What Was Pizza Brain?
THE WORLD’S FIRST PIZZA MUSEUM
Pizza Brain was indeed another Philadelphia first- the world’s first pizza museum.
That’s not just our marketing talking. The New York Times, the country’s newspaper of record, said so in its headline “World’s First Pizza Museum Opens in Philadelphia.” The newspaper’s editors relied on its own extensive research to make that proclamation. Of course, our having earned the Guinness World Record for the largest collection of pizza-related items anywhere helped. The museum’s mission was to tell the story of how pizza went from obscurity to ubiquity- the nation’s most beloved and celebrated food. We did it through displays of every type of ephemera depicting pizza- toys, books, movies, posters, puzzles, records, ads, comics, kitchen utensils- you name it. The very evidence of our collective affection for pizza surrounded store patrons- on the walls, in countertops, in the floor. Even our outdoor space had the world’s largest pizza mural. It was a true only in Philadelphia experience embraced by a city that understands and loves it when a business keeps it weird.
ORIGINATORS OF PHILADELPHIA’S ARTISAN PIZZA CRAZE
Award-winning slices + pies to ground-breaking restaurant collaborations, the Pizza Brain taste was real.
When Pizza Brain opened in 2012, Philly wasn’t known for pizza. Taccanelli’s, the 3-day order ahead place, was a local legend. Yet, in terms of elevating pizza beyond the standard choice of plain, pepperoni or sausage, nothing existed that brought fresh ingredients and more dynamic flavor palettes together. Beyond a cool art space, Pizza Brain aimed to be and was considered among the best pizzerias in the nation. It earned 3 Philadelphia Magazine "Best of Philly" awards, reigned almost 10 years on The Daily Meal's The 101 Best Pizzas in America and earned dozens of national accolades. The store was an originator of partnering with other restaurants, creating inventive menu items through its Third Thursdee collaborative creations.
BACK AGAIN FOR DELIVERY + PICKUP
Original recipe Pizza Brain pies prepared at Cerