Small spot in downtown Merced serves best pizza in the county, Sun-Star readers say
Merced County loves its pizza. That’s clearly apparent after looking at the results of the latest Sun-Star reader poll.
And not only does Merced County love pizza, it really loves the slices at Lovers Deli.
The downtown Merced spot, at 426 W. Main St., earned the title of “best pizza in Merced County” by an overwhelming margin, garnering 53% of the 216 votes.
Merced’s Little Oven Pizza finished a clear second with 26%. Atwater’s Tary Boscolo’s Pizzeria & Italian Restaurant and Livingston’s Geneo’s Pizza tied for third at 10%. Fourteen other spots received at least one vote.
What you need to know about Lovers Deli
Lovers Deli will celebrate its first anniversary next month.
So what makes the pizza at Lovers Deli so good?
Manager Marco Alcocer said it’s the time and energy he puts into the dough. It’s apparent talking to him that he has a passion for making great pizza.
“I love seeing my pies come to life,” Alcocer said enthusiastically. “It’s about making something I would want to eat. It’s about attention to detail.”
The pizza at Lovers Deli is “grandma-style” — sheet-pan pizza with origins in Long Island, New York.
It’s also quite affordable: a slice of cheese pizza is $2, pepperoni is $5 and specialty slices are $5 or $6, Alcocer said.
Oh, and Lovers Deli offers sandwiches, too.
It’s open from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and from noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. It’s closed Mondays.
“The people love it here,” Alcocer said. “It’s a very friendly place.”
There are plenty of other good choices in Merced County
Second-place Little Oven Pizza, at 433 W Main St., has gained a following and receives rave reviews online. It’s known for its traditional New York-style pizza, available by the slide or as a whole pie.
Tary Boscolo’s Pizzeria & Italian Restaurant was the top vote-getter of any Atwater pizza spots. According to its Facebook page, Tary Boscolo has been tossing pizzas in Atwater since 1960.
If you’re in Livingston and crazing pizza, you may want to check out Geneo’s Pizza, which features a family-friendly environment, according to its Facebook page.
