Oh yeah, we’re going to take a trip back to Old Nashville for this one, folks. I’ll be reviewing one of my family’s longest-standing favorites, Sir Pizza. This is a place that has been apart of the fabric of Tennessee’s culinary scene for decades. For the 30-somethings who grew up here, like me, it’s an institution.
Robert Fortner had a dream of providing the finest pizza in a family friendly environment. At the time his family lived in Muncie, Indiana and would occasionally dine out at Pizza King. In 1965 our father bought the licensing right to Sir Pizza of TN because he fell in love with the State of Tennessee while driving through on their way to Florida for a family vacation. He knew Tennessee was where he wanted to move his family. Today, Sir Pizza is an acknowledged leader in the pizza industry and offers family-friendly dining to patrons across the globe.
This one’s going to be a bit of a call back to my childhood here – I can remember Sir Pizza being a staple of the Nashville area back when I was five or six years old. It used to be that every Friday night, my dad would get home from work, and we’d load up and head for the Sir Pizza off of Bell Road past the Hickory Hollow area (back when Hickory Hollow was actually nice, and one of the prime shopping destinations in the area). I’d get an entire plate of black olives (I called them “tires”), and sometimes, I’d even play the arcade games they had in the restaurant. On the way home, I’d beg my parents to stop at Toys R’ Us – sometimes, they’d relent. That location on Bell Road closed, but ever since, Sir Pizza has been one of my family’s regular rotational spots. Every now and then, you just need a Sir Pizza.
So, yeah – we’re talking about childhood memories here today, and as you’ll see, that may or may not have shaped my review (hey, at least I’m honest). But, even all these years later, the style of the Sir Pizza holds up. It’s different – it’s not the typical slice you’re going to grab at a traditional pizza place. It’s not very saucy, they cube their pepperoni into smaller diced pieces, the sausage is more of a crumble than a chunk, and the slices are cut into squares. But, what makes it different is exactly what makes it so good, in my opinion.
Check out the iconic Sir Pizza menu here.
Pics
Ratings
Food: 8.1/10 – The elusive ‘8’ grade…I rarely give this one out, but there’s something so different and yet so comforting about a meal at Sir Pizza. The Farmer’s Almanac is a goldmine of fresh ingredients. That’s one thing that has always stood out to me about this pizza – the olives, the peppers, and the onions ALL taste fresh. I love the small cubed pepperoni, and I love the smaller diced sausage. I love the smaller, square cut slices, and it’s one of the few pieces of pizza of which I will actually devour the crust. I might sound like a savage, but there’s something inherently satisfying about eating an entire slice of Sir Pizza pizza in one bite. Also, this pie earns points for not being sloppy – I’ve never had a greasy Sir Pizza, and I’ve never had my toppings fall off because the slice was way too saucy. I mean it – it’s a different kind of pizza, but it’s damn near perfect.
Atmosphere – I’ve never done this, but I’m actually going to refrain from giving an atmosphere score, while also commenting on the atmosphere. I’m not exactly a family-friendly type of guy….so, if you’re like me, heading to Sir Pizza probably isn’t going to move the needle too much. But, I’ll mention it here because I know a lot of SoBros Nation, that might be reading this, do have families, and would appreciate knowing that this place does indeed have a nice family friendly atmosphere.
Value: 5.2/10 – I really have to take the nostalgia out of my childhood for this one. I’ve had Sir Pizza delivered that wasn’t quite as fresh, and if you pay around $25 for a large pizza that isn’t all that fresh, that’s going to create a bad customer experience, and a perception of poor value. That possibility is why I keep them closer to the ‘average’ value category. But, man – if you go to the restaurant, and get that bad boy fresh, I’m not kidding when I say it’s my favorite pizza in Nashville. It just hits different, and for THAT experience, I give them the extra ‘0.2’ on the grade.
Overall: 6.65/10 – I may be biased from approximately 34 years of shoveling Sir Pizza down my gullet, and yeah, maybe it does take me back to the simplicity of childhood, and that effects my perception of it. I know I’ve had friends that have tried it and didn’t understand why I was so hyped about it. I just….as a journalist…feel the need to be transparent about that. But, for my money, it’s one of the best meals in town (hitting that one in Murfreesboro after a day of shopping at the Bell Buckle Craft Fair in the fall is the most satisfying experience you’ll have), and it’s one of the last remaining institutions from Old Nashville.
CURRENT NASHVILLE RESTAURANT RANKINGS
- Butcher & Bee (8.5/10)
- Nectar: Urban Cantina (8.44/10)
- Von Elrod’s (8.17/10)
- Catch 22 (Mount Juliet) (7.125/10)
- Red’s 615 Kitchen (7/10)
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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