Phantom Gourmet: Great 8 'Crazy' Pizzas

The Daily Meal Staff|

Who knew that something as simple as pizza would become an inspiration for so many insane flavor combinations? These are 8 of the most crazy-delicious pizzas Phantom has ever found.

All Star Pizza Bar
Cambridge

Kicking off the Great 8 is All Star Pizza Bar in Cambridge. Brothers Kosta and Johnny Diamantopoulos grew up in the pizza business, but All Star certainly isn't their father's pizzeria. The toppings are creative, the decor is funky, and the atmosphere is always fun. There are pies loaded up with meatloaf, figs, and buffalo duck confit. But Phantom's favorite is the Red Head sporting red bliss potatoes, bacon and shaved steak.

Volturno
Worcester

Volturno in Worcester fires up authentic Neapolitan style pizza in blazing hot wood fired Italian ovens. This spacious setting sources top notch toppings for their pies, like the clam and bacon pizza, or a wild one topped with thinly sliced lemons, fresh basil and smoked mozzarella. But of all the pizzas at Volturno, the pistachio is the most unexpectedly delicious, topped with fennel sausage, melted mozzarella, and an amazing housemade pistachio pesto made with parmigiana regiano, olive oil, basil and arugula.

Portland Pie Company
6 New England Locations

With six New England locations including one in Reading, Mass., Portland Pie Company is a family friendly spot with pies that are all named after attractions in their home state of Maine. So there's the cheeseburger-inspired Crescent Beach Pizza topped with ketchup, American cheese, and ground beef. The Nor'Easter Pizza is packed with plenty of chicken and a swirl of Frank's hot sauce, with a sprinkle of chopped celery on the side. And if you're a Chinese food aficionado, try the Chamberlain Pizza, an Asian inspired pie smothered in a General Tsao's glaze.

Max & Leo's
Newton Corner

Max & Leo's in Newton Corner is a cozy artisan pizzeria owned by twin brothers, so you'll have twice as many choices if you're looking for something a little different. There's the signature L'Umina Pizza packed with pears, prosciutto, and ricotta. And since these brothers are from Newton, they decided to top another signature pie with a hometown favorite: pulled pork from "Blue Ribbon Barbecue" right down the road. It's also loaded up with smoked mozzarella cheese and smoky-sweet barbecue sauce.

Watch: Crazy Pizzas, Part 2

Aprile's European
Chelmsford

Aprile's European in Chelmsford is a spinoff of the old European restaurant everybody knew and loved in the North End. While this location most definitely doesn't look like Hanover Street, with its sprawling dining and floor to ceiling windows overlooking a stream, it sure does taste like the Old European – right down to the infamously oversized 25 inch pizza. This behemoth is crazy good and crazy big, weighing in at a whopping ten pounds.

D. Palmieri's
Johnston, RI

Another Great 8 winner is D. Palmieri's in Johnston, Rhode Island. This old school Italian bakery is known for their excellent cannoli, éclairs, and dough boys. But most importantly, this is Phantom's favorite place for pizza strips. These Ocean State delicacies have a thick crust that's simply topped with tomato sauce and oregano – no cheese necessary.

"Believe it or not, they're served at room temperature! That kind of throws a lot of people off cause they're not used to cold pizza."

La Festa Brick and Brew
Dover, NH

La Festa Brick and Brew in Dover, New Hampshire is a quirky, cafeteria style eatery with exposed brick walls, disco balls hanging from overhead and a show of flying dough behind the counter. All of the pizzas here are over the top, but the real show stopper is La Festa's Famous Garlic Knot Pizza, where the cheesy garlicky rolls serve as the crust.

Lynnwood Café
Randolph

Rounding out the Great 8 is the Lynnwood Café in Randolph. This South Shore institution may be cramped with wood paneling and a rather dated décor, but boy is it tasty. Their classic bar pizzas sport a buttery smooth crust and a dozen standard toppings like pepperoni and fresh peppers. The pizza to order is the truly wild Bean Special pie, an irresistible sweet-salty pairing of diced salami and maple kissed Boston baked beans.

Watch Phantom Gourmet on Saturdays and Sundays at 10:30 and 11 a.m. on myTV38.

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