Otto and Weasel had an excellent weekend.

At Cheltenham's Settebello, I got a pizza with bready, firm crust topped with pecorino romano, Parmigiano Reggiano, Gorgonzola, and fior di latte. Cheesy.

San Marzano in Witney, Oxfordshire is a straightforward, quiet Italian shop with every ingredient from Italy. I got the Buffala, with "mozzarella di bufala, slow cooked tomato, grana padano, olive oil, and basil." Done to the book.

Bristol's Pizza Workshop has their philosophy written on the wall: “One Thing. Made Well”. Simple menu. Textbook example of high-tier Neapolitan style. They also teach pizza making classes, which they are absolutely qualified to do.

Cattivo Pizza in is The Old Kennels at Cirencester Park, part of The Bathurst Estate in the Cotswolds. No longer housing hounds and horses, this barn now serves two-day fermented sourdough pizzas with a dense crust. Mine with light goat cheese, bits of mozzarella, rocket, and balsamic with zing.

I brought Weasel one of her favourite things: shoelaces from Allbirds. It didn't take long for her to decide to drag them away, although once she got outside, they got stuck on a pair of bricks. 😹

Birmingham's Otto celebrates their 10-year anniversary later this year. I got the first pie of the evening with sundried tomatoes, vodka sauce, cow and buffalo mozzarella, capers, and basil. Soft Neapolitan-like crust. Things seemed to blend more than balance, aside from the bits of juicy tomatoes.

A bummer to leave Joanie, Butters, and Mabel, but it's back to the UK again, this time for five months. Especially going to miss playing fetch with Joanie (and chasing each other around the house).

Andrea Pizza, a Minneapolis Skyway System staple with multiple locations, is markedly bland. I stopped by the Towle Building spot early to get a couple fresh slices just to be reminded of how devoid of flavor they are. Atop of the floppy crust (one of which tore unexpectedly), all I remember is oil.

A treat to be back with Mabel, Butters, and Joanie again for a couple days.

SliceCraft in Big Lake, Minnesota is a new concept from the co-founder of Tono Pizzeria and Frank & Andrea Pizza and the founder of Egg on a Roll. Opened last weekend in a space connected to Lupulin Brewing. Thick and thin "slices" each made to-order. Fun, filling, and unique for the area.

The Story Behind Those Expensive Exxon Gas Stations Wolf Blitzer Loves To Tweet About | DCist CNN’s Wolf Blitzer loves to tweet about the expensive Exxon gas stations closest to him, setting off heated debates about the state of the national economy. But in most cases, they’re abnormally expen...

Some of the ones owned by Capitol Petroleum Group are historically some of the highest. Sometimes comedically higher than the rest.

dcist.com/story/21/11/...

Molten Monkey in Madison, Wisconsin: Detroit-style with thick slices and caramelised edges to the book. We had their "Heatonism Bot" with pepperoni, pineapple, and jalapeño atop of a habanero marinara base, finished with hot honey. The heat would be overpowering if not for the sweetness. Great vibe.

My Top Pizzas in Scotland 37 pizzas tried, and some great cats!

It has been a few months since I was in Scotland, and finally I have a recap of some of my top picks for pizza, with a couple cat photos! 🐱🍕

s4xton.substack.com/p/my-top-piz...

Pizza Friendly Pizza in Chicago: a unique Sicilian style made from five-day cold fermented dough, giving a very airy texture and a bubbly, crispy edge. Like a premium focaccia but less oily. My fave square was with ricotta, mozzarella, stracciatella and basil topped with fresh burrata. Decadent.

Old Scratch in Dayton, Ohio is a huge space with three pizza ovens. No-frills pizzas with a dense, chewy crust. Solid lunch.

Mia Margherita Coal Fired Pizzeria in Bridgeport, West Virginia: using coal can be advantageous as a pizza heat source, but it's pointless if your dough doesn't take advantage of it. I got their namesake pie. Effectively a soft flatbread with double the sauce and olive oil as needed. A real mess.

Stocky looking sharp.

Bar del Monte in D.C.'s Mount Pleasant has direct ties to Neapolitan stalwart 2Amys, but the pizza menu here is very narrow. Ingredients on our Marinara and Margherita were very reserved, but intentional and detailed. For example, the bits of olive oil in the dollops of mozzarella. Refreshing.

Met up at Pete's Diner in D.C., in large part so we could see how Mikey, Tom Tom, and Xing Xing are doing. Mikey posed for photos and climbed a car. Tom Tom killed a sparrow. Xing Xing walked past everyone, made eye contact with nobody, ate, and sat in a box.

Occoquan, Virginia's newish Riverside Pizza Factory is mostly in a basement behind the town's historic Mill Street. Surprisingly great New York style bubbly and dynamic crust. We got the top pie on the menu with mozzarella, cheddar, bits of bacon, and maple syrup. Rich, and almost gluttonous. Solid.

A treat to meet up with Cheddar Bay Biscuit (orange) and Rowling today. Cheddar Bay would stare at me orangely as if it was perpetually concerned, but loved pats and strokes and would walk a back and forth to receive them. For Rowling, just stares. Love them both.

The Cacio e Pepe pizza from D.C.’s Stellina, with Pecorino Romano, mozzarella, and pepper, has been a cornerstone of their menu from when they first launched in 2019. Now, after a menu refresh, it’s a secret menu item. 🤫 Still one of the best pizzas in D.C.

Ledo Pizza on Georgia Ave in D.C. is in the shell of a Pizza Hut. Inside, the improvement is debatable. Their signature thin, sweet, bready crust is close to undercooked. Mine was topped with sweet sauce, oily pepperoni, and cheese. A reminder why I only visit a Ledo Pizza once every few years.

Suki in Brightwood Park, D.C., is very vocal every time I visit her. 😹

Really great cat day.

A pro-tip for pizza delivery drivers: don't store it vertically in the cargo box on the back of your moped.

8½ is a Richmond, Virginia market with Italian goods, takeaway foods and, of course, pizza. I took their recommendation for Margherita: excellent fresh ingredients atop of an unusually thick but almost flaky crust, with a strong buttery note. Delightful, actually.

Charlotte, North Carolina's Bird Pizzeria is excellent. I got their base pie, which has fresh tomato sauce, stretchy mozzarella, and bits of fresh basil. Dialed in, giving an illusion that the ingredients are fused together. Next time I'll reserve a seat inside to have their specialty pizzas.

The "Greenville Goddess" at Sidewall Pizza Company in Greenville, South Carolina: chopped bacon, artichoke hearts, basil, mozzarella, and goat cheese. Crust with a dense, chewy end, and ingredients blended to the point where you're getting all of them in each bite.