Pizza Today - September 2022 - 24

DESTINATIONS
Gus Franco's Pizza Lower Burrell, Pennsylvania
This young pizzeria is named
after sons Francis and August
(aka Gus and Franco) of owners
Patrick and Mandy Elston. The
business has given the couple
more time with their boys. The
restaurant layout is open. " We
intentionally designed our shop
to mimic the atmosphere of
our pizza trailer, which allows us
to interact with our customers
while we prepare their meal, "
Patrick says. " There are no walls,
nothing hidden. "
The pizza style is neoNeapolitan.
" I heard the term
neo-Neapolitan a few years back,
and it's hard for me not to use
that term to explain our pizza, "
he says. " Using the wood fired
oven, to having only one size
option of 12-inch, 6-cut, to using
part 00 flour in our dough blend,
to trusting good tomatoes and a
little sea salt for our sauce. The
addition of high gluten untreated
flour, cooking at a slightly lower
temp and using a mix of different
mozzarella (fresh and low
moisture) cheeses is what gives
us the crisp bottom, along with
that wood-fired char that our
customers prefer.
The Hot Dad is the one people
tell their friends about the
most. It has our sauce, hand-cut
mozz blend, Parm, and features
the popular combo of a spicy
meat topping (we choose hot
Calabrese salami) then gets
finished with a generous drizzle
of hot honey. Some folks decide
to add fresh shaved garlic,
and/or red onions, which we
lovingly refer to as the Stinky
Dad. Popular non-pizza item is
definitely the handmade woodfired
meatballs we serve as a hot
side. "
Fabrica Pizza
Tampa, Florida
The two-unit, wood-fired pizzeria
is hot right now, making a recent
national Top 50 list. The Tampa
and St. Petersburg locations
have a fresh, contemporary
and modern vibe with a woodburning
oven as the showcase. The
Neapolitan pizza menu features
the Margherita. Two pies feature
meatballs. The Carni features
house-made tomato sauce,
mozzarella, oven roasted peppers,
Italian sausage, beef meatballs,
pepperoni and fresh garlic
oregano. The Polpette e Pesto is
topped with basil pesto, provolone,
whipped ricotta, beef meatballs
and fresh garlic. Many customers
opt for the build-to-order with
either a bianco, rossa or verde
base and over 40 cheese, protein,
veggie and garnish toppings to
choose from.
Sixty Vines
Plano, Texas
This wine bar and restaurant was
listed to Yelp's Top 100 Pizza Spots
earlier this year. Its signature is
approximately 60 wines on tap.
Its menu specializes in charcuterie
boards, shared plates, salads, pastas,
sandwiches and pizza. Shared
plates feature Baked Ricotta with
herb roasted San Marzano tomato
sauce, basil and toasted crostini.
Its pizza menu includes the shrimp
and smoked bacon with white
sauce, provolone, mozzarella,
garlic, scallions, lemon juice and
crushed red pepper. There is also
the Broccolini & Potato, a vegan
pizza featuring roasted broccolini,
crushed potato, Calabrian chilies,
tomato, rosemary and cashew
cheese on a cauliflower crust.
24 / PIZZATODAY.COM / SEPTEMBER 2022
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Pizza Today - September 2022

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