As the fellas entered their late thirties (and forties), they decided it might be best to move away from the annual drunken Columbus, Ohio pub crawl, and adopt a more responsible pizza crawl instead. The now infamous 2022 pizza crawl saw a valiant effort to keep the focus on pizza tasting, but was interrupted by an overindulgence in the afternoon hours, and some unfortunate alcohol-induced regurgitation into the bush of a suburban front yard later that evening.
Alas! Za Crawl ’23 saw a core crew of four high school buddies planning a five-stop pizza tour that would hit newcomers and old favorites alike. They used an AI tool to collect seventeen potential stops around town, and each member voted on their top five preferred pizzerias. Rather than overcomplicate a ranking system, the boys decided to score each stop generally on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the “best.” Best in Columbus? Best pizza ever? Best of the five stops that night? No one knows. Just go with it, mkay?
| Name | Address | total | ||||
| Paulie Gee’s Short North | 1195 N High St, Columbus, OH 43201 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Harvest Bar | Bexley | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Rubinos | bexley | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Plank’s Cafe & Pizzeria | 743 Parsons Ave, Columbus, OH 43206 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |
| Aracri Pizzareia | 51 E Gay St, Columbus, OH 43215 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |
| Hounddog’s Pizza | 2657 N High St, Columbus, OH 43202 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| Mikey’s Late Night Slice | 268 S 4th St, Columbus, OH 43215 | 1 | 1 | |||
| Bexley Pizza Plus | Bexley | 1 | 0 | 1 | ||
| Dewey’s Pizza | 1327 W 5th Ave, Columbus, OH 43212 | 1 | 1 | |||
| Carsonie’s Stromboli & Pizza | 1725 W Lane Ave, Columbus, OH 43221 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Natalie’s Grandview | 945 King Ave, Columbus, OH 43212 | Bonus | 0 | 0 | ||
| Harvest Bar + Kitchen – Brewery District | 940 S Front St, Columbus, OH 43206 | 1 | 1 | |||
| Pizza Rustica | 17 S High St, Columbus, OH 43215 | 1 | 1 | |||
| Borgata Pizza Cafe Budd Dairy | 1086 N 4th St, Columbus, OH 43201 | 1 | 1 | |||
| Tommy’s Pizza | 1350 W Lane Ave, Columbus, OH 43221 | 1 | 1 | |||
| Adriatico’s New York Style Pizza | 1618 Neil Ave, Columbus, OH 43201 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Mama Nancy’s Pizza | 3495 E Broad St, Columbus, OH 43213 | 0 | 0 |
Stop #1 – Paulie G’s Short North – Score: 7.50
1195 North High Street
Columbus, OH 43201
They met at Paulie G’s when the doors opened at 4pm. The interior of this newer pizzeria boasts a hip aesthetic, and a rotating menu of draft beers that included an assortment of local and imported ales, lagers, pilsners and IPAs. To start things off, the guys ordered the Pep & Burrata Square.
The pizza is baked in a detroit style crust, and the toppings were hearty and flavorful. The pizza is made most distinct from others due to the addition of Mike’s Hot Honey, which added a subtle sweetness to contrast nicely the zesty tones of this delicious pie.
Stop #2 – Rubino’s of Bexley – Score: 4.88
2643 E. Main Street
Bexley, Ohio 43209
Next stop was Rubino’s of Bexley, a staple since 1954 known for its crunchy thin crust pizza and no nonsense, old school atmosphere. The landmark is easy to find due to the large retro neon sign out front. Be forewarned this shop is cash only and serves only water or canned soda. The fellas kept it simple with a large pep and cheese that was annihilated so quickly the photographer almost missed grabbing a shot.
Per the description above, the pizza at Rubino’s was straight forward no nonsense thin crust pizza. The seasoning used on the pepperoni delivered a big time punch of flavor. The interior of the restaurant gave out a cool 1950’s diner vibe. Definitely a must-stop shop for any pizza enthusiast. Although Rubino’s ranked last in the lineup, it was up against some heavy competition. And it’s impossible to compare apples-to-apples the Detroit style pizza of Paulie G’s to a thin crust pie at Rubino’s. Give us a break, we’re doing our best.
Stop #3 – Harvest Pizzeria Bexley – Score: 6.38
2376 E Main St,
Bexley, OH 43209
The third stop had the boys taking a brief trot down the street to Harvest Pizzeria Bexley. Harvest has four locations around the Columbus area and are known for their specialty pizzas & craft cocktails in a cheerful, modern setting. After the waitress briefly assisted the fellas with a camera issue, they put in an order for a large Spicy Yuma Pizza.
This was a strong pie, made most distinct by the chipotle-spiked tomato sauce. Less spicy than this writer would prefer, the unique combination of ingredients provided a well-rounded pie that placed Harvest at a solid third place for the evening. The score likely impacted by the clean but rather unremarkable interior of the restaurant, particularly when compared to the unique character of the old staples on this tour.
Stop #4 – Aracri Pizzeria – Score: 5.09
51 E Gay St,
Columbus, OH 43215
Fourth on the tour was Aracri Pizzeria, a downtown gem that has served the Columbus area for over 30 years. Aracri is known for its New York style pies, and its classic Italian recipes. The boys were joined by several others at this stop, and ordered two large pies for the table: the Margherita and the Meatlovers.
If the crew were to score on atmosphere and service alone, they’d likely give Aracri a 8-9 out of 10. But we’re dealing with some serious za critics here. One crew member, when asked for their thoughts on the pie, replied simply with “…Meh.” Again, on its own, Aracri makes a solid pie. But when your baseline is Paulie G’s, a relatively simple Margherita or Meatlovers thin crust recipe won’t move the needle. Aracri placed forth out of the five stops on this tour.
Stop #5 – Plank’s Cafe & Pizzeria – Score: 7.73
743 Parsons Ave,
Columbus, OH 43206
Last stop on the tour had the group cruise down to the German Village to stop at the legendary Plank’s Cafe & Pizzeria, a pizza joint older than the German Village itself, founded shortly after the Prohibition era by Walter Plank in 1939. Now run by the third generation of Planks — brothers Tom and John, and sister Mary — Planks offers a gathering place for locals and pizza enthusiasts alike. The interior is lined with sports pennants and memorabilia, largely decorated by memorabilia from various Ohio teams, including Ohio State Buckeyes football. Large photos of current and past Ohio State football head coaches line the dining room walls.
The crew, now nine people deep, ordered several pies at Plank’s, including the Hot Stuff, the Hawaiian, and the White Pizza. Plank’s boasts a large bar area with big screen TVs and had several beers on tap, largely national domestic brews with a few imports.
After agreeing that pineapple on pizza is amazing and anyone who doesn’t agree is stupid, the crew put in the orders and were soon sampling an awesome variety of pizza. The Hot Stuff pie was a group favorite. A generous application of jalapeño peppers and crushed red pepper made this pizza live up to its name. The sweet and tangy flavors contrasted with the zesty sauce of the Hawaiian pie made this recipe a popular pick at the table as well. The rustic old town atmosphere, the polite and speedy service, and the tasty pies landed Plank’s at the top of our list, the unanimous winner for Pizza Crawl 2023.
