Aiello's Pizza in Shadyside finally got checked off my list after a friend who regularly goes to…read moretheir Allison Park location recommended it - and after going in I can see why he considers it one of his favorite pizza spots around Pittsburgh.
The location on Murray Avenue has this storefront that is beautifully lit at night. Walking in, the first thing you notice is the incredible smell of the pizza. There was also plenty of seating with lots of clean tables, a large TV, surround sound music, and an impressive selection of bottled beverages, including a few nonalcoholic options along with an impressively larger selection of alcoholic drinks. Another big plus for me is that they sell pizza by the slice since I usually only want one slice instead of ordering a whole pie.
One thing to know before you go is that they're cash only. They do have an ATM inside, but it charges a $3 fee. If you'd rather avoid that, there's also a PNC ATM about a six minute walk away.
Since we went the day after Pickles-burgh we had to try the specialty pickle pizza for that day. It was topped with provolone, cheddar, ranch, bacon, dill, and, of course, pickles. As someone who absolutely loves pickles, I actually thought they used a little more pickle than the pizza needed, which is saying something. I ended up taking a few off and eating them separately. That said, the perfectly crispy bacon more than made up for it. The combination of the bacon, cheese, ranch, and pickle flavor was still fantastic. I really hope they continue offering pizzas with that perfectly crispy bacon because they absolutely nailed it.
Another thing Aiello's really gets right is the texture of the pizza. When they reheat the slices, the cheese becomes beautifully crisp around the edges, and the crust strikes a great balance. It has just the right amount of oil, not greasy but not dry either, with a slight chew, a little sponginess from the yeast dough, and an overall texture that I really enjoyed.
The ranch deserves its own mention. It definitely didn't taste like bottled ranch, which I'm usually not a fan of. It tasted homemade and paired really well with the pizza.
I also had a taste of the traditional cheese, the white pizza, and the double stuffed meat slice. My favorite was easily the double stuffed meat because it was loaded with flavor and appeared the most filling. My second favorite was the pickle pizza because the crispy bacon and cheese paired so well with the pickle flavor. The white pizza came in third with its nice garlic flavor, while the traditional cheese was solid but didn't stand out quite as much as the specialty slices.
Overall, Aiello's definitely lived up to the recommendation of my friend. If you're in the mood for specialty pizzas with a great crust and enjoy being able to grab a slice instead of committing to a whole pie, this is absolutely a place worth stopping by.