Beto’s

Growing up in the suburban South before delivery pizza became so prevalent, we quickly learned how to make homemade pizza — and not the Chef Boyardee pizza-from-a-box, either. Toasted English muffins made the perfect crust, topped with a spoonful of jarred Pizza Quick sauce, a handful of shredded mozzarella, and maybe a few slices of vacuum-packed pepperoni. Of course, what was assembling these portable pies without a mouthful or two of cold cheese and pepperoni?

Beto’s builds on that concept by baking large sheets of crust covered only with tomato sauce, then adding cold toppings afterwards. By the time your cuts (local lingo for slices) arrive at the table, the bottom layer of shredded provolone has already melted to the pie, which in turn has warmed the other toppings to room temperature. The result, once the wieldy slice is hoisted off the plate (after some loose cheese and toppings fall off), is a retro taste sensation straight from childhood — and a unique style of American pizza.

Roadfood authority Buffetbuster took us to Beto’s when we visited Pittsburgh, and we were bowled over by the exceptional pizza. The crux of this pie is its crisp yet chewy crust and the fresh-tasting tomato sauce. Pre-cooked sausage crumbles, peppers, and mushrooms only enhance an already great pie.

The menu also features hoagies, Buffalo wings, salads, and fried cheesecake bites for dessert, but it’s the cuts that draw folks in droves. Practiced in only a handful of shops around Pittsburgh and neighboring West Virginia, this particular pizza style is not for those who demand piping-hot pies from the oven. But for the rest of us, Beto’s holds a very special place in our hearts — and in our stomachs. Beto’s is open daily from 11 a.m. to midnight, with take-out open until 12:45 a.m.