Funk Babblings

Growing up in Columbus, most of the pizza, especially from the small non-chain shops, was pretty much the same -- most characteristically, a distinctive thin semi-crisp crust and cut into small rectangles rather than triangles. I've found that people who grew up anywhere east of here aren't so fond of it though.

When I moved up to Canton (130 miles to the northeast), I found it hard to find my favorite style of pizza; the pizzas were more New York style than Columbus style. The only place to get pizza somewhat similar to my favorite style was Donato's, a chain that started in Columbus in the 60s before spreading and then being bought by McDonald's in (I think) the early 90s; it's not exactly like my favorite shops though (Tommy's, Rotolo's, Panzera's). (I also noticed that all the pizza places up there also served fried chicken and smelled like it. This still seems strange and unpleasant to me.)

Now someone's posted a list of various regional pizza styles, and I now know that Columbus-style pizza is part of a midwestern pizza tradition I didn't know about, which also includes Chicago thin-crust pizza.

Where does your favorite pizza fit on that list?