March 25th, 2016
Philadelphia, PA
I can’t believe that I somehow missed posting about Tacconelli’s back in 2016. Back on the original list (2015), Tacconelli’s was ranked in at #63. It disappeared from the 2016 and 2017 lists, but made it back on the 2018 list at #60.
Tacconelli’s is a Philadelphia classic, having been making pizzas since right after WWII. The restaurant is much older and the brick oven has been used in the family for baking and selling bread since 1918. They started making tomato pies, which had a lot of sauce and very little cheese. The restaurant is now on its 5th generation of owners, but it is still a one-oven, one-man operation.
Because there is only one pizza maker and one oven for baking the pizzas, the best way to make sure that you get a pizza is to call ahead and reserve your dough. They serve pizzas from 4:30 pm onwards, but you can call ahead as early as 10 am.
When we went, we tried the recommended white pie with spinach and fresh tomatoes. The crust was charred as much as a New Haven pie. The crust was thin, and they didn’t skimp on the toppings, although they recommend that you not order more than two toppings per pizza. Not too cheesy, either.
We were glad that we had called ahead here and reserved our dough. Usually, they sell out of dough well before closing. When we got there, we saw that many families would reserve two doughs and take one to go. That’s a really great idea that we may copy next time. Also, because they only can make one pizza at a time, you should be prepared to wait a bit for your pizza. Fortunately, they let you bring your own salad, and beer and wine! We didn’t do this and we were starving by the time our pizza came.
Two other pieces of information that you should know. First, they are closed on Monday and Tuesday. Second, the original location is in Port Richmond in Philadelphia. There is another location in Maple Shade, NJ. This is run by a Tacconelli family member, but is NOT associated with the original.
We should really go back here soon. We know so many people who grew up ordering this pizza, and it’s hard to believe that we’ve only been there once. Especially now that it is back on the Best Pizzas list!
To visit:
The Original Tacconelli’s Pizza
2604 E. Somerset Street
Philadelphia, PA 19134
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