Saint Francis Apizza

St Francis pizza is the perfect blend between NY Style Pizza and New Haven Pizza. I have eaten more than my fair share of both. The crust was nice and crispy. The toppings were perfect. The fresh basil on the side is a nice touch. The service was amazing. We got a chance to talk with the owner and the passion for pizza is clearly evident in the final product. All the way from Florida for a Reds game, but now I want to come back to Cincinnati to spend more time and eat more pizza.

If you're looking for a great pizza with a nice charred crust this place is a great little find. Found them while looking for a new pizza to try and it did not disappoint. A little pricier than some pizza places but well worth it to get that perfect crust and great flavor. Definitely being added to my list of favorite pizza spots.

This tiny family owned pizzaria in Hyde Park is so worth the drive! The pizza...you'd swear it was done in a brick oven! It was perfectly thin and the crust had just the right amount of char. It was awesome! I would have sworn I was back in Italy where I ate pizza there for 6 yrs! Sauce had a amazing flavor. NOT sweet or sour...just perfect! We did create your own and did half with just cheese and the other half with pepperoni and green peppers. Ordered it with fresh Basil (2x) and they put it on the side so it was fresh and not wilted. We could then put as much as we wanted on each slice. The owners were extremely nice and even offered to give us a warming box if we were driving far. AMAZING!!!!! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!

We’re from Northwest Ohio and had St. Francis APizza on our “to try” list after seeing it featured on YouTube—so when we found ourselves in the Cincinnati area, we made sure to stop in. We’re so glad we did. From the moment we walked in, the service was excellent. The guy working was super friendly and helpful. It was our first time there, and he patiently walked us through the menu, explained our options, and even let us know we could split the pizza half-and-half. It’s takeout-only, but they do have a few small tables outside. When we mentioned we’d like to eat there, they immediately apologized for the tables not being wiped off and quickly cleaned them—even though they looked totally fine to us. We really appreciated the attention to detail and how welcoming they were. We went with half Margo-Rita and half pepperoni with hot honey—both were absolutely fantastic. The dough had incredible flavor with the perfect bake and a nicely crisped bottom. The sauce was bright and balanced, the cheese was top-notch, and the proportions of everything were spot-on. Every ingredient tasted super fresh, and it all came together beautifully. St. Francis APizza absolutely lived up to the hype. If you’re anywhere near Cincinnati, this place is 100% worth the visit.

The pizza was amazing, but don't sleep on the desserts because the cookie and espresso Gelato were just as good. The pizza was easily the best pie I've had in southeast Ohio. The crust had a good char, was chewy, and flavorful. The toppings were well prepped and tasty. I have no complaints and will be returning in the future!

Best pizza in Cincinnati, hands down. Perfect crispy/chewy dough and crust, love the Eerie Ave and as a pizza fan who does not enjoy excess melted cheese, the New Haven is an exceptional option. The fresh basil adds another layer to an already top notch pie. Get the hot honey and the garlic oil to dip your crust into. Nothing better.

Never expected to find a pizza this good in Cincinnati. One of the best I’ve had. Top ingredients, perfect crispy base, amazing flavours, crunchy crust. Eric and Bridgette were so warm and hospitable, staying after they’d already shut shop to chat with us as we enjoyed our pizzas. I wish them all huge success.

Super friendly staff; delicious pizza that let's the quality of it's ingredients shine- very light, perfectly cooked crust. Pair it with the sparking lemon drink for a good time. ...I think the sauce would pop if it had a little more salt, maybe from some parmesan sprinkled on before the mozzarella. again, still very pure how it is- tastes like it came from just a handful of ingredients that all shine.

Outstanding pizza, by far the best in the city. The staff are welcoming and knowledgeable

Incredible pizza and super nice people! We ordered around lunch time on a Friday for pickup at 6 pm, knowing it gets busy later in the day. The timing worked out perfectly and everything was ready to go when we showed up to pick it up. We ordered: - 1 Cincy Supreme, specifying olives on one half in the pickup notes, which they accommodated - 1/2 Ault Park Trestle + 1/2 Alms Park - 1 Caesar salad My personal favorite was the Cincy Supreme, while my husband liked the Ault Park Trestle best. He also raved about the Caesar salad, which had delightfully garlicky dressing and croutons that we're pretty sure were made from excess pizza dough. The dough itself is very airy, open and delightfully chewy. There was a bit more cornmeal on the bottom than I might have liked but everything else was so good I didn't really care. The pizzas are thin crust but BIG. We shared the pizza with a friend and each walked away with leftovers. Probably 6 meals total out of the order. Oh, and the reheat instructions are spot on!

