Back Road Pizza in Santa Fe, NM

Basic Information:

Pizza: Back Road Pizza

Number of Locations: 1

Location Reviewed: 1807 Second Street #1 in Santa Fe, NM

Website: https://www.backroadpizza.com/

Date of Review Visit: July 2014

What I Ordered: Large (16”) pizza with pepperoni and sausage

Price: $21.91 (pizza only)

Photos:

Summary Review: 4 stars (out of 5)

Detailed Review:

Crust: The crust at Back Road Pizza is the thin southern-style crust, but it is not ultra-thin like some other southern-style pizzas.  A thick layer of cornmeal baked into the bottom of the crust adds flavor and texture.  I also found some unusual charred/black mystery chunks (cornmeal?) on the bottom of my pizza.  Despite these unusual items, the crust fits this pizza well, and I like it more than I dislike it.  Score: 8/10.

Sauce: The sauce is a salsa-like sauce with chunks of tomatoes, but it is not spicy.  The sauce is applied with good quantity.  This is not my style of sauce, but it is pretty good for what it is.  Score: 8/10.

Cheese: The cheese may be the strength of this pizza; it has high quantity and quality.  Adding some parmesan would have added a little more flavor, but this cheese is good enough the way it is.  Score: 9/10.

Toppings: The sausage and pepperoni both have good taste without being overspiced.  The quantity is a little low, especially for the sausage, and that is the main reason for the deduction here.  Score: 8/10.

Overall Taste: I am not a fan of the sauce, but that notwithstanding everything comes together pretty well for a tasty, flavorful pizza.  Score: 9/10.

Pizza Appearance: The pizza’s appearance is OK except for the low quantity of toppings.  

Dining Atmosphere: I carried my pizza out, but the dining atmosphere made me rethink that plan: the dining room seemed casual with some nice, unique decorations.

Customer Service: The service was friendly and helpful.

Monetary Value: Back Road was featured on the Food Network’s Diners, Drive-ins and Dives a few years ago.  They must still charge the Guy Fieri premium, because this pizza is very overpriced relative to what you put in your mouth, even after you consider that this is a 16” pizza.  I like this pizza, but I don’t like it $22 much.

The Final Judgment:

Back Road makes a good pizza, but I would not come here regularly due to the price.  For a one-off, perhaps while you are on vacation as I was, this pizza is a nice choice.  Score: 82/100.