Does "Good" Frozen Pizza Exist?

I know that a frozen pizza is never going to compare with a fresh sampling, but jeez, do they have to be so bad? It would nice to be able to go to the freezer at 2AM and take one out, put it in the oven for a few minutes, and then just enjoy getting that pizza jones scratched, albeit at a sacrifice in quality.

I've been trying everything in Tony's frozen pizza section, and man, it is grim. So far, everything has sucked like a Hoover. The best thing I've found is a Palermo ultra-thin crust, and it doesn't come close to fresh. Almost eferything has a horrible cardboard-like crust, or if the crust is near-to-palatable, there are no ingredients to speak of, or they are just awful in quality. Has anyone found anything that is even remotely decent?

Home Run Inn has a new thin crust frozen pizza that's not bad for frozen pizza.

Alot of people may not agree with me but Jack's is my favorite frozen pizza. DiGiorno I didn't care too much for as I thought it was too much crust.

Home Run Inn is my second favorite frozen 'za. Lou Malnatti's is the best IMO, though it takes a bit longer to cook than a Tombstone's. (And is supposed to be even better if you let it thaw in the 'fridge overnight.) I think they only sell them at their restaurants.

Try an "Amy's" brand frozen pizza. There have been some very favorable reviews of this nationally-distributed pie; Whole Foods carries a variety of them.

You can buy frozen Vito & Nick's pizza from a freezer case at Vito & Nick's II in Hickory Hills (Cheese, Sausage or Pepperoni only). It's not quite the same as the original, but it's close...plus it's probably the best frozen pizza you're going to find.

Vito & Nick's II
9644 S Roberts Rd
Hickory Hills, IL 60457
708-430-2800

Well, it ain't ultra-thin crust and it'll take a few more than a couple minutes in the oven, but I try to keep a frozen Lou Malnati's pizza in my freezer as often as possible.

It usually doesn't last long. Maybe I should put it under glass with a "Break in case of emergency" sign.

Best,
Michael

America's Test Kitchen did a show a couple of weeks back where they rated frozen pizzas - they rated one by California Pizza Kitchen highest (the review is also on their website; iirc you need to be a subscriber to see the full review).

I quite like some of the Trader Joe thin crust options.

A frozen thin option that I recently tried is by American Flatbread, the well-known organic/natural Vermont-based pizza baker. I am a little confused how frozen pizza in a grocery store (Whole Foods) fit in with their philosophy of hand-crafted, small-scale production. Nevertheless, it was a good frozen pizza with a crust that had a good amount of character.

Best,
Michael

Athena wrote:America's Test Kitchen did a show a couple of weeks back where they rated frozen pizzas - they rated one by California Pizza Kitchen highest (the review is also on their website; iirc you need to be a subscriber to see the full review).

I agree with the assessment.

Easily the largest selection of frozen pizzas is available at Woodman's. They have a full aisle of frozen pizzas of all descriptions.

"good frozen pizza", i believe that to be an oxymoron.

Havent found one yet, luckily I have a local mom & pop pizza place a couple blocks away that stays open pretty late, so I have not had to do much research on this question( Iha ve found Home Run Inn to be acceptable).

I agree with the Trader Joe's suggestions. The frozen pizza is from Italy. The crust is very cracker like.

Home Run Inn (regular style) and Palermo's ultra thin crust are the only two frozen pizzas that I've found I enjoy. (I also seem to have vague memory liking Jewel's -- or maybe Dominick's -- house brand back in the late 80s/early 90s, but either they've changed it or my tastes have). Kind of weird, as I don't really like Home Run Inn or Palermo's restaurant pizza that much.

recently got a pizza stone/baking stone, regardless of the brand the crust has been coming out much, much better.

I haven't had frozen pizza in years, but the last time I did I recall Freschetta's being pretty tasty.

Home Run Inn has a small, individual pizza with veggies on it and I keep three or four in the freezer for those times I get a sudden urge for one. I add some Tone's Spaghetti seasoning (that I purchase at Costco) to the top before I microwave it - and it turns-out well for the occassion, and with a crispy crust.

From COOKS ILLUSTRATED -

California Pizza Kitchen Crispy Thin Margherita
"This pizza had a nice overall combination of flavors, many of us would be happy to have it in our freezers."


I also really like the "Sicilian" and the "White" pizza flavors. I have tried many thin crust varieties and the California Pizza Kitchen pizzas are comprised of much higher quality ingredients than, say, Home Run Inn, or any others found in the grocery store.

About twice a year I will crave a Tombstone Pizza. Maybe it's because I ate those growing up (not too often, but more than twice a year for sure), but sometimes I just really want one and nothing fresh will suffice.

In response to the opening of post asking if frozen pizza exists, I say yes but not necessarily as an authentic substitute for fresh. But it's not bad in its own right.

One's idea of "good" being subjective I will offer up Mrs. Davooda's go-to Saturday morning (following a late Friday night) frozen pizza - Kroger's Private Selection Extra Thin Crust Pepperoni Pizza. Cracker-thin crust and topped with a goodly amount of real mozzarella covered totally by thinly sliced and flavorful pepperoni rounds. You bake at 450 degrees for :16 minutes and I think the thin crust and the high heat have a lot to do with how well this 'za tastes and crunches for a frozen pizza.
As much as I disdained these at first I have grown to crave them too.

