Pizza is one of the greatest gifts that humanity has ever received—the perfect blend of spices, cheese, tomato and crust is one of the most delectable foods that one can dine on.
It’s ideal for every situation. Being audited? Who says the IRS won’t take kindly to a piece of delectable cheesy goodness?
The best place to get a delicious pie in Charleston is Pagliai’s Pizza.
I reached this conclusion by trying a cheese pizza from the two top pizza spots in Charleston: Chubby’s and Pagliai’s. The cheese may not be the specialty of most restaurants but it’s what everything is built on.
Pagliai’s is built on family tradition. In 1964, Aldo Paglia, the third son in the Paglia family, decided to open the store that residents of Charleston know today after seeing his brother’s successful pizza restaurants.
A plain 10-inch cheese pie from Pagliai’s will run you about $8.25 plus tax, a good deal if you ask me. Chubby’s on the other hand runs you $10.99 on a 10-inch. Pagliai’s menu isn’t anything crazy; you won’t find the toppings of your wildest dreams here, but you’ll find the staples.
Fifteen different toppings are offered, six being meat and the other nine being a mix of fruit and veggie in three different sizes. They have their own list of different specials that you can get, like the Pancho Villa Pie, headlined by refried beans and jalapenos.
The pizza has all the things I want when enjoying a slice: A flavorful blend of spices that makes the sauce a tasty note, while not overpowering the other flavors. The cheese brings a nice chew while having a fresh flavor outside of just being cheese the crust is delectable, being chewy while still holding the pizza together but also being very thin and not overbearing. Chubby’s still has a good slice of pizza but the overall presentation and taste to me felt plain and not something that was insanely unique in the long run.
The only complaints I had with Pagliai’s pizza were that the cheese could be a bit overbearing at some points, but only every once and a while. I could not get many of the other flavors that were present while chewing what sometimes felt like a mountain of cheese.
This led to a problem with the sauce as well. I felt like it could be a bit too thin in some places, and I found myself wishing for more when I would take a bite.
My main complaint when it comes to Chubby’s is that it felt like a greasy pizza that didn’t have a lot going on. It felt like it was built as a pizza, more as a canvas for more toppings to put on it than a pizza made to stand on its own.
I am a fan of every style of pizza there is, whether it’s tavern, New York or deep-dish, but I find myself coming back and back to a thin crust; it’s not bready, it’s not a bunch of stuff piled on top of each other, and it stands very well on its own two feet, even without toppings.
I have enjoyed every pizza place that I have ever had the pleasure to dine at in Charleston, and I’ll scarf down any slice in town, but Pagliai’s pizza is the best spot if you want to order a nice slice.
Emerson Reynolds can be reached at 581-2812 or at etreynolds@eiu.edu.
