Super Bowl LX touches down in just four days, so it’s time to figure out your game plan. No, we’re not talking about where you’re watching or who you’re watching with. We’re talking about the most important thing about any Super Bowl party — what does the food spread look like? You have to make sure you have the best person in your circle on salsa, guacamole, and drinks duty, but above all else, you need the best pizza your money can buy. Which means it’s time to reignite the age-old debate over which of the big pizza brands is making the best pie right now?
For the most part, pizza is a static product; if you’ve had Pizza Hut, Domino’s, Papa Johns, Mountain Mike’s, or Little Caesars, you probably have a personal hierarchy that you swear by, but what happens when one of the big brands drops something new? That’s just what Papa Johns did with its “years in the making” Pan Pizza. Now, we’ve made our own pizza in the past, and we know it doesn’t take years, so this pizza better be damn good, because your Super Bowl party hinges on its deliciousness.
So we did what we do best — gave it a thorough taste test to see if this pie is worth trying this Super Bowl weekend and beyond. Here are our thoughts.
Papa Johns Pan Pizza
Thoughts & Tasting Notes
Let’s talk stats — the new PJ’s Pan Pizza features a blend of six, yes SIX, cheeses, including mozzarella, provolone, fontina, asiago, parmesan, and romano spread edge-to-edge with a good helping of parmesan baked right into the crust to give the whole thing a crispy caramelized edge. On top of all of that, you have a finishing touch of garlic and a gentle sprinkling of Italian herbs, and that’s all before you add your toppings.
When the foundation is this flavor-packed, your savory meats and veggies really help to elevate the experience, but you want to make sure you don’t overdo it. Remember, this pizza already has a blend of six cheeses, so it leans salty, which is why we kept our pie simple, adding only PJ’s premium Deli Pepperoni and some spinach. Did we go too simple? Maybe, but it was important to get a taste of whether or not the base pie was any good, and if you can’t tell already, we think it is.
Each slice is bursting with savory, rich, and sumptuous flavor, ping-ponging back and forth between pungent sharpness and mellow milkiness, but the real sell here is the mouthfeel. Are we ridiculous for using the word “mouthfeel” when talking about big chain pizza? No, you’re the ridiculous one! Because eating this pizza is a true sensory experience: the crunch of every bite, the way the caramelized crust breaks and makes your mouth water and pulls you in for more at the end of every slice, the nutty, almost sweet finish of the garlic, the sheer cheesiness of the thing — it’s a real treat for the senses.
Our only major gripe with this pizza is that it’s only available in a medium-size, which only gives you 12 inches and eight slices to work with. So if you’re having a big party, make sure you double or triple up on the order.
The Bottom Line:
Papa Johns knocked it out of the park on this one, from the mouthfeel (yes, we’re saying it again), to the extreme cheesiness, to the decadent indulgence of the whole thing. This is pizza done right, and it makes for a great centerpiece for any Super Bowl spread.
Order from your nearest Papa Johns here.
