West Newsmagazine Restaurant Spotlight

Imported from Cincinnati, Dewey’s Pizza has sliced into the St. Louis pizza market. Now open in Ellisville at the Clarkson Clayton Center – its third area location – Dewey’s has revitalized a tradition rarely seen in modern pizza parlors: hand-tossed dough.

“It’s not your average pizza,” Dewey’s General Manager Dave Roush said. “We take pizza to the next level. We hand-toss our dough, which contributes to its flavor and texture. It’s always fresh, never frozen. There’s not a freezer in the place.”

Fresh-tossed pizza dough not only creates a soft, chewy crust, it makes for great kitchen theater, too.

“It great entertainment. People love to watch the dough tossed in the air,” Roush said. “There’s hardly a seat in the house where you can’t watch the guys toss pizza."

While the Dewey’s dough-meisters keep the dough flying, cooks and servers work to ensure smooth service from kitchen to table. It is not unusual to have four or five different people serving one table. The unique approach is designed for unforgettable service that, according to Dewey’s co-owner David Justice, contributes to the ultimate pizza experience.

“We take a team-style service approach,” Justice said. “It allows us to provide our customers the best experience. It’s the key to what we call the whole package – great pizza, great service enjoyed in a fun atmosphere.”

Pizza Dewey’s-style is a cut above the norm, starting with the sauce, a choice of red or white. The “white” sauce really is not white, but rather a blend of olive oil and garlic brushed on the crust before toppings are added. The red sauce is classic with a little extra spice thrown in for good measure. For those who cannot decide between the two, there is a solution: Request a half and half.

Toppings range from simple pepperoni to gourmet chic along with 13 specialty pizzas. In the red sauce category, there is the Bronx Bomber, topped with mozzarella, pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, onions, green peppers and black olives. White sauce leaders include Southwest BBQ Chicken with smoked cheddar and mozzarella, black bean corn salsa, chicken, roasted red peppers and barbeque sauce, and Wild Mushroom, a gourmet delight with mozzarella, fontina, capers, roasted red peppers and four kinds of mushrooms.

While pizza is Dewey’s star attraction, salads share the spotlight. As one customer stated, “Come for the salad, stay for the pizza – the salads are that good.”

Salad is as much an art as the pizza. All greens are organic, and only the hearts of the romaine are used. Dressings are made in-house. Sun-dried cranberries, pine nuts, goat cheese, grapes and candied walnuts are among the flavor toss-ins.

“It’s all about the details,” Justice said. “Selecting the best ingredients makes the difference in everything we make. We select the best so we can do our best to provide the best to the neighborhood we serve.”

Dewey’s Pizza

1312 Clarkson Clayton Center Drive

Ellisville, Mo.

(636) 227-3400

Hours:

Monday – Thursday, 11a.m. to 10 p.m.

Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Sunday, 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Carryout service available