**9.2/10 - READ THIS!** This pizza could change your view on Cincinnati pizza--maybe even your life. In my 25 years, this is one of the best pies I've ever had. Was it because I was super hungry and didn't expect it to be so amazing? Maybe. Try it yourself, especially if you like a thin, crispy crust with great undercarriage, minimal flop, phenomenal crust, piping hot cheese, and delicious sauce. They offer half-and-half toppings, are carry-out only, and have a red pepper ranch. Pro tip: eat it in the car to experience it at its fullest. Seriously, go here. I initially rated this pizza 8.8/10, but I'm back to say it's a 9.2/10. It's that good!

4.5 stars rounded to 5. I haven't had their regular pizza, only the tavern style on Mondays--but WOW. It is SO good. By far it's the best pizza of this style in the city. I haven't had this style pizza of this quality since I moved back to Cincinnati from northern Indiana. The pepperoni is excellent. The reason why I took off half a star is because I do feel it's a little pricey for what you get. Thin crust pizza doesn't stretch far, and the pizza is only 14 inches. The quality is worth it, but the price means I don't order as often as I would like.

We ordered a build your own pizza from St. Francis on Saturday night. It was a little pricy, but we had been wanting to give it a try. They do not have any dine-in options - this pizza is solely for pickup. I'm glad we ordered early around 5:30, because the pickup time is as 6:30. When we got there to pick up the pizza, we heard the guy behind the counter say they were booked up for the night and that if someone were or order now, they wouldn't be able to pick up until 9. A very popular place, so order early! Service was very nice and fast. The pizza itself was absolutely delicious and worth the price. Toppings were excellent - I love tiny pepperoni. The crust is very thin and wood-fired, which is my favorite. We split the pizza between the two of us, so I'd recommend ordering more if feeding 3. Check it out!

What an amazing pie! Service was great. It's a must have. We drove 20 miles just to try this pie and was totally worth it.

Pizza was stellar. Best I've had in Cincinnati. Clean ingredients, friendly staff, clean shop. 5/5, will be returning and telling all my friends. The vegan pizza was great

Great pizza from great people. And if you, like me, are tired of room-temp or congealed pickup or delivery pizza, then how about a place that actually has online scheduling that means something so you can set your pickup time, go get your right-out-of-the-oven pizza, and away you go. A neighborhood pizza joint!

Some of the best pizza in the city. Their salads are so fresh and their dressings are delish, esp the Caesar!

Super crispy and delicious pizza. My son and I grabbed a travel pizza for our return trip to Michigan. It was everything I expected from Apizza. Keep up the good work!

Outstanding! Best pizza in Ohio. Shows much respect to the craft and amazing service. Will drive 2 hours for this pizza.

As awesome as always. Worth the hour roundtrip. Never disappoints. Had a half and half pizza this time.

Home to some of the best pizza there is and now it can be found in Cincinnati. I'm talking New Haven pizza. New Haven is has some of the first pizzerias in the country and the taste brings back the nostalgia. St. Francis Apizza advertises themselves as New Havenish pizza. That's thin crust with a crispy bottom. The staff were great very helpful and talkative. There is only a very small place to eat but they do say it's to-go pizza so expect take out. Tips to make your visit a success: 1) Order ahead. This place stays busy and to prevent a long wait order before you travel. They have a nice online ordering set up and sometimes you can get better wait times by calling and ordering that way. 2) Get some dipping sauce. Nothing goes better with a nice crispy crust than sauce to dip it in. The make all their sauces in house with the exception of the hot honey. I loved their homemade garlic sauce. I look forward to returning for more. If you haven't tried their pizza yet by all means get some and if you have get some more. This place should be on your list.

Great service. Lots of fun topping combinations. Quality products matter. I'll order again !

One of the best pizzas around. Simple as that. Thin crust that actually has flavor and a great rise in the crust. The toppings are completely fresh, high quality, and locally sourced (which shows just how much they appreciate and support the community). Highly recommend getting the ricotta for anyone who is a cheese fan. Service is outstanding as well. I ordered my pizza to be a lighter bake. When I arrived they offered to make me a brand new pizza at no cost because they baked the original a bit too dark. I was so blown away and appreciative. Easy ordering online or over the phone. And they're happy to make any customizations you want. A must-try for anyone.

