Did you grow up in the Pizza Ranch and Pizza Hut claustrophobia of Orange City? Are you tired of wiping your pizza with a paper towel before eating it? Had enough taco pizza to put you off of tacos and pizza for a lifetime? There may be a better option awaiting you in Sioux Center.
Pizza Fresco, located on the west side of Main Street in Sioux Center, topped the Hut and Ranch in a recent taste test hosted at The Fruited Plain. Pizza Fresco serves take ‘n’ bake or pre-baked pizzas with a variety of ingredients and interesting topping combinations.
Pizza Fresco is what it claims to be: fresh pizza. The crust is 100% chemical free, the sauce is homemade and their fresh vegetables and meats top off their fine pizza pie. The cheese comes from Wisconsin’s Grande Cheese Company in blocks, allowing Pizza Fresco to shred its perfect combination of provolone and mozzarella. The crust is homemade with 100% extra virgin olive oil. Its website claims that there are absolutely no preservatives in any of their pizza ingredients.
The restaurant offers two sauce options: red or white. A few of their red specialties include: Pepperoni Deluxe (pepperoni w/ cream cheese), Garlic Lover’s (a NY-style with basil, peppers and garlic) and Chicken Fajita (sample toppings: grilled chicken, jalapeños and cilantro). If you ask for NY-Style on any of the reds, they will spread olive oil over the crust and add oregano to the sauce.
The whites taste interesting as well. I can certainly recommend the Mediterranean, which is topped with spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic and feta cheese. Their Breakfast Pizza breaks the barriers between meals with scrambled eggs, ham, bacon and sharp cheddar cheese. For Pizza Ranch die-hards, they offer a Spicy Buffalo Chicken pizza with the marinated white meat, red onions, ranch or bleu cheese and a touch of crushed red pepper.
The pizzas come sized in medium (12”), large (14”) or family (16”). The family size is enough to feed about two or three college men. Take ‘n’ bakes are $2 less than baked. And pricing varies with your topping options.
Along with its variety of pizzas, the restaurant also offers La Nova’s Spicy Buffalo wings, which have been voted the “Best Wing in Buffalo.” It also offers a house salad with shredded parmesan and fresh tomatoes, and a Greek salad with feta, artichokes, black olives and the option of chicken. There are three penne pasta choices too: All Meat, Supreme and Chicken. You can side your pizza or pasta with garlic bread sticks, Three Cheese Cheesy Sticks or a gyro. And you can top off your meal with a fresh chocolate chip cookie, Cinnamon Delight dessert pizza, creamy gelato or sorbet.
All of their hot foods are offered as traditionally pre-baked or as take ‘n’ bake. The take ‘n’ bakes are the economical option, though it can be hard to find a clean oven on campus to cook the food. You might just ask your RD if you can borrow theirs. But then you might have to share with them, which could be difficult because of the delicious nature of Pizza Fresco.
When you go, you shouldn’t expect to find room to eat at the restaurant. They don’t have chairs or tables because they are more concerned with getting quality pizza in your hands than pampering you with experiential dining.
Pizza Fresco encourages people to order ahead by phone. Its number is 712-722-1888. You should also check out their website for a menu and coupons.
If you’re headed to Sioux Center for the night, don’t forget to bring back the pizza.
