Bottoms Up Pizza

If there's one essential food for a college kid, it has to be pizza (nevermind ramen noodles). It's fast, filling, and you can pile on whatever you want. One place in particular knows the idea and executes it flawlessly: Bottoms Up Pizza in Richmond. Located in the heart of Shockoe Bottom, the atmosphere is almost like that of an old tavern near the railroad tracks, but with modern flair. They proudly serve local beer and cater to the unique personality of RVA. Upon walking in, you may be greeted by a tattoo-clad VCU student who will walk you to a table next to the exposed brick wall across from the live band. The vintage black and white photographs hang on the walls to remind you what this building has seen. Once you look around at the other diners laughing, boozing, and having a good time, you know it will be a great meal.

The menu does not boast to be anything more than it is. It will impress you without trying. Crab meat on a pizza? They have it. Artichoke hearts, spinach, feta, sun-dried tomatoes, chicken, white sauce, red sauce, olives, mozzarella, sausage… All somewhat ordinary ingredients, but created perfectly. One should not go without having a taste of my favorite appetizer: the mozzarella tracks. Fondly named after the characteristic railroad tracks, these warm cheesy breadsticks are to die for, paired with the sweet and savory marinara sauce. Be sure to leave room for the main course and dessert!

The pizza slice size in and of itself is truly something to behold. I usually have leftovers just from one slice. It’s the size of their large dinner plates, so you might want to dig in with a knife and fork first. My personal favorite is the Mediterranean, but no matter which specialty blend of toppings you choose, it is far different from any chain delivery service. The ingredients are fresh and stand out from one another, yet blend perfectly. Even the crust is a unique, fluffy yet crunchy texture and is just buttery enough to keep any Paula Dean happy. The melted cheese fights to stay intact, making glorious mozzarella locks on your plate. As you cut away at the monstrous slice, and the gauged-earlobe server asks you if you would like a refill, you realize that this place is one of a kind.

Even though at this point, any sane person would stop eating, there are still the epic dessert pizzas. Especially if this is a first time experience, you have to try one. Now, usually I’m not too fond of dessert pizzas (places like CiCi’s give them a bad reputation). I don’t even really like s’mores too much. But at Bottoms Up, the s’mores dessert pizza is a must. The crust is a bit sweeter than it usually would be for the regular pizzas. The “sauce” (you may want to sit down) is peanut butter. No, that is not a traditional s’mores ingredient, but at this point, I think it should be. The “cheese” (hold onto your seat) is gooey chocolate. Last but not least (you guessed it), the whole thing is smothered in warm, sticky marshmallows. This concept may seem strange at first, but it will surely wrap up an excellent dining experience for anyone willing to have their mind blown.