All the Tomato Pie You Should Be Eating in Philadelphia Right Now
Whether you call it gravy pie, church pie, or tomato pie, these are some of the best bakeries and pizzerias making it in and around Philly.
Liberty Kitchen tomato pie / Photograph by Jillian Guyette
Philly is obsessed with pizza. We’re the kind of city where folks line up for hours in the cold to get a sought-after pie, even while we have a massive slate of excellent old-school and newcomer pizzerias to choose from. But what just might be the true Philly-style pizza isn’t really a pizza at all.
Tomato pie, our city’s cheeseless wonder, can be traced back to thick, tomato-topped dough slices made in Sicily that traveled here with waves of Italian immigrants — some of whose bakeries still stand as icons of the craft — a century ago. And although New Jersey has its own thin-crusted, cheese-on-the-bottom version, we like Philly-style tomato pie best, with lots of red gravy, thick and tender crust, and just a sprinkling of parmesan on top.
Here are a few of our favorite spots for excellent tomato pie.
Liberty Kitchen, Fishtown and West Philly
Liberty Kitchen’s tomato pie comes with the option of adding anchovies. We’re not saying you should do this, but it is an option. Their tomato pie is so popular that they’re now selling it wholesale to markets, breweries, and bars.
Pizza Plus, South Philly and West Philly
Pizza Plus is Dan “PizzaGutt” Gutter’s popular shop, with takeout locations in South Philly and West Philly. Just like at his first place, Circles and Squares, you can get a tomato pie on thick-crust, though at Pizza Plus it’s a round pie.
Pizza Jawn, Manayunk
It’s not the most traditional version in the city, but Pizza Jawn’s Grandma-style pie with marinara is the super-crispy, well-sauced pie we all want. The bottom of the crust is coated in sesame seeds, which gives it a toasty flavor and adds another layer of texture. Unfortunately, Pizza Jawn has pretty limited quantities that sell out fast, so you’ll have to get lucky to decide if you consider this a real tomato pie.
Pizzeria Beddia, Fishtown
Pizzeria Beddia has come a long way from the days of super-limited quantities in a tiny space. Now a full-fledged restaurant, this hot spot serves its tomato pie for $5 a slice. It’s the lowest cost item on the small plates list, which leaves you extra dough for some judion beans and burrata with pistachios.
Cacia’s Bakery, South Philly, Cherry Hill, Blackwood, Williamstown, Hammonton, Audubon
Cacia’s has been turning out excellent tomato pies (among other delights) from their brick ovens for four generations, so you know they’re doing it well. Their gravy pie is extra-saucy, which we find particularly appealing.
Corropolese, Norristown, Audubon, and Limerick
You’ll find boxes of this Best of Philly-winning tomato pie stacked at the bakery’s three locations around the ‘burbs northwest of Philly (and at lots of chain grocers in Delco and Montco). They offer a ton of different topping options, from white cheddar to eggplant, but it’s the plain red gravy original that’s truly iconic.
Pizza Shackamaxon, Fishtown
This Girard Avenue slice shop is one of the few new-school pizza spots in Philly offering tomato pie — and their fat, square slices with crunchy crust and zingy tomato sauce are some of the best in the city. Don’t forget to shoot them an email two days in advance (Monday through Thursday only) if you want to bring home a whole pie.
Pizza Richmond
From the same team that brings us Pizza Shackamaxon is Pizza Richmond, another modern take on the classic pizza parlor concept except this one is in Port Richmond on, you guessed it, Richmond Street. You can grab a slice of tomato pie to go, but it’s more fun to stick around, meet the neighbors, drink a beer (it’s a BYOB), and play some peg solitaire.
Circles & Squares, East Kensington
Chewy, focaccia-style, square pies are the cult favorite at Pizza Gutt’s first brick-and-mortar location. You can get the pies with several different topping combinations each night, but they pay homage to Philly’s pizza scene by offering a classic tomato pie sprinkled with just a little oregano and olive oil. Choose between thick pan pizza and thinner hand tossed versions.
Phillies-themed tomato pie from Carlino’s. / Photograph by Lakota Gambill courtesy of Carlino’s Market
Carlino’s Market, Ardmore
Rather than the typical smooth red sauce, Carlino’s house-made pies are topped with a chunky tomato sauce amped up with fresh basil.
Sarcone’s Bakery, Italian Market
Taste the history of Philly-style tomato pie at this century-old 9th Street institution, where each one is baked in a massive brick hearth oven until crispy on the edges and juicy in the middle.
La Rosa Pizza, South Philly
If you’re craving something cheese-less, this square pie destination on South Broad Street has you covered with their “gravy pie,” topped with nothing but their signature red sauce and a few glugs of olive oil.
Joe Santucci’s Square Pizza Bar & Grille, Northeast Philly
Yes, everyone pledges allegiance to their favorite Santucci’s sub-chain (there are three branches of the family operating three different businesses under the name). Yes, all three of them offer tomato pie. But this one is our favorite.
Conshohocken Bakery, Conshohocken
A Montco favorite, Conshy Bakery has been turning out classic tomato pies for 45 years, topped with gravy only, then a drizzle of olive oil and a dusting of cheese and garlic powder on top.
New York Bakery, South Philly
Grab slices of this bright-sauced tomato pie to go (New York Bakery is takeout only) at this long-running spot on 11th just north of Wolf Street.
Morabito Baking Company, Various locations
This long-running Italian bakery has something of a regional monopoly on supplying supermarkets with their signature tomato pies. Just grab one of their red-striped boxes at your local Acme, Giant, or ShopRite.
Marchiano’s | Photo by Victor Fiorillo
Marchiano’s Bakery, Manayunk
For old school, nonna-approved tomato pie, look no further than Marchiano’s, which has been making a southern Italian recipe passed down from the owners’ grandmother since 1984.
Gaeta’s Tomato Pies, Rhawnhurst
Though it originated at a bakery called Scalea’s in Germantown more than 75 years ago before moving east under a new name and new ownership, this sweet-sauced take on tomato pie is a Northeast Philly icon.
Trio’s Tomato Pie, Glenside and Elkins Park
Tomato pie is in the name of this pizza shop with two locations in Cheltenham township. Trio’s version employs chunky tomato sauce and light mozzarella on a thin square crust.
Iannelli’s, South Philly
Though this long-running Italian bakery has incredibly irregular hours – they’re open on holidays and big game days, and basically whenever the Iannellis feel like it – but when you finally make it, the brick-oven baked tomato pies are worth the rigmarole.
Tony Roni’s, Roxborough
Hit up one of the seven locations of this local pizza chain in Roxborough or on the outskirts of Philly for a crisp, thinner-crusted take on the classic tomato pie.
