Lorenzo's Pizza on South Street

[ghost]

So having moved from Philly to the SF Bay Area, I really miss my Lorenzo's pizza on south street. I know, I grew up and spent 21 years in port richmond, only 5 blocks from Tacconelli's, but Lorenzo's is still my favorite. Anyone know or have an idea of what they do to get such a sweet sauce? I was never sure if it was the cheese they used, or the sauce, or a combination of both. If anyone has any ideas, I'd be up for trying it! Thanks!

[rlibkind]

Anyone know or have an idea of what they do to get such a sweet sauce?  I was never sure if it was the cheese they used, or the sauce, or a combination of both. If anyone has any ideas, I'd be up for trying it!  Thanks!

←

Sugar.

[Rich Pawlak]

I am miffed at anyone's enjoyment of this sloppy version of pizza. I guess it tastes OK after a night of heavy drinking/clubbing/debauchery, but you couldn't make me buy a slice sober.

[SteveR]

So having moved from Philly to the SF Bay Area, I really miss my Lorenzo's pizza on south street.  I know, I grew up and spent 21 years in port richmond, only 5 blocks from Tacconelli's, but Lorenzo's is still my favorite. Anyone know or have an idea of what they do to get such a sweet sauce?  I was never sure if it was the cheese they used, or the sauce, or a combination of both. If anyone has any ideas, I'd be up for trying it!  Thanks!

←

Yep Sugar I';m sure and it's never crispy. My new fav is Lickity Split. Their plain slices are IMMENSE and for 50 cents more you get toppings. They have chairs to sit on too! And they actually are friendly! Okay, we are talking volume and value here (and convenience for me as I'm only a few blocks away.). But - as Rich says - this is not gourmet. It's the equivalent of a Kielbasi or Hot dog from a street vendor. Good cheap snack.

Steve R

[ghost]

I am miffed at anyone's enjoyment of this sloppy version of pizza.  I guess it tastes OK after a night of heavy drinking/clubbing/debauchery, but you couldn't make me buy a slice sober.

←

As much as I will make authentic DOC pizza or have the elite pizza of lombardis and tacconelli's, this greasy pie still has a place on my palate. For all the fine dining I might experience, sometimes a nice greasy piece of lorenzo's just hits the spot. :-)

But I must say a friend of mine was friends with the owner of Mama Palmas, and they have one of my favorite pies in philly. Actually thats some of the best pizza I've had anywhere.

[KatieLoeb]

I am miffed at anyone's enjoyment of this sloppy version of pizza.  I guess it tastes OK after a night of heavy drinking/clubbing/debauchery, but you couldn't make me buy a slice sober.

←

As much as I will make authentic DOC pizza or have the elite pizza of lombardis and tacconelli's, this greasy pie still has a place on my palate. For all the fine dining I might experience, sometimes a nice greasy piece of lorenzo's just hits the spot. :-)

But I must say a friend of mine was friends with the owner of Mama Palmas, and they have one of my favorite pies in philly. Actually thats some of the best pizza I've had anywhere.

←

Lorenzo's is all of around the corner from my house. The only time I'll go there is when nothing else is open (and the South Street Diner is always open) and I want something quick. But the pizza downright sucks. It's a HUGE slice of overly sweet sauced nasty pie.

I'm sure the secret ingredient is a copious amount of sugar added to the industrial sized cans of sauce.

When I want a good slice of that style of pie I head to the Lorenzo's at 9th & Christian in the Italian Market. It's the same type of pie, but way better. I don't know if the two are related or not. But the pizza is much better at the 9th Street shop regardless.

Mama's Palma's, on the other hand, makes some righteous good 'za. Great crust, fresh toppings, and wonderful flavor combinations.

[mrbigjas]

I am miffed at anyone's enjoyment of this sloppy version of pizza.  I guess it tastes OK after a night of heavy drinking/clubbing/debauchery, but you couldn't make me buy a slice sober.

←

well, no problem there. you don't eat lorenzo's sober.

[herbacidal]

I am miffed at anyone's enjoyment of this sloppy version of pizza.  I guess it tastes OK after a night of heavy drinking/clubbing/debauchery, but you couldn't make me buy a slice sober.

←

well, no problem there. you don't eat lorenzo's sober.

←

Yup. Definitely not a connisseur's slice of pizza. Best enjoyed at 2am or thereabouts.

[rlibkind]

I misspoke when I said sugar. It's probably high fructose corn syrup in the canned sauce.

[KatieLoeb]

I am miffed at anyone's enjoyment of this sloppy version of pizza.  I guess it tastes OK after a night of heavy drinking/clubbing/debauchery, but you couldn't make me buy a slice sober.

←

well, no problem there. you don't eat lorenzo's sober.

←

Yup. Definitely not a connisseur's slice of pizza. Best enjoyed at 2am or thereabouts.

←

You're all correct. This is decidedly not sober food. I forgot to mention earlier that the times I can't wait to eat something are those times I've got the "wasted hungries".

I misspoke when I said sugar. It's probably high fructose corn syrup in the canned sauce.

Does it actually matter if it's refined white sugar or high fructose corn syrup?? End result is the same, no?

[rlibkind]

Does it actually matter if it's refined white sugar or high fructose corn syrup??  End result is the same, no?

←

It only matters if you're paying for it. For the sauce manufacturer, HFCS is cheaper per unit of perceived sweetness.

[jmbrightman]

It is such a horrible slice. the only thing it has going for it is size.

[Andrew Fenton]

Pshaw. I like Lorenzo's. It's cheap and greasy and filling and awesome.

