Shackamaxon Pizza

Recently finding myself in the città dell’amore fraterno, I had a moment to stop by the slice window of this longtime “wishlist” pizzeria. Ordering at the window and eating outside, we opted for a pepperoni slice and a classic tomato pie square. Personally, l love the pizza in Philly (and New Jersey) - it resembles New York style, but can have some crispy flavorful differences.

Focusing on the thin pepperoni slice, the size and thinness would make most call it New York style - at least at a glance. However, a bite into this quite thin slice might actually recall a crisp bar pie. While NY slices lean softer and chewier, this version uses a cold fermentation and a high-heat bake on a perforated screen (note the marks on the undercarriage). This technique dries the dough, darkening the underside, and delivering a markedly firmer crunch. The crust shows a uniform, walnut-brown grid with no gum line (i.e. that undercooked mushy dough beneath the cheese, which marks a lesser pizzeria). It cracks cleanly at the rim with a mild sourdough chew - a crisp crust that tastes good on its own.

Building from a great crust base, it’s hard to go wrong. But the rest of this slice is well balanced. The bright and lightly herbed tomato sauce balances acidity without soaking through. Low-moisture mozzarella fuses into a cohesive layer with scattered caramelized spots, finished by a dusting of hard cheese for added salt. The pepperoni was “cup-and-char”, crisp at the edges and rendering just enough fat to season the slice without pooling grease - they were also placed such that your vegetarian accomplice could sample some meatless bites.

Overall, it is a delicious thoughtfully executed slice that is well worth your time. Two recommendations: Visit Fishtown and visit Shackamaxon Pizza.