There are a lot of quality bakeries in Cincinnati, a lot of European cuisine, but pizza isn't really their strong suit. This place promises a New Haven style of pizza, which is a thin, well-cooked crust and a sharp but light cheese blend. They are takeout only, and the small space they inhabit suggests that regardless of how things change they will remain as such. I got their version of a tomato pie, which has just a light dusting of pecorino romano and also an excellent spice blend. On weekends they offer a small lunch size, and this was small, but it was delicious. A substantial quantity of fresh basil leaves came on the side. I also ordered a salad, which had some quality lettuce and deliciously cooked croutons. I would agree with others that the portion size for the price is not great, but it'll be a long way in any direction before you find this style of pizza done this well.

Delicious pizza!! I describe the type of pizza as "artisan New York style" or a cross between New York style and Neopolitan. It had a nice rising outer crust but crispy on the bottom so it held up the toppings. You could also tell that they use fresh ingredients for their toppings. I make my own sourdough pizza crust and seek out good pizza, and this place definitely tops my list!

It took me too long to write this review. Our neighborhood has a newer carryout pizza joint and it is incredible. St. Francis Apizza is a family-owned and operated artisan pizza shop. They were formerly named Parlor Pizza Project when it first opened in early 2021. First of all their crust is outstanding! It is light, airy, and cooked to a nice crisp. Their housemade fennel sausage is really good and pairs well with jalapenos, onion, or olives. Another outstanding topping is the local oyster mushrooms. The New Richmond Signature pizza with tomato sauce, mozzarella, pecorino romano, grana padano, extra virgin olive oil, mushrooms, red onion, and local fresh basil to finish is a favorite of my entire family. All pizzas are served 16" with 8 slices. They do offer half-and-half pizzas if you would like to try a couple of varieties.

100%! Pizza was amazing, the crust was perfect and crispy with blackened dots from the oven, as were the croutons for salad (not sure I've ever had a croutons good enough to comment on)! We had the red pie and the mushroom and onion and can't wait to order again. We took home a pint of straciatella and it tasted like it was fresh from the counter with the most perfect, crunchy little chocolate ribbons. Make this your next pizza spot :)

Ferran Adrià, the famous Spanish chef once said, "you need an entire life just to learn about a tomato." I don't know if I can be as philosophical, but I do know if I could eat one pizza, from one restaurant, for the rest of my life, it would be this one..... Pizza more than almost any other more quotidian food staple (tacos, hamburgers, etc) gives you a taste of a place, an actual taste of the place, because it is fermented. In the same way that salinity in the air imparts the sourdough taste unique to the starter of San Francisco bread as opposed to say, Kansas City, a pizza actually uses the benevolent yeast unique to the air of a place to hue the dough with all kinds of flavors creating almost what can be described as a "taste fingerprint" of sorts. It's irresistibly magic when you bite into this crisp crust and air pockets of oven-air trapped in the bubbles fill your mouth with the uniqueness of this oven, this day, this city of Cincinnati. The crust is divine: crisp and textured, light to eat but firm enough to hold the perfect structure. The "leoparding" of charcoal and semolina feels like you are running your fingers illicitly across the ridges of brushstrokes of a rare painting you aren't supposed to touch at a museum. The taste of fire! My god! The bright tomatoes which shoot Italian sun-rays through your mind when you gobble them up, mixing them with the sumptuous cheeses of grana padano, pecorino romano, and mozzarella! Pizzaiolos can spend their whole lives making pizza and not come close to this level of craft and flavor in something so simple and humble as a pizza pie, harkening back to the resonance of that quote by Ferran Adrià. Lucky you that you don't have to wait your whole life to taste it.

Huge pizza fan from Chicago and hands-down New Haven style coal oven pizza is the best. This is comparable to the best pizzas I have ever had. Outstanding !! Cincy you're super lucky to have this quality locally.

It's hard to find good pizza with this level of chrisp and great sauce. Excellent customer service friendly and would recommend

Great, Sauce is definitely the best I have tasted not just on pizza but any sauce ever, definitely complimented by all the other ingredients aswell. Cannot really go wrong with any order, dude at the front was pretty cool.

Admittedly, I have not been eating pizza as much as I did in college, but this place might turn me back to my old ways! St. Francis Apizza combines high-quality with larger sized pies. I feel like other places that serve pizza of this style only offer smaller sizes. I really enjoyed the Spicy Pie and will come back soon to try another. Next time, I will order ahead and show up earlier than they claim it will take so I can snag it as hot as possible. I'd recommend this to anyone that's looking for a higher quality pizza experience that is approachable and worth your money (~$24 for a 16").