[Rich Pawlak]

Youve just returned form Italy and you consider Lorenzo's "awesome"?!?!?

Boy just done left his mind in Italy.

[rlibkind]

Say what you will about Lorenzo's, it's still miles ahead of the pizzas you'll get at Little Pete's and similar places scattered in neighborhoods throughout Philadelphia. I'd much rather have a couple of slices of Lorenzo's than any of the so-called "style" pizzas.

[Andrew Fenton]

Boy just done left his mind in Italy.

That's no doubt true. And while I'd give six months of my life for a good pizza a taglio joint in Philly (literally- I'm sure the cholesterol would do me in, I'd eat there so often), that's a completely different beast than Lorenzo's. Ditto Mama Palma's.

Bob raises a good point. The worst pizza I've had in our fair city was from the place across the street from my apartment in West Philadelphia. It was truly, truly awful- though probably equivalent to any number of similar places.

[Rich Pawlak]

Say what you will about Lorenzo's, it's still miles ahead of the pizzas you'll get at Little Pete's and similar places scattered in neighborhoods throughout Philadelphia. I'd much rather have a couple of slices of Lorenzo's than any of the so-called "style" pizzas.

←

I'm sorry, Bob, but slop is slop. I rank Lorenzo's right alongside the places to which you refer, all insults to the art of true pizza-making. For the same reason I just dont have Bud, Miller or Coors in my fridge, it's just not worth dsumbing down the tastebuds to consume an inferior product.

[mrbigjas]

ya think? i think sometimes it is worth it, if the slop is satisfying a deeper urge than just hunger or aesthetic enjoyment. a place like lorenzo's means more than just crappy pizza to a lot of people. it's about memories of hanging out down on south st as a teen, shopping in fun stores, listening to music, underage drinking, scoping out potential hookups, just generally posing and fronting and showing off and whatnot. youth, trendiness, hipsterism, and big sloppy overly sweet slices from lorenzos, sometimes wrapped around a jim's steak if you're feeling ambitious.

so yeah, it's not about the pizza quality, it's about the whole scene, and about being young. if you didn't hang around on south street growing up, though, i can see how that would be lost on you.

but don't tell me you don't have any craptacular places from when you were growing up that still hold a place in your heart despite their suckiness.

[ghost]

ya think?  i think sometimes it is worth it, if the slop is satisfying a deeper urge than just hunger or aesthetic enjoyment.  a place like lorenzo's means more than just crappy pizza to a lot of people.  it's about memories of hanging out down on south st as a teen, shopping in fun stores, listening to music, underage drinking, scoping out potential hookups, just generally posing and fronting and showing off and whatnot.  youth, trendiness, hipsterism, and big sloppy overly sweet slices from lorenzos, sometimes wrapped around a jim's steak if you're feeling ambitious.

so yeah, it's not about the pizza quality, it's about the whole scene, and about being young.  if you didn't hang around on south street growing up, though, i can see how that would be lost on you. 

but don't tell me you don't have any craptacular places from when you were growing up that still hold a place in your heart despite their suckiness.

←

Salut!

[stephenc]

i've never turned down a big lorenzos slice, and I don't think I ever will.

[Rich Pawlak]

ya think?  i think sometimes it is worth it, if the slop is satisfying a deeper urge than just hunger or aesthetic enjoyment.  a place like lorenzo's means more than just crappy pizza to a lot of people.  it's about memories of hanging out down on south st as a teen, shopping in fun stores, listening to music, underage drinking, scoping out potential hookups, just generally posing and fronting and showing off and whatnot.  youth, trendiness, hipsterism, and big sloppy overly sweet slices from lorenzos, sometimes wrapped around a jim's steak if you're feeling ambitious.

so yeah, it's not about the pizza quality, it's about the whole scene, and about being young.  if you didn't hang around on south street growing up, though, i can see how that would be lost on you. 

but don't tell me you don't have any craptacular places from when you were growing up that still hold a place in your heart despite their suckiness.

←

No craptacular memories from growing up in Scranton, Pa, just all good Texas weiners, Old forge pizza and reelly good home cooking. In college , I'll admit to hitting the Penn Roy Rogers just before closing when the manager would fill a bag of whatever was under the hea tlamps and sell it to us for a buck or two. Good times.

[rlibkind]

No craptacular memories from growing up in Scranton, Pa, just all good Texas weiners, Old forge pizza and reelly good home cooking.  In college , I'll admit to hitting the Penn Roy Rogers just before closing when the manager would fill a bag of whatever was under the hea tlamps and sell it to us for a buck or two.  Good times.

←

Rich, I suspect these will be fightin' words to ya, and no disrespect intended, but based on my one recent foray to Old Forge (Salerno's Cafe), I'd sooner have Lorenzo's. Though I'd be willing to try your favored Arcaro & Genell's or Maxie's before passing a definitive judgement.

[Rich Pawlak]

No craptacular memories from growing up in Scranton, Pa, just all good Texas weiners, Old forge pizza and reelly good home cooking.  In college , I'll admit to hitting the Penn Roy Rogers just before closing when the manager would fill a bag of whatever was under the hea tlamps and sell it to us for a buck or two.  Good times.

←

Rich, I suspect these will be fightin' words to ya, and no disrespect intended, but based on my one recent foray to Old Forge (Salerno's Cafe), I'd sooner have Lorenzo's. Though I'd be willing to try your favored Arcaro & Genell's or Maxie's before passing a definitive judgement.

←

Salerno's IS a version of OF Pizza, but far from the best, far from it actually. My mom likes Salerno's, so there's no genetic taste bud connection apparently.