Pizza Papalis: Toledo, OH

We took a welcome break from cooking pizza at home to enjoy a meal with very dear friends--who recommended this joint--at Pizza Papalis in the heart of Toledo, OH near 5/3 Stadium.

Normally a fan of thin crust pizza, I was worried that the dough for Pizza Papalis' deep dish was going to be too rich for more than one piece. I was wrong. The pizza dough was thick but light and flaky like a pie. And the toppings were all fresh; no canned tomatoes can be found in their kitchen. I have no problem admitting I had 3 pieces.

The sauce had a little spicy bite to it, but garlic and tomatoes where at the flavor-forefront.

And the cheese so stringy and melty and perfect. (Papalis offers low-fat cheese, but with a deep dish, why?)

Pizza Papalis is truly Chicago Deep Dish in Toledo, Ohio.

While I wasn't all that impressed with their Garden Salad (it was just your average Garden Salad), my husband enjoyed their chicken wings. But I would recommend getting a small pie if you want to have apps of wings and salad. We ordered a medium and could only finish half during dinner. The other half we're attempting to devour at lunch today.

The restaurant's atmosphere is casual, very clean, and pretty pleasant. During the peak dinner hours, it can get a little loud, but there's plenty of patio seating and inside space that the noise isn't an issue. I was happy we with went with friends who we get lost in conversation with because a deep dish can take up to a 45 minute wait. For us that time flew by, but I couldn't imagine enduring a wait like that with one of my more shy, introverted friends.

Pizza Papalis is located at 519 Monroe St., Toledo, OH. Expect to pay about $19 for a small deep dish. Happy Hour prices for alcohol are reasonable, especially for beer. The wine selections seemed decent for a chain pizza joint. I got a glass of Mertiage for $5.49.

Based on the deep dish pizza alone, I'd give it 4 out of 5 stars.