Being transplants from Chicago, we’ve found the task of finding the perfect pizza in Fort Wayne a bit painstaking over the years. Clara’s Pizza King scores high, though it’s not quite there. The crust is perfect, but there’s something funky about the sausage and the cost is exorbitant. Okay, I will admit, we are pretty particular- we won’t eat national chain pizza- too much dough, too much sauce, too much heart burn. We like our crust cracker thin, with just enough sauce to barely cover it.

We were thrilled, though a bit skeptical, when two new pizza places opened downtown- Toscani and 816 Pint & Slice. We’ve been pleasantly surprised by both. Our favorite pie from Toscani is the Meatball. Yup, you guessed it. It has meatballs on it, sliced to about 1/4 of an inch. I enjoy the mild flavor of the meatball compared to an Italian sausage or pepperoni, and I prefer the texture too. The crust is almost thin enough and the sauce, though a little heavy for my taste, has the perfect blend of sweet and spice.

Toscani Meatball Pizza

Our pizza of choice from Pint & Slice is the Margherita- olive oil, Parmesan, fresh basil, Mozzarella and Roma tomatoes. The flavor is outstanding! The crust could use a little work. Though it is thin, it is not crispy. The slice droops when you pick it up, making it almost impossible to eat without a fork, which in my opinion kind of defeats the purpose.

In terms of cost, both are fair, though Toscani, surprisingly, is more affordable than Pint & Slice. I say surprisingly because Toscani is more upscale. I’d go there for a nice date, whereas Pint & Slice is a place to meet your buddies and enjoy a few (or several) beers.

So, while neither are perfect, they are pretty good and will do for now. Here’s hoping a true Chicago-style pizza shows up soon. I’ve almost forgotten what it tastes like. In the meantime, we will keep searching. What’s your favorite pizza place in town?