Welcome back to “Phoenixville by the Slice,” the column dedicated to one thing only. This month, I helped myself to another Phoenixville Pie from Valley Forge Ristorante & Pizzeria.
Not too much of a stretch from Bridge Street, just up Route 23, you’ll find Valley Forge Ristorante & Pizzeria, home to a number of awards:
- Voted #1 Pizza in the whole Philadelphia area. (Citysearch)
- Voted Best Pasta in Chester County. (Philadelphia Inquirer)
- Voted Best Italian Restaurant in the whole Philly Area. (Citysearch)
- Voted Best Pizza 2011 in Phoenixville, Collegeville, Pottstown Area. (The Phoenix)
Well, I’ve sampled a number of pizza slices in the last few months, getting my fair share of variety. I was anxious to put my palate to the test and see if these pies were indeed, truly award-winning. I arrived on the scene, hungry, camera charged and ready to roll.
It’s been awhile since I’ve stepped foot in the Valley Forge Ristorante & Pizzeria. So where exactly is it? Is it really in Valley Forge? Well, it may be a little ways from my past stops, but it’s still considered Phoenixville. And being a Phoenixville Pizza Column, I have to try them all!
Valley Forge Ristorante & Pizzeria is nestled on the corner of the Shoppes at Pickering Place, a tiny strip of businesses located right off of Valley Forge Road. Normally, I frequent my favorite spot for muffins at, well, My Favorite Muffin, but it has been years since I grabbed a bite on the other end of the strip, and it has surely changed since my last visit. This is no longer a run of the mill pizza joint with booths and displays of pies behind the counter, but a rather nicely lit, refined restaurant.
The owner of Valley Forge Ristorante & Pizzera, Chronis Sapalidis, was very excited to see me and made very well sure I got the full tour of the place. I followed him into the patio section, nicely decked out with a welcoming fireplace, already blazing. I followed him to the kitchen, which is constantly on the go with foot traffic and pies being slid into the oven. And finally, the front corner, where wine glasses were ready and polished for BYOB while the bottles chilled in the coolers. Throw in some art and mounted waterfalls for good measure and I’m just about sold on this place for looks alone.
Chronis made sure I caught it all on camera and it’s that type of enthusiasm that showcases his love for what he does and confidence in those achievements. Let’s just see if these accomplishments include truly award-winning pizza.
When my guest finally arrived, the pies piled out one at a time, one looking more engaging then the last! Thank goodness I arrived with an appetite. By the time the last pie made it to the table, there was barely enough room for my own plate!
Delivered to us first was a Plain Pizza, looking well balanced with its gooey blend of cheeses, sauce, and golden colored crust baked to perfection. And how can you tell you have in your hand the perfect slice? Chronis demonstrated that when you hold the slice by the crust and it points out straight, not drooping, that’s when you know you have it done right.
Much like the plain, followed a Pita Pizza, a miniature version of the Plain on Pita bread. Chronis mentioned it was perfect as an appetizer or size for a child.
And without hesitation, Chronis then slid in a few specialties to complete the experience:
Margherita Pizza — this version arrived on a whole wheat flat bread with sweet flavored tomato sauce, Buffalo Cheese and Basil
Greek Pizza — replacing sauce with tomatoes, this pie is loaded with onions, green peppers, mushrooms, spinach, sprinkled with feta and layered beneath with pizza cheese
Chicken Florentine — a flavorful white pizza topped with bite size chicken, roasted pepper, and spinach baked in the cheese
So how good were these pies? Well, I not only made sure I sampled a slice of each, granted they were small, ten inchers, I went for a second round of slices and for some varieties, a third. Maybe more then I should have had, but wow, Valley Forge Pizzeria serves up some pretty awesome pizza. Award-winning? Yeah, I’d say so! I highly recommend both the Chicken Florentine and the Margherita — my top two favorites.
There’s no denying it. Chronis and his staff of pizza-making professionals nailed it. They make some pretty stupendous pies filled with flavor. Next visit, I’ll make sure to try their award winning pasta and see how that fairs in comparison. And not before too long, Chronis is going to be opening a Cocktail Lounge. I’m sure whatever that menu consists of, it will be a similar caliber of awesomeness.
Well, this concludes our latest slice. One more spot to consider for the weekend or next time you’re cravin’ some ‘za. Feel free to chime in and let me know your favorite spot or help me find my next pizzaventure!
Find Valley Forge Ristorante & Pizzeria at 1130 Valley Forge Road in Phoenixville, or online at valleyforgepizza.com.
Photographs credited to Kevin Dragone.
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