Although new to South Philadelphia, Santucci's Square Pizza and its expansive menu have added a tasty impact to the Bella Vista neighborhood.
I was about to review a high-end restaurant when a friend who lives in Bella Vista told me about Santucci’s Square Pizza, a new pizza restaurant at 10th and Christian streets.
“It’s the best pizza I ever tasted,” he said.
Cousin Myna, who is Cousin Carl’s sister, was attending a conference in Center City and joined us for what turned out to be one of the most pleasant dining out experiences I have had in recent memory.
I called ahead and discovered Santucci’s is a cash-only BYOB equipped with a television so we could watch the Phillies.
Some may consider Santucci’s a bare-bones, no-frills place. There’s an old exposed brick wall with a large blackboard which lists the specials. A large round clock hangs on one wall and there are red awnings outside to protect you from the sun should there be a wait for a table. There’s also a bench if you care to sit. We were comfortable sitting at a highly polished wood table and were greeted by two smiling young women who made us immediately feel at home.
We toted along a white wine from Sardinia that was placed in an ice bucket. Another woman brought us wine glasses and menus.
Santucci’s is famous for its square, thin-crust pizza, but there is so much more on the bill of fare.
I knew we had to sample two salads, a plate of meatballs and spaghetti, a pizza and a sandwich. Each dish we relished was outstanding.
Square, white china plates were placed on the table along with modern styled, stainless flatware and a pile of napkins.
Classic Caesar salad ($7) was prepared with a roasted garlic dressing and crunchy homemade croutons, which were baked or sautéed with olive oil. The romaine was cool and crisp, napped with shavings of Parmesan.
The star of the Granny Smith Apple Salad ($7) was the delicious homemade pickled red onions, which played off well with fresh bibb lettuce leaves, small chunks of imported Gorgonzola, crunchy candied walnuts, small slices of celery and sliced apples tossed in an apple cider vinaigrette.
Our server advised us the spaghetti and meatballs ($10) was large enough for three. Indeed it was. The homemade thin spaghetti was topped with four relatively large meatballs, made with a mix of beef, veal and wild boar. They were so outrageously delicious I decided to try to duplicate the recipe. The sauce was obviously lovingly prepared in house and clung to the pasta and meatballs like a happy child holding on to his mother’s skirt.
Pizzas come in several sizes. We ordered the 12-inch medium size made with spinach, cheese and sliced red ripe tomatoes ($11.40). The square pizza, which was baked on a sheet pan, had a thin, crispy crust and immediately brought smiles to our faces after Myna, Edward and I took our first bite. A large stainless-steel spatula arrived with the pie for easy serving.
We packed three slices to-go.
The braised short-rib sandwich served on a soft roll ($9) immediately earned three toques after Edward and I proclaimed the beef so tasty, juicy and tender I doubted any chef could top it. The beef was perfectly seasoned by the way. Never once did any of us ask for salt and pepper. Hand-cut french fries dusted with sea salt came with the sandwich. There is a choice of sweet potato fries if you prefer them.
As we watched the Phillies win, several families arrived with babies and toddlers in tow. The staff immediately doted on the children who were so happy eating at Santucci’s never once did any of them whine or cry.
I did some culinary sleuthing and discovered Santucci’s is run by Alicia Santucci whose grandparents, Philomena and Joseph, began the restaurant chain in 1959. They began in North Philadelphia but now South Philly has, in my opinion, the finest pizza in the area. Santucci’s, which opened nearly two weeks ago, just might become the area’s No. 1 family restaurant.
Three tips of the toque to Santucci’s. SPR
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1. Phyllis Stein-Novack said... on Aug 11, 2011 at 09:40AM
“Santucci's does deliver. Call to see if you live in their delivery area. (215) 825-5304.”
2. dmk said... on Aug 11, 2011 at 10:58AM
“My friends and I went to Santucci,s this past week-end and truly enjoyed both the pizza and tomatoe salad. not only was the food excellent but the workers were all very pleasant and friendly. I know this is going to be one of my favorite places to eat.”
3. Anonymous said... on Aug 11, 2011 at 12:00PM
“The pizza is alright but I Had better .”
