Athens is known for a lot of things: the beautiful campus, fest season, and the food! There’s no denying that a Bobcat will never go hungry with all of the delicious options we have. In the war of all Athens’ food, each restaurant must first win a battle. This is the battle of Athens’ best pizza (excuse me as I drool).
There are three notable pizza joints in Athens that are favorites to Ohio University students: Courtside Pizza, GoodFella’s Pizza, and Avalanche Pizza.
Everyone has their favorites. OU student, Isabella K. says her favorite is Avalanche. “They have the most creative pizzas I’ve ever tasted!”
However, OU freshman Ally V. says that GoodFella’s is her favorite because “you can’t beat the two slice combo with a drink for only $5.”
Senior Elyse K. rallies for Courtside because of the 50 cent pizza on Slice Night (which is also Her Campus’ favorite night).
Each pizza place has unique features that make it a fan favorite. Here’s a little bit about what each restaurant has to offer to pizza connoisseurs.
Courtside Pizza
Located at the end of Court Street, Courtside (or C-side) is best known for its deal on Wednesdays, Slice Night. On Slice Night, cheese pizza sells for 50 cents a slice and pepperoni for 75 cents a slice until 9 p.m. What some people seem to forget is that Courtside has 18 different types of pizza including a “Create Your Own” option. My personal favorite is the “Wes’ Magic Ranch.” Other favorites include: “Potato Pizza,” “The Florence Pizza,” and the “Veggie Pizza.” New to the menu is “The Rufus Pizza” which has a ranch sauce topped with chicken, bacon, tomatoes, and onions.
Courtside conveniently delivers or you can go inside, place your order, and have a drink at the bar (if you’re 21 of course).
Award: Best Deal
GoodFella’s Pizza
With two locations, one on West Union Street and the other on Court Street, you can’t miss GoodFella’s. Unlike most pizza slices, GoodFella’s serves their pizza in big doughy squares. Every day, GoodFella’s has a specialty of the day such as: “The Afterburner,” “Good’waiian,” and “The Mediterranean.” GoodFella’s is popular with most Bobcats because of their cheap prices. A square of cheese is $2 and a square of pepperoni is $2.50.
GoodFella’s was the first pizza place I tried in Athens, and it certainly left an impression. Since they close at 3 a.m., you can always catch students walking home with a sheet of brown parchment paper and a square of pizza.
Award: Best Late Night Pizza
Avalanche Pizza
Holy options! I can’t even count how many different types of pizza there are at Avalanche. Voted “Best Pizza in the USA” by Food Network in 2006, Avalanche sits on East State Street so it’s not quite walking distance from campus. Luckily, Avalanche does deliver until 1 a.m. Sunday-Wednesday, 3 a.m. on Thursday, and until 4 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
I’ve been at OU for four years and the only “Athens eatery” my parents have tried is Avalanche. Every time they visit, they try a new signature pizza, and every time it is delicious.
The only downside to Avalanche is the price. It is more expensive than other pizza places, but it is definitely worth treating yourself.
Award: Most Creative Pizza
And the winner is…
As much as I love all of these places, Avalanche is definitely the best. There is a type of signature pizza for everyone; there’s even a vegan option. I challenge everyone who reads this to look at their menu and tell me that they can’t find anything good. It’s impossible. Avalanche is perfect for a night in with friends or family. Their pizza is so good that you’ll want to do the “happy food dance.”
I asked OU students which was their favorite and the majority said GoodFella’s, but I’m going to have to overrule them. If you haven’t tried all three of these restaurants, I would definitely put it on your OU bucket list and then decide on your favorite.
Tweet us @HerCampusOhioU your favorite Athens pizza place!