A Pizza’s a Pizza or is it?

Pizza’s come a long way from the its humble beginnings. Some think it’s come too far. Want to know where you can get a good old fashioned pizza at a reasonable price? Drive on over to North Lake Avenue to Pizza Joe’s for pizza the way it used to be.

Owned by husband and wife Gary and Jackie, they bought it from the original owner about 25 years ago. Very little has changed since then except that they have improved the original recipes. “The pizza has not changed in 50 years. The only change is for the good,” said Jackie.

“Most pizza dough is frozen, it’s not fresh like ours. We make it fresh everyday. The bread for the sandwiches we also make fresh,” commented Jackie.

You can create your own pie from a variety of toppings like: sausage, pepperoni, Canadian bacon, beef, salami, mushroom, onion, bell pepper, tomato, olives, jalapeño, garlic, pineapple and spinach. So if you must have that Hawaiian pizza you can create it. Also if there is something you want that’s not listed ask for it, they may not have it but they’ll certainly try to accommodate you.

I tried the Joe’s Special pizza with sausage, pepperoni, onions, mushrooms and bell peppers. It was delicious. The dough was crispy like a thin crust, but also chewy at the same time. The sauce added to the pizza without overpowering it. And the toppings were plentiful without being overdone. The whole was a good honest pizza: straight forward, no frills, just great taste.

Did I mention they deliver? If you are one of the fortunate ones to live within a mile of Pizza Joe’s you can get their pizza delivered hot, to your door without a delivery fee! Otherwise just call Gary and Jackie up and they’ll make your pie to go.

When asked what kept customers coming to Pizza Joe’s Jackie said, “our customers come because they trust us. We are like a family and they like our food. They say we have a special touch on the food.”

Gary and Jackie also have a variety of sandwiches, salads, and pasta to add to your pizza experience. They do have tables and chairs, but the restaurant is very small so I would suggest you make it “to go.”

Jackie recently added chicken wings to the menu. “Everybody asks for wings with their pizza.” She also makes the best stuffed grape leaves around. She uses fresh leaves from her grapevine, so the leaves are tender and don’t have that tinny taste canned leaves have. Seriously, these are the best I’ve ever tasted. I highly recommend them.

Pizza Joe’s is located at 2287 N. Lake Avenue, Altadena. They are open six days a week: Monday – Thursday, 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. and Friday – Saturday, 11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. For to go orders call (626) 797-1081.