Now Less Than 24 Hours to Vote Your Favorite Pizza Through to the 2017 Pizza Cup Final!
There's now less than a day left before our Final Four pizzas are cut down to a mere two competitors in this year's Pizza Cup, which makes it more important than ever to show the venue that has kept you fed and doughy over the past 12 months some well-deserved love. This year has proven a great battle, with former champions facing off against lesser-known, but no less worthy, eateries, demonstrating that you pizza fans really do care about the blossoming state of Beijing's pizza affairs.
Without further ado, dig into these short bios about who's left standing before scanning the QR code at the bottom of this page in order to vote. May the best 'za win!
Bottega
Reigning Pizza Cup champions Bottega has proven itself a missing link in Beijing's burgeoning pizza scene. Having opened in 2014, the Fratelli brothers' Neapolitan-style pizzas have quickly accrued a loyal fanbase thanks to a refined mix of family-tested favorites and a wood-fired pizza base that is nothing short of addictive. Bottega's original venue, tucked away in a dusty corner of Sanlitun, was demolished earlier this week but with two new venues – in Sanlitun's Nali Patio and further north in Xinyuanli – allowing for exponentially more room for fans of friendly service and modern, upbeat Italian dining, the Bottega brothers have certainly positioned themselves to continue their winning streak.
VS.
Tube Station
At Tube Station, bigger is better (see above). Like Annie's, Tube Station is a Beijing staple, serving their comically oversized pizzas from stations throughout the city. Founded at the turn of the 21st century, it may be one of the oldest locally owned pizzerias in Beijing. That long-running history has earned them a reputation that now translates into nostalgia, with their loyal and, for the most part, Chinese patrons from the early 2000s now bringing their children in to try their American-style pizza and wings. Their big-as-your-face slices from their big-as-your-body pies will transport New Yorkers and fans of New York pizza back to the land where you must fold your slice in half just to fit it in your mouth. And we love it.
AND
Eatalia
As the forebearers of pizza, Italians are certainly tough to top in any competition. This is especially true of Italian-run Beijing businesses that make authentic, "crisp, thin, and crunchy Roman-style pizza for purists" as recently described by one of our writers. Enter Eatalia, which has locations in Di’anmen, 798 and a posh, stylish gallery-style joint near Hujialou subway station. Be it the Eatalia margherita, rustica, or prosciutto e funghi, you can't go wrong with the delicate, true-to-Rome pies at this well-regarded restaurant chain.
VS.
Pie Squared
Opened in 2013 in Shunyi, Pie Squared ended their run after making the Sweet 16 last year and was extremely popular at this year's Pizza Fest with their Detroit-style pizzas. Their signature pizzas are square and deep dish, including the unique BLT square pizza (RMB 42-128) with a layer of mayo and chopped lettuce on the steaming crispy bacon and New Zealand mozzarella cheese pizza; and the Motown meatball pizza with homemade tomato-based pizza sauce and homemade meatballs. They also offer two additional crust options – a medium-thickness traditional American-style round crust pizza, and a flatbread thin crust pizza, which is grilled on both sides.
That in all makes for a tasty Final Four bracket that looks a little bit something like this:
If you want to see your favorite slice crowned then there's only one way how: to vote. Simply scan the QR code below and be whisked away to our WeChat-integrated voting platform. The two finalists will be announced on Monday, Oct 16 at 2pm.
Images courtesy of the venues, the Beijinger
