Papalino's serves up slices and good times at Cardinal Towne • The Louisville Cardinal

By Lee Cole–

There are few dishes eaten more often by the average college student than pizza. Pizza is a late night study session favorite, perfect for parties, and a dynamite word in the game of Scrabble, at a whopping 25 points. So when Papalino’s opened in Cardinal Towne, I had to check it out. Having heard tales and rumors about the purported size of their portions, I thought I would be prepared for whatever came my way. I had encountered pizza of all shapes and sizes, but I had no way of anticipating the sheer, stupendous magnitude of these slices.

Papalino’s caters to those who take their pizza consumption seriously. One piece of pizza is about one fourth of an 18-inch pie. A little daunted by the size, I took my first bite with trepidation, unsure whether the outrageous quantity would translate into outrageous quality. My fears were assuaged, however, when I tasted the first delectable bite. It was a perfect balance of cheese, sauce, crust, and sausage, the one topping I ordered. Served New York style, their slices almost always will need to be folded. They are so monumental, one could easily be split between two people and leave both satisfied. Most surprising of all, however, is the price, which is less than $5 for one topping. The size of the portions is only part of what makes Papalino’s great. There is a wide array of toppings to choose from including cured bacon, imported anchovies, roasted red peppers, and, intriguingly, jalapenos. In addition to their gargantuan slices, Papalino’s sells whole pies for around $15, calzones for $10, and a personal favorite, cannolis for $2 each.

The atmosphere is friendly, but loud. The constant din of conversation, metal clanging and orders being called out would not make for a quiet dinner, but it’s what one would expect from a pizza parlor. The walls are adorned with posters and sports banners and the seating is plentiful. There’s a lot of Louisville memorabilia, along with New York themed photographs, like one prominent poster of the Chrysler Building. There are several TV’s, and a plethora of beer to choose from, making it a great place to watch a game. Papalino’s is serving up slices from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily.