TASTY PIZZA
Hoppen Hierarchy:★★★
District: Dundee
Individual-Sized Pizzas
Perfect For: Casual Dining; Lunch; Takeout
Standout Dishes: Meatball Pizza; Mediterranean Pizza; Bacon & Gouda Pizza
It’s hard to put one’s finger on what “style” of pizza Tasty Pizza serves. It isn’t wood-fired, so it’s not Neapolitan. Its dough is a bit thicker than that of St. Louis style, and it doesn’t use Provel cheese. New York style is probably the closest, though it’s outer crust isn’t as chewy or pronounced and it’s not quite pliable enough to be folded.
Maybe Tasty Pizza doesn’t fit it any of the traditional pizza buckets, but it doesn’t have to. All you need to know is it’s solid, blue-collar pizza, the type that’s likely to please just about any palate.
Tasty Pizza doesn’t try to be artisan of chef-ed up pizza. It takes all that we love about this food and adds quality ingredients, great cooking, and attention to detail to create a greasy, crave-able product.
Located near 60th and Pacific, Tasty Pizza is a humble restaurant with a no-frills setting. Orders are placed at the counter, where you have full view of the kitchen. If you please, you can watch the creation of your pizza from start to finish: the dough being stretch, topped with cheese, meats, and veggies, and fed into a conveyor belt so it emerges scorching hot.
Pizzas can be ordered in 16-in. larges, but Tasty Pizza is best known for its personal-sized 8-in. pies, which are the perfect size for a meal and (if you wish) allow you to order and try several varieties.
Tasty Pizza prefers to keep things simple: of the 18 signature pizzas, most have three ingredients or less. This less-is-more approach allows the strong base of the pizza to shine through.
That starts with the crust, which is thin and crispy enough to produce audible crunches on some bites. The crust features some minor bubbles and air pockets that make each bite unique. The cheese is liberally applied, which creates epic cheese pulls but might be a bit too much dairy for some diners. Fortunately, a vibrant, sweet tomato sauce brings balance.
Once Tasty Pizza starts adding toppings, it doesn’t hold back. There are very few bald bites on these pies. Among the best:
- The Pepperoni Pizza is loaded with mini discs, adding a salty fattiness that leaves beautiful pools of grease on the tray.
- The Meatball Pizza is adorned with golf-ball sized beef orbs that are savory, beefy, and just a tad garlic-y.
- The slices of pork on the Italian Sausage Pizza add a peppery spice that doesn’t overwhelm but works well with the sweet sauce.
Though Tasty Pizza favors the simple pie, it’s not afraid to offer some creative pizzas as well. The menu also includes the Spinach Feta, Buffalo Chicken, and McKenna Macarena, drizzled with both buffalo sauce and ranch.
But the crowd favorite is the famous Bacon Gouda Pizza, which combines crispy, salty bacon with a creamy, sweet, nutty gouda cheese. It’s simple, but these two non-traditional pizza elements dance together perfectly.
Among Tasty Pizza’s busiest pies is the Mediterranean Pizza, topped with goat cheese, red bell peppers, spinach, capers, black olives, and artichokes. It’s a tad on the salty side, but not in an aggressive way. The sauce and the crust help tamp down the salinity.
The interior is bright and cozy, as large windows fill the space with light. Brick walls and wooden slats across the ceiling add a home-y feeling, as if you’re eating in someone’s kitchen, not a restaurant.
And you’ll have a hard time finding a better bang-for-your-buck pizza in Omaha. Most of Tasty Pizza’s individual pizzas range between $6.50 and $7.75, which is cheaper than you’ll find even at most chain restaurants. The large pies, which fall between $18.50 and $20.50, are tremendous value too.
Tasty Pizza excels because it understands exactly what it is. It isn’t artisan or fancy. It doesn’t go crazy with flavors or ingredients. What it does is put out a really solid product at a more than fair price.
The definition of “tasty” is “having a pleasant, distinct flavor”, and I’m not sure there’s a better way to describe this place. It’s not defined by adhering to rules set forth by a particular pizza style, and I don’t think it wants to be. It’s just darn good, enjoyable pizza.