Circles and Squares

"Known for its pizza (get it? Circles and squares?), this Olde Richmond shop also makes cheesesteaks so good we think it should be renamed Circles, Squares, and Soft-Cornered Rectangles. The $13 meaty creation layers thick, house-shaved ribeye and gooey cooper sharp on a soft 10-inch seeded Liscio's roll. It’s one of those rich and creamy cheesesteaks that’s almost too good—it’s as if A.I. has been tracking your cheesesteak intake for years and crafted this one just for you." - candis mclean, alison kessler

"Circles + Squares started as a one-man operation in the back of a coffee shop, which made it nearly impossible to get one of their square-shaped, pan pizzas. Now, it’s located in a small corner shop in Olde Richmond. There's a chance you'll still see the “out of stock” alert when trying to preorder online. Keep trying. The crispy-edged, fluffy square pan pizzas are always worth a hassle. We typically go for the plain with just cheese and tomato sauce, which complements the charred crusts coated in even more crispy cheese. If it's super hot outside or you can't imagine taking down a thick slab of dough and dairy, the round pies are also great." - candis mclean, alison kessler

"There are now four places around the city where you can get pizza from Dan Gutter, the guy behind Circles + Squares a.k.a. the best pizza in Philly. Besides his shop in Olde Richmond, you can now find these excellent pizzas at Pizza Plus, Bourbon & Branch, and most recently at The Commodore in Mt. Airy. The menus at these places offer more than just ridiculously delicious pies too, like tendies and burgers at Pizza Plus, chopped chicken parm sandwiches at Bourbon & Branch, and braised Guinness beef stew at The Commodore. In a year like 2020, having more access to pizzas that are this good is one hell of a silver lining. -CM" - carlo mantuano, candis mclean

"It was a big year for pizza in Philly - so much so that places specializing in the cheese, bread, and tomato sauce combo make up almost a quarter of our Best New Restaurants. And both of the two pizza places on this list started in pretty much the same way. Circles + Squares is essentially identical to the counter-service spot that Beddia used to run, with a walk-in-only policy and waits that regularly last an hour or more. But the pizzas they’re known for here - Detroit-style pan pies - are nothing like Beddia’s thin-crust ones. Circles + Squares dough is thick, fluffy and topped with not-too-sweet tomato sauce, and cheese that creates a crispy, caramelized crust on the outside of every slice. There are thin-crust circles here too, but the squares are the best pizza in the city - and the best we’ve had anywhere in a long time." - sydney mcelwee

"Whether you’re in Philly, Los Angeles, or a random fishing town off the coast of Alaska, picking up pizza at most slice shops works the same way. You walk up to the counter, place an order, hand over some cash, wait, get your pizza, leave the store, then eat. It’s simple, easy, and you know exactly what to expect. That’s how Circles + Squares works, too - but what they hand over the counter just happens to be the best pizza in Philadelphia. Circles + Squares is a small, nondescript pizza place on a residential Kensington block that looks like your average slice shop, with a long counter, a water cooler, and a few tables on the sidewalk outside. However, there are a few key differences that make their pies much more than just sauce, cheese, and dough in a cardboard box. It’s the ingredients they use, like a block of pecorino romano that’s freshly grated onto every pizza that comes out of the oven. And it’s the tins of hand-kneaded dough that are prepped for days before being put in the oven, ready to be made-to-order as each guest comes through the door. It’s also about the guy himself, who started selling his pizzas via Instagram back in 2016 and now finally has his own space. Still, though, he’s behind the counter personally baking every pizza and shouting names in a comical sing-song voice as they come up. Sometimes he’ll even take one look at something that comes out of the oven and decide it’s not good enough to sell and offer to make you another. photo credit: Kerry McIntyre Ordering here is simple - the biggest decision you have to make is whether you want a thin-crust circle or a thicker, Detroit-style square (they only sell whole pies, no slices). You can get either option with red sauce and toppings or have them just covered in cheese and drizzled in garlicky olive oil. Everything is excellent, but what this place does best is their squares. They’re soft and fluffy on the inside, almost like a Sicilian slice, but the outside crust is crispy and charred with burnt cheese. It makes for the perfect texture contrast, with the thin layer of charred crust keeping the chewy, soft insides tucked in safely. And even if you can’t finish the whole pie in one sitting, that’s ok - it’s the only pizza that somehow stays just as crispy and fluffy when you reheat it days later. You should know that, even if you come right after they open, it usually takes 30 to 45 minutes for your order to be ready. If you show up past 7pm, it can take up to an hour to get your pizza - or they might just be sold out. But even when you wait over a half-hour for your pies to come out of the oven, it’s worth it. These pizzas are works of art, and like a Picasso, Monet, or an elaborate notebook doodle drawn during a boring meeting, they take time. There are a lot of really great pizza places in Philly, but there’s something about Circles + Squares that makes it better than all the rest. Maybe it’s the simplicity of one guy at the top of his game, like Iverson in 2001 or LeBron on the Heat, baking 80 or so excellent pies a night that makes you want to show this place to everyone you know, and maybe even a few people you don’t know. It’s not dressed up or overcomplicated. It’s just your average, run-of-the-mill takeout pizza place with a few barstools, a water cooler, and the best pies in the city. Food Rundown Square Pie This is what you’re here for. It’s thick and fluffy with crispy, burnt cheese around the edges, and the best move is either to go for a red-sauced cheese pizza or the white pie with two kinds of cheese and olive oil drizzled on top. Circle Pie They also make solid thin-crust circles, and it’s not a bad move to get one just for the sake of diversity. They’re greasy and cheesy, and the sauce is sweet but not overwhelmingly so." - Sydney McElwee