It’s with a heavy heart that I say that the best pizza in St. Louis is probably that from a chain. But it’s a small chain, and one owned by a guy who grew up here, so I guess that makes it okay.

The pizza is good. Really, really good. Too often, I find myself craving New England-ish pizza in St. Louis, and I often wind up feeling let down by what I get quality-wise. Not the case with Dewey’s. The sauce is flavorful and a bit spicy, and all of the ingredients are high-quality. The southwest BBQ chicken pizza is eons above California Pizza Kitchen’s version, and trumps most local attempts. The crusts are crisp, and a very light coat of olive oil is used to brown the edge.

With all due respects to St. Louis-style, I really can’t find much motivation to go anywhere for pizza besides one of the two Dewey’s locations, or Vito’s in Midtown.

When I moved to St. Louis ten years ago and discovered that Imo’s was what passed for good pizza here, I pretty much gave up on having a great pizza experience unless I was traveling. That is, until Dewey’s came to town…I have now discovered pizza heaven once again. The food is excellent – tasty hand-tossed pizza with lots of fresh toppings to pick from and a choice of red and white sauces. They also offer a great menu of their own creations, with funky names like The Green Lantern and The Edgar Allen Poe. Everything is so good we usually do a half-and-half pizza, which seems pretty common there. Beyond the food, though, the dining experience is impeccable… hip, spotless interior, nice bar, highly professional, friendly and attentive service, and an option to watch (from the other side of two big windows) as the kitchen crew tosses dough and builds the pies. Now if they just figured out someway to make breakfast pizzas, they’d be perfect!