Aaron Landry 🐱🍕
@s4xton.com
Digital nomad eating the world’s best pizza and taking thousands of cat photos. Minnesota expat. Let’s get pizza!
https://s4xton.substack.com
https://s4xton.substack.com
Rad Pies in Williamsport, Maryland is the award-winning house pizzeria for Cushwa Brewing. Got the Rickeroni, with ricotta, two types of pepperoni, jalapeño, chili flakes, and Mike’s Hot. Heavy and wet; a little rich. Next time I'll get their “In Crust We Trust” pan pizza, which scored top honors.
December 14, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Rad Pies in Williamsport, Maryland is the award-winning house pizzeria for Cushwa Brewing. Got the Rickeroni, with ricotta, two types of pepperoni, jalapeño, chili flakes, and Mike’s Hot. Heavy and wet; a little rich. Next time I'll get their “In Crust We Trust” pan pizza, which scored top honors.
Got pizzas at HiHO Brewing Company in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. Nice family-friendly brewery with a big Marra Forni oven. Chewy, puffy crusts. I particularly enjoyed the one with caramelised onions, goat cheese, and Akron Honey’s local take on hot honey with habanero. Sweet, salty, and a pinch of heat.
December 14, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Got pizzas at HiHO Brewing Company in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. Nice family-friendly brewery with a big Marra Forni oven. Chewy, puffy crusts. I particularly enjoyed the one with caramelised onions, goat cheese, and Akron Honey’s local take on hot honey with habanero. Sweet, salty, and a pinch of heat.
Columbus, Ohio's newish Artisan Pizza Café is hot. Asked chef/owner Jasmin Ahmed about her pizzas and instead of answers in hours, ratios, and quantities, she referred to smell, touch, and love. Her blend of flour makes a bubbly and dynamic crust with a soft crisp, and buttery notes. It's very good.
December 13, 2025 at 3:46 AM
Columbus, Ohio's newish Artisan Pizza Café is hot. Asked chef/owner Jasmin Ahmed about her pizzas and instead of answers in hours, ratios, and quantities, she referred to smell, touch, and love. Her blend of flour makes a bubbly and dynamic crust with a soft crisp, and buttery notes. It's very good.
At Diavola in Indianapolis, I ordered their namesake pizza with "pomodoro sauce, fresh mozzarella, pepperoni, basil, peppadew pepper, olive oil". This devil was one of the mildest I've ever had, atop soft crust that was a step away from doughy. I didn't finish the bones, and got back on the road.
December 13, 2025 at 3:33 AM
At Diavola in Indianapolis, I ordered their namesake pizza with "pomodoro sauce, fresh mozzarella, pepperoni, basil, peppadew pepper, olive oil". This devil was one of the mildest I've ever had, atop soft crust that was a step away from doughy. I didn't finish the bones, and got back on the road.
Chicago’s Pizz’amici is thin crust tavern style in its highest form. Crisp and firm base that won’t droop; very premium toppings. Reservations are fully booked and Esquire just named it one of the top new restaurants in the country, so good luck. It does match the hype, esp. if you dig this style.
December 12, 2025 at 2:26 AM
Chicago’s Pizz’amici is thin crust tavern style in its highest form. Crisp and firm base that won’t droop; very premium toppings. Reservations are fully booked and Esquire just named it one of the top new restaurants in the country, so good luck. It does match the hype, esp. if you dig this style.
Doge Pizza in Coon Rapids, Minnesota initially embraced the whimsy and meme-quality of the cryptocurrency of the same name. I inquired, and they were quick to say that the sentiment has changed in the last year. But I still got a plastic "DOGE COIN" in my pizza; nine of them trade for a small pizza.
December 11, 2025 at 2:05 AM
Doge Pizza in Coon Rapids, Minnesota initially embraced the whimsy and meme-quality of the cryptocurrency of the same name. I inquired, and they were quick to say that the sentiment has changed in the last year. But I still got a plastic "DOGE COIN" in my pizza; nine of them trade for a small pizza.
Wiseguys Pizza & Pub in Centerville, Minnesota is in a strip mall connected to a gas station, but feels like a rural dive. Pull tabs, big televisions, and thick accents. No surprises with the pizza: cracker-like crust, and an overabundance of sauce and cheese that falls off if you're not careful.
December 9, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Wiseguys Pizza & Pub in Centerville, Minnesota is in a strip mall connected to a gas station, but feels like a rural dive. Pull tabs, big televisions, and thick accents. No surprises with the pizza: cracker-like crust, and an overabundance of sauce and cheese that falls off if you're not careful.
