When you think of pizza, what comes to mind? New York-style? Chicago deep dish? Char Beauty-marked Neapolitans? Unless you live near Ohio’s state capital, you probably aren’t thinking of Columbus-style pizza. In fact, you’re probably wondering whether there’s such a thing as Columbus-style pizza.

Wonder no more, because we’re here to answer all of the questions that have been keeping you up at night. 

What is Columbus-style pizza? 

Columbus-style pies are built upon an ultra-thin crust that’s usually crispy, closer to a cracker than the typical pizza base. The toppings go all the way up to the very edge to maximize the real estate for the toppings.  After baking, it’s cut into squares, rather than triangles.

Is Columbus-style pizza the same thing as St. Louis-style? 

It’s true – Columbus-style and St. Louis-style pizzas share some serious overlap:

• Impossibly thin crusts
• Tons of toppings
• Square/party/tavern cuts (better known as tiles in STL)

However, there are a couple of key differences. 

St. Louis-style pizza dough is made without yeast and topped with Provel, a processed cheese that tastes sort of like Swiss, cheddar, and provolone all rolled into one. Columbus-style, meanwhile, usually features mozzarella, parmesan, and the cheeses we’re more accustomed to on pizza. And, thanks to the inclusion of yeast, the Columbus-style dough rises quickly and yields an airy and bubbly crust.

If anything, Columbus-style is a delicious doppelganger for Chicago thin crust.  

What toppings come on a Columbus-style pie?

If you want lots and lots of toppings, O-H-I-OMG, you are in luck. Even though the crust of the Columbus-style pizza is crazy thin, it’s sturdy, which means that you can pile your meats, cheeses, and veggies as high as you please.

With Columbus-style pizza, there are truly no limits. In The Arch City, you’ll find everything from pepperoni to Philly cheesesteak to taco pizza. Or, for an American twist on the OG, many shops offer a version of the Margherita, simply perfect with basil, tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella.     

Who invented Columbus-style pies?

The creation of Columbus-style pizza is widely credited to Romeo Siri and brothers Dan and Jim Massucci, co-restaurateurs who started serving pies at their Grandview outpost in 1949. Siri dished out the good stuff at Romeo’s Italian Restaurant while the Massucis anglicized their name and opened up Massey’s. Today, Massey’s is still going strong with “The Cadillac of Pizza,” and several locations throughout the city.

Where can I get Columbus-style pies?

If you live in Columbus, we’ve got good news. If you’re outside of CBus, we’ve got news that, frankly, is still pretty good.

TAT Ristorante Di Famiglia – the city’s longest-running Italian restaurant – delivers with an outstanding homemade rendition of Columbus-style slices. TAT is as old-school as it gets, serving Columbus with exceptional Italian fare since 1929, but they’ve kept up with the times. They’re on Slice, which means you can order their famous Columbus-style pizzas and Poor Boy sandwiches, all with one quick tap on your phone.

If you’re not in Columbus, finding the city’s signature pie might be a little bit tricker. Still, you can get pretty close by ordering a Chicago Thin Crust, St. Louis-style, or a bar pie in your neck of the woods on Slice.