Winner: Lucci’s Place

Lucci’s Place is located in a plaza right on the cusp of Kent’s campus, nestled between The Exchange and 101 Bottles. This not only put Lucci’s in the ideal area for customers of those other businesses, but also means it gets foot traffic from hungry students going to and from campus who are looking for a quick bite to eat.

And Lucci’s delivers that bite.

Looking for pizza by the slice? Lucci’s has you covered with options of pepperoni, cheese and sausage pizza, ready to go at any time. Don’t worry about still being hungry, as the slices are so large you’ll need two paper plates to hold them.

“We provide a really great value close to Kent State,” said Peter Finley, co-owner of Lucci’s. “When you’re a college student, you’re looking for the places that offer really good food at a good value.”

If you’re looking for something a little bit more than just one giant slice, Lucci’s takes custom orders both over the phone and online, so you can have a full pizza cooked to your liking.

With more than two dozen toppings, such as chicken, mushrooms, fresh mozzarella cheese and green olives, Lucci’s Place has a wide selection for customers to choose from.

It can be tough to find good food for a cheap price, something Finley and the rest of the Lucci’s staff took into consideration when opening the pizzeria.

“I was a Kent State student, so I know what it’s like. I would hit up all the places by campus because I was hungry,” Finley said.

Second: Belleria 

While Belleria may be known for its pasta, that doesn’t mean its pizza isn’t just as good. Located adjacent to Acorn Alley, Belleria has pizza for everyone.

Whether it be any of its 15 specialty pizzas, ranging from the “The Bella” to “The Sausage Diablo” to its custom menu, Belleria offers a pizza for everyone’s diet (or taste buds).

If you’re in a rush, Belleria also offers the ability to call ahead and order menu items to go.

Third: Guys Pizza Co.

Over on South Water Street, Guys Pizza Co. continues to be a fan favorite. Whether you’re looking for lunch or food to finish off a night at the bars, Guys Pizza might be the place to satisfy your tastebuds.

With a wide variety of specialty pizzas, such as the “Texas BBQ,” the “Loaded Baked Potato” and “Guyzones,” calzones stuffed with mozzarella cheese and a customer’s choice of toppings, Guys Pizza has plenty of items to choose from.  

Guys is known for selling its pizza by the slice, something that turned it into the place to visit when looking for a fast bite on the go.

In addition, conveniences like online ordering and discounts for student organizations have made it one of the go-to pizza shops in the Kent area.