Mansetti's in Ham Lake, Minnesota is "Simply the Best" per the box, but I ordered it just to try their "double crust". It's like a thin crust designed to be tavern cut but with a duplicate layer of that thin crust with nothing between and cut into triangles. Adds a bonus crunch, but overall a mess.
December 9, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Mansetti's in Ham Lake, Minnesota is "Simply the Best" per the box, but I ordered it just to try their "double crust". It's like a thin crust designed to be tavern cut but with a duplicate layer of that thin crust with nothing between and cut into triangles. Adds a bonus crunch, but overall a mess.
It's cold outside, but there's sunlight. I'm staying warm with Joanie, Butters, and Mabel.
December 6, 2025 at 6:41 PM
It's cold outside, but there's sunlight. I'm staying warm with Joanie, Butters, and Mabel.
Mana Brewing in Minnesota just opened a second location in Oakdale, just steps from a stop of the new Bus Rapid Transit Gold Line. The route is exactly one of my old commutes when I lived here. If only! Got the "Margherita." Nice digs, and I'm sure the beer is great, but the pizza should be tweaked.
December 6, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Mana Brewing in Minnesota just opened a second location in Oakdale, just steps from a stop of the new Bus Rapid Transit Gold Line. The route is exactly one of my old commutes when I lived here. If only! Got the "Margherita." Nice digs, and I'm sure the beer is great, but the pizza should be tweaked.
Barely in the pizza category, on Delta flight 9 between London and Minneapolis I received a "pizza twist". Made in Türkiye by Italy's Vibi Mediterraneo, I got it steaming hot over northern Canada. Less like a hot pocket, and more like actual quality cheese bread, frozen and reheated. Oddly decent.
December 6, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Barely in the pizza category, on Delta flight 9 between London and Minneapolis I received a "pizza twist". Made in Türkiye by Italy's Vibi Mediterraneo, I got it steaming hot over northern Canada. Less like a hot pocket, and more like actual quality cheese bread, frozen and reheated. Oddly decent.
Carmela's in London opened earlier this year serving a focused selection of New York-ish pies. Mine had a thick chew to the crust and perfect firmness that was just hard enough. Topped with perhaps the best vodka sauce I've had: bitter, sweet, cheesy, creamy, and perhaps even buttery. Delightful.
December 4, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Carmela's in London opened earlier this year serving a focused selection of New York-ish pies. Mine had a thick chew to the crust and perfect firmness that was just hard enough. Topped with perhaps the best vodka sauce I've had: bitter, sweet, cheesy, creamy, and perhaps even buttery. Delightful.
Manchester's Ramona is hip, and I got in before it evolved into a club. For me, the star here is their Detroit style slices, which are more decadent and far less oily than their Motor City counterparts. Enjoyed their "Cali Pepps": a few pepperoni and hot honey under burrata, topped with pecorino.
December 4, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Manchester's Ramona is hip, and I got in before it evolved into a club. For me, the star here is their Detroit style slices, which are more decadent and far less oily than their Motor City counterparts. Enjoyed their "Cali Pepps": a few pepperoni and hot honey under burrata, topped with pecorino.
Visited Liverpool's Nightcrawler Pizza during the daytime. Functional slice.
December 4, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Visited Liverpool's Nightcrawler Pizza during the daytime. Functional slice.
Noi Quattro in Manchester is high-tier Neapolitan, where they possess the magic of making a four cheese pizza feel light. This one, with mozzarella fior di latte, smoked scamorza, Gorgonzola, Parmesan, basil, and olive oil was very salty, smoky, and tangy. Yet oddly refreshing.
December 4, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Noi Quattro in Manchester is high-tier Neapolitan, where they possess the magic of making a four cheese pizza feel light. This one, with mozzarella fior di latte, smoked scamorza, Gorgonzola, Parmesan, basil, and olive oil was very salty, smoky, and tangy. Yet oddly refreshing.
Nell's has six locations around the Manchester area. I popped into the Northern Quarter spot. An excellent take on New York style, and one of the best I've had in the UK. I got the "Magic Number" with mozzarella, vodka sauce, salsa verde, buffalo ricotta cream, basil oil, basil, and ricotta salata.
December 4, 2025 at 1:22 PM
Nell's has six locations around the Manchester area. I popped into the Northern Quarter spot. An excellent take on New York style, and one of the best I've had in the UK. I got the "Magic Number" with mozzarella, vodka sauce, salsa verde, buffalo ricotta cream, basil oil, basil, and ricotta salata.
At Double Zero in Manchester, got the "Partenopea": tomato sauce, cherry tomatoes, parma ham, Parmigiano shavings, basil, burrata, and basil oil. The latter two spread by the one eating the pizza: the burrata as expected, the oil in a small pipette. Fun. Was tempted to squirt my friend with it.
