In a recent TheSalemInsider.com online poll, you the readers chose DeLeo’s Pizza number one in Salem with The Upper Crust just missing the top spot by one single vote. Engine House rounded out the top three with a good showing for this Salem institution.

People who voted seemed to prefer traditional Italian pizza to Greek-style and price mattered less than perception of quality. Included in the poll were only restaurants that focused on pizza, we did not include those that serve a pizza option as part of a larger menu (Strega, Rockafellas, Cafe Kushco).

Any way you slice it, there’s plenty of quality pie in town and absolutely no need to call Factory Pizza just because they deliver in 20 minutes or less. Most of the local shops deliver in the same time and offer a much better product.

Get familiar with your local pizza parlor.

• DeLeo’s Pizza
  28 Norman St
  978. 740.2800
• The Upper Crust
  118 Washington Street
  978.741.2787
• Engine House Pizza
  71 Lafayette Street
  978.745.1744
• Christina’s Pizza
  239 Lafayette St
  978.744.0700
• Madee’s Pizza
  400 Essex Street
  978.745.6400
• Giovanni’s Pizza
  44 Jefferson Ave
  978.744.9111
• Damatas Pizza
  33 Bridge St
  978.745.1122
• Omega Pizza
  101 Loring Ave
  978.740.1000
• Salem House of Pizza
  23 Endicott St
  978.744.0017

Sometimes you just want a slice or two because a whole pie is too much. For my money, Engine House pizza is your best bet.

Don’t get me wrong, Engine House serves up more than just pie, they also have subs, salads, sides and wraps. It’s just that their slice of pizza is the best in town.

As a pizza expert (worked in pizza restaurants for almost10 years as a teenager/young adult) I know a thing or two about good pizza. Engine House always has fresh slices in their rack. Their slice pies (industry term for a pizza that you serve slices from – this is different from a normal pie you serve as one unit) are made with a bit more cheese than a normal pie so that each slice has a good amount of cheese on it. Also, they take the slice pie out of the oven on the light side so that when you order a slice and have it heated up it does not burn.

Their crusts seem to be tossed with 100% flower and no semolina, which gives it a smooth crunchy texture and an even crust with no burnt gritty dust on the bottom.

Engine house is a true pizzeria (with an antique firefighter motif) , serving beer and wine with traditional Italian style pizza tossed by hand. If your appetite demands more than just a slice or two, Salem insiders know that for every 10 pies you take out or have delivered you get one FREE!

Atmosphere: B
Service: B-
Food (slice): A
Overall: B

I had pizza from Upper Crust on Friday night and wasn’t too thrilled. We ordered a small two topping pizza (pepperoni and mushroom) and two beers. The pizza was quite large (14 inch for a small and 18 for a large) which I was thriled with, but that size came with an expensive price tag. Total bill was about $28.

All their pizza’s are the thin Neopolitan style crust. The toppings were fresh and I have to admit if you like thin pizza this was pretty good. The manager was chipper and friendly but the girls that took our order and served us were quite snooty.

Decor was cute with pizza pans hanging from the drop ceiling and mirrors on the wall but felt sterile, not very Salem at all. I don’t want to see every place in Salem be a clone of itself but I prefer a little life in my dining experience.

If you are a fan of over priced flat pie perhaps you should try the take out or delivery.

Overall Rating: C