Scarsdale Pizza Station
Located behind large apartment buildings and right along side the train line, the Scarsdale Pizza Station is a few blocks removed from the town center.  Large stone steps lead up to this small premises.  Dark wood accents with artifacts of restaurant memorabilia scattered around gives it a nice cozy, welcoming atmosphere. The other patrons have to be either family or close friends due to the warm conversation. A nice find in my mind. Hopefully their slice is a nice find for my appetite.

Cheese 4/5- Plentiful very nice savor, with light sweet

Sauce 1/5- little to nothing there

Under crust 3/5- two hands necessary but its a large slice. not crispy but has a good oven bake.

Crust 5/5- very crispy outside, hot fluffy inside, great crust.

Price 0/5- $2.95… what!?

Amore Pizza
Had to drive to the other side of Scarsdale to a small strip mall on Weaver Street. So, I guess this is the countryside of scarsdale… plenty of seating but even still half their location is dedicated to the back kitchen so I’m guessing the rest of their menu is more than cabable of impressing. With a brick wall side, the wooden booths have a nice aesthetic for old time style. I grab my slices from two very friendly workers and get to the good part.

Cheese 4/5- very salty/savory, with a slight tang. freshly made mozzarella is almost liquid when heated up. and this stuff is oozing everywhere

Sauce 5/5- dark chunky with basil seasoning.  great flavor

Under crust 1/5- sloppy mess. no oven bake.

Crust 3/5- thick and doughy lightly cooked with little crisp

Price 3/5- $2.75  reasonable for the great fresh ingredients that I know are used

The Verdict
If your shopping around Scarsdale your going to be spending big bucks regardless and with Central Park Avenue right over the hill from the town center, with all the travel, you probably will be working up an appetite. When that happens and you start feeling the need for a slice in your life; go to Amore Pizza (16/25) over Scarsdale Pizza Station (13/25). If you happen to be on foot in town, Sacrsdale Pizza Station is the closest bet for a quick fix to your pizza needs.

Thanks for reading. Vote and comment please. Long live the slice!

Nicky’s Pizzeria

I love the look of this place as soon as I approach it. Directly on top of the train station it even has a wooden stick out sign to compliment its train locale. Its a close quarters place but there are plenty of seats. Lots of hustle and bustle over classic black and white tiles that I love to see. Feels like a real New York City pizzeria with the pin up letters menu, lots of red accents, and Coca-Cola advertisements. I almost forget that I’m here for the food… almost.

Most unique neon sign I’ve seen for a pizzeria ^

Gum ball machine? total win… the place even still has a pay phone.^

Cheese 2/5- melty and sweet but not too savory.

Sauce 4/5- this medium to dark sauce has a slight sprinkle of seasoning to it and has a rich and unique taste compared to most slices I taste

Under-crust 5/5- I didn’t think anybody would rival Mamaroneck’s Joe’s pizza under-crust, but this oven fresh, grainy texture, incredible tasting piece of pie perfection gives it a run for the money

Crust 4/5- only the first bite is crispy but the crust is densely chewy almost like cheese which only fresh dough can achieve

Price 1/5- $2.75 … ugh. They coulda been a contenda

Leonardo’s Pizza and Pasta

Located in a small strip mall the place has a lot of space for seating and has a wide open kitchen. Classic Italian music plays on the speakers pieces such as Godfather theme, Italian folk and even a personal favorite in Luciano Pavarotti. I almost think it gimmicky until I see one of them singing along. Ok you pass my B.S. meter. So, I settle down, waste no time and take my first bite before I even take my first picture!

Cheese 2/5- salty and savory

Sauce 5/5- full flavor yet light feeling in your mouth. Great life to the length and depth of flavor.

Under-crust 3/5- crispy beginning turns chewy as I go along light flour flavor. no oven bake

Crust 3/5- large and chewy with a little crisp on the outside.

Price 2/5- $2.70 this still qualifies as a terrible price. Its better by default

The Verdict
Larchmont is a curious town to me. Similar appearance to Rye with the mom and pop stores (some really nice food spots too) but the town seems to be separated into two parts; one downtown by the train station and another part is a long walk down Chatsworth Avenue. I have to say I was freezing cold walking around all over for this mission so readers, please feel sorry for me. The result of my struggle is Nicky’s pizza (16/25) beating Leonardo’s (15/25) by a single point although in terms of an experience, Nicky’s is far better than Leonardo’s.  Centered in the downtown area and the only reason it was a close call was a default win on the price category. Nicky’s wins anyway but it should be a no-doubter in my mind.

Thank you for reading all the way to the bottom. Please let me know what you think of my write-up. Vote and comment your Larchmont pizza experience.

