Della Sala's Pizza — Restaurant in Penn Hills

Finally tried it after living almost next door to this shop of over a year. Their parking lot is never empty when they are open, which I guess should have told me something. I really was not sure what I was going to get based on the descriptions of the pizza by other people I knew and the odd way you order it. I ordered 6 cuts, fully cooked, each with 2 toppings. It cost me just under $10 (yes it is cash only) and was ready in 15 minutes. It was fresh and hot when I got home. Just a 5 minute walk for me. Really enjoyed it. The sausage which is much praised is really good. Spicy but not over the top. I also had banana peppers, mushrooms and pepperoni. Each slice had a nice amount of toppings not too much and not too little. The cheese is not the star of the show here and there is less of it than you usually see on a pizza but it works. Biting into this did not have everything sliding off the top and landing on your plate or in your lap. The crust is lovely. Soft and chewy on the inside and crisp on the outside. I was fortunate enough to get a couple of corner slices so I had some little "pizza bones" with which to pay the dog tax. Otherwise these slices don't leave you with uneaten rolls of crust.

I did not expect to love this pizza but it turns out it really...

This place was recommended by a family in the neighborhood that has lived near here for years before us, and highly recommend we try for local pizza. This is one of those rare, truly no-nonsense, cash only, good places to eat.

Quick, and to the point, I was asked what my order was so they could get it in the oven for me. As a newbie walking into this off the road pizza place, I fully appreciated the direction of ordering when I first walked in.

While waiting on my order to bake, every nod to a genuine pizza parlor popped out at me; the old register with the wooden drawer, the nostalgic cola sign menus, the stacks of pizza boxes on the counter. This place is no doubt authentic.

PRO TIP 1: Park thinking about how you will want to safely drive away when you leave- it's a tricky exit for new patrons.

PRO TIP 2: This place is cash only, and you pay at the end; be prepared, and be patient to pay when they ask you. I made the mistake of interrupting the guy prepping my food to get my drink, and slowed down my own order.

PRO TIP 3: Yes, the sausage is spicy. No, it's not too spicy. Yes, you...

I grew up on this pizza and in my opinion it's one of those things that you absolutely LOVE or you just don't care for it. I'm one who absolutely loves it! Definitely not your typical PH corner pizza shop. A good, no-nonse, family run business. Their sausage is like no others', it's nice and spicy and a delicate palate probably couldn't handle it. I also like the fact that they use canned or jarred mushrooms. I hate fresh mushrooms on pizza. Every other shop I know that used to use canned shrooms back in the day now use fresh and that ruined a lot of pies for me. When was a kid I delivered pies for another shop and I used to pull into Della Sala's while I was working to pick up some lunch.... I'd have their competition's sign on my car. They'd get a big kick outta that. This is THE best Sicilian style...