Zorch Pizza — Restaurant in Richmond

A little perspective: born in Manhattan, grew up in Staten Island, I know good pizza! Zorch Pizza has gotta be one of the top 3 pies I have ever had. Now if you are the type that think domino's (or something like it) is good pizza, then stop reading this. Zorch is something special and deserves to be one of the great names when you think of great pizza joints. Yes it is expensive, yes the place is too small, yes its a pain to park. But for a pizza lover these things are not a deal killer. The (cheese) pizza - Crust is amazing, thin, light and airy with a little crisp and the right amount of chew and delicious on its own. It is cooked with the exact right amount of char to add just a little extra flavor. The sauce - this sauce is delicious and unique. I don't know what secret ingredient is in it but it stands out in the pizza world. It's not the generic pizza sauce you get from every other joint. The cheese works perfectly with the pie. Service was good and friendly. I wish Mr Zorch would expand and open a joint in Williamsburg VA. You must bring a pie home to your family and show your kids what pizza really is. Make sure you hold the box level. Thank you Mr Zorch.

Update: 9/2/2023 This place is still amazing! First off, if you are looking for a cheep pizza, don't go here, go to domino's. If you are looking for a big sit down franchise restaurant, don't go here, go to olive garden. However If you do want one of the most amazing pizzas on the east coast, come to Zorch. Lets start off with the service, friendly, consciousness and helpful. I ordered a pie to go and while waiting ordered a slice to keep me calm. The slice actually had more char on it then usual, but I was happy eating it, it was delicious. The guy at the register saw that i did not order a drink and he offered to give me a glass of water. I continued to enjoy the slice while waiting for the pie, the cashier guy asked me if I would like a replacement slice do to the extra char (which I was secretly loving). I half way shrugged, not wishing to refuse a free slice. Rule one of pizza lovers is "never turn down a slice". So he brought me a new slice, I ate both. I actually loved the chared one better. BTW the girl that was also working the register has outstanding customer service skills as well. I walked over to the pizza cook and asked why the pizza is so good here, he said "because its made with love". Now that's customer service! The pizza was outstanding, the cheese, sauce and crust seem to blend in your mouth like no other pizza I have ever had. Its just amazing. This pizza can only be compared to the top joints in NYC and I would place my bet on Zorch. Mr Zorch (if that is your real name), please open up in Williamsburg, I can partner...

Like most people I'm a big fan of all things pizza so after hearing about this place I decided to make the brave journey to this section of Cary Street to try a slice. Now this is no small matter as this area is crowded, cramped and good luck finding a parking space, basically hell on earth to me but enough of that let's talk about the pizza. Zorch has obviously done their homework as the crust to me has the perfect texture, firm but a little chewy with just the right amount of char. The sauce is fantastic as well with just the right amount of zing and sweetness. They also use just the right amount of high-quality cheese and the slices were served piping hot. Now I love cup pepperoni however it’s the only real, pepperoni that they offer and while it is delicious it’s also very salty so much so that it oversalted my slice. What could have been a perfect slice of pepperoni pizza was killed by how salty it was. I appreciate how much pepperoni that they use but would prefer a mix of regular and cup which would help tame the saltiness. Another nick to the place is that the selection is very sparse, the only fresh topping that they offer is basil and caramelized onions, I also believe that you can add banana peppers but it’s not on their website. So, no mushrooms, black olives or fresh green peppers, which could be a result of them wanting to keep things simple. Speaking of keeping it simple they have opened another place south of the river which has parking but no pizza by the slice so if you want to grab a quick slice for lunch, that’s a no go. Overall, I’d say they missed it by that much on the pepperoni slice, however if you are a simple cheese pizza lover you probably won’t find better. I should also note if your one of those gross vegans they have options for you as well but I’m not going to try a fake slice of pizza just to leave a review so you guys are...

I thought Zorch was a Richmond urban legend, showing up in a food truck and disappearing before I could get there. But now in their permanent home, I finally got to try them. And the legend is real.

I'm reluctant to call any pizza the best -- it's a subjective thing after all. But Zorch has as legitimate a claim to that title as any pizza place in the city. I had a slice of the "meemaw," a round pie with pepperoni and an aromatic, rustic sauce. For starters, the slices are gigantic and well worth the $4.50. Obviously it's a better deal to buy a whole pie, but I have no regrets. The crust was just right -- crispy but still chewy, not too thick that it becomes its own show, not too thin that everything falls through. It was a high wire act baked to perfection. That sauce is banging, too. It's got lots of flavor with a strong, but not overpowering, taste of fresh herbs.

A small complaint is that the pepperoni was a bit greasy. But it tasted so good that I didn't care. Still, if you've got some nice clothes on, you might want to keep that in mind.

Seating is quite limited, not surprising for a small space. I was out for a walk anyway, so I got my slice to go. One note is that you have to buy two or more slices to get a box. One slice like mine comes sandwiched between two disposable plates. You're going to want more than one slice, anyway, so go for the box. Go for a whole pie. Just go. You'll have no regrets, except not trying...