A Research-Based Ranking Of Pizza On Marshall Street

Photo by Adham Elsharkawi

It's time we talk about pizza on Marshall Street.

With the number of pizza places suddenly at our disposal directly on campus, it is really hard to pinpoint which place deserves our money the most… which is it exactly why I decided it was necessary for hit up each place.

You've got three options: Acropolis, Varsity, and M Street. In this study, I put a single slice of plain cheese pizza, one from each restaurant, to the ultimate taste test. I went to great lengths for this guys. I literally brought a ruler and measured them in a public setting, so… you’re welcome. Sometimes you just have to take one for the team.

Anyways, here you go. This is a definitive ranking of Marshall Street Pizza based on surface area, cost, cheese to sauce ratio, crust, and the "overall pizza experience."

1) Acropolis Pizza House Cost: $2.00 Total Pizza Surface Area: 17.9 inches Cheese to Sauce Ratio: 70:30 Crust: Crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside. Napkins to Blot the Grease: 2

I’ve been to Acropolis multiple times but rarely before midnight, so it was a new experience ordering at 6 p.m. My overall pizza experience was pretty pleasant. Eating pizza is a different experience for everyone depending on your taste and preferences. The cheese on the outer edges was kind of crispy, which was just the right balance. The sauce was more sweet than tangy and the dough was relatively thin.

2) M Street Brick Oven Pizzeria Cost: $2.40 Total Pizza Surface Area: 35 inches Cheese to Sauce Ratio: 50:50 Crust: Thin and crispy… but could be crispier. Napkins to Blot the Grease: 2.5

The new kid on the block, which I’ve heard many mixed reviews about. My only interaction before trying this slice was walking in, asking for cheese fries, and being disgusted by the fact that they literally only sell pizza. Aside from my initial disappointment, I was once again disappointed by M Street. The sauce was tangy, but to the point where it seemed like something was kind of... off. The dough was borderline soggy and I would have preferred a thinner, crunchier crust from a brick oven pizzeria. Overall, it just wasn’t quite there.

3) Varsity Pizza Cost: $2.00 Total Pizza Surface Area: 19.25 inches Cheese to Sauce Ratio: 60:40 Crust: The crust is more of an extension of the dough than definitive crust. It was super bready with a slight crunch. Napkins to Blot the Grease: 1.5

I’d been to Varsity before, but mostly for their wraps. They were the last the stop on my pizza journey so I really wanted to end with a bang. Varsity’s slice was great. The crust was a lot crunchier than the other two and the sauce was more sweet than tangy. Definitely an overall satisfactory pizza experience.

The Final Verdict: It was pretty clear which pizza place was the worst, but I wasn’t sure which was the best. M Street’s pizzas were definitely going for the quantity over quality approach, having the biggest slice but most mediocre taste. Acropolis had super cheesy pizza but Varsity’s was super bready. I had to go over my grease-stained notes to come to a solid, knowledge-based conclusion.

1st: Acropolis 2nd: Varsity 3rd: M Street

Honorable Mention: Calios A calzone is basically a pizza folded up… and Calios is too good to not mention.