty, dedication to high–quality ingredients and overwhelmingly positive energy makes Pizza Brain a go–to spot. It's good for a relaxed, wallet–healthy BYO or an adventurous date with that special someone who can make even a 25–minute SEPTA ride seem fun.
