Ah, pizza. Think of how many events and activities at Point Park lure you in with the promise of the delicious yet cheap food that makes up many too many meals in your dorm rooms, apartments and homes. In honor of National Pizza Day — which is today, February 9 — the Feature and Interpretative Writing class this spring want to tell you about their favorite pizza places Downtown and short distances away. Check them out!

Mineo’s Pizza House
The original Mineo’s Pizza House opened for business in 1958 at 2128 Murray Avenue in Squirrel Hill. For the last 64 years, Mineo’s has lived by the quote on its website: “A Pittsburgh family tradition.”
This tradition has stood true for decades, as Mineo’s has plenty of city-wide and even some country-wide awards on the walls of its restaurant. The award-covered white walls have been dyed tan from decades of aging, and the original dark green booths still line the walls of the shop.
The awards that line the walls of the restaurant did not get there by mistake. Mineo’s is well known for having one of the most original pizza recipes in Pittsburgh. This unique recipe makes the trip from Downtown well worth it.
One of its most popular pies is the white pizza. The white pizza is made with no tomato sauce; instead, it is topped with fresh tomatoes and basil. It is in many ways the perfect pizza, as the cool tomatoes provide for a unique texture and flavor profile.
Mineo’s offers many different specialty pizzas as well as a customizable pizza option if you dine in. It also offers excellent wings, and the hoagies are equally impressive. The strong menu has enough desserts to satisfy even the sweetest tooth.
Jamie from Oklahoma stopped by when he was in town and liked it so much that he posted this Yelp review: “Amazing pizza! Best I’ve ever had! Atmosphere & people that work there are incredible! We stumbled upon it by accident & fell in love. Thanks!!”
Location: 2128 Murray Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15217, 412-521-2053
Days/hours of operation: Open seven days a week from 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. Open until midnight on weekends.
Sample menu items: White pizza, Sicilian pizza, homemade meatballs, chicken parm, wedding soup, lasagna dinners, customizable calzones, and homemade cannolis for dessert.
Price range: For pizzas, $14.50-$33
Author: Noah Marshalek

Ron’s Pizza Palace
Ron’s Pizza Palace is perfect if you’re looking for a really tasty, family owned pizza place. Located in Troy Hill, this small pizza joint is sure to satisfy your cravings. With just the right amount of greasiness, this pizza is appealing to anyone.
The pizza sauce is not too sweet and not too bland — just right in the middle! Plus, the regular crust is not too thin or thick. If you prefer a thicker crust, try the Sicilian pizza.
People from all across Pittsburgh agree with me. On Google Reviews, Bob wrote: “I absolutely love this place. The taste is great, and the prices are, too. It’s FRESH… not a frozen pizza shell aimlessly and carelessly tossed into a conveyor oven.”
Another thing: Some restaurants can mess up breadsticks by not adding any flavor to them, but Ron’s doesn’t. Covered in butter and garlic, these breadsticks will make your taste buds smile. The unique thing about them is they are more like bread nuggets than the traditional long breadsticks we’ve come to know (thanks Olive Garden). And they come with marinara sauce for an extra flavor punch.
Say you’re not feeling like Italian food — no problem. Ron’s also offers a juicy burger on the menu, cooked fresh for people to enjoy. Seasoned and cooked correctly, the burgers are just like restaurant-style burgers, but it’s more convenient to add it to your order.
It’s an easy 10-minute bus ride from Downtown to Troy Hill, but Ron’s also delivers. You can call Ron’s or order online through Slice. It’s my family’s regular pizza place, and I highly recommend it!
Location: 1535 Lowrie St. Pittsburgh, PA 15212, 412-231-7699
Hours: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. every day
Sample menu Items: pizza, hoagie, bone-in wings, chicken wraps, chicken tenders, burgers, calzones and salads
Price range: $4-$19.95
Author: Brandon Kurzawski

