Luciano's Italian Brick Oven - White Oak

1212 Long Run Road
White Oak, PA  15131
412-672-7428

And we have a new addition to the Top 10!

Sharon called today (Happy Birthday, Sharon!) to tell us about a fantastic pizza that she tried - Luciano's, on Route 48 in White Oak.  Since it was on the way back from our trip to the Westmoreland Arts and Heritage Festival in Greensburg, we decided that there was no time like the present to try it ... and besides, we were starving.

Luciano's is a full service restaurant and has a take out pizza and six-pack area.  Both are thriving - the parking lot was packed, even at an early hour on a weeknight. 

It was easy to see why they are so popular - Luciano's pizza was everything Sharon said it would be and more.  The handmade, hand tossed crust was chewy and tender, yet firm enough to hold the sauce without being soggy.  The pureed style sauce was slightly spicy, deep red (full of healthy lycopene I bet!) and rich with oregano.   We asked for extra sauce and easy on the cheese, and it was prepared exactly the way we like it.  Luciano's offers 10 varieties of pizza:  Traditional, White, Deep Dish, Pan, Chicago Style, Chicken Supreme, Vegetable, Stuffed Spinach, Gyro and Alfredo.   We saw a white pizza being prepared, and I'd like to go back and try that next.

We also tried the cheese sticks and they were some of the best we've tried, with perfect seasoning in the breading, slightly melted but still firm, and not at all greasy or oily.  I also ordered a tossed salad, and it had fresh ingredients and was accompanied by a nice balsamic vinaigrette.  In addition, Luciano's has eight varieties of calzones, ten hoagies and two pizza breads - red or white.

If you opt for dinner, Luciano's has pasta, seafood, chicken and veal entrees.  Sharon has had Chicken Piccata and Veal Parmesan and said both were excellent.  They also have a full range of appetizers, soups, salad, sides and extras.  I saw polenta listed under the appetizers - since I love polenta, it just gives me another reason to go back!

Veltre's Pizza Update

Last week we had a chance to revisit Veltre's - one of our top favorite pizzas - to try the meatball hoagie.  It was excellent!  The large meatballs were fresh and homemade, the Mancini bun outstanding, and it had the perfect ratio of flavorful tomato sauce and provolone cheese. 

We also tried an order of french fries and fried mushrooms.  The fries were small and crisp and among the best fries we have ever eaten.  I ordered the fried mushrooms and they were perfect, also - juicy inside with a firm and tasty crust.  The orders of fries and mushrooms were both huge and we weren't able to even come close to finishing them, so I am happy to report that they both reheat well.

We're big fans of Veltre's!

In Memoriam - Vincent Chianese, Vincent's Pizza Park, Forest Hills

5/18/2012 - What a shock today to hear that Vincent's has closed!  What a shame.



I was saddened to hear about the death of a Pittsburgh pizza icon - the famous Vincent Chianese, of Vincent's Pizza Park in Forest Hills.   According to the obituary in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Mr. Chianese passed away Sunday, March 7, 2010 at the age of 85.  KDKA's obituary includes a video and photo of Vincent.   A tribute is planned for Sunday, March 14 at Vincent's Pizza Park, 998 Ardmore Blvd., Forest Hills from 5 to 9 p.m.


I grew up in Forest Hills and Vincent's pizzas were legendary.  When I was older, I was surprised - and proud - that our local "Vinnie Pies" were known and shipped all over the country.  Thanks, Vincent, for lots of good food, great stories and for putting our hometown on the map!

DiSalla's Pizza Revisited

The last time we ate DiSalla's pizza we ordered extra sauce and light cheese.  We wanted to try it the "regular way" so stopped back again and picked up eight slices, with the proportion of sauce and cheese that they normally use. 

It was wonderful.  The sauce was rich, with a garlicy bite, and the cheese was luscious and flavorful.  The crust was sturdy, but light and airy at the same time.  The proportions were perfect.

I guess what I'm saying is that no matter how they make it, it's fantastic!

Carol of Casey's Pizza, Penn Hills, PA

Penn Hills Shopping Center

Pittsburgh, PA  15235

412-242-0650

It had been a long time since I had eaten a pizza from Carol of Casey's and I never tried their Sicilian pizza.  After shoveling snow and heading out to do errands that took me to the Penn Hills Shopping Center, I thought I would treat myself to a slice. 

I'm glad I did!  The small restaurant has four picnic style tables for customers who would like to eat there, and it was busy even though it was a little late for the lunch hour.  I was greeted warmly by a very pleasant young woman, who was equally pleasant while answering the phone and talking to other customers.  The snow started to get heavier, so she packed my slice to go and I was on my way.

It was still warm by the time I got home and it smelled wonderful.  The sturdy crust on the Sicilian pizza slice was about 1/2" thick, with crisp edges and a light interior.  The homemade sauce was rich and delicious, and had small  chunks of tomato and even a few tomato seeds.  The pizza was topped with a generous layer of fresh cheese that was melted to perfection.

Carol of Casey's has an extensive menu which includes fun foods - like wings, fries, jalapeno rolls, fried mushroom and provolone, chicken tenders and more, hot pocket Wedges, red or white pizza, calzones and strombolis, salads, pasta dinners, focaccia sandwiches, gyros and wraps and a long list of oven baked hoagies.  They just added a fish hoagie to the menu, which I bet will be popular during Lent.  Carol of Casey's offers 15 types of specialty pizzas, the newest of which is Roasted Red Pepper & Chicken, which sounds great - I think I'll stop back again and try it!

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!

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!