4. kathy said... on Aug 11, 2011 at 12:03PM
“"joined Edward and ME"”
5. Anonymous said... on Aug 11, 2011 at 04:55PM
“Is the friend that made the recommendation Oren?”
6. barbara said... on Aug 11, 2011 at 05:31PM
“santuccis pizza has always been the best...so excited that a new santuccis opened in south philadelphia!!!”
7. Jeat? said... on Aug 11, 2011 at 07:24PM
“Santucci's has always been a favorite pizza of my family's since we were kids and we've always raved about how it would take off in South Philly.....Good luck to the staff!!!!”
8. Phyllis Stein-Novack said... on Aug 12, 2011 at 06:12AM
“The question of wine and pizza is simple. You drink what you like. The white wine from Sardinia had a sketch of a pink shrimp on the label. As for reds - a slightly chilled Beaujolais or Chianti fills the bill nicely. If you prefer white, a Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc would be my choice. I also enjoy a glass of beer with pizza.”
9. Art said... on Aug 12, 2011 at 01:04PM
“Bobby Saritsoglou is the Chef at Santucci’s Square Pizza . I've been following him for a while- his food is always, ALWAYS, fantastic! Doesn't matter if it's pizza or if it's cavier, he makes sure it's the tastiest meal you'll ever have. He's a chef to keep an eye out for.”
10. Phyllis Stein-Novack said... on Aug 12, 2011 at 02:04PM
“Dear Art:
Thank you. Sometime during the fall it would be a pleasure and an education to meet with chef and cook with him. Any ideas?”
11. wanttoeat said... on Aug 12, 2011 at 04:15PM
“food,....wow...I MISS HOME.............”
12. ggiordano said... on Aug 14, 2011 at 06:02PM
“Pizza was not great. Slice is much better. Sandwiches sucked and over priced.”
13. LovethePizza said... on Aug 15, 2011 at 12:06PM
“Wow! Welcome to South Philly! By far the best pizza in the city!!!”
14. Kathy with a "K" said... on Aug 16, 2011 at 06:33AM
“I was 13 years old when they opened their store in Juniata Park (not North Philly). I grew up and out on their pizza. Now that I am a resident of Center City I am thrilled to see them in South Philly.”
15. David said... on Aug 16, 2011 at 11:21AM
“Joined "Edward and I?" Shouldn't we expect a writer to have better grammar. Joined Edward, joined I--wrong. Joined Edward, joined me--joined Edward and me--correct.”
16. Anonymous said... on Aug 16, 2011 at 11:26AM
“Just read the entire article. Whoa. South Philly review needs a copyeditor.”
17. Anonymous said... on Aug 16, 2011 at 11:46AM
“the antipasto was delicious! Don't love the atmosphere, but the non-descriptive dime a dozen pizza parlor vibe was far surpassed by the delicious pizza.”
18. PhillyPizzaLover said... on Aug 25, 2011 at 10:21AM
“Wow, what hole have you been living in that you had never heard of Santucci's Square Pizza?, or their history. Let alone not know the difference between Juniata, Richmond or N Phila. Is everything north of Market N Phila. to you?? However, as a professional reviewer of food it's shocking you didn't bother to research this company or its history. They've consistently been among the top pizza's in Philadelphia Magazine for years.”
19. Anonymous said... on Sep 18, 2011 at 04:25PM
“There are a lot of unemployed journalists who would love to have your job. There are people on YELP that write better reviews than you do; Your boring style is one thing, but your consistent lack of verified information that you present as fact is inexcusable.”
20. christine iacono said... on Sep 27, 2011 at 11:33AM
“Best pizza. went there yesterday 4 the 1st time.”
21. Floridagurl said... on Oct 6, 2011 at 05:43AM
“I am from SP now reside in Florida.Coming back for Christmas & want to try a new pizza! If you are a real Italian you know good pizza! Not what a magazine claims! Iwill eat this for myself!”
22. Anonymous said... on Feb 16, 2012 at 02:38PM
“The way they make it is different (sauce on top and cheese on bottom) but the quality of the ingredients is good and it was very tasty. A bit overpriced in my opinion and I don't like that it's cash only.”