FIRST: Lucci’s Place
Lucci’s Place has come back to take the No. 1 spot as Kent’s favorite pizza place for the eighth consecutive year.
Proximity, prices, pizza and personality are what makes Lucci’s a fan favorite amongst many Kent residents, owner Peter Finley said.
“We’re right across the street from the university, our prices are lower than most other pizza shops in town, and you get really good service when you come here,” Finley said. “We are really friendly and people like coming in and chit-chatting.”
They offer a build-your-own New York Style Pizza for customers, with a variety of toppings from meat to vegetables to pineapple. However, simple classics are typically the best sellers, Finley said.
“We have a lot of interesting pizza choices, but it seems to me that the most popular pizza choices are just simple pepperoni and cheese pizzas,” Finley said. “That’s what all the people like [with] New York Style pizza, they want a nice cheese or pepperoni.”
Lucci’s has been located in Kent for nine years now, and Finley has been in in Kent for even longer than that. His love for the community has helped the business become a fan favorite.
“We love Kent, we love the community,” Finley said. “I’ve lived here for 40 years. We’ve got really awesome employees, people seem to love us.”
Lucci’s Place is located at 405 E Main St. Contact the shop at 330-673-9833.
SECOND: Belleria Pizza and Italian Restaurant
Located in the heart of Acorn Alley at 135 E. Erie St., Belleria offers traditional Italian food such as pasta, hot sandwiches, soups and of course, pizza.
When it comes to pizza, it has a wide variety of choices such as a chicken bacon ranch, Hawaiian and breakfast pizza.
However, its best seller is a classic cheese or pepperoni pizza, said Belleria manager Amber Crocker.
To encompass more dietary restrictions and expand their pizza menu even further, they provide a gluten free crust option, Crocker said.
Belleria also offers several different pizza deals throughout the week, sharing their fan-favorite pizza at a discounted price.
“We have different specials every night of the week,” Crocker said. “Tuesday night we do a 12-inch traditional for $7.99.”
The daily specials paired with the quality of the pizza is part of why the community is drawn to the restaurant, Crocker said.
Belleria has also immersed themselves within the Kent community, showing its support as a business.
“We try our best to help out the university and the local school district with catering orders and donations,” Crocker said.
She hopes more people will stop by to pay them a visit and try out their pizzas.
“We have really good food, people should come more often,” Crocker said.
Call Belleria at 330-678-6000.
THIRD: Guys Pizza Co.
Guys Pizza Co., tucked into downtown and nestled onto S. Water St., might be hidden, but it is not forgotten.
Guys is certainly a fan favorite for the people of Kent, and part of the reason for this is the sense of community it elicits, said delivery driver Brayden Huffman.
“It’s a really community spot for college students to come together and just celebrate the best time of their lives, being a college student,” Huffman said. “It’s also a big thing in the community, it’s a very big community staple.”
Huffman said Guys best selling item is the “Guyzone,” a calzone filled with mozzarella cheese, provolone cheese and three toppings.
“It’s like a calzone, but with the Guys Pizza take on it,” Huffman said.
Chandler Gembar, a customer at Guys, was very enthusiastic about getting his pizza.
“It’s the best pizza in Kent,” Gembar said. “Also, you can buy it at like a dollar a slice.”
Huffman agreed, saying Guys offers the best pizza in the area.
“Out of all the pizza places I tried in Kent, before I worked here, Guys was the best,” Huffman said.
Guys is open until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, offering a late-night bite for people who may find themselves downtown at that time. It is open until 10 p.m. every other day of the week.
Call Guys at 330-678-5368.
Olivia Montgomery is a digital tech. Contact her at [email protected].
