Pizza Madness: Breaking Down the Pittsburgh Pizza Bracket

Pittsburgh Today Live has calculated their audience's votes to determine the Saucy Sixteen and we go through each division of the bracket.

The words no one wants to hear from a doctor are, “I’m sorry sir/madam, they have March Madness and I’m afraid there is no cure.” March Madness is an affliction that eats away at the population every March. It infests the soul of a person and compels them to rank anything their brain can think of.

Best cities. Best food. Best basketball team.

And of course, best pizza.

I am shocked by the lack of Pittsburgh pizza brackets this year, but then again we all have been wearing masks and not crowding indoors so perhaps March Madness isn’t being passed around as aggressively from person to person.

In 2017 I was interviewed by a great writer Rossilynne Culgan (find all her latest work including a great article about Pittsburgh’s Fish Fry on her Twitter) about The Incline’s Pizza Bracket. Amazing interview and I very nearly picked the winner!

Thinking deeply about that bracket helped me understand the inner-workings of Pizza Bracketology. It all comes down to hyper-local ravenous fans.

Pizza Bracketology

Let’s look at the PTL Bracket.

EAST DIVISION

This is a wild matchup because you have Rockaway versus Mineo’s. Now, Rockaway is the better pizza shop, but Mineo’s is a local juggernaut. This city runs on nostalgia and it’s going to be tough for a newcomer to topple the legacy restaurant. But if anyone could, I would expect Rockaway to be able to do it, because Rockaway fans are so enthusiastic about Josh’s pizza they can't help but spread the good word. Rockaway pulling this out would be the equivalent of RMU decimating the University of Kentucky in the 2013 NIT Tournament.

I’m going to keep an eye on this matchup, but if Rockaway doesn’t take down Mineo’s Mineo’s is going to win this division. That pains me to say it because I love Mama Lucia’s. Unfortunately, Mama Lucia’s doesn’t have the exciting branding or following to propel it past the first round.

WEST DIVISION

This is Davide’s to lose. They have a great location in the Strip and have expanded into the suburbs. They have the recognition, they have the momentum, plus their pizza is memorable and delicious. I don’t see anyone else putting up a fight in this conference. I do love Anthony Jrs but it’s the the pizzeria equivalent of a dive bar. It’s nice when you remember it exists.

NORTH DIVISION

Things are getting spicy here. Police Station Pizza is all I hear people talk about. But, if you’re too popular you might face a clapback. Sure, they’ll beat Le Felice, but whoever survives the Badamo and Iron Born matchup will be a stiff competitor.

Iron Born has a great advantage in that they spent so much time in Smallman Galley they cultivated a following made up of Pittsburghers around the city. Plus, their pizza is unique and memorable. This is the toughest division to call but I can see Iron Born taking this.

SOUTH DIVISION

It’s Fiori’s, no doubt. They’ll make it to the Final Four without much friction either. Tale as old as time. They’re a quality pizzeria, have a storied history and people love to talk about Fiori’s like they discovered it themselves despite sitting alongside one of the busiest (and dangerous) roads I’ve seen in my life.

I hope your March Madness is a successful one and that your bracket is not busted. If you want to follow the bracket progress you can visit PTL’s Facebook page. I have no idea how they plan to advance pizzerias, but I’m excited to see who wins.

Sad Pizza News - Dom DeMarco, Di Fara Pizza Owner, Has Died at Age 85

Bummer city.I was lucky enough to visit Di Fara in 2013 while Dom was still cutting up basil by hand for every pizza coming out of the oven. It was an amazing experience. I documented my experience in video form, so it’s like you’re there too.

Pizza ya later!

-Pizza Journalist, Dan Tallarico