I’d been eyeing Kenmore’s Penny’s Pizza for a while now as I drive by often on Delaware Ave. It’s a teeny little establishment wedged in with a couple of other stores on the block. I have a feeling this place has a pretty loyal following of locals to keep it going strong.

I was in the mood for my ol’ reliable: cup-and-char pizza, as well as some wings tonight (medium, always)! I’m more of a flats girl and my husband is a drum guy, so I guess you could say we’re the perfect match.

When we went to go pick up our order, the employees was super chill and nice, even while working in a tight, warm space. I also love when a place has me check my order to make sure I’m satisfied (aka: take a peak inside that goodness and have that glorious smell of pizza slaps you in the face!).

I love me some cup-and-char pizza. It’s just a matter of who does it right. As for Penny’s, they nailed it.

As you can tell, the dough had a balance of crunchy and buttery. When an end crust actually has a taste, that’s how you know you’ve got some well-cared for dough. It was the right amount of thickness as well—not too overbearing but enough to fill you!

Let’s talk ratios. As for cheese, I was hoping for a little more of an even cheese-to-dough ratio. You can see I did get a little gypped on the cheese in the middle of the pie. Not sure if that was human error or if it came off whilst cutting it up into slices…

I could’ve had a little more sauce on this bad boy as well—I’m normally not a super saucy person, but Penny’s sauce was really good. Add a little more cheese, and a little more sauce, and we’ve got something great here.

The pepperoni on Penny’s Pizza honestly tasted as good as it looks in the photos (grease pools for the win!). Those delightfully blackened edges added such an awesome charred taste to the whole pizza. I always am fond for the textural juxtaposition of the chewiness of the cheese and crispiness of the pepperoni.

Last but not least, WINGS! So, I typically always eat my chicken wings first, as an appetizer. Also maybe I am subconsciously saving the best (pizza) for last?

I like starting off with the burst of heat and something bite-sized. Also too—writer’s secret—if I’m super hungry, I’m less focused on the actual taste and art of the pizza and more focused on fueling my hunger. I like to work up my appetite!

The wings were great though. Like Penny’s pizza, their wings here were a good balance of chewiness and crunch. A pet peeve of mine is definitely when chicken wings has no crunch and the skin is too soft—just skeeves me out too much!

Nonetheless, Penny’s Pizza, you were in fact a pleasant surprise. I may have judged you at first by your curb appeal, but I’m sure glad a paid a visit.

Pizza & love,

Mandy