Judges selected the Agawam brick oven pizzeria from a field of eight reader-selected candidates. Watch video
The champions - Bobby and Karen Aversa, owners of The Pizza Guy at 65 Maple St. in Agawam.All hail The Pizza Guy, winner of the 2011 Valley Food Championship Pizza Playoffs!
The Agawam brick oven pizzeria, owned by Bobby and Karen Aversa, was the unanimous choice of our panel of three judges - arts & entertainment editor Ray Kelly, sports writer Pam McCray and photographer Don Treeger. The Pizza Guy bested Milano’s Pizzaria and Restaurant of Chicopee for the title.
"It would have been cowardice to claim a tie, but the word was uttered at one point in our initial deliberations," Kelly said. "I suggested extending the competition another week and trying even more pizza, but Don and Pam were more sane and more concerned about their gastric health."
"Seriously, this has been a great competition and we enjoyed our visits to the 'Elite Eight' selected by online readers of The Republican, MassLive.com, and El Pueblo Latino," Kelly said. "In the end, there could only be one winner and the winner was The Pizza Guy."
The judges sampled pepperoni pizzas on Wednesday and Thursday at The Pizza Guy and Milano's. The two pizzerias were among the 117 nominees suggested by online readers on May 9. Readers reduced the field to an "Elite Eight" for judges to visit.
"It all came down to their pepperoni pizza and the edge went to The Pizza Guy," Treeger said. " A little less grease and the combination of good pepperoni and a lighter crust was the deciding factor. For me, pepperoni adds a greasy factor to any pizza and the lighter, brick oven crust at The Pizza Guy offset what is normally a 'heavier' pie when loaded with pepperoni."
McCray said that the pepperoni pizza at The Pizza Guy was typical of the quality pizzas produced there. "Throughout the entire competition they consistently served us great pizza. I think the deciding factor for me was that Milano's pepperoni pizza was greasier. The tough thing about this match up is that The Pizza Guy and Milano's make completely different types of pizza. The Pizza Guy makes a brick oven pizza, while Milano's makes a more traditional pizza."
"Maybe it was the extreme heat of the brick oven at The Pizza Guy or the decision to put cheese on top of the pepperoni, but their pizza had less grease," Kelly said. "Throughout the competition I have been impressed with The Pizza Guy. I have not had a pizza there that did not blow me away."
McCray and her fellow judges recommended readers visit both pizzerias.
"Depending on which one you're in the mood for, these are two of the best places to get a pizza in the area," she said. "You really can't go wrong at either one."
Kelly said he expected to visit both pizzerias with his family. "I want them to see how good the pizzas that the Berardis and the Aversas make. They are all champions."
"I will be going back to both places to eat pizza for what I hope is a long time to come," Treeger said. "Thanks to all our readers for following along with what we hope was a fun few weeks of..... Pizza!"
Elite 8 Bracket:
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