Matthew Lewis Wed heard "Joes" was good so decided to stop on our way through Lincoln, and were really glad we did. The pizza was great, Joe is fantastic, and the atmosphere, while low-key, turned out to be perfect for the occasion.
You know those stories about the little pizzerias in NYC where they treat you like family in a storefront dining room that looks like its straight out of the 1970s? Well, thats Joes, and its perfect.
Joe greeted us when we came in, and his Italian accent (well, that and the aroma of his kitchen) instantly told us we were in the right place. He asked where we were from and if wed been in before. When we told him we were just passing through, he assured us we were about to have the best pizza weve ever had and provided a menu for us to select from.
We ordered "Joes Special," which is basically a supreme pizza. While Joe made it, we sat in the small dining area and listened to him carrying on a conversation in Italian. The pizza arrived a reasonable time later, maybe 15 to 20 minutes at the most. It was piping hot and smelled divine. We had to let it cool down a few minutes before we could eat it, but we couldnt help but nibble around at the edges in the meantime.
The ingredients seemed fresh, high quality, and well-proportioned. There was just the right amount of cheese, melted to perfection and easily bitten without dragging the rest of it off the whole piece. The pizza was square-cut, which to me somehow adds to the social aspect of eating it.
Ive never been one who eats pizza just for the crust, but Joes crust was something special. I know from experience its not easy to get that combination of crispy yet tender pizza crust, especially with those flavorful hints of char here and there. Ive had some good pizzas in my time, but Joes crust stands alone in my memory as the best Ive ever had.
As all good things, the pizza came to an end and it was time to go. Joe checked in to make sure wed liked it, and we assured him it was amazing, which it absolutely was.
Were not through Lincoln that often these days, but Im already looking forward to our next stop at Joes!