Modern pizza is widely traced to Naples, Italy, where it began as an affordable street food for working people.
One of its best-known versions, the Margherita, is linked to the red, white and green of the Italian flag — tomato, mozzarella and basil.
Pizza also has taken on unexpected forms around the world. In Sweden, banana curry pizza pairs sliced bananas with curry powder in a sweet-savory combination that has become a local favorite. In Brazil, some pizzas are topped with green peas for added color and sweetness.
Fun fact: Stark County has its own slice lore. Pizza Oven has been feeding the area since 1956, starting on West Tuscarawas in Canton, while Kraus’ Pizza has been a local institution since 1959 and is known for its topper-style double crust.
Around here, rectangle-cut pies and hometown pizza debates are practically part of festival season.
During Enshrinement Festival week, pizza fans can find a range of favorites, from foldable thin-crust pies and thick square pan pizzas to tavern-cut classics and artisan options with blistered crusts and fresh toppings. Some spots stick with old-school styles, while others take a more creative approach. That mix helps give Stark County its distinct pizza identity.
Here are some top spots in Stark County to grab a pie:
Burrata Italian Kitchen
Signature pies include the Burrata, Spicy Hawaiian and The Nashville, which is finished with hot honey. The Italian kitchen also offers build-your-own pies and a sourdough crust.
Where: 3102 Tuscarawas St. W., Canton
More details: go4burrata.com
Master Pizza
A range of crust styles sets this shop apart, including St. Louis-style thin crust, Cleveland deep dish and its original Cleveland breadlike crust. It also has a gluten-free Detroit-style option.
Where: 1108 S. Main St., North Canton
More details: www.masterpizza.com
SOL Pie Pizza
Artisan pies made with sustainable, organic and local ingredients are the focus here. The shop also features a pizza of the month, including recent offerings such as Chicken Bacon Pesto.
Where: 3159 Whitewood St. NW, Plain Township
More details: www.solpiepizza.com
Bocadillo
Detroit-style pizza is the draw here, with a thick, airy crust and crisp, caramelized edges. The Trio, topped with in-house vodka sauce, basil pesto and marinara, is one of the shop’s popular sellers.
Where: 309 Cleveland Ave. NW, Canton
More details: bocadillo.pizza
Pizza Oven
A regional cult favorite, this spot is known for its red sauce and rectangle-cut, hand-crafted pizzas with a thick crust.
Where: 3153 Tuscarawas St. W, Canton; 5501 Market Ave. N, Plain Township; 4000 Cleveland Ave. NW, Canton; 3655 Cleveland Ave. SW, Canton Township; 3314 Lesh St. NE, Canton; 2805 Lincoln Way E., Perry Township; 4571 Erie Ave. SW, Perry Township; 320 W. State St., Alliance
More details: www.pizzaoven56.com
Mike’s Pizza
New York-style pies are the focus, but one standout is the Temple of Shroom, a mushroom-lover’s pizza topped with lemon ricotta, fresh and aged mozzarella, caramelized onions and a sesame seed crust. A favorite among vegetarians and meat eaters alike that has converted many a pepperoni pizza lover.
Where: 328 Walnut Ave. NE, Canton
More details: www.facebook.com/MikesPizzaCanton
Angello’s 2 Go
Homemade dough baked old-school style in brick-bottom ovens sets the tone here. Customers can choose specialty pies such as the Veg-Out Man and Meathead Pizza, and several options also are available by the slice.
Where: 5081 Fulton Drive NW, Jackson Township
More details: www.angellos2go.com
Kraus’ Pizza
Available in four sizes — mini, small, large and party — this longtime favorite is best known for the signature Kraus’ Topper. The pie adds an extra layer of fresh dough on top, finished with provolone cheese.
Where: 5440 Fulton Drive NW, Jackson Township; 6545 Middlebranch Ave. NE, Plain Township; 5006 Tuscarawas St. W, Perry Township; 60 Lincolnview Drive, Dalton; 240 Kent Ave. NE, Hartville; 915 Amherst Road NE, Massillon; 1917 Lincoln Way W, Massillon; 232 Center St. NW, Navarre; 1022 N. Main St., North Canton; and 909 30th St. NE, Plain Township
More details: krauspizza.com
Italo’s Pizza
Each location is independently owned, but the Canton South shop stands out for its garlic crust, finished with homemade garlic butter. Its newer Pepperoni Extremo doubles up with two kinds of pepperoni.
Where: 3026 Cleveland Ave. SW, Canton Township; 3560 Middlebranch Road NE, Plain Township; 2512 Harrison Ave. NW, Canton; and 703 N. Main St., North Canton
More details: italospizza.com
Park St. Pizza
Local sourcing is central to the shop’s “pie-losophy,” with ingredients coming from area farms to help support the local economy. One standout specialty pie is The Heater, topped with red sauce, pepperoni, spicy local sausage, jalapeños, Calabrian chiles, mozzarella and house-made hot honey.
Where: 1212 S. Main St., North Canton
More details: www.parkstreetpizza.com
Harter’s 6th Street Pizza and Wings
Traditional pies share the menu with more offbeat options, including gyro and pickle pizzas. The barbecue chicken pizza is another standout, and customers also can build their own.
Where: 936 Sixth St. SW, Massillon
More details: harterspizzaandwings.com
Bev Shaffer, Food & Drink reporter for The Canton Repository, can be reached at bshaffer@usatodayco.com or 330-580-8318.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Here’s the ‘Pizza Playbook’ for Enshrinement Festival week in Canton
Reporting by Bev Shaffer, Canton Repository / The Repository
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Bev Shaffer, Canton Repository | USA TODAY Network
