Best Pizza in Moresby

Memories from home: Pizza with sizes, toppings, tastes, and prices that I really miss!

Yes, the search is on. A friend and I are trying to find the best pizza in Moresby. As far as I know, there are only 4 places in town worth entering in the competition. We are judging our winner solely on taste, although we are making other notes as we go along. In an attempt at fairness, we are also ordering the same pizza each time, whatever passes for their version of a "meat lover's pizza".

I have to include a little disclaimer here for my husband, if for no one else. You see, Leo is a pizza connoisseur. He discovered long ago that he can start with a store-bought pizza and dress it up (differently every time) to suit our needs. So Leo, just for your information, none of these pizzas even come close to what you fix for us at home. These aren't bad, but they aren't loaded up like the ones you are used to. Still, sometimes you just get a craving for a good pizza. Hence, our quest to find the best in town.

Our first contestant was the Pondo Tavern, the bar at the Crowne Plaza. When I look out the window of my apartment every day, I see a sign that says "Best Pizza in Town". Well, so far, it actually is, although only by a slight lead. Here are the current standings:

1. Pondo Tavern

Crust:	Good
Toppings:	Excellent. Lots of variety, good veggies, thick and delicious.
Service:	Poor. We were out on the deck and I had to go inside twice, to ask for menus, and to ask for refills and check and see what was taking the pizza so long.
Atmosphere:	Good. It can be a bit noisy along the street, but we ate in early arvo on a weekend, so no traffic and no bar traffic to deal with.

2. Ela Beach

Crust:	Good
Toppings:	Really good flavour, but too thin. If they had beefed up the toppings a bit, these guys would've taken first place.
Service:	Excellent. Perhaps because they know me, or perhaps they are just good at their jobs, but we got lots of attention, were checked on regularly, and felt very "taken care of" there.
Atmosphere:	Good. Even when crowded, the Ela Beach staff seem to keep things flowing smoothly. Not too noisy, not too quiet, very nice.

3. Gateway Bar

Crust:	Okay
Toppings:	Good. Of all we've tried so far, these guys were the "thinnest" on their toppings.
Service:	Okay. We sat right next to the pizza ovens so we could see them steady at work, but it still took a long time.
Atmosphere:	Okay. Although we were there before noon, we kept seeing pitchers of beer being delivered somewhere. When we walked outside, we had to pass through a trail of smokers and drinkers that was slightly unpleasant.