An Oasis of Pizza Excellence in Mid-Missouri
On a lonely stretch of Highway 70 between St. Louis and Columbia, Brooklyn pizza in Fulton shines bright as a pizza oasis. I was on my way to court in Callaway County that afternoon, and was only planning on eating two pieces of pizza from purportedly the most authentic New York-style pizza outside of New York state. The pizza tasted so great, however, that I had four large pieces. Three of the pieces I consumed were the meatball pizza, which says a lot from stlpizzaguy whose favorite pizza is pepperoni.
When you enter to Brooklyn Pizza, everything your eye sees reminds you of red tomato sauce. The walls are all painted a bold red, with tables covered in red and white checkered tablecloths. Every poster lining the walls is a homage to either New York City or to Pizza. When you are inside Brooklyn Pizza, you are transported to a traditional New York pizza joint and forget you are in small town Mid-Missouri.
When I met Brian Atkins, owner of Brooklyn Pizza, I found a man as passionate about making pizza as I am about eating pizza. His career in the pizza business spans four decades from his roots in Brooklyn, to managing Sbarro Pizza in Florida and Missouri. In October 2012, at the ripe age of 60 he opened Brookyln Pizza caddy-corner from the courthouse in Fulton, Missouri. Atkins says, “I’m in good health, I love making pizza. I go to the store at 4:30 a.m. to buy my meat and ingredients fresh each day."
When you enter to Brooklyn Pizza, everything your eye sees reminds you of red tomato sauce. The walls are all painted a bold red, with tables covered in red and white checkered tablecloths. Every poster lining the walls is a homage to either New York City or to Pizza. When you are inside Brooklyn Pizza, you are transported to a traditional New York pizza joint and forget you are in small town Mid-Missouri.
Brooklyn Pizza recently won the 2016 award for best pizza in rural Missouri by Rural Missouri Magazine. They also have a certificate of excellence from TripAdvisor. But how would they measure up against the great variety of St. Louis pizza places that I love and blog about?
They had a good chance because their unique New York-style niche is underrepresented in the Midwest. I only recommend one New York Style pizza place in St. Louis: La Pizza on Delmar.
When I met Brian Atkins, owner of Brooklyn Pizza, I found a man as passionate about making pizza as I am about eating pizza. His career in the pizza business spans four decades from his roots in Brooklyn, to managing Sbarro Pizza in Florida and Missouri. In October 2012, at the ripe age of 60 he opened Brookyln Pizza caddy-corner from the courthouse in Fulton, Missouri. Atkins says, “I’m in good health, I love making pizza. I go to the store at 4:30 a.m. to buy my meat and ingredients fresh each day."
You may wonder what makes a good, authentic New York-style pizza? Atkins told me three things are essential: the right thickness and taste of the dough, whole milk mozzarella, and last the bottom of the crust should be lightly brown and crispy. Put them together and viola.
TOPPINGS: The pepperoni were normal pepperoni but the homemade meatball slices were flavorful and a pleasurful to eat on pizza. Large, homemade meatballs are made every morning and cut into thin slices as a pizza topping.
MY RECOMMENDED PIZZA: Here I recommend the Meatball Pizza, which consists of sliced meatballs, with fresh garlic and parsley sprinkled on top. The garlic, meatballs and slightly sweet tomato sauce mesh well together in a unique and pleasureful way.
Happy eating and remember that any bad day can become a good day with great PIZZA.
SPECIAL SHOUT OUT:
To Stlpizzaguy superfan Joe Delmore who told me about Brooklyn Pizza. Joe, a native New Yorker, told me that Brooklyn Pizza is just like many of the great pizza places in New York city, and hailed that it was the most authentic he has tasted outside of New York. Even with the rave reviews of Joe and a couple friends, I was skeptical because I’m stlpizzaguy—St. Louis pizza man proud and true.
