Austin B.
Yelp
tl;dr the heavy helping of cold toppings (immediately offputting to some, characteristically crave-worthy to others) is the defining feature of this Pittsburgh pizza parlor's iconic pies
Beto's is Pittsburgh's longest-operating pizzeria, originally established in 1953. As such, it should come as no surprise that, for many a native, Beto's sits among the city's most iconic restaurants. What may be surprising, however, is their quirky twist on pizza. The enormous, Sicilian-adjacent "trays" are slathered with sauce and baked, before being sliced into 28 square "cuts" and topped with cold, shredded provolone and other uncooked toppings of choice. This Ohio Valley-style pizza remains contentious even within Pittsburgh, but Beto's has recruited plenty of diehard fans.
The restaurant is immediately off a busy highway in Beechview. The large, standalone brick building, decked with a backlit Beto's logo, looks more like a factory than a pizza parlor. Patrons enter immediately into a warmly lit, modern dining room. Immediately to the left is the barebones kitchen and checkout counter, highlighted by a few arcade games and soda coolers. Within the dining space, large communal tables occupy most of the room, while wooden booths and stainless steel tables are pressed up against the walls. Accent lighting shines onto the Beto's logo painted onto the single, half-whitewashed exposed brick wall, while historical Beto's memorabilia is framed on the remaining slate-grey ones. An '80s pop radio station is intermittently interrupted by the staff calling out orders over the loudspeaker.
I convinced a friend to join me for weeknight dinner, and the place was popping with regulars. I opted for 3 cuts: one each of pepperoni, sausage (one of the few hot toppings), and anchovy. Immediately, I was drawn to the excellently crispy crust. It was deep and sturdy, similar to Chicago deep-dish but with a thickness more akin to grandma-style. Unsurprisingly, the prized corner cut was my favorite, while the side and middle slices fell apart under their own weight. The pizza sauce was also unique: super chunky, as though whole tomatoes were taken straight from the can. The cuts were heavily loaded with toppings (except for only 2 wimpy anchovies). The mound of shredded cheese must have been 2-3 times the amount used for the average 'zza. I was only mildly put off by the toppings being cold -- my first impression was that I was eating adult Lunchables, but the hearty cuts quickly satisfied.
My 3 cuts and toppings ran me a grand total of $8. My ravenous appetite could probably have handled a fourth, but 2-3 slices are plenty for a more moderate meal. Overall, the flavors, while far from sophisticated, were tasty and undeniably nostalgic. While I couldn't call it my favorite style of pizza, Beto's Ohio Valley cuts are certainly memorable and sure to be enjoyable for the occasional change of pace.