Vinnie Van Go-Go’s is Food Network’s choice for best pizza in Georgia

For one of my first meals after I moved to Savannah in 1995, I met some new friends and colleagues at Vinnie’s at the west end of City Market on Franklin Square.

I’ve been there countless times over the years, including a trip with my parents on a cold night years ago. I’ve been there at least a dozen times with legendary publicist Bobby Zarem. I took writer and Flannery O’Connor biographer Brad Gooch there. Earlier this year, I took National Book Award winner Jaimy Gordon (Lord of Misrule) after the Ursrey Lecture sponsored by the Flannery O’Connor Childhood Home; George Dawes Green, novelist and founder of The Moth, joined us.

Vinnie’s is the type of spot where pretty much everyone feels comfortable. And that obviously includes the staff, many of whom have worked for years in the casual, cash-only, inexpensive spot.

So it’s nice to see the national recognition from Food Network Magazine, which chose Vinnie’s as its Georgia representative for “50 States, 50 Pizzas”.

I don’t think of Vinnie’s as a “yuppie” spot, but I guess the Food Network does as noted below in the comments, the word “yuppie” is used on the menu:

Some customers order the usual toppings here — pepperoni, onions, bell peppers — but those in the know order “yuppie” toppings and end up with the best pizza fixins in the house: banana peppers, artichoke hearts, spinach, tomatoes, feta cheese, spicy Italian sausage and mushrooms. It all arrives on a crust made from the restaurant’s original dough starter, now 20 years old; the crust holds up perfectly under all the weight. $5 for four toppings per slice; 317 West Bryan St.; vinnievangogo.com

For years I got nothing but those yuppie toppings, including a slice with banana peppers, spicy sausage, and sundried tomatoes. I ate there once with a former Savannah Morning News food critic and discovered that he routinely ordered the exact same thing.

Congrats to the crew at Vinnie’s and to owner Paul Miller on this recognition.

If you check this out on the Food Network site, click on the 10th photo if you don’t want to scroll through from the beginning.