Old Town Pizza
150 Sacramento Street
Auburn, California 95603
(530) 888-7600
otpizza.net
With a third location opening this summer, the greater Sacramento-area pizza company has hit its stride winning
the region’s “best of” honors consecutively. No. 80 on Pizza Today’s Hot 100 Independents list, OTP is famous for its mozzarella and garlic stuffed breadsticks (a small is $5). Its menu sports some interesting alternatives like the Pizza Burrito – a smaller version of a calzone ($6), and the Wrap Dog – an all-beef hot dog wrapped in pizza dough with cheese and two toppings ($5). They do not over shadow OTP’s main attraction specialty pizzas, like the Firehouse with sausage, green and red bell pepper and fresh jalapeño ($24 for a 14-inch).
The Pizza Peel
340 5th Street
Lacon, Illinois 61540
(309) 246-7400
zapeel.com
The small-town pizzeria is a testament to an awesome staff that hasn’t skipped a beat while owner Travis Guthman has been recovering from an auto accident several months ago. Its menu offers a mix of apps, pizzas (classic, signature and ultimate), sandwiches, calzones, salads and desserts. The Kitchen Sink pizza is a popular one with pepperoni, ham, Italian sausage, beef, fresh mushrooms, green pepper, red onion, black and green olives. The Dylan is cheese bread with cheddar and bacon ($6.49). The Pizza Peel also offers a chocolate chip calzone ($5.99).
Pizzeria Seven Twelve
320 S. State Street #185
Orem, Utah 84058
(801) 623-6712
pizzeria712.com
Pizzeria 712 is committed to sourcing locally and highlighting its farming partners right on its menus, Web site and social media. An open kitchen invites customers to see its wood-fired oven creations. The focused menu offers “a little something” small plates, greens and eight pizzas. One pie features speck, soppressata, garlic, tomato sauce and mozzarella for $16. Another is topped with gran biscotto ham, preserved fig, Gorgonzola, caramelized onion and rosemary for $17.
