Joe Beddia is saying "tonight" (Wednesday, March 20) for Pizzeria Beddia, his Fishtown pizzeria (115 E. Girard Ave., replacing a deli at Girard and Shackamaxon).
Beddia, 35, who calls himself a pizza nerd, picked up pie knowledge at Tria, Osteria, South Philadelphia Tap Room, and Madison, Wis.'s Pizza Brutta before he landed at Zavino for two years.
He's using a brick-lined Montague deck oven to pop out the 16-inchers - none of that Neapolitan pizza.
It's as close to New York-style as I've seen around here. It has a crispy, almost flaky outer ring, and a sturdy thin inner crust that doesn't flop into a drippiness when you hold it.
This is American pizza, if you will. I tried the plain, which has two different whole-milk mozzarellas (fresh and low-moisture from Lioni Latticini in Union, N.J.), a sauce made from Jersey tomatoes, a grating of domestic Gouda from Hidden Hills Dairy, and a splash of extra-virgin California olive oil. Flour is organic from Central Milling.
A plain is $18 a pie. He'll grind his own sausage ($4 additional), and other toppings are pickled chiles ($2), crimini mushrooms ($3), and salame ($4).
No slices. No real seating. Nothing else on the menu.
Just pizza.