Big Tony's Pizza & Pasta — Restaurant in Columbus

Wife had an hour-long medical test, and I was hungry, and unfamiliar with the area, I asked the receptionist where to eat. My intentions were the Chinese place next door, but being two days after Easter, my brain saw this shop's sign and my belly said, "No...pizza."

My family has ran pizza shops in WNY since before I was born, so I've always been critical of "Columbus pizza" since I came here 1993.

My standard preview of a new pizza shop is always sausage-pep-mushroom. Neither the pepperoni nor sausage were overly spicy, but both were flavorful. I prefer canned mushroom to fresh, but only because they tend to wilt in oven heat. There were plenty of toppings for all three though.

Cheese was a nice blend. Matched expectations of their stated menu description. Didn't taste "plasticky" like many chain shops tend to taste.

The crust is a bit thicker than the usual Donato's clones that are around (in fact, on the corner of the strip), and while it is a conveyor oven pizza rather than deck oven, it at least doesn't have all that gravelly cornmeal.

After her procedure, I managed to save a few slices for my wife. She commented that the sauce was a little sweeter than expected, but the crust was not, and decently salted, so it balanced out.

The very friendly guy at the register stated the place was under new management "within the last week". He said not much has been changed, but he thinks their pizza is better than the Donato's on the corner.

I have to agree.

Other than the conveyor nit-pick, my only main comment: your banner and menu show triangle slices. Stand out against your competitors and cut the pizza properly... squares are for the Donato's clones.

I'm not from this area of town, but if I am around there in the future near mealtime, I'm 100% stopping by. (Wife is a huge calzone fan and after the pizza is eager to try.)

BONUS: the ultimate test of good pizza is leftovers. Had the center four slices yesterday for lunch out of our toaster...

In a quest for the ultimate pizza experience, I ventured into Big Tony's Pizza with high hopes and a rumbling stomach. However, what awaited me was a culinary letdown of epic proportions.

First and foremost, the absence of tomato sauce on the pizza was perplexing. A pizza without its signature sauce is akin to a car without wheels – it just doesn't work. Instead, I was greeted by a dry, lackluster crust that resembled more of a breadstick than a pizza base. The texture was dense and chewy, lacking the airy lightness that characterizes a well-crafted pizza crust.

The toppings, while plentiful, failed to salvage the disappointing base. Despite opting for a variety of toppings, including pepperoni, mushrooms, and bell peppers, they were unable to compensate for the absence of sauce and the lackluster crust. Each bite felt like a chore, as I struggled to muster enthusiasm for what should have been a delightful dining experience.

Service-wise, Big Tony's Pizza fell short as well. The staff seemed indifferent to the lackluster quality of their offerings, displaying a nonchalant attitude that did little to reassure me of their commitment to culinary excellence.

In conclusion, my experience at Big Tony's Pizza was underwhelming, to say the least. With its dry crust, absence of tomato sauce, and indifferent service, it failed to deliver on the promise of a satisfying pizza experience. I'll be taking my appetite elsewhere in the...

It’s possible this place is under new management for reasons that will seem obvious after you walk in and see who is running Big Tony’s. I have never eaten from here until a couple days ago though so wanted to give that disclaimer. I wanted to sit on the experience before reviewing.

First of all, fries were pretty good. There were a few that tasted like maybe they should have been left in the fryer for a little longer but overall no complaints. Second, my penne marinara was very good with good amount of melted cheese and a good portion. The last item was rather poorly made. The veggie subs I ordered were made to look more filled than they were by adding extra mayonnaise and reducing the amount of veggies inside. Every bite I took tasted mostly like bread and mayo. This appears to be a cost cutting measure which was very noticeable in both subs I ate. It’s not acceptable for the sub to be mostly bread and mayo…especially as a vegetarian, I was deprived of veggies that I desperately wanted more of…

Overall, pretty good. Being completely honest though, if you mess up fries and or marinara, penne, and melted cheese you kinda suck at being an Italian restaurant, so happy to report these guys do not suck. But, quality and measures reducing quantity in foods needs to be addressed to get 5...