La Piazza Pizza has reinvented the $5 footlong. Gone are the days of generic breads and cheeses. Paper-thin meats packed into everyday sandwiches are in the past. This pizza place serves up heaping hot chicken, eggplant, or meatball parms for the uber-affordable price of $4.99 – the same value that another unnamed sub shop uses as their claim to fame.
The sandwich variety and portions are bigger here as well. Whether the buyer is in the mood for a BBQ chicken sandwich or cheeseburger sub, a five-spot (and some change) will buy you any hot grinder.
La Piazza’s deals don’t end with the subs though – they offer a veritable laundry list of man-sized salads and calzones for the same price, too. Buffalo chicken or caprese salads run the same price as chicken cordon bleu calzones and the meat-lover’s Texas-style calzone. Additionally all pasta entrées are $5.99 and a large 16” cheese pizza only runs for $6.99. Their deals are great and the portions are generous. Value is great, but taste is more important.
La Piazza’s cheeseburger sub has everything one could want from a succulent juicy burger packed into a 12” grinder roll. Top it off with lettuce, tomato, onion and maybe some ketchup or mustard, and the cheeseburger sub is a sandwich the consumer wishes would never end. The chicken finger sub is equally as tasty, and heaped with juicy (not greasy) chicken fingers with fresh veggies and a wonderful blend of delicious sauces. The sandwiches are not to be missed!
This pizza joint’s calzones are delicious as well, although somewhat generic in terms of college-town calzones – but again, for only $4.99. The Texas-Style calzone is chock full of chopped steak, breaded chicken, bacon, tangy BBQ sauce and cheddar cheese. The buffalo chicken calzone is wonderful as well. La Piazza utilizes breaded chicken once more to create their buffalo chicken calzone, but they pack in hot sauce and generous amounts of American cheese and bleu cheese as well. Vegetarians need not worry since they also offer vegetarian calzones. Other options include Mexican, lasagna, and chicken fajita.
The entrées offered are traditional pasta dishes with a side of bread and butter. Choose from ziti chicken alfredo, chicken broccoli Alfredo, baked ziti or manicotti. Their baked ziti is Italian comfort food at its best, although it’s recommended to ask for an extra side of sauce. The huge size of the pasta entrée should be enough to eat in two sittings, so clear some room in the fridge before ordering.
Specialty pizzas at La Piazza aren’t the same price, but are obviously much tastier than just plain cheese. They’re one of two pizza places in town that serve up a margharita pizza. When struck with a craving for tomato, fresh basil, and red sauce, head to La Piazza to quell the munchies. Even with delivery, it’s served hot, fresh and delicious. Party pizzas are available as well for that occasional big gathering.
Other offerings that La Piazza serves up are wings, boneless or traditional, fries, onion rings, and hot, crispy, golden mozzarella sticks. Desserts are also available – cheesecake or chocolate cake, also for only five dollars.
La Piazza makes for a perfect date spot on a college budget – it isn’t the traditional pick-up or delivery place. Patrons can come in, sit down and eat. For around $10, two can fill up on a couple foot long subs, or a calzone and salad. That’s the same price as admission for one into the Golden Corral all-you-can-eat buffet. Capping off dinner with a piece of cheesecake without denting the wallet is a winning formula for a great date.
La Piazza prides itself on its affordable value. The food quality isn’t the best in Amherst, but it’s spectacular for the price. It’s is one of those college-town bargains that simply can’t be passed up. La Piazza pizza is located in the Boltwood Walk area just behind Bueno y Sano and Monkey Bar. For the prices alone, La Piazza Pizza is the best bargain eatery in Amherst.
Brendan Murphy can be reached at [email protected]
