Jan 10, 2022 - Food and Drink

What is Columbus style pizza, anyway?

Alissa Widman Neese

A Columbus style pepperoni pizza on a table with an orange and white checkered tablecloth — A 16" Columbus style pepperoni pizza from Minelli's Pizza on the West Side. Photo: Alissa Widman Neese/Axios

👋 Alissa here. Y'know, it's hard to be a fan of thick pizza crust in Columbus.

The intrigue: I moved here six years ago but only recently learned that apparently everyone serves "Columbus style pizza" — cracker thin, cut into squares, with edge-to-edge toppings.

There's plenty of debate, though, about whether it's a real thing or evidence of our city's identity crisis.

A while back, I asked for pizza recommendations and a few of you mentioned this too. In honor of National Pizza Week, I decided to try a 55-year-old staple.

🙏 Thanks to subscriber Chris Jackson for suggesting Minelli's, 1189 N. Wilson Road!

What I ate: A classic large pepperoni pizza. Cheesy, greasy, crispy. Zesty and delicious.

My take: OK, maybe I can be converted …

🍕 If you're a fan of thick crust, try my usual spot — Sparano's, 3590 Trabue Road. It's still Columbus style, but a little fluffier.

Their speciality: Heavy Duty Pizza topped with pepperoni, sausage, ham, mushrooms, onions, green peppers, banana peppers and extra cheese.

📬 What do you think? Did you grow up eating Columbus style pizza? Who does it best? Email [email protected] and let us know.

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What is Columbus style pizza, anyway?

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