Awesome pizza, fast and very friendly. Worth every penny. The family isn't a fan of East Coast pizza, but they love this place

Take out place, which we weren't expecting, but it worked out fine. It's New Haven style pizza, so it's very crisp. I absolutely loved everything about it. The crust has a nice char and crunch. The sauce tastes very natural and fresh. We ordered extra cheese, and if that was extra cheese, then I'd hate to see what a normal amount of cheese looks like. That would be my only complaint. It's a wee bit pricey for what you get. It's really good and I'd get it again, but they could knock $5-$8 off per pie and still be doing just fine. The service was very good and helpful.

As a recent transplant from New England, I've been looking for pizza a la New Haven. By far the best pizza I've had in the area. Light, crispy, fluffy crust, and good options for signature pizzas. On a Friday evening I had ordered, picked up, and eaten in under an hour. The Caesar salad was way better than I had expected, especially the dressing. Highly recommend.

The pizza was good, not the greatest in the city. The pepperoni hot honey was nicely executed. This pizza reminds me of both Strongs and Dewey's pizza, like a cross between the two.

10/10 pizza! Hands down the best in the city. Crust is perfectly crispy. I would recommend this to any avid pizza fan!

Ditto on the previous review. Excellent crust flavor but I got fooled by the "Apizza", which this is far from. I take excwption to that claim. Very bland sauce/cheese; obviously not utilizing the highest quality/fresh ingredients (today). Maybe spend a little more on san marzano tomatoes and handmade mozz. Also... nothing says lack of pride more than pulling your garbage cans through the front door. Do better.

Love St. Francis Apizza. They have a good selection of pizza. Don't like what you see, then build your own. One of the best perks of St. Francis Apizza, is the ordering process. I ordered a Pizza online for pickup at 4PM on Friday. The nice part of the process, I ordered the pizza at 11PM on Thursday and received reminders on Friday to go get the pizza. Love the local names they use in naming their pizzas. I highly recommend ST. FRANCIS APIZZA.

It's amazing how many different genres of pizza is within the pizza game. plain and simple st. Francis is real good pizza. Now, It's fancy pizza with traditional roots. It will cost you an extra few $$$$. But the ingredients are all real and fresh. You'll want to pair this with a red or some ipa. If you want a pizza that pairs well with a Busch light this isn't your pizza. Call stone lanes or one of the chains (which I also like). But this pizza is for people that expect a little more out of their pizza. Better ingredients, creative recipes, and real good pizza. Give St. Francis a try.

Grew up on the East Coast - New Haven pizza is the best - Sally's, Modern, Pepe, Colony Grill - SFA is the closest you can get to those without a 10 hour drive. The New York Times article wasn't wrong. Outstanding! This is now our family's go to pizza spot.

Just had carry out tavern and absolutely awesome. From out of town visiting our Xavier student. I've had the traditional which was great but I might like this even better.

My family moved to Cincinnati from Portland, OR in August. We quickly went on a quest to find our favorite pizza spot. After many pizzas, we landed on our favorite, St. Francis Apizza. Most important part: the pizza. It's always perfectly cooked. The ingredients are top notch and fresh. Love everything we've ordered to date. And don't forget to get the salad. We also love the decor and vibe. My family and I always sit out front to enjoy it all.

Ordered on a Tuesday. Frankie's style pizza is TERRIBLE. Cardboard crust. Dried out toppings. We'll give it another try during regular day pizza. There has to be a reason people rave about it. Service was great.

I liked it. Didn't love it. While the pizza was good, I felt it was lacking. We ordered online (super easy) and picked up (they only serve carry out). We did a half & half pizza so we could try a couple of their signatures. While the ingredients are quality, the pizza didn't really stand out to me too much. We love wood fired pizzas, but their crust was barely edible. It was so super chewy. Maybe some like that but I found it off-putting and just felt like it took forever to eat if that makes sense. Considering the above weighted against the price point ($20+ per pie) I doubt we will go out of our way to go here again.

transplanted New Yorker here, so this was a bland disappointment for me. the crust was a winner though. very nice service at the counter but did have to wait past the promised time for the pizza. Also, the price seemed pretty high. I'll stick with my go-to Il Gusto Pizza in Dillonvale but as a baker, glad that good dough reigns at St Francis aPizza.

Really good pizza, one of the best in town...had them numerous times and it's always been very good...I'll go back!

My husband and I are from NY and New Haven CT so we had EXTREMELY high expectations for this place..... and let me tell you the pizza did NOT disappoint. My husband, being from NY, said it was the best pizza he's ever had. Being from New Haven, I would have to admit this is the closest thing I've had in any other state I've lived in. They were so prompt with our order, incredibly friendly, and the pizza was just outstanding and better than any other pizza in the area by far. We are dreaming (and salivating) of going back already. I wish we got a picture but we ate it that quickly.....

