We're in the final stages of judging the best pizza in Central New York, and what a tough job this has become.
It started last month when syracuse.com asked users who makes the best pizza in CNY. We counted up more than 1,000 comments on syracuse.com, Facebook and Twitter. You then narrowed the top 32 down to the Sweet 16 and then to the Elite Eight by voting in our online poll.
We're visiting one restaurant a week and then we'll announce who we think makes the best cheese pizza and the best specialty pie. We started with Avicolli's in Liverpool, and we've since been to Paladino's in Mattydale, Mario & Salvo's in DeWitt, the Varsity on the SU Hill and Pepi's in Oneida.
This week's contestant: Twin Trees III, 310 N. Main St., North Syracuse. (315-458-9311).
Hours: Saturday-Sunday opens at 4 p.m., Monday-Friday opens at 11 a.m.
Their story: It's 5 p.m. on Tuesday, and the line for takeout at Twin Trees III is out the door. Every Tuesday is Customer Appreciation Day, says owner Lou Ross; pizzas are $5 cheaper.
"But these are the same people who will be in the restaurant on Friday night ordering pizza," says Ross, 63. "They like the pizza here because it's always the same. If you order a pizza here this week and you get a pizza here next week, it'll be the same."
Says Ross' wife, Bonnie: "My secret is that you have to be here. We're always here."
Lou and Bonnie opened TT3 in 1978, and they say what sets them apart is their customer service. "We take care of the customer as soon as they come in," she says.
But the pizza keeps people coming back, he says. They've used the same type of mozzarella cheese for 20 years. Same sauce. Same meat. Same everything. And they make about 2,200 pizzas each week the same way, cut into strips rather than triangles.
"Some people say they don't like the cut," Mr. Ross says. "That's just the way we cut it. Don't worry, we'll cut it for you the other way if you want."
Tested: Cheese. Chicken/Bacon/Ranch. The Gourmet (garlic, broccoli, roasted red pepper, sliced tomato).
The gourmet pizza with its toppings of garlic broccoli, roasted red pepper and sliced tomato, at Twin Trees III, in North Syracuse. JUDGES' COMMENTS
Charlie Miller, Post-Standard social media manager: "Twin Trees makes a heartier pizza than many of the ones we've tried, mostly because of the thicker crust. The chicken/bacon/ranch stood out. It's loaded with plenty of meat. But what sets it apart is the nice smoky flavor of the bacon blending with the sweet ranch sauce. It's so good that I think our next journey should be Best of CNY cardiologists."
Katie Kramer, syracuse.com senior producer: "All of the pizzas were great. The crust was exactly what you expect from a Twin Trees. The cheese pizza was my favorite. It had the right amount of tang and salt in the sauce, blending together well with the cheese."
James Cecile, Syracuse City Court judge: "When you go to a Twin Trees restaurant, you expect excellent pizza, and that is certainly what you get at Twin Trees III. The cheese pizza is a good as it gets. Cheese melted just right with a crust that compliments it well. The bacon, ranch, chicken pizza had a very unique taste that instantly made you want another piece. I've always liked the unique way they slice their pizza because if you are at a party where it's served, you can fold the pieces up and put them in your pocket for later."
Ed Donohue, college/high school basketball referee: "The way Twin Trees cuts their pizzas allows you to eat it faster, and that's always a good thing. They put just the right amount of cheese on the pizzas, and the tomato sauce has a nice salty flavor to it without it being overpowering. My favorite, though, was the Gourmet. They proportion the broccoli, peppers and tomatoes in a way that they compliment each other. A nice combination of flavor."
NEXT WEEK: Pavone's Pizza and Eatery, 5781 Bridge St. East Syracuse. Feel free to stop by at about 4:30 p.m. and offer your input.
Follow us as we continue our pizza journey.