With the Final Four descending upon San Antonio, sports media outlets are flocking to the Alamo City, including Barstool Sports, the popular sports and entertainment brand. Barstool will host live podcast sessions at River North Ice House on Friday, April 4, and Saturday, April 5. However, there’s another important task on the agenda: finding great pizza for Dave Portnoy.
Portnoy, the founder of Barstool Sports, is also the host of the viral YouTube series One Bite Pizza Reviews. In each episode, Portnoy visits pizzerias across the country to give his take on their pizzas, famously using the phrase “One Bite, Everybody Knows the Rules” — though, in reality, he eats the whole slice. It’s that first bite that can make or break a pizzeria’s reputation.
During his last visit to San Antonio in 2018 for the Final Four, Portnoy reviewed local spots including Julian’s Pizzeria, Big Lou’s, and Pizzarita’s on the River Walk. With his return to the city this year, San Antonio locals have made their recommendations for where he should go next.
After gathering over 100 responses from residents, a few standout pizzerias rose to the top. The most frequently recommended spot was Florio’s off Broadway in Alamo Heights, with 12 locals suggesting Portnoy visit the shop at 7701 Broadway Street. Lovers Pizzeria, located at 105 E. Ashby Place, was another favorite, securing the second most votes. The third top recommendation was Il Forno, a Top 50 pizza spot located at 122 Nogalitos Street.
While many fans suggested Lovers might be the closest to Portnoy’s East Coast-style preferences, they warned him to steer clear of Neapolitan pizza, which would likely disqualify Il Forno. Other spots recommended by locals included Dough, 2-1-Dough, Sophia’s, Yaghi’s, Wild Barley, and Poppy’s — though it should be noted that Poppy’s is closing soon. A few adventurous fans even suggested Portnoy take a road trip to nearby towns to try Darkside Pizza Co. in Boerne, Dough Station in Castroville, and 46th Street Pizza in Schertz.
Of course, there were those who weren’t as impressed with San Antonio’s pizza scene, claiming that many local spots wouldn’t meet Portnoy’s East Coast standards. These critics playfully suggested he visit chains like Chuck E. Cheese or Peter Piper Pizza. A few even recommended he check out South Flo Pizza at H-E-B, offering a truly Texan pizza experience to round out his trip.
As Portnoy prepares to take his “One Bite” challenge to San Antonio once again, locals are eager to see which spots will make the cut and whether the city’s pizza scene can impress the notoriously tough critic.
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