SACO — The claim was made by one of my colleagues years ago – both of us, serious pizza fans. “Best in Maine,” the sports writer said of Two Brothers Pizzeria and Deli in Saco, nowhere else in the state even comes close. So it was only a matter of time before I tried it.
I finally got around to visiting the pizza shop on Route 112 on a quiet afternoon last week. The place looks, feels and sounds like your quintessential city pizzeria, with the TV news and takeout calls in the background. In my anticipation, I got excited, thinking I might find a New York City-style pizza, like I had growing up in its suburbs.
The crust did remind me of the city slices from my childhood, I’ll give it that. Made with homemade dough, it’s very thin and crunchy, and if that’s your thing, a regular Two Brothers Pizza cheese slice may delight. Also on the positive side, the “special sauce” and blend of cheeses are well done, but both overpowered the sparse toppings.
I ordered two slices: a regular cheese and a second with feta and spinach, both under $3 – another plus – but when I order feta cheese as an extra topping, I expect more than six to eight small flakes. I couldn’t even taste it.
I also ordered a grilled chicken Caesar salad ($7.99), but there was no Parmesan cheese on this classic dish, at least none that I could see or taste. It was loaded with chicken – a definite plus – but it wasn’t anything special, either.
The menu certainly has variety – from appetizers, like mozzarella sticks ($4.99 for a small; $9.55 for a large) and chicken fingers ($4.90 and $9.50), to grilled subs, such as steak and cheese ($6.89 and $7.94). There’s also a variety of salads, cold subs and gourmet pizzas, all of it reasonably priced.
Two Brothers Pizzeria does the sauce and cheese blend well; extra toppings are a bit sparse. Staff photo by Deirdre Fleming
Maybe my expectations were too high. Or perhaps I like cheese too much. Two Brothers also doesn’t offer gluten-free crust, something that’s become prevalent at Maine restaurants and pizzerias, which was a real downer for me because I have a minor gluten allergy.
Pizza is a subjective thing, and Two Brothers proves that two passionate fans of the food, like with sports, can have competing opinions.
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