Holy St. Francis! This is a top notch pie and definitely one of the city's bests. I ordered a pepperoni and sausage pie that was cooked wonderfully. The crust had a nice char and a perfectly cooked undercarriage. There was little to no flop. The locally sourced ingredients and fresh toppings made this a standout pizza. You get what you pay for here, and this is not a budget pie. To create your own pizza, each topping beyond sauce and cheese comes at a cost of $2 to $4 per additional topping. There are plenty of toppings to choose from, so it would be pretty easy to rack up a costly pie. That said, I'd be glad to spend a few extra bucks on a pizza this good any day.

I have driven by here so many times on my commute but have never stopped by until today! This place does only take out orders which I decided to order online. The process for ordering online was super seamless and you can schedule a time or get it ASAP. I decided to do a build your own with pepperoni, hot honey, and garlic and it was delicious! It has a thin but sturdy center of the pizza and a chewy crust with a crisp exterior. The dough was absolutely top notch and the ingredients seemed super fresh. It was a bit on the pricey side at $20+ per pizza but I think the price is more than justified by the quality. Definitely would recommend if you're in the mood for a good pizza in the area!

I admit I am a pizza snob from New Haven. This pizza was delicious! The sauce is outstanding. Highly recommend to all my fellow pizza snobs out there!

Let me start by saying that their crust is fabulous! When I opened the box and had my first bite, I noticed the crust immediately. Then my palette was searching for more flavor that just wasn't there. I drove from West Chester on a Sunday evening to try this place that I read about from all of the Cincinnati publications. I ordered two pizzas; pepperoni, mushroom and extra sauce, and mushroom, onion, and sausage on half. I got into the hot pizza on my drive up 71 (thank goodness I had napkins in my glove compartment) and that's when I noticed the yummy crust. Then, when we dug in at home, we noticed that the sauce had no seasoning at all (basically it is crushed tomatoes) and the beautiful Rich Life Farm mushrooms (local place), and onions were very sparse. The pepperoni is good, but the house made sausage is very fennel forward if you are sensitive to that (I'm not, so it was fine). There are minimal amounts of cheeses, which makes sense with the type of crust, but again, lends to lower flavor. What we did for leftovers was to add arugula and EVOO which made the pizza better, and then separately added my from scratch pesto which made the pizza perfect! I would try them again if I were in the area, but would not make a 25 minute round trip drive for it again.

This is my favorite pizza I have had in Cincinnati. It is nice too because they will do half and half of different specialty pizzas. A high price point, but it is worth it!

I stopped in to buy a pizza since I had heard so many positive reviews of this pizzaria. I was in the area and ordered a margharita type pizza to go. When I got home I found the crust very burned, charred to the point where we couldn't eat it. I live too far away to return it so we ended up throwing it out. I was really looking forward to trying this pizzaria and was very dissappointed. If I'm in the area again, I don't think I will try it again.

Easily the best pizza in Cincinnati. Not necessarily the same as New Haven pizza, but definitely east coast style pizza.

Without a doubt the best pizza in Cincinnati. Maybe even the best pizza I've had in my life? Perfectly crispy, delicious sauce, fresh ingredients - especially love the fresh basil on the side. A must try in Cincinnati if you're craving pizza!

Really good pizza especially for Cincy. This will be my pizza joint from now on. Ordered the peppers and pepperoni special. Very fresh basil. Loved that they added honey to the pizza (I normally do this to my cheese pizza, if you haven't tried, you should; bonus point if you add a dash of pepper flakes too). Undercarriage is nice. Pizza also has a nice char. Ours has a little flop (prob because it took us 15 mins before we get to it - drive home, wash hands, set table). The sauce was SO good! Nice balance on acidity and sweetness, and good sauce to dough ratio as well. Can we also appreciate the air bubbles in the crust?? That's how you know they are good. Pizza is not cheap, but it's large enough for 3-4 people (2 if you are super hungry). We normally order from dewey's before discovering St. Francis, Dewey's dough has nothing on them. If you want a pizza with good dough and good sauce, definitely St. Francis. The only thing I didn't enjoy as much from my pizza was the sweet peppers, felt like they were unnecessary and didn't do much to the flavors. Just plain cheese with basil or pepperoni would be good. Can't wait to try their other pizzas.

This place is the real deal. Worth the hype (and trip). Make sure to call ahead and secure your pie at an early dinner hour for pickup. One tip is you can do half and half which is a really nice way to try a couple of different pies. Their crust is chewy perfection and the toppings are locally sourced. A nice touch is they include a bunch of fresh basil to put on top. I also enjoy following them on Instagram where they share upcoming new pizzas and menu features.