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Your A-List: Best Pizza
The story of Mangia pizza dates back more than 30 years, to when eventual owner Jeff Sayers spent six weeks in OSHA training in Chicago. Sayers’ time in the Windy City eating amazing deep-dish pies planted a seed in his head, and he decided that Austin needed its own pizza joint that served pizzas in the classic Chicago style.
After developing ideas for his new business, Sayers returned to Chicago in 1985 to learn the ropes firsthand. After three years, with newfound knowledge under his belt, Sayers returned to Austin, and, as they say, the rest is history.
Mangia opened for business at 1610 San Antonio St. in November 1988. The signature Godzilla, for which the store is widely known, was inspired by the epic tattoo of then-neighbor Jim ‘Prince’ Hughes, owner of Atomic City. The Mangia owners felt that the massive, mythic creature was the perfect symbol for their famous overstuffed pizza, once known as the ‘Zilla and now known as the Mangia Mia, according to co-owner Mark Negro.
In January of 1992, Mangia moved to its location on Anderson and has since opened four more locations, including its most visible on Guadalupe Street, and a spot in Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. Negro says that each restaurant relies heavily on a business clientele during lunch hours, with students accounting for the bulk of dinner customers at the Guadalupe location and families frequenting the other locations at night.
Although the restaurants have added greatly to their menus over the past 15 years, the place will always be known for its deep, stuffed pizzas, which can often take newcomers by surprise.
Watching individuals or families work their way through the task of finishing a Mangia pie is a fun part of the dining experience. But most plates go back empty.
Negro, a former Hilton hotels executive who joined the Mangia team in 1998, says the secret to Mangia’s success and staying power is the quality ingredients used in their products.
“The key is, we use great ingredients, and we don’t sacrifice quality. It all starts with the basics, and we use premium products,” Negro told me.
Mangia execs admit that they give careful consideration to expansion but acknowledge that the heart and soul of the restaurant is in Austin.
“Austin’s been real good to us,” Negro said.
And you to them.
Mangia Pizza [site]
(Hours vary by location)
Others receiving votes: Austin’s Pizza (20 percent), Home Slice (14 percent), Saccone’s (7 percent), Conan’s (7 percent), East Side Pies (4 percent), South Austin Flying Pizza (3 percent), Rounders (3 percent), Salvation Pizza (2 percent), The Onion (2 percent), Whole Foods (1 percent), Cippolina (1 percent), Slices ‘n’ Ices (1 percent), The Parlour (1 percent), and Enoteca (1 percent).
Write-ins: Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar, Austin Pizza Garden, Baris, Brick Oven, Brooklyn Pie Co., Craig-O’s, Domino’s, Double Dave’s, Frank and Angie’s, It’s Italian, Lamp Post Pizza, Mandola’s, Mellow Mushroom, Milto’s, Papa Murphy’s, Pizza Nizza, Reale’s, Rockin’ Tomato Pizza, Rome’s, Rudino’s, Uno’s, Yaghi’s
A personal aside: For my money, there’s no beating Salvation Pizza. Co-owner Liz Mahoney, a former manager at Starlite, grew up in Connecticut and learned the pizza business first-hand from her parents, who run one of the state’s finest pizza joints. She brought that knowledge of how to make crunchy and delicious Napolitano-style pizza to 624 W. 34th St., and for that, I am very grateful.
Image taken from Mangiapizza.com.
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By Sharon Wetta
October 4, 2007 10:43 AM | Link to this
Although Rome’s Pizza is the new kid on the block, everyone should try this amazing pizza. It has won the best pizza in San Antonio award several times. Customers have come in from Chicago and New York and have said it is the best pizza they have ever tasted.
By erin
October 4, 2007 12:45 PM | Link to this
Mangieri’s Pizza Cafe hands down the best pizza I have had since moving to Austin.