Pizza Fiesta
In the mood for a real tasty slice of pizza, but don’t want to go too far or pay much for it? Pizza Fiesta is for you, located only a few blocks from campus.
Pizza Fiesta is a college student staple, with student discounts, low prices, delicious food and proximity to campus. The restaurant offers a variety of mouthwatering specialty pizzas, from barbeque and buffalo chicken to steak ranchero. The classic pepperoni pizza is a favorite, covered in crispy pepperoni.
Not a pizza lover? Its buffalo chicken wings are also amazing, having a flavored packed punch in each bite, with a cool, refreshing twist when dipped in ranch sauce. It also offers a boneless version, with the same goodness, for those on the messier side.
Still not hungry? There are tasty gyros and calzones practically the size of a regular pizza. More of a sweet tooth? A variety of fresh made cheesecake and tiramisu desserts are available, with a selection of liter drinks, providing the full party package.
“I’ve been going to Pizza Fiesta ever since freshman year of college, and it has been my go-to place ever since,” said Brant Matiasic, giving Pizza Fiesta a five out of five star review on Google. “The Buffalo chicken pizza is the best around, and the college special is always a great deal when I’m with friends. The workers always give extra ranch, which if you’ve ever had the ranch, it is the best around.”
Location: 14 Smithfield St., Pittsburgh, PA 15222, 412-281-4222
Days/Hours of Operation: Sunday – Thursday 10 a.m. – midnight. (Friday – Saturday 10 a.m. – 2 a.m.
Sample menu items: Cheese, pepperoni, meat lover’s, spinach and feta, buffalo chicken pizza; buffalo wings, fries, cheesy breadsticks, jalapeno poppers, chicken salad, steak hoagies; and plain, strawberry or Oreo cheesecake, tiramisu.
Price range: $4.99-$28.99
Author: Erin Yudt

Fox’s Pizza Den
Are you hungry for a saucy slice, golden brown crust and cheesy goodness we call pizza? Fox’s Pizza Den is the place for you. There are only about two in the area that would probably deliver to Point Park, but there are 200 franchises across 25 different states.
Fox’s has been making addicting pizza since 1971 and has made it with love “From Our Den to Your Den” ever since. Although it may be basic and some people may have a love-hate relationship with it, Fox’s is still made to perfection every time. Thus, it beats the small, locally-owned pizza shops that may not offer as much.
Its most basic menu item is the best item on the menu. It offers more than pizza, but you can never go wrong with an original Fox’s pizza with pepperoni and bacon. The crust is thin, the sauce is thick, the pepperoni is evenly distributed and the bacon is perfectly crumbed across the top.
Along with pizza, it has other savory items that people go crazy for. Kaitlyn E. stated recently on Yelp Reviews, “Fox’s pizza is delicious! I’ve personally never had their pizza at this location, but their hoagies are the best in the area in my opinion.” Other items on the menu are not too expensive, but they aren’t extremely cheap either. College students sometimes struggle with money, Fox’s is more on the affordable side for college students in my opinion.
Location: 6 Bailey Ave., Mt. Washington, 412-381-9300
Hours of operation: Sunday – Thursday 11 a.m. – 11 p.m., and Friday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – midnight.
Sample menu items: mozzarella sticks, bacon cheddar fries, hoagies, wings and salads.
Price range: $5.99-$27.99
Author: Laala Williams

