Foli's Place - Braddock Hills, PA

Foli's Place
1050 Brinton Rd
Pittsburgh, PA 15221
(412) 241-8840

Foli's is a popular local favorite, tucked away in a tiny strip mall near where Braddock Hills, Forest Hills, Edgewood and Wilkinsburg meet. It had been way too long since we'd eaten there, so decided to head over the hill and pick up a pizza!

We weren't disappointed. We ordered a small, which was a 12" 6-cut traditional Pittsburgh-style pizza. The crust was very good, with a light and airy interior and nice chewiness, and a crisp exterior. The chunky tomato sauce had a freshly made flavor, and it had a good proportion of sauce to cheese.

We also ordered a side of cheese sticks - they were perfectly fried, and had just the right amount of spice for our taste. The accompanying sauce was delicious.

Everyone we talked to in Foli's was very friendly and welcoming, from the nice woman who answered the phone, to the restaurant staff and the fellow customers. I have to admit I forgot to pick up a take out menu and am not sure what else Foli's has to offer. The pizza was so tasty, that I would expect nothing but good things from their other menu items!

Enrico's Focaccia Bread - Strip District & Forest Hills

I love Enrico Biscotti's baked goods, but don't seem to get to the Strip District as often as I would like. I was thrilled to find that Enrico's has a booth at my local Forest Hills farmers market this summer!

Enrico's was voted one of America's Top Ten Bakeries by authors Jane and Michael Stern, famous for "Road Food". Enrico's was also inspiration for "The Bread, My Sweet", the lovely movie filmed in the Strip in 2000. The movie, which starred Scott Baio and told the love story of Larry Lagatutta, the owner of Enrico's, and his wife.

And I think I have a new love story of my own with Enrico's Focaccia bread! Focaccia is not quite a pizza, but is more than bread. According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, Focaccia is "a flat Italian bread typically seasoned with herbs and olive oil." Wikipedia adds that it "may be topped with onion, cheese and meat, or flavored with ... vegetables."

The Focaccia I purchased at the Forest Hills Farmers Market was thick, yet light and airy. It was seasoned with olive oil, and was dotted with a light tomato sauce that tasted like it contained a hint of wine. It was topped with a light amount of cheese and four perfect leaves of basil.

Wonderful!

Veltre's Pizza - Forest Hills

2147 Ardmore Blvd.

Pittsburgh, PA 15221

(412) 271-6500

Freshness counts!

This unassuming pizza shop on Ardmore Boulevard in Forest Hills makes some of the best pizza in the 'Burgh.

The ingredients are fresh, and sauce and dough are both made fresh daily. The dough is hand tossed as the order comes in. It's a small shop, and there are no tables for dining, but there are coolers with cold beverages, and the chefs are happy to let you watch them toss the fresh dough if you have to wait.

Veltre's is a traditional Pittsburgh style round pizza. We've tried both medium and large sizes, with and without toppings. If you order the large, the crust is thinner than the medium. I meant to ask them, but I am wondering if they use the same amount of dough for both sizes, and the large is thinner because it is more stretched. The sauce is light and refreshing, with small chunks of tomato and the flavor of Italian herbs. Veltre's uses a good quality and quantity of fresh cheese and grates it daily. As a nice finishing touch, they sprinkle the perfect amount of Parmesan on top of the pizza when it is hot from the oven.

The sides are also fresh and delicious. I love fried mushrooms - Veltre's are breaded and fried, and the result is a crunchy crust that explodes with flavor and juiciness when you bite in, and even reheat well on the occasions when I haven't been able to finish the entire order.

The fried Provolone was also an unexpected pleasure and unlike the typical fried cheese sticks that we've gotten elsewhere. The cheese is cut from a fresh ball of Provolone and is a rounded wedge shape. The cheese is dipped in fresh homestyle bread crumbs that are flavored with Italian herbs, fried to golden perfection and served with a good marinara sauce.

In addition to their outstanding traditional pizza, Vetre's offers three specialty pizzas: White, Broccoli & Cheddar, and Buffalo Chicken with Cheddar. In addition, they make pizza boats, calzones, burgers and sandwiches, soups and salads, wraps, pita and croissant sandwiches, and pasta, and grilled chicken. Their snack and appetizer offerings include that incredible fried provolone and luscious mushrooms, as well as zucchini, french fries, onion rings, pepperoni rolls and buffalo wings. Their meatballs - as possible additions to pasta or on meatball sandwiches - are also fresh and homemade.

Veltre's makes ten types of steak hoagies - they say they are their #1 seller and I can see why! In addition to the regular steak, they offer cheese, mushroom, mushroom & cheese, bacon & cheese, Italian, pepper steak fried, Philly steak, steak & egg and steak, egg and cheese. Sandwiches are served on fresh Mancini Bakery rolls.

I can't wait to go back!