We Tried The New 'Philly Cheesesteak' Pizza At Papa John's - Here's The Verdict
The pie is topped with green pepper, onion, steak, mozzarella, provolone, and garlic sauce. The large typically costs $12, and there are 340 calories in each slice.
Business Insider recently tried the pizza, and it was a big hit.
Here are the top observations.
1. "Tastes exactly like Philly Cheesesteak."
If you like the classic sandwich, this pizza is for you. Many Philly Cheesesteak fans in our office said that Papa John's nailed the flavors, which were more consistent of a sandwich than a pizza.
"It honestly tastes like a Philly Cheesesteak - not a great one, mind you, but a Philly Cheesesteak nonetheless," one reviewer wrote.
2. "Better than I expected."
Many people who tried the pizza noted that it was better than they expected for coming from a chain restaurant like Papa John's.
"The key is expectation: if you expect to have a traditional, lovingly crafted pie, you'll be disappointed," one reviewer said. "But if you seek a bizarre, satisfyingly manufactured pizzafood, you'll be delighted."
3. "Very garlicky."
In place of marinara, the pizza had a sauce that was reminiscent of the chain's garlic butter.
Most people loved the garlicky white sauce.
A few said they missed having marinara on the pizza, and that it could have balanced out the richness of the steak and cheese.
4. "Very greasy."
The pizza was even greasier than standard Papa John's fare. Some people loved this, others would have preferred a lighter taste.
"As far as pizza in the chain store category (Dominos, Papa Johns, Pizza Hut) goes, that was pretty delicious. I will say that it was dripping with grease but that's not necessarily a bad thing," one reviewer wrote.
Another said that the pizza cured her hangover.
5. "Could have used more toppings."
While Papa John's was generous with the cheese and peppers, the pizza had very little actual steak.
This was probably to keep the price down in the midst of a beef shortage.
But many meatlovers were disappointed with the amount of steak on the pizza.
6. "Two thumbs up."
Overall, we recommend this pizza, which is hearty and very satisfying.
"It's a good option if you're going to go with something from Papa John's," one of our reviewers wrote.