Return to Da Vinci’s to Try the Pizza and Revisit their Steak

I gave a glowing report on Da Vinci’s Brick Oven Pizzeria of Feasterville, PA, back in January. But while that cheesesteak was fantastic, I regretted not being able to try their pizza. I went alone, leaving me to eat the entire steak. And they don’t sell pizza by the individual slice. It’s a large – 16-inch – pie or nothing.

The photos I’ve seen of their pizza were so enticing that I was determined to eventually return to Da Vinci’s with a friend. That finally happened today, when my oldest friend, John, who has appeared in a few of my posts, joined me for lunch. 

In addition to trying the pizza, I felt the need to give Da Vinci’s cheesesteak another shot. I know I loved it the first time. But the memory wasn’t fresh enough to be confident of where or whether to rank it when the time comes. 

I’m glad I refreshed my memory. The first bite was a real eye-opener; not unlike the impression I had when I bit into the cheesesteak at Cockadoodle Dan’s. The levels of the meat’s flavor and juiciness were through the roof. There were a lot of well-fried onions and an ample amount of Cooper Sharp. I could see someone who really loves a lot of cheese on his or her steak wanting more, but it was enough for me, and it was blended nicely with the meat.

Da Vinci’s is attached to Leonardo’s Bakery, which makes the pizzeria’s rolls, in addition to providing them for other businesses in the area. I couldn’t rave enough about the seeded roll I had there during my January visit. It was divinely crusty. The crust of today’s roll was still very good, but not at the level of that last one. 

Having said that, whether the roll was great or only very good, taking the entire package into account, this was one tremendous cheesesteak; making Da Vinci’s two for two in that department. It’s hard for me to see them not making my top 10 when that time arrives. It’s just a question of how far up the list they go. 

On to the pizza. 

We went with a basic pie and requested sausage on half. This was no ordinary pizza, as you can see from the photos. They use good ingredients and know how to cook and bake at Da Vinci’s. What more could you ask for? 

While the crust had a nice, somewhat charred appearance, it also packed a good chew. And the sausage was sliced, instead of crumbled, which was nice for a change. 

The overall flavor profile of this pie was unique among pizzas that I’ve tried over the years. I don’t know what it was; perhaps the sauce or added seasonings. In any event, I’m not sure how to describe it. But I can easily see some people loving it and others perhaps not enjoying the flavor. I was somewhere between those two extremes. I certainly didn’t dislike the taste, but I would probably need to eat it a few more times before moving beyond liking it to loving it – if that were to happen. 

Given the need to get to the handful of other steak shops on my list that I haven’t given a first look to yet, and the fact that Da Vinci’s isn’t in my neck of the woods, I’m not sure when I’ll visit there again, but I know it will happen. Whether I get the pizza again will depend on if I’m alone or with company. In either case, their tremendous cheesesteaks will probably always take priority for me.