Pasta Mista

When I first moved to the Baltimore area I was living right in the middle of Towson. I came down for grad school and really had no idea what Baltimore was all about. The one thing I didn't expect in such a highly populated area (compared to where I came from) was the difficulty I'd encounter trying to find pizza that didn't taste like squishy bread and tomato paste. At the time it seemed as if Seasons Pizza was everywhere and being the smart guy I am I figured it couldn't be that bad if they were successful enough to open up franchises at a pace rivaled only by Starbucks. Seven years later, I'm still wondering how Seasons stays in business.

But that's neither here nor there. The reason I bring any of that up is to illustrate the terrible stress I was under for nearly 4 months searching for a delicious pizza I thought I might never eat again. And then one day I came across a simple article in the college newspaper detailing exactly what I've been talking about----the nearly impossible pursuit of finding good pizza in Baltimore. The author of that article raved about Pasta Mista with such passion that I'm pretty sure I drove down to the Towson location after class and tried it out for myself. I've since found other pizza places just as good if not better than Pasta Mista, but because of the travails I encountered searching for pizza early on in my Baltimore experiences,  Pasta Mista will always be held in high regard for this blogger.

These days,I no longer live in Towson  but I was fortunate enough to be in town a few weeks back and was able to rekindle the romance that once burned so strongly between myself and the pizza. I was also able to introduce Deana to Pasta Mista for the first time. Needless to say, she is their newest fan. And I have to give her props for letting me maintain a relationship with someone I once was so close with not so long ago.

The day we visited both of us were drawn to the chicken parm pizza. It was as good as I remember. The crust was thin and crispy. The sauce had that delicious sweet/acidic tomato taste I love. And the chicken was nicely breaded and tender. For a quick lunch, you're not going to do much better.

Pasta Mista might not be "the best pizza in Baltimore" (they are in the discussion), but for my money there is no better place to get a simple slice. They always have 8 or 10 different pizzas up front for you to pick from. By the time you pay and fill your cup up with something to drink they already have your slice heated through and out of the oven. Variety and speed? I'll take it. Add to the fact that the slices are huge and the price is cheap....I'll take two!

If you are new to Baltimore and encountering the same problem I once had fret not my friends. For Pasta Mista comes bearing gifts of frankincense,myrrh, and delicious pizza.

Price: Cheap
Recommendation: Must visit
What to order: Every pizza they make is a winner.