Restaurant Review: Lovecchio's Pizza

Restaurant:
Address: 192 Landover Road, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
Rating: (out of 5 stars): ★★★★
Style: Pizza parlor with Italian specialties
Food: Good, most things are made to order
Atmosphere: Neighborhood pizza shop where everyone knows your name
Parking: Small lot in front
Service: Very friendly
Price Range: Inexpensive
Unique Features: College student discounts and pasta dinners (pasta, salad and garlic bread)

For me, there is nothing better than to set foot in a pizza shop that  unapologetically offers a world of carbs—a place where the food is made the same way it’s always been and where there are no trendy items on the menu to keep up with the latest fad. in Bryn Mawr is all these things. The pizza dough is made fresh daily and there are dozens of pasta dishes on the menu. The steak sandwiches and hoagies come on Liscio rolls and there are four kinds of parmigiana sandwiches. Calzones and stromboli come in two sizes and chicken wings come regular or breaded.

My young cousins live around the corner from Lovecchio’s so I have had their pizza many times. It’s consistently good, a nice thin crust that has enough body to hold up your toppings, a golden color, a crisp exterior and slightly chewy interior. The sauce is bright and full of tomato flavor. They never skimp on cheese or toppings and it’s always fully baked (undercooked and overcooked pizza is gross).

I went in on official business and ordered a small mushroom pizza, a regular sized eggplant parmigiana sandwich and regular chicken cheesesteak. The small pie was covered with plenty of sliced mushrooms, a sprinkling of parmesan cheese, dried Italian herbs and was dotted with a fresh basil leaf. The pizza tasted just like I remembered. What’s remarkable about Lovecchio’s pizza is that it even tastes good cold. If you’re dining solo you can always go in and grab a slice.

The eggplant parm was delicious. Sometimes places will serve your fried eggplant that is bitter or undercooked. The eggplant pieces in the sandwich were nicely fried, not greasy tasting and paired well with the tomato sauce and thick layer of wonderfully melted cheese. The roll was crunchy on the outside and soft and airy on the inside, a nice play of textures for the sandwich. Out of all three items the eggplant parm caught my dining companion’s eye immediately and she snatched a half before anyone could claim it.

The chicken cheesesteak with hot peppers (I requested these as an add-on) completely hit the spot. There was plenty of cheese and the chicken was juicy and flavorful. The whole concoction was nicely seasoned and didn’t require any extra salt, pepper or hot sauce. The hot banana peppers provided a nice acidic contrast to the rich and savory meat and cheese.

The service at Lovecchio’s is extremely friendly. Whomever you deal with there is always chatty and welcoming. I went in once and wanted to buy some pizza dough to make pies with my little cousins and they totally obliged. The food takes some time to come out because they are actually at the stove cooking your food, but it’s well worth the wait. The prices are quite reasonable and they’ll even give you a discount if you show a valid college ID. While you wait for your order you can always head next door to Bryn Mawr Beverage Co. to pick up some cool refreshments to go with your dinner. Whatever you decide, you can rest assured that your meal will be lovingly prepared by the staff at Lovecchio’s.  

Click here for the menu.