Stone Neapolitan Pizzeria Review

Stone Neapolitan Pizzeria in Pittsburgh, PA
Photo Credit: Ryan Magnuson/Mealtime With Mags

The month of August has started out with a bang, as I got to travel to cities I have never been to before for some baseball and great food. This post is the first in a seven post series, highlighting all of the great local restaurants I visited during my time in Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. On our first day in The Steel City, my friends and I traveled to the downtown area to explore. Having been in a car for several hours, we were hungry and decided to make a stop at a local pizza joint called Stone Neapolitan Pizzeria.

Wood-fired Oven
Photo Credit: Ryan Magnuson/Mealtime With Mags

Opened by Pennsylvania native Rick Werner in 2012, Stone has been serving up authentic Neapolitan-style pizza to Pittsburgh natives and out-of-towners for the past couple years, and is said to have been the first casual joint of its kind in the entire state. They are known for their fresh ingredients and insanely quick cook time, around 90 seconds to cook a pie, which gives visitors a quality meal to enjoy during the course of their busy day. Stone’s menu features a number of pizza options, including house pies and create your own pie, and non-pizza options, including sandwiches, salads, and a number of beer/wine options. One can expect to spend anywhere from $5 to $12 on any of the menu items, special or additional ingredients costing extra. The pricing is not only fair, but is more than worth it based on the quality that goes into anything you would eat.

The atmosphere of Stone was sleek and cool, with tall windows and high ceilings making the space seem larger than it was. Wood paneling on the walls and ceilings were also contributors to the unique feel of the space. The coolest thing about the space is the large wood-fired oven in the corner of the cooking area. It gives one the feeling of being in an authentic pizza place. Being in the middle of the hustle and bustle of downtown Pittsburgh with all of the businesses and such makes it accessible to the masses. Ample indoor and outdoor seating gives visitors a great view of the downtown as well.

Fresh Pepperoni and Hot Sauage Pizza
Photo Credit: Ryan Magnuson/Mealtime With Mags

I wanted my first official meal in Pittsburgh to be a special one, so I was hoping to find something unique and special. Stone was this and more. Truthfully, it changed the way I looked at pizza for the better. I selected the Create Your Own Pizza option, which was broken down into three steps. Step One, Choose Your Base, gave me three options for my pizza base: Marinara (no cheese), Margherita (sauce and fresh mozzarella), and Bianca (oil with no sauce). Step Two, Choose Your Oil, gave me the option of choosing from various oils, garlic, or chili to top my pizza base. Step Three, Choose Your Toppings, gave me a number of different topping options for $1 each (pepperoni, mild or hot sausage, salami, roasted red pepper, etc.), specialty toppings like prosciutto costing $3 each. For my pie, I went with the Margherita (fresh mozzarella, real tomato sauce, and fresh basil), fresh garlic, and pepperoni and hot sausage as toppings. The hand tossed crust was light and airy, easily the best crust I have ever had, and I could tell how fresh it was even if I had not just witnessed the worker tossing it. The cheese was fresh and ample, but not too heavy, and the sauce was light and non-acidic, standing out in a good way. The garlic was noticeable, but attributed well to the pizza’s authentic taste. The pepperoni and hot sausage were added bonuses to the already great taste, both fresh with outstanding flavor. The fact that I was able to get a pizza of this quality within 10 minutes for the minimal price of $9 was the most unbelievable part of the whole experience. I'm always looking for great food at a great price, so finding gems like Stone is special to me. 

Not having pizza like this around me makes me miss Pittsburgh that much more, but it gives me more of a reason to go back. If you are ever in the downtown Pittsburgh area and are looking for a place to get some of the best pizza you will ever eat, check out Stone Neapolitan Pizzeria at 300 Liberty Avenue, Suite 100 Pittsburgh, PA 15222.  

Ryan Magnuson is a Baseball/Food Writer from the Chicagoland Area