Hey Baddie… today’s foodie spot, Carmine’s Pie House. A little secret and testament before we begin, I am in love with Pizza, it’s my 3rd favorite cuisine after all things Asian and Mexican. So when it comes to pizza, I’m always down for a good pie and a little judgmental on what a good slice is. Ever since I left Detroit and experienced this downtown pizza spot, Mootz; I’ve been looking for that level of city style pizza. In fact, I am secretly on the hunt for the best pizza in Jax.
I stumbled across Carmine’s Pie House the self proclaimed ‘Purveyors of The World’s Best Pizza’ over in Jax’s Riverside located at 2677 Forbes St. Does this spot make the cut? Find out yes or no, keep reading.
Visiting Carmine’s Pie House
I landed here for a small birthday celebration. The inside is a small and cozy setting with extremely eclectic decor giving you a pub style vibe. The music is fire, this day in particular was a 90s mix of all the r&b hits. (+10 points). When you step into Carmine’s it feels like you’ve left Jacksonville and stumbled into a cool city pizza parlor. Not saying Jacksonville, isn’t cool.
The menu is large with tons of options with quirky names for the pies like ‘The Frenchy’ topped with french fries and Philly steak or a vegetarian pie ‘The Pope Of Greenwhich Village’ featuring pesto sauce and basil. There is something here for everyone, except vegans. Unfortunately the menu is vegetarian friendly but not vegan (my pizza search continues for you baddie).
Photos: Carmine’s Pie House
Of course they have your standard pepperoni and cheese build your pie options, but the real treat is the specialty pies as mentioned. All pizzas come in New York thin or Chicago Deep dish. Long story short, options are not an issue at Carmine’s Pie House.
But First, The Bad and The Ugly
You came here for an honest review, and I’m offering it. I originally wanted wings to go with my pizza, bad. I decided to try the ‘Jumbo Rooster Wings’. Truthfully, I don’t like big wings. Period. However, I was willing to take one for the team for the sake of a review. I went with the cajun ranch wings, extra crispy. And well, the menu denotes them as being jumbo, and they live up to the name. These wings are huge. You are not missing a helping of meat from these babies, okay!?
Although they were cooked to perfection, I was completely underwhelmed with the flavor of the sauce. To be blunt. The wings are a hard no for me personally. I did not finish my serving. Even if they were smaller, I still would not have liked them.
Let’s Cut The Chase, The Pizza Is Good
During the wing tasting experience I was nervous about the pizza that was to follow. But guys the pizza totally redeemed my outlook at this establishment. Completely. Heres what our table ordered
The Sophia – Garlic cream sauce, spinach, diced tomatoes, sauteed onions, mozzarella, gouda, and asiago cheese. This is a vegetarian option. Initially I needed a little salt and pepper, once that was added it was simply delicious. The dough was fresh, thin, with just enough crisp. Totally putting me in that Detroit pizza parlor mode I had been craving.
Photo: @Camrine’s Pizza
Isabella Rosalina – Rosetta sauce, bacon, fresh garlic, fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, fresh mozzarella… everything is fresh. This pie was absolutely mouthwatering. NO seasoning needed whatsoever. We also went with the New York thin crust.
Pepperoni- This too packed the same freshness and crispiness of the previous two pies mentioned. Wonderful.
Wrapping Things Up: Carmine’s Pizza
I would rate Carmine’s a 9 out of 10. ONLY because of the wings. But they never proclaimed the best wings either so, yeah. If you’re a pizza head like myself, swing by. You won’t be disappointed. I can easily add this to the list of ‘Jax’s Best Pizza’ but i’m not quite sure i’m ready to crown Carmine’s King. Be on the look out as I find the best pizza in Jax.
One thing I would sample next go round would be the desserts. The oversized cakes and pies looked delectable. However, I was already there for a birthday party, cake was included. Aside from pizza, Carmine’s offers a huge selection of salads, stromboli, pasta, and Italian sandwiches.
Have you given this spot a try? What was your experience? Know of some other bomb pizza places, let me know, I will go.
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-Ash
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