Choose Your Own Pie
Learn the differences between pizza styles and where to sample them.
GRILLED
WHAT IS IT
Dough is stretched and fired directly on a maple-charcoal-fired grill to create the light and chewy crust emblazoned with grill marks.
WHERE TO GET IT
The grilled pizza was invented at Al Forno in Providence. The technique was developed in the early 1980s by co-owners Johanne Killeen and George Germon, who put their wood-fired grill to new use after someone on their team mentioned a similar grilled pizza in Italy.
FUN VARIATIONS
Al Forno usually has a special involving seasonal ingredients like corn in the summer, but we love the Margarita, the version bedecked with fried calamari, and one with pistachio-studded mortadella, always topped with signature sliced scallions.
PRICE
$25–$28.
ORDER IT!
Dine in at the restaurant or order online for takeout. 577 South Water St., Providence, 273-9760, alforno.com
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SICILIAN
WHAT IS IT
Pizza with a thick, focaccia-like crust, a style that originated in Sicily.
WHERE TO GET IT
Caserta Pizzeria. Order the large square pizza, and make sure you specify cheese, because plain is tomato sauce only.
FUN VARIATIONS
You can get it with up to five toppings, including cheese, olives, mushrooms, pepperoni and anchovies, or go for the famous Wimpy Skippy, a spinach pie stuffed with black olives, cheese and pepperoni.
PRICE
Large: $17.50 (plain); $23.25 (four or five toppings).
ORDER IT!
Dine in or order online. 121 Spruce St., Providence, 272-3618; 621-9190; 621-3618, casertapizzeria.com
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NEW-HAVEN STYLE
WHAT IS IT
New Haven-style “apizza” — pronounced “ah-beets.” It usually features a slightly charred but chewy crust from a coal-fired oven, perfected by New Haven, Connecticut, pizzerias, including Frank Pepe’s, Sally’s and Modern.
WHERE TO GET IT
Frank Pepe Pizzeria in Warwick. While the original Frank Pepe’s is in New Haven, there are now more than seventeen locations in the United States.
FUN VARIATIONS
I’m partial to the original tomato pie with mozzarella, but Frank Pepe is credited as the first to put fresh, shucked littlenecks on pizza with grated pecorino Romano, garlic and oregano.
PRICE
$13.75–$25.25 (small–large tomato pie); $18.75–$36.75 (small-large white clam pizza).
ORDER IT!
Dine in or order online. 21 Universal Blvd., Warwick, 825-7776, pepespizzeria.com/locations/ri/warwick
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NEW YORK-STYLE
WHAT IS IT
Characterized by large, thin, foldable slices. If you hold up a slice it should flop over.
WHERE TO GET IT
Napolitano’s Brooklyn Pizza lives up to the floppy hype. It uses a housemade hand-tossed dough and imported Italian San Marzano tomato sauce.
FUN VARIATIONS
Try the “Coney Island” pizza with pulled pork, caramelized onions, bacon and mozzarella.
PRICE
Large, eighteen-inch cheese pie is the only way to go at $25 a pop and $4.50 a slice.
ORDER IT!
Order online or stop in for a slice. 100 East St., Cranston, 383-7722; 380 Atwells Ave., Providence, 273-2080; 375 Putnam Pike, Smithfield, 618-7474, napolitanosbrooklynpizza.com
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DETROIT-STYLE
WHAT IS IT
Detroit-style is a rectangular pizza baked in a thick-sided pan. The method was originally perfected by Detroit’s automotive workers who once used steel parts pans to bake their pizzas. The cheese is spread all the way to the edges, achieving a crispy “frico”-like caramelized crust.
WHERE TO GET IT
A Guy and His Pie in Pawtucket.
FUN VARIATIONS
Owner Brian Cauti comes up with a pizza special every week. Previous hits included Penne Vodka pizza and a Rodeo Burger pizza with ground beef, bacon, jalapenos, barbecue sauce and onion rings. We love the Bee Sting with pepperoni and Mike’s Hot Honey.
PRICE
$18 (eight-by-ten); $25 (ten-by-fourteen).
ORDER IT!
Order online or stop by the shop. 560 Mineral Spring Ave., Pawtucket, 495-4614, aguyandhispie.com
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PIZZA STRIPS
WHAT IS IT
Whether you call it bakery pizza or party pizza, pizza strips are a must at any Rhode Island birthday party or family affair. It involves a tray of focaccia-like dough, spread with a zesty tomato sauce, baked in the oven, then cooled and served at room temperature. No cheese, please!
WHERE TO GET IT
D. Palmieri’s in Johnston is a collective fave.
FUN VARIATIONS
It’s known for its traditional party pizza, but there’s also a pizza artist on hand. Eric Palmieri makes pizza masterpieces out of pizza toppings in the form of celebrities, animals and cartoon characters. Hit him up at @ericjohnpizzaart on Instagram.
PRICE
Call for prices.
ORDER IT!
Call ahead for large orders or just stop in for party pizza. To order a custom pizza, contact Eric Palmieri in advance at ericjohnart.com or on Instagram at @ericjohnpizzaart. 624 Killingly St., Johnston, 621-9357, dpalmierisbakery.com





