Pittsburgh’s pizza scene gained a heavy hitter with the opening of F&F Pizzeria in Mount Lebanon. A line spilled out the door for the Italian restaurant’s opening day in the former Bado’s Pizza Grill and Ale House on Oct. 27. The new F&F features a slice shop where diners can watch pies being fired in electric pizza ovens, counter service with a cocktail menu, and a full-service restaurant (modeled after sister concept Frankies 457 Spuntino) with a second-floor event space.
Recognized by the New York Times for serving up some of the city’s best pizza, this is the Brooklyn-based pizzeria’s first expansion outside of New York. According to the F&F website, the move to Pittsburgh was partially inspired by a Boy Scout camping trip taken by chefs Frank Castronovo and Frank Falcinelli (aka “The Franks”).
Pittsburghers have long been partisans for the region’s pizza — with actor Joe Manganiello declaring our pizza supremacy over New York on an episode of Netflix’s Dinner Time Live earlier this year. A cynic like me might say the local pizza scene is already oversaturated with the entrenched Aiello’s versus Mineo’s (versus Pastoli’s?) battle, 100 million New York slices at Italian Village Pizza, square Detroit-style pies going strong at Iron Born, veggie favorites at Spak Brothers, sourdough pizza at Driftwood, Neapolitan at Mercurio’s, hometown favorites like Fiori’s, the recent addition of New England-style pizza (whatever that means), and the abomination that is Altoona pizza.
Naturally, we had to try some of F&F’s famed slices, known for treading a middle path between New York and Neapolitan. The restaurant’s classic cheese pizza boasts a soft, chewy sourdough crust — famously fermented over 72 hours — topped with a modest layer of tomato sauce and mozzarella. The crust has a charred edge to evoke the traditional Neapolitan, and F&F hasn’t wavered from its commitment to simple, high-quality toppings including organic tomatoes and Sicilian olive oil (also for sale at the slice shop).
Pittsburgh City Paper photographer Mars Johnson (a self-described pizza snob) noted it’s rare that a slice of pizza tastes light, almost snack-like, rather than being weighed down by cheese.
F&F also debuted its fan-favorite clam pie (available with white or red sauce). If you’re (understandably) wary about shellfish in Pittsburgh, don’t be. The rich but not-too-rich pizza is flecked with fresh-chopped clams and parsley, then finished with a lemon wedge you can squeeze over your slice. Cutting the clams with lemon juice is enjoyable on its own and manages to add something new to the region’s overstuffed pizza lineup.
F&F Pizzeria in Mount Lebanon is now open and accepting reservations. Another location is planned for the Strip District.
This article appears in Oct. 29-Nov. 4, 2025.
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