But, then again, I also crave a Tombstone Original Pepperoni from time to time. In addition to the pepperoni rounds on top, the sauce includes tiny flavorful bits of pepperoni that give it a double-depth of pepperoni flavor. However, I only buy these when they're on sale.

Mrs. Davooda requires me to pay full boat to keep the Private Selection 'za in stock

Davooda

We have a great local pizza place but when we're last minute thinking about pizza, Trader Joe's flatbreads doctored up is a favorite as is TJ's Greek pizza. Now and then I like a Home Run Inn four cheese frozen pizza.

Y'know what I used to dig? French bread pizza. I liked the sausage one. It was in a red box - maybe Banquet?

I think the French Bread pizza was Stouffer's, wasn't it?

dukesdad wrote:I think the French Bread pizza was Stouffer's, wasn't it?

I think you are right.

I liked it as well, but always burnt the heck out of the roof of my mouth.

jimswside wrote:

dukesdad wrote:I liked it as well, but always burnt the heck out of the roof of my mouth.

One of my 'favorite' childhood memories was the pain of eating Stouffer's french bread pizza. It was so thick and difficult to bite through completely that you had to really chomp down on it, leading to the inevitable scalding of the hard palate and accompanying skin peeling off for the next couple days. We only seemed to get it when my parents would go out.

and I 3rd the recommendation of TJ's frozen pizza. Not bad.

eatchicago wrote:A frozen thin option that I recently tried is by American Flatbread, the well-known organic/natural Vermont-based pizza baker. I am a little confused how frozen pizza in a grocery store (Whole Foods) fit in with their philosophy of hand-crafted, small-scale production. Nevertheless, it was a good frozen pizza with a crust that had a good amount of character.

Actually, what is interesting about American Flatbread is that they've been doing the frozen pizza thing for years, seamlessly, in the same restaurant where waits are routinely 2 hours or more for a seat.They've gradually expanded distribution as they've increased capacity by opening a new pizza bakery/restaurant in 2002, which also has an earthen oven. As a culinary student in Vermont, American Flatbread really opened my eyes to great pizza and I'd routinely drive the 1.5 hours to Waitsfield for the chance to have one of their pies.

They are usually open only Friday and Saturday nights - the rest of the week they are making pizzas from 7 am through the evening hours.

I'm not crazy about their frozen pizza, though, on-site, it is some of the best pizza I've had. Freezing definitely changes things, as I learned when I worked in manufacturing. Most of the commercial pizzas out there are flash-frozen. I'm going to guess that American Flatbread does not have a nitrogen freezing tunnel.

Seconding CPK Sicilian, and my current favorite is Trader Joe's Truffled Mushroom Flatbread.

A frozen thin option that I recently tried is by American Flatbread, the well-known organic/natural Vermont-based pizza baker. I am a little confused how frozen pizza in a grocery store (Whole Foods) fit in with their philosophy of hand-crafted, small-scale production. Nevertheless, it was a good frozen pizza with a crust that had a good amount of character.

American Flatbread fits this philosophy better than about 80% of the packaged food in Whole Foods. For example Kashi (owned by Kellogg) Cascadian Farms/Muir Glen (owned by General Mills), Arrowhead Mills/Celestial Seasons/Terra Chips (owned along with a lot of organic brands I can't remember by a Long Island, NY based mini conglomerate, Hain Celestial)

rickster wrote:

A frozen thin option that I recently tried is by American Flatbread, the well-known organic/natural Vermont-based pizza baker. I am a little confused how frozen pizza in a grocery store (Whole Foods) fit in with their philosophy of hand-crafted, small-scale production. Nevertheless, it was a good frozen pizza with a crust that had a good amount of character.

American Flatbread fits this philosophy better than about 80% of the packaged food in Whole Foods. For example Kashi (owned by Kellogg) Cascadian Farms/Muir Glen (owned by General Mills), Arrowhead Mills/Celestial Seasons/Terra Chips (owned along with a lot of organic brands I can't remember by a Long Island, NY based mini conglomerate, Hain Celestial)

So, what's the example? Different ownership?

Binko wrote:Home Run Inn (regular style) and Palermo's ultra thin crust are the only two frozen pizzas that I've found I enjoy. (I also seem to have vague memory liking Jewel's -- or maybe Dominick's -- house brand back in the late 80s/early 90s, but either they've changed it or my tastes have). Kind of weird, as I don't really like Home Run Inn or Palermo's restaurant pizza that much.

I loved the Jewel house brand pizza BEFORE they remade it. The sausage was real Italian sausage on cracker crust. It gave me terrible heartburn. I ate a lot of them when I was a single man.

But they changed it and the sausage is more like rabbit turd/Domino's type.

I fondly remember Jewel's Chef's Kitchen pizzas being my favorite about 10 years ago. They definitely changed the sausage and the crust for the worse, though the sauce induces the same ghastly heartburn. I get a craving for Home Run Inn frozen pies every once in awhile but they too have a habit of stinging me with acid.