POLL: Battle of the Margherita pizzas

Ah, the Margherita pizza. A true culinary icon. A pillar of authentic Italian flavor. A simple, delicate pie that has withstood the tests of time.

A traditional Margherita pizza, or Pizza Margherita, boasts three essential ingredients: red sauce, mozzarella cheese, and basil. Traditionalists will say the sauce should be made of freshly peeled tomatoes, the cheese sliced not shredded, and the crust thin and crispy. Other common features include a drizzle of olive oil or a sprinkling of parmesan.

Of course, every restaurant serving up these famous pies has its own take. And true Margherita aficionados are sure to have their preference for which ingredients and processes are key to achieving pizza excellence. So we went ahead and rounded up the Margherita pizzas that are part of Pizza & Beer Week, and it’s up to you to determine which one is the very best.

There are six total—perfect for one per day through the duration of the event. Your challenge: Check out this list of locations, plan which day you’ll try each Margherita creation, and then come back and vote in the poll at the end of this article!

P.S. Pizza & Beer Week starts in just a few days! It’s a whole week of $8 and $10 pizza deals and beer specials. So while you’re checking out these Margherita pizzas, make sure you check out all the other participating restaurants and menus and start planning your stops! All the saucy, cheesy goodness plus how to win a YEAR of FREE PIZZA is at EAT614.com.

Beer Barrel – Dublin, Easton, Hilliard
It’s called “Thin and Crispy style”, so either the crust is spot-on for a classic Margherita, or they’ve taken an even crispier approach. The tomato selection is a California crushed plum variety—fancy. As a cheesy bonus, Beer Barrel has opted to add that sprinkle of parm atop the fresh mozzarella and chopped basil.

Borgata – Worthington & Parksville Street
We’ve got the fresh trifecta: Heirloom tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and fresh basil. Then we’ve got the special addition of an extra virgin olive oil drizzle to take things to the next level.

Grandview Cafe
Alright, this one goes a little off the rails. Shredded mozzarella and provolone? Dare we call it Margherita? Taking things a step further, this pie doubles up the tomato component with both house-made sauce and slices. Don’t worry, basil is present…but so are garlic and olive oil.

Harvest – Bexley, Dublin, Clintonville, Front Street
Back to basics. Just tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and torn basil. We would expect nothing more, nothing less from Harvest’s gourmet pizzaiolos.

Shots & Slices
Fresh Roma tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and fresh basil. Another option that caters to the traditionalists! Sometimes it’s the simplest ingredient combinations that make your taste buds sing.

Mid City Garage
Alright, so it’s not technically a Margherita Pizza, but we think the Caprese pizza from Mid City Garage deserves a spot in the competition, because it covers all of the basics, but also goes a little beyond. On this pie you’ll find sliced tomato, fresh mozzarella, and basil, but it’s the balsamic reduction and garlic oil that really grabbed our attention.

Now, time to vote for your favorite!

[yop_poll id=”15″]

BROUGHT TO YOU BY