Papa Allen’s Pizza
Located in the heart of Downtown, this little mom and pop pizza spot might seem like a hole-in-the-wall upon first glance. But what Papa Allen’s Pizza lacks in glamor it makes up for in its authentic and delicious meals that leave you wanting more.
Along with its traditional pizza, which is prepared with fresh dough, homemade saporito sauce and quality Italian cheese, Papa Allen’s provides specialty gourmet pizzas that certainly stand out. “Seafood Pizza” features a piece of the ocean, with crabmeat and shrimp on a garlic-sauced crust. For a particularly heavy craving, order the Italian Special pizza, topped with ham, capicola, mushrooms, pepperoni, sausage, bacon and more!
If you’re still in the mood for a piece of Italian cuisine but just can’t stomach another pizza-filled evening, don’t fret. Papa Allen’s has a wide range of alternative meals that are just as delicious, from Tuscan Chicken to Mediterranean. If you’re in the mood for something lighter, try one of the many salads or one of the classic (or gourmet) hoagies. Check out the full menu.
Everyone has had a random midnight craving only to realize so few places are open Downtown. Nicklas V., a Yelp reviewer, reminds us Papa Allen’s Pizza is “100% the best late night delivery pizza that exists in Pittsburgh.”
As an extra incentive, make sure to order online to receive a 10% discount on your order!
Papa Allen’s Pizza is sure to satisfy as a midnight snack, easy dinner delivered to your door or a fun trip with your friends.
Location: 107 Smithfield St., Pittsburgh PA 15222, 412-288-8888
Days/hours of operation: Open every day from 10 – 2 a.m.; open until 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
Sample menu items: Traditional and gourmet pizzas; hoagies, salads, calzones; traditional and specialty pasta; wings, gyros and burgers; and cheesecake
Price range: $4.49 – $26.99
Author: Samantha Hindman

Genoa’s Pizza and Bar
Are you looking for an affordable, delicious pizza place close to campus? Genoa’s Pizza and Bar is located on Market Street, right down the block from Point Park University. This pizza place is a small business that has a wide range of food on the menu and is perfect for an evening out with quick and efficient service and a great staff. It passes the college vibe check, too.
Customer Kyle Wirth wrote a Google review that proves that fast service, so important to college students: “Excellent pizza! While visiting Downtown Pittsburgh with my family, we decided to eat here on a whim, and it did not disappoint. Pizza came out in less than 10 minutes, the crust was soft and flavorful, the sauce was sweet and just the right amount. Good selection of beers as well. Highly recommend visiting if you’re in the area!”
It is the pizza place you will want to frequent because it is open later than most others Downtown, too. It also takes reservations through its website, and order delivery is available through Google.
In addition to the food options, Genoa’s has a wide variety of drinks at the bar, where you can relax with your friends and watch a countless number of live sports games being aired.
Genoa’s pizza is flavorful and all of the food is affordable for college students.
Location: 111 Market St., Pittsburgh PA, 15222, 412-281-6100
Hours: Open until 2 a.m. on the weekdays and 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
Sample menu items: Appetizers, salads, sandwiches, wings, calzones, stromboli, pasta, gyros, calzones and more in addition to pizza.
Price range: $9.49 to $14.99 for regular pizza; gourmet pizzas $14.99-$25.99; other items $1.99 to $20.99.
Author: Natalea Hillen

Cafe Milano
Most Point Park students and Downtown residents can pick from a solid list of pizza shops to snatch a slice from and get a move on during a day of city life. Most students would prefer the more iconic spots Downtown closer to campus, but if you make a small jaunt over to Sixth Street, you’ll find the best slice in town: Cafe Milano’s.
A pizza joint with a sit-down restaurant and bar upstairs, the little shop near the Pittsburgh Trust building has something for everyone. Whether you’re coming in for a sit-down group meal or getting a $3 slice the size of your head to go, the staff can tackle it all.
The choices are solid, with 10 different specialty pizzas and a boat-load of toppings that you can add if you sit down to eat. But if you’re like most college kids and want a more casual setting, you can grab a bottled drink and a standard slice of cheese or pepperoni and take it with you. Also, it has online ordering for those who don’t want to wait.
Along with the pizza, Cafe Milano offers several different Italian meals that are up there with the more popular City of Bridges spots.
The restaurant had a positive review from Pittsburgh resident Johnny Brosh on Google Maps: “We were seated right away, the staff was super friendly, and the food came out fast. The food was just as good as, if not better than Bucca, and also large portions just like Bucca.”
Location: 134 Sixth St., Pittsburgh, PA 15222 412-281-3131
Hours of operation: Sundays through Thursdays, 10 – 12:30 a.m.; Saturdays and Sundays, 10-1:30 a.m.
Sample menu items: Appetizers, salads, traditional pizza and gourmet, calzones, hoagies, wraps, wedgies, pasta and dessert.
Price range: $5.99-$13.99
Author: Mason Strawn