Josie's Pizza

Ninth Stop on the Pizza Tour:
Josie's Pizza
952 West Broad Street
Columbus, Ohio 43222
Our trip to Josie's started on an interesting note. For those who do not know, there are two Josie’s on West Broad Street. This detail caused some serious confusion in my car. I was riding with future Doctor Scott and we went to the most western Josie's on West Broad. This Josie’s is located in the Hilltop and had bars in the windows and a very rough crowd (thank god Scott was there). After taking a quick look inside, Scott and I decided we were in the wrong place and reversed course. We headed about 5 miles east on Broad Street and found the Josie’s on the west side of Columbus. Josie’s was kind of a hole in the wall place in a brick building and has a plain yellow sign with red block lettering that simply says, “JOSIE'S PIZZA.” Anyway, due to getting lost Scott and I were the last to join David, Robbie and Sarah for the tour stop. When I walked in I saw a fine place with a minor drawback that Josie's does not sell beer. Oddly, they have all kinds of pop. For example I had a Mountain Dew and David had a Mello Yellow, so no allegiance to Coke or Pepsi at Josie's. Finally it was time to decide what kind of pizza to order. As usual, we had to have the standard pepperoni but that would not be enough for all five us. We consulted with our waitress and she guided us towards a supreme and a medium B-L-T pizza with ranch on the side. At this point I should mention we had five people at a table that was probably better suited for three so when our pizza arrived there was not much space for it. The pepperoni arrived first. The pepperoni looked like a cheese pizza upon arrival and I was a little bit concerned. However, upon a closer review the pepperoni was baked underneath the cheese (see picture above). There was not an overwhelming amount of pepperonis on the pizza but an adequate amount of pepperoni was there for a very good pizza. Once again the pizza was a thin crust cut into square pieces (A Kenny Special). Shortly following the pepperoni arrival were our other two pizzas. The B-L-T looked like a pile of lettuce with a pizza underneath. Of course I had to try a few pieces and by brushing away some lettuce to get down to a reasonable amount of lettuce and a little bit of ranch it was a very good pizza. Not to get sidetracked, but is there anything that isn’t going to be good that involves bacon, cheese and ranch? The supreme had to be positioned on the table behind us due to real estate limitations. The supreme was piled high with all the toppings, probably a half inch taller than the pepperoni, and each bite was perilous with many topping falling off, but the end result was delicious. Of the three pizzas we had, the supreme was my favorite. In summary, Josie's was a nice place and I could see myself eating there again, especially since my office is a mere 5 minutes away. I think the consensus on the pepperoni was a 6.5 out of 10 square pies.

Plank's Cafe & Pizzeria

Eighth Stop on the Pizza Tour:
Plank's Cafe & Pizzeria
743 Parsons Avenue
Columbus, OH 43206
Plank's Cafe is a Columbus landmark which I have frequented since I was a small child. It is a family owned spot on the eastern border of German Village that attracts a good crowd of loyal patrons from all over the city. On some nights, I find my second grade teacher, whose father founded Plank's, managing the floor. In any case, on to the pizza review. We had a relatively strong crowd at the eighth stop, including the commissioners, Katy, Cari, Lauren, and Drew. Lauren is not a fan of the sweet pizza pie sauce, so she ordered a salad with fried chicken on it. That is all I will say about that scene. The others ordered three pies, a pepperoni, of course, a cheese, and a brat. None of us had ever had bratwurst pie, so when we noticed it on the menu, we ordered up. The pizza at Plank's is thin crust, traditional square pie, with a sweetness to it, I think in both the sauce and the crust. It is and has been one of my favorite pizza joints in the city for a long time, and is always a good time. The group as a whole liked the pie, especially Cari. If atmosphere were a strong weight on the ratings this place would be off the charts. It is decorated wall to wall with Buckeyes sports memorabilia, as well as other Ohio high school, college, and professional sports gear. If you are a Columbus native or resident, Plank's is a must to visit. The pizza is strong, and I rate it at 7 out of 10 slices.

Bexley Pizza Plus

Seventh Stop on the Pizza Tour:
Bexley Pizza Plus
2651 East Main Street
Bexley, OH 43209
Bexley Pizza Plus is the rival of Rubino's in terms of pizza in Bexley. For most in the area, its one or the other, but for others, like myself, they can eat both and be happy. My wife and I often find ourselves picking up pizza from both places in one trip because we cannot choose one over the other. This might seem a little foolish, but keep in mind that they are literally next door to eachother, making them not cross-town rivals, but cross-alley rivals. While I give a slight advantage to Rubino's in terms of pizza, BPP has two distinct advantages: 1) they sell beer, and 2) they have outdoor seating. Stan, Katy and I wandered over to BPP on a nice June evening and ordered a pepperoni pie and a couple of cold Bud Lights and anxiously waited out on one of their patio tables. While I was a little miffed that I had failed to order the maximum pep specialty pizza, instead ordering a regular pepperoni, it was still tasty. If I had my scene straight, I would have ordered the maximum pep, which includes a heavy combo of two types of pepperoni, margherita and mini, making for a delicious pizza, which I highly recommend. BPP is a good family joint where you can slug a couple beers with your pizza and do some people watching on Main Street in Bexley on on the patio, and I give it 6 out of 10 slices. My only problem with BPP is that every time I dine in or carry out, I find myself wondering if I should have gone to Rubino's instead. Either way, its a win on tour.