PIZZA POLL: The thick crust pizza gurus at East End Chewing have been conjuring up a brand new pizza every week for an entire year, and they want to hear about your favorites… Plus you can win some pizza and beer!
East End Brewing launched the pizza-making operations in their newly reopened kitchen toward the end of 2020.
Shortly afterward, the newly named “East End Chewing” really started to spread its wings. Or slices.
The year-long brainchild from East End Chewing’s Sheryl Johnston (veteran of Pittsburgh’s culinary scene) has finally reached it’s cheesy finish line. Johnston took a page from the brewery’s ongoing YOU ARE HERE project, where the brewery is brewing a unique beer for each of Pittsburgh’s 90 neighborhoods. She has managed to conjure up a unique pizza for every single week of 2021, that she calls their Pizza of the Week.
Sheryl offers… “When you’re living in a city with as much happening as we do here in Pittsburgh, drawing inspiration from what’s happening around you is probably the best way to keep things fresh and interesting…
From event inspired pizzas like Kind of a Big Dill for Picklesburgh Week, to seasonally-inspired pies like the Pumpkin Spice Latte Pizza for fall and Lucky Pork and Kraut Pizza for new years day, to sandwich-inspired pizzas such as the Bahn Mi Pizza, the Muffaletta Pizza, and Cubano Pizza, to a straight up Pittsburgh-inspired pizzas such as the Pierogi Pizza, there really has been something for everyone to relate to and enjoy.
“Our Pizza of the Week was actually our number one seller at the brewery last year – and that includes beer sales! Granted, the beer portion was divided among 50 different beers that we brewed, but this figure is still kind of crazy to me.” says Scott Smith, owner/founder of East End Brewing.
To celebrate a year of specialty pizzas, East End Chewing is hosting an online poll where people can determine their “Greatest Pies of 2021”, all of which will make their way back on the menu for a week in 2022.
Participants will also get the chance to win some pizza+beer in the process. Pizza fans can browse the East End Chewing online gallery of 2021 pizzas, pick their favorites, cast their votes, and share their top picks on social media. Winners will be selected at random once per week, for each of the three weeks.
PIZZA FOR THE FOOD INSECURE:
East End Chewing also just completed their final week of a 15 week program, supplying pizza to local organizations that help Pittsburgh area residents who are experiencing food insecurity. This program is part of the second phase of Quantum Theatre’s NEAR BUY Program, a grant-funded operation with logistical support from 412 Food Rescue, whose volunteers have been handling pizza delivery of 300 East End Chewing pizzas to people in need through this program.
