Pizza Parma in Pittsburgh, PA

Basic Information:

Pizza: Pizza Parma

Number of Locations: 2, both near Pittsburgh, PA

Location Reviewed: 823 Penn Avenue in downtown Pittsburgh (Update: this location is now closed.  Their other downtown location is at 963 Liberty Avenue.)

Website: https://www.pizzaparma.us/

Date of Review Visit: July 2017

What I Ordered: Personal (8”) pepperoni pizza; 20 oz. Dr. Pepper to drink

Price: $9.62 (on the lunch menu)

Photos:

Summary Review: 3 stars (out of 5)

Detailed Review:

Crust: The pizza at Pizza Parma features a thick northern-style crust.  The crust has an extremely tough consistency: I could not cut it with the plastic knife and fork Pizza Parma provides.  The crust’s consistency is probably due to the fact that my pizza was slightly overbaked.  The crust has a nice fresh taste, but the tough consistency keeps this score down.  Score: 5/10.

Sauce: The sauce has a somewhat unremarkable tomatoey taste.  It appears in good quantity.  Score: 7/10.

Cheese: The yummy stringy cheese appears in excellent quantity, but it produces quite a bit of grease.  Thus, a mandatory deduction applies.  Score: 8/10.

Toppings: The pepperoni appears in good quantity, but it also comes in thin slices with little spiciness or flavor.  Score: 6/10.

Overall Taste: This pizza’s taste is more than passable, but nothing really makes it stand out.  Score: 7/10.

Pizza Appearance: The pizza has a nice symmetrical, somewhat orange appearance.

Dining Atmosphere: The dining atmosphere is the cramped no-amenities dining room you would expect from a downtown location.

Customer Service: I actually ordered a personal sausage pizza, not the personal pepperoni pizza they made for me, so the service gaffe leads to a deduction.

Monetary Value: Pizza Parma is about average in quality, but it is not too expensive compared to other downtown lunch spots: you can and I did pay $14 for a hamburger in downtown Pittsburgh.  On the down side, the lunch special only saves you $0.50.

The Final Judgment:

Of the many small pizza places in downtown Pittsburgh, Pizza Parma is one of them.  I found nothing horrific here but nothing particularly commendable either.  Pizza Parma is a passable quick lunch destination but nothing more.  Score: 74/100.