Old Scratch Pizza and baseball a perfect combo
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The "Mr. Scratch" pie and a side of garlic bread at Old Scratch Pizza & Beer in Dayton. Photos: Casey Weldon/Axios
I'm a big pizza guy. If you've seen my waistline expansion over the past few years, you probably already assumed that.
But somehow — despite now living just north of Cincinnati — I had never tried Old Scratch Pizza & Beer.
- That changed when I stopped by Old Scratch after a Dayton Dragons baseball game. (Highly recommend that combo.)
State of play: Old Scratch has quietly become one of the region's most popular spots, with four locations across Southwest Ohio, including Beavercreek, Centerville and Troy.
- Columbus pizza lovers should know Hillard is set to get a location of its own later this year.
Zoom in: The pizzeria leans into Neapolitan-style pies — think blistered, airy crust, a soft center and ingredients that do a lot of the talking.
- It's a far cry from the thin, square-cut cracker crust you'll find at other Dayton staples like Marion's or Cassano's.
The vibe: Old Scratch's aesthetic lands somewhere between industrial brewery and family-friendly eatery.
- There's an open kitchen where you can watch pizzas getting spun and fired in massive ovens. If you like Dewey's, this feels like the next level.
What I ordered: The "Mr. Scratch" with tomato sauce, globs of fresh mozzarella, house-made sausage, caramelized onions and Calabrian chilis.
- A little floppier crust than I usually go for, but the flavors really worked.
The rest of the menu features a range of red and white pies, plus salads, garlic bread and wrap-style sandwiches.
- Local beer flows with several Dayton-brewed favorites on tap or out of the fridge.