Our hot (cold?) takes: Ohio Valley style pizza
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Six slices of DiCarlo's pepperoni pizza, from the Hilliard location. Photos: Alissa Widman Neese/Axios
👋 Alissa here. We asked you about Ohio Valley pizza with cold toppings and it turns out it is a thing, with DiCarlo's from Steubenville laying claim to its popularity.
- Described by some of you as "adult Lunchables" and "worse than school pizza," but boasting 4.5 stars on Google Reviews, how could I not sample this divisive dish?
My take: I just can't enjoy pizza that crunches, but has slimy pepperonis. I'm sorry. I tried.
- The iconic cold provolone melted before I got the pie home.
The intrigue: Hacks from Google include eating in your car or requesting an extra bag of cold cheese to add at home. Huh. You can also take ingredients home and bake it yourself.
If you go: DiCarlo's offers pickup in Italian Village and Hilliard.
🤔 We wanted an expert opinion, so Tyler turned to State Rep. Ron Ferguson. He's a former TV reporter and longtime DiCarlo's patron whose 96th District covers a swath of the Ohio Valley.
- "That's the best pizza there is," he says, complimenting the use of square pieces over traditional slices.
The bottom line: Nostalgia is a big factor here, and that's OK. My nostalgic guilty pleasures are Kraft Mac & Cheese and Green Day's "American Idiot." Who am I to judge?
Yes, but: Why is nobody talking about DiCarlo's pepperoni rolls? Cheap and delicious!
Bonus: Your responses
"Was raised on Ohio Valley style. Still my favorite!" — Susan C.
"Ohio Valley pizza is definitely a thing and it's worth trying once! My partner is from eastern Ohio and she grew up with it and it's one of her favorites."
- "That said, I think it's a nostalgia thing for anyone I've met who likes it." — Jake B.
"I just think of it as adult Lunchables. Maybe you just have to grow up with it, like Skyline Chili." — Alex K.
"It might be worse than school pizza." — Susan O.
"Cold cheese … bad choice. 😂" — Susan D.