December 4, 2025 at 1:11 PM
At Double Zero in Manchester, got the "Partenopea": tomato sauce, cherry tomatoes, parma ham, Parmigiano shavings, basil, burrata, and basil oil. The latter two spread by the one eating the pizza: the burrata as expected, the oil in a small pipette. Fun. Was tempted to squirt my friend with it.
It's my last night in Bean in Edinburgh! She's been a silly and wonderful companion. I'm off to Manchester for a few days, then to the States. But I'll be back in Scotland next summer!
November 30, 2025 at 4:38 PM
It's my last night in Bean in Edinburgh! She's been a silly and wonderful companion. I'm off to Manchester for a few days, then to the States. But I'll be back in Scotland next summer!
New Haven style was sold as "Napoletana" pizza in the 1920s to people who didn't know better. The style lives on as it is pizza many grew up with in Connecticut, and through marketing, branding, and cult-like belief. The new Civerinos in Leith, Edinburgh replicates this messy and greasy style well.
November 29, 2025 at 4:31 PM
New Haven style was sold as "Napoletana" pizza in the 1920s to people who didn't know better. The style lives on as it is pizza many grew up with in Connecticut, and through marketing, branding, and cult-like belief. The new Civerinos in Leith, Edinburgh replicates this messy and greasy style well.
Frank's in Finnieston Glasgow has the trappings of a New York pizzeria, but I got an unremarkable pie. The crust cracked when bent, and the slices drooped. I also wondered if I lost my sense of taste, aside from some of the heat from the pepperoni. Others were using dipping sauces, which may be key.
November 27, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Frank's in Finnieston Glasgow has the trappings of a New York pizzeria, but I got an unremarkable pie. The crust cracked when bent, and the slices drooped. I also wondered if I lost my sense of taste, aside from some of the heat from the pepperoni. Others were using dipping sauces, which may be key.
They were still painting the façade when I arrived at the brand new Paesano Pizza this morning in Edinburgh. Their fourth location, which opens today, takes their Glasgow concept to New Town. Higher-tier Neapolitan done well at scale, with a double-oven setup. Poised to be packed, once word spreads.
November 26, 2025 at 3:52 PM
They were still painting the façade when I arrived at the brand new Paesano Pizza this morning in Edinburgh. Their fourth location, which opens today, takes their Glasgow concept to New Town. Higher-tier Neapolitan done well at scale, with a double-oven setup. Poised to be packed, once word spreads.
Razzo Pizza Napoletana is one of a dozen traders at Edinburgh Street Food on the ground level of the Omni Centre. Pizzas are smaller than their nicer Leith location, but the lighter size fits the "street food" moniker. I had room for an elaborate hot chocolate and expensive warm cookie afterwards.
November 25, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Razzo Pizza Napoletana is one of a dozen traders at Edinburgh Street Food on the ground level of the Omni Centre. Pizzas are smaller than their nicer Leith location, but the lighter size fits the "street food" moniker. I had room for an elaborate hot chocolate and expensive warm cookie afterwards.
What a throwback! That Lookbook video was shot by Bo Hakala and Sarah Jean Kruchowski at my house, back when you needed specialized (and expensive) cameras to do slow motion, which they had access to just for the afternoon. All I provided was the water.
November 25, 2025 at 5:32 PM
What a throwback! That Lookbook video was shot by Bo Hakala and Sarah Jean Kruchowski at my house, back when you needed specialized (and expensive) cameras to do slow motion, which they had access to just for the afternoon. All I provided was the water.
Pizza Posto, near the University of Edinburgh and many historic sites, uses multigrain dough resulting in a light, puffy crust, with a sourdough note. Mine had juicy cherry tomatoes and mozzarella, with hidden garlic, a single basil leaf, and enough oregano to fail a drug test. Loud, but satisfying.
November 25, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Pizza Posto, near the University of Edinburgh and many historic sites, uses multigrain dough resulting in a light, puffy crust, with a sourdough note. Mine had juicy cherry tomatoes and mozzarella, with hidden garlic, a single basil leaf, and enough oregano to fail a drug test. Loud, but satisfying.
Sano Pizza's first location in Glasgow's Finnieston area is a big homage to Monsieur Chat throughout. 😺 Got their Diavola, a Margherita with spicy Calabrian salami under the cheese. The effect is the meat is more steamed and not crisped, and quite hot, complimenting the existing spiciness. Devilish.
November 24, 2025 at 10:36 AM
Sano Pizza's first location in Glasgow's Finnieston area is a big homage to Monsieur Chat throughout. 😺 Got their Diavola, a Margherita with spicy Calabrian salami under the cheese. The effect is the meat is more steamed and not crisped, and quite hot, complimenting the existing spiciness. Devilish.