Sunrise Pizza

Two gentleman speak Italian to each other as I order my slice. It reminds me of a friendlier age of everyone knowing everyone and asking about the family. The decor is clean and plain but the old building harkens back to a previous century and has wide windows that give a great peek at one of the main intersections in the town of rye.

Cheese 2/5- soft melty with lots of oil and a hint of savory

Sauce 2/5- slight seasoning with light sweet notes

Under-crust 3/5- soft and flexible. has a good oven bake taste. thin and two hands are necessary

Crust 2/5- soft and fresh but no crispiness. middle of the road flavor with smoky oven feel

Price 1/5- $2.75 not looking to spend that kind of coin anywhere for a slice

Al Dente

Tucked away behind one of the smaller streets is Al Dente, the youthful alternative pizza store in the neighborhood. I don’t think one of the people I saw working was over the age of 30. Cozier, coffee shop feel, with a garage door front being a huge “you can eat HERE” factor. Very warm, with bright lights but that might just be the holidays… time to get cozy with some za bro.

Cheese 1/5- tangy with nice brown tinges. not very savory or sweet.

Sauce 3/5- medium strength. great smashed tomatoes taste. remainder of smashed tomatoes still in the sauce. Homemade always appreciated

Under-crust 4/5- only one hand needed to enjoy this very crispy with smokey oven taste. It gets softer as you go deeper into the slice which is a really nice touch

Crust 0/5- looks promising but its size is just air with all crunch and no to old breadstick flavor and texture

Price 2/5- $2.50 right around the boundary of too expensive

The Verdict

When a town has the one of oldest amusement parks in America it’s hard to go wrong. Rye is a very old colonial town with a rich tradition and beautiful small business stores throughout the downtown. Mom and pop grew up here and so did you. Great town to check out, but I have to say the pizza is below average. Both Sunrise Pizza and Al Dente tied with 10/25 which equates to very forgettable. Don’t feel bad if you miss out on any of the pizza stores here but do use that time to check out all the rest of the sights and sounds.

Thank you for reading. Please comment if you have an opinion and vote on your favorite spot for pizza in Rye.

Joe’s Pizza

It’s snuggled in-between all the other buildings on Mamaroneck Avenue.  Easy to miss, but just as easy to notice.  Red brick greets you on the outside, which makes you feel like you are stepping into the oven itself.  Plenty of regulars come and go; sports talk being the political conversation of the day.  Forget the knife-and-fork deal: old school decor with small, simple furnishing welcomes you to grab that  quick bite with your buddy.  The people who go there… go There.

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Sauce (2/5) again the seasoning helps out with a mellow sauce.

Under Crust ( 5/5) crispy with the bite. doughy when chewing. only need one hand to devour this perfect undercrust.

Crust (5/5) has that sharp freshness to go with  a big doughy center with an excellent tan crispy outside.

Price (3/5) 2.25 almost the two dollar bargain-deal mark. but still a fair price for a great slice

Sal’s Pizzeria
Welcome to the big leagues, in terms of pizza. The classic red awning. The long counter. To-go boxes to the heavens. This IS pizza heaven to many people across Westchester. It’s an established landmark of Mamaroneck since 1964. You’re bound to run into someone you know. There is plenty of seating but that doesn’t mean you are guaranteed to find any empty. Anything here can satisfy the most specific of tastes, but I order the plain slice and pray to the pizza gods for a seat.

Sal’s slice

Cheese (5/5) the backbone of their fame. have I ever tasted mozz before? I don’t think I have after this melted, ultra sweet start with a savory stringy fun end.

Sauce (3/5) little darker than the norm. rich but not much there.

Under Crust (2/5) chewy and flexible. two hands on deck needed. no noticeable texture.

Crust (3/5) chewy center inside of a brown thin crispy crust. has a soft taste of the oven which adds a real homemade feel.

Price (3/5) 2.25 is again a fair deal. but we NYers wanna win at everything especially the price.

The Verdict
Joe’s pizza lands a huge hit (18/25) over Sal’s pizzeria (16/25). Ladies and gentlemen… the best plain slice in Mamaroneck can be found at Joe’s Pizza! Now, before the angry mob shows up at my door I can definitely say Sal’s can hit back with the rest of their entire menu. Yes, yes I  DO know the Sicilian is incredible (it won “Best of Westchester” magazine’s best Sicilian).  Plus the environment is second to none in the area. Plenty to do in Mamaroneck with the harbor a short walk away. It’s time to add Joe’s pizza to your to-do list for the NY slice.

Thanks for reading! Of course, please take the time to vote on your favorite and comment a recommendation if you think someone else can top these big dogs of Mamaroneck.