50 Years of Best of Philly: Pizza
In honor of the 50th anniversary of Best of Philly, for every month of 2024 we’re taking a look back at some major categories and standout winners. Up now: one of our tastiest and most debated topics.
BOP50: In 1987, these Jersey Shore cheerleaders were pushing … Pizza Hut? / Photograph by I. George Bilyk
Jim Rolfing was late. The bus ride from Wildwood had taken two hours, and so there he was, standing in the middle of the Bourse, holding a cold pizza.
The occasion was the 1987 Best of Philly pizza taste test. We asked mayors and councilmembers from around the region to dispatch a pie, convened a panel of distinguished diners, and dug in. Wildwood Mayor Victor Di Sylvester sent Rolfing — a beach patrol lifeguard who arrived wearing his whistle and sunscreen — with a pizza from Mack’s on the boardwalk, and hopefully enough bus fare for a round trip. He was greeted by, among many others, the Mainland Regional High School cheerleading squad, sent to defend the honor of Northfield, New Jersey’s premier pie — a slab from Pizza Hut.
We do things a little differently in Best of Philly these days: fewer public tasting tribunals, more nuanced reporting and research. We’ve even started to shy away from readers’ choice, which began to feel a bit repetitive, with the same winners taking home the crown year after year. That doesn’t mean we’re not still debating and chewing on the winners though. (Personally, I’m on Team Angelo’s, though I’d also defend Pizza Plus. And Pizzata. Oh wait, what about Tacconelli’s?)
As for 1987, City Councilperson Anna Verna’s pick — Celebre’s pizzaz pie — took home the crown. (You can still try it for yourself the next time you’re in Packer Park.) In last place? Poor Jim Rolfing’s bused-in pie. But don’t despair — for his troubles we created a whole new award: Best Lifeguard (above and beyond the call of duty). I hope that made the bus ride worth it, Jim.
BOP50 Pizza Timeline
Notable wins and winners
1975
Best Pizza went to Fiore’s on East Passyunk because “You still can’t get a great pizza outside of South Philly.” A bit of a headscratcher, since 1974 winner Fonzo’s was at 48th and Chestnut.
1986-’87
The arrival of Yuppie pizza. In 1986 it was A’propos’s pear and blue cheese concoction with toasted walnuts and wild cherries, “as close as we’ll get to Spago,” and in ’87 it was the oh-so-’80s-titled Pizzazz, whose pies were “topped with any assortment of ’80s drugs” — by which we meant, of course, goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes.
1992
Pizza appears on the cover of Best of Philly for the first time. It’s one of nine foods that have appeared on a BOP cover, along with ice cream (five times); hot dogs (three times); hoagies, water ice, and cheesecake (twice each); doughnuts; lobster; and a headdress made of fruit. (It was the ’70s, I guess?)
2012
BOP50: Preston & Steve weighed in on tomato pie in 2012. / Photograph by Ben Weldon
In 2012, we slapped four tomato pies down in front of WMMR’s Preston & Steve morning show and had the crew debate their merits live on air. The winner was Norristown’s Corropolese Bakery, of which Preston said, “There’s no better hangover food in the world.” We agree — though we’re a Cacia’s household.
2017
Pizza returned for our 2017 cover, which spotlighted Joe Beddia’s old Fishtown takeout window fare.
To see more of 50 years of Best of Philly, explore our BOP50 rewinds, here.
Published as “BOP 50: Pizza!” in the September 2024 issue of Philadelphia magazine.
