For some reason, it seems to me that Tasty Pizza flies under the radar when discussing Omaha’s great pizza restaurants. Recognized as one of the best pizza parlors in not only Omaha but all of the Midwest, it margherita pizza stands out to me. So with the news of another location on the way, let’s give it a look.
Tasty Pastry was opened by Jamaican-born, Costa Rican raised Mary Joseph in 2012. Before coming to Omaha, she studied pre-med and international relations at university in Massachusetts. She found her way to Omaha after a chance encounter with a fellow passenger whom she later married.
She had another chance encounter with Dario Shicke with whom she discussed her passion of baking. After he opened his beloved Dario’s Brasserie in Dundee, he commissioned her to bring in chocolate cakes for his customers. That marked the beginning of what would become Tasty Pizza.
In 2012 Mary opened Tasty Pastry in a small cottage at 5423 Leavenworth Street. Built in 1910, after the cottage served as a residence it would find life as a grocery store, gift shop, antique store, music store and repair store as well as others that I’m sure I’ve missed. It’s run as a restaurant started in the early 2000’s as C’est La Vie before being converted to a catering business called Come On Into My Kitchen. From within Tasty Pastry, Mary made soup, sandwiches, small pizzas, bread and desserts. Preferring the predictability and organization of running a pizza line, she changed the focus and name to Tasty Pizza in 2017.
The pizza proved to be a hit with a second location opening at 1418 S 60th Street in 2020. The site had been a Shaver’s grocery before the building was destroyed in a fire in 1977. Rebuilt in 1978 the current building has been home to Classic Golf and Boyd & Charlie’s BBQ in recent years. Shortly after the move the original location caught on fire. Fortunately the old cottage still stands.
A glimpse inside the current Tasty Pizza location.
It was recently announced that Tasty Pizza is once again opening a second location – this one will be built on the site of the former Pignotti Sheet Metal shop at 1421 N Saddle Creek Road near the peanutabout at 50th Street and Saddle Creek Road. Plans call for demolishing the existing building which dates back to 1955 and replacing it with a restaurant that has a drive-thru. If you missed it, we also explored Sgt. Peffer’s, Homy Inn and the peanutabout in previous posts.
For my money, it’s the best margherita pizza in Omaha – in 2022 the Omaha World-Herald agreed. The accolades kept coming with Tasty Pizza being listed among the best pizza parlors by The Reader in 2023. Yelp named it the 10th best pizza parlor in the Midwest. Others in the top 100 included Orsi’s at # 21, Izzy’s at # 31, Mangia Italiania at # 92 and Dolomiti’s at # 94.
I’d like to hear what you have to say so feel free to leave a comment. Please also let me know if there’s something you want me to explore.
Until next time, keep exploring!
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