Posts from June 23rd, 2021

Yes, you know wood-fired pizza tastes incredible, but did you know it can also be healthier for you? Thanks to shorter cooking times due to the higher heat of wood-fired ovens, veggies, and other ingredients retain more of their nutrients. Now you have another good reason to enjoy a tasty pie from one of these top wood-fired pizza joints around Cincinnati. 

Strong's Brick Oven Pizzeria

8794 Reading Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45215

Do you avoid pizza because of food sensitivities? Head to family-owned Strong's Brick Oven Pizzeria, where they make every effort to accommodate specific dietary needs. Customers can bring in their own gluten-free dough or choose a crustless pizza. If you have certain allergies, they will clean the cooking area and utensils before preparing your order. Four-legged family members are welcome on the outdoor patio. Strong's is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Fireside Pizza

773 E. McMillan St., Cincinnati, OH 45206

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The name of Fireside Pizza has a significance that goes beyond a reference to the pies made in their wood-burning oven. In the late 1800s, the brick building that houses the pizzeria was constructed as a fire station. Abandoned in 1976, Fire Co. 16 fell into disrepair until the mid-2010s, when owner Mike Marschman teamed up with the Walnut Hills Redevelopment Foundation to restore it. Fireside's menu includes traditional and gourmet combos as well as a rotating selection of pies using seasonal ingredients. Hours are 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Incline Public House

2601 W. 8th St., Cincinnati, OH 45204

With a focus on fresh, scratch-made food, Incline Public House uses its in-house smoker and wood oven to turn out exquisite pizzas full of flavor. Customers rave about the crust, which gets just the right amount of crispy crunch, making it a perfect vehicle for any combination of toppings. Perched atop Price Hill, Incline Public House is so well known for its sweeping views of downtown Cincinnati that they feature a 24-hour live stream on their website. Stop in on Tuesdays and get a featured gourmet pie and two pints of beer for only $20. Incline Public House is open 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. daily except Sunday, when doors close at 8 p.m.

Catch-a-Fire Pizza

3301 Madison Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45209

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Breakfast pizza? No, it's not just in your dreams. Each weekend, Catch-a-Fire Pizza offers wood-fired breakfast pies such as Goettup, Stand Up. This uniquely Cincinnati variation includes Glier's goetta along with peppadew, caramelized onion, four cheeses, garlic butter, olive oil, and a cracked egg. Located in the taproom of MadTree Brewing, Catch-a-Fire also serves a selection of snacks each Friday and Saturday night. Hours are 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. - 11 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. Sunday.

Betta's Italian Oven

3764 Montgomery Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45212

How romantic and welcoming is the ambiance at Betta's Italian Oven? Over the past 18 years, it's been the site of countless first dates and more than one marriage proposal. Betta's authentic wood-fired pies have earned the title of "Best Pizza in Queen City" from Cincinnati Magazine. If you like your food with a bit of heat, try the signature Pizza Diavolo, topped with pepperoni, spicy sausage, and homemade Diavolo sauce. Hours are 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday. 

Via Vite

520 Vine St., Cincinnati, OH 45202

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Pizza at Via Vite after skating at Fountain Square is becoming a winter tradition in Cincinnati. But with the largest open-air dining space in the downtown area, Via Vite is also a perfect spot for summer dining. Owner and chef Cristian Pietoso, a native of Florence, declares that Via Vite's pizzas and other dishes are "as close as it gets to true Italian food without taking a plane." Be sure to save room for some decadent dark chocolate crème brûlée, a customer favorite. Via Vite is open 5 p.m. - 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 4 p.m. - 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Reservations are recommended.

Delicio Coal Fired Pizza

8150 Montgomery Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45243

A little-known bit of pizza trivia: The first pies served in the United States back in 1905 were baked in coal-burning ovens. Delicio Coal Fired Pizza has revived this traditional but painstaking, method to create pies with a unique, smoky flavor. Their oven uses anthracite, a clean-burning type of coal that produces even higher heat than a wood-burning oven. Pizzas come in two sizes, personal and shareable, with creative specialties such as Cheddar Mac and Bacon Pickle. Pair your pie with some craft beer or wine from their partner, Hoppin' Vines. Hours are 3 - 10 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, noon - 10 p.m. Saturday, and noon - 9 p.m. Sunday.

Joe's Pizza Napoli

507 Chamber Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45150

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Joe's Pizza Napoli makes no secret of the magic behind their pizzas. The home page of their website features a background picture of logs for the wood-fired oven. Joe and his family love the Neapolitan style of pizza because the thin crust and modest amounts of cheese allow the toppings to take center stage. Minimalists go for the Marinara, a simple tomatoes-only pie, or you can get a double-dose of Italiano with the Lasagna, topped with meatballs, sausage, and four kinds of cheese. Joe's is open 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 4 p.m. - 9 p.m. Friday, noon - 9 p.m. Saturday, and noon - 8 p.m. Sunday.

A Tavola Bar + Trattoria

7022 Miami Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45243

"A tavola!" is how moms in Italy call their family to the dinner table. You'll find that same warm and comfortable familiarity at A Tavola Bar + Trattoria. The owners want you to feel as though you're dining at home, but with the benefit of someone else doing the cooking. Even meat lovers will enjoy the best-selling fig & prosciutto pizza with arugula and fontina cheese. Don't have a wood-fired oven at home? You can still serve A Tavola's at your own dinner table with their make-your-own-pizza kits. Hours are 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Pizza Is Always the Right Answer

You can have only one topping on your pizza. What's your go-to ingredient?