Pizza Al's in Morgantown, WV

The Facts:

Pizza: Pizza Al’s

Business Category: Regional Chain (4 locations, all near Morgantown, WV)

Website: https://www.pizzaals.com/

Location: 192 Jim Street in Granville, WV (in University Towne Center between I-79 exits 153 and 154)

Date of Review Visit: October 11, 2019

What I Ordered: small (14”) sausage and pepperoni pizza; cherry coke to drink

Price: $13.25 (includes tax and drink)

The Micro:

Crust: The crust at Pizza Al’s is a hand-tossed crust with medium thickness and a fresh bready taste.  The texture does not stand out, but my pizza was baked to perfection.  Overall, this crust has more good than bad.  Score: 8/10.

Sauce: This pizza is rather undersauced, and the sauce contains chunks of tomatoes and tomato peels.  I don’t like finding things in my sauce, and that plus the lack of quantity make it not my favorite sauce.  Score: 3/10.

Cheese: This pizza is definitely not undercheesed.  The cheese comes in a thick, yummy, stringy layer that produces only a little bit of grease.  Score: 10/10.

Toppings: The sausage comes in ground up bits that are rather tasteless.  The pepperoni is what some pizza places call old world pepperoni, and it has exactly the right amount of spiciness.  Both toppings appear in average quantity.  Score: 7/10.

The Macro:

Appearance/Atmosphere/Service: The cheese dominates the pizza’s appearance, which is fairly average.  The service is counter service, and it was quick and to the point on my visit.  Pizza  Al’s Granville location has a casual dining atmosphere with two large TV’s that were tuned to sports programming on my visit.  Score: 9/10.

Value: The smallest pizza Pizza Al’s makes is a 14” pizza, and for a 14” pizza with decent quality the price cannot be beat.  Bring a friend or be prepared for leftovers.  Score: 10/10.

Taste: What this pizza has comes together pretty well, but the lack of sauce really leaves a vacant spot on the taste palette.  Score: 16/20.

The Final Judgment:

Pizza Al’s calls themselves the best pizza in Morgantown, and I can see why. If you are in need of large pizzas, perhaps to feed a large group, Pizza Al’s should be at the top of your list.  It would be part of my regular pizza rotation if I lived near Morgantown.  Score: 63/80.

Lubrano’s Pizzeria and Restaurant in Somerset, NJ

The Facts:

Pizza: Lubrano’s Pizzeria and Restaurant

Business Category: Single Store

Website: http://www.lubranospizzeria.com/index.html

Location: 1830 Easton Avenue in Somerset, NJ (near I-287 exit 10)

Date of Review Visit: August 3, 2019

What I Ordered: 3 slices of sausage and pepperoni pizza; 2 20oz Dr. Pepper’s to drink

Price: $14.77 (includes tax and drinks)

The Micro:

Crust: Lubrano’s only makes large pizzas, but for individuals they sell reheated pizza by the slice.  The crust is thin and crispy, kind of what you would expect for reheated pizza.  While reheated pizza never has the best crust, this crust is near the top of its pizza category.  Score: 8/10.

Sauce: True to the New York style, the sauce does not appear in high quantity, but it has a nice tomatoey taste.  Score: 7/10.

Cheese: The cheese comes in two types: a layer under the pepperoni and a few shreds scattered atop the sausage.  The bottom layer is thick, stringy, and yummy.  The shredded top layer does not add much to the pizza.  Also, this cheese produces quite a bit of grease.  Score: 8/10.

Toppings: The pepperoni has just the right amount of spiciness.  The sausage is a somewhat bland mild Italian sausage, and they used the strips rather than the chunks on my pizza because the chunks were frozen.  Both toppings appear in high quantity.  Score: 9/10.

The Macro:

Appearance/Atmosphere/Service: The appearance is odd due to the slices of sausage.  Lubrano’s has a purely functional dining room.  The service is counter service, and it was fine despite the fact that the menu is very complicated.  Score: 8/10.

Value: The price seems high, but this was basically dinner for two people.  The pizza slices are big, so in fact the value is pretty good.  Score: 8/10.

Taste: The overall taste is a little on the flavorless side, but it is not bad for reheated pizza.  Score: 14/20.

The Final Judgment:

Lubrano’s is a nice pizza option, especially if you are in need of large pizzas.  Score: 62/80.