Nashville's BEST Pizza

House of Pizza
15 Arcade
Nashville, TN
615-242-7144

Manny's House of Pizza is located between 4th and 5th Ave N. just north of Church St, and in the historic Arcade walkway. The House of Pizza is near the Peanut Shop, which has many after lunch treats, and upstairs on the 2nd floor of the arcade are curator owned art galleries displaying all styles of art for all types of tastes. Everyone who even has a hint of liking pizza needs to try House of Pizza because it is so GOOD!

Manny Macca is from New York, and moved down to Nashville for some reason unknown to me. At some point in time, Manny opened the House of Pizza in the Historic Arcade in downtown Nashville, and his pizza became a hit for over a decade now. He has real fire powered pizza ovens, so when the power goes out, you still got pizza from Manny's House of Pizza. The first week I was in Nashville, my co-workers were asking me where I had been, and I said L.A., Boston and Philadelphia. When I was in Boston, there was the North End, which is known for its Italian food, and long standing Italian traditions. If you ever go on vacation in Boston, everyone will direct you to at least one dinner in the North End, and just go eat anywhere in the North End. They are all very good. My neighbors down here in Nashville were going to Boston for a biz trip, and they asked me where to eat. I said, the North End, and just go anywhere to eat. They looked at me puzzled that I did not give them a specific restaurant name. When they got back, they totally understood, and they ended up eating every dinner in the North End. No matter where they stepped into, they knew that they picked a winner. The North End Italian Food Tradition has pride, has great family recipes, they never cut corners, and they only put out what is right and what is best for the clients. In the afternoons at lunchtime, when I lived in Boston, there is an area half way between Boston City Hall and the North End called Haymarket Square, and open air market. There was a window of an old Haymarket building that housed a "pizza by the slice" window where you can get plain or pepperoni, that was it. I don't know the name of this place, there was no sign, and everyone who worked in that area just knew of the lunch window. It was a bit Seinfeld-esque soup nazi, as you had to have your money ready and know what you want just to keep the line moving. It was the real deal, thin crust, a little bit of char on the botton, oozy cheese and and just the right amount of sauce. This place wasn't messing around. All this, and this is what Manny had to measure up to, this long standing tradition that I had grown accustom.

I will say this now. I love Manny's House of Pizza, and it completely measures up!! The menu doesn't change, and everything is made fresh daily, so they may run out, so get there early. They have pizza by the slice, whole pizzas, calzones, strombolis, lasagna and salad. When I first got here, it was a bit Seinfeld-esque at House of Pizza. Line up, know exactly what you want, order and they put it in the oven for you, pay and Move Out of the Way to wait for your meal, so the others in line can put their order in. Then, they call out what you ordered, you step up and take the paper plate, and find a seat outside in the Arcade or in the dark sitting area in the back. Then take a bite, and know that this is how a New York, or Boston piece of pizza is like.

I love this place, I love the calzones, I love the pizza, and I love this place. I did I say I love this place? I love this place. So the stories and lore around this place is that Manny buys his flour from a mill in Brooklyn, the same mill that supplies flour to Famous Ray's, Ray's, Ray's Pizza, and every other great pizza joint in New York. The foundation of a pizza is the crust, and if the crust is not right, then the pizza will never be right, no matter what cheese or toppings you use. The sauce is made every day, it is consistent and perfect all the time. I could drink that stuff, it is so good. If there is a line for pizza, it will move fairly quickly and it is worth the wait.

Go there and tell Manny, and tell him Lannae, the Asian chick who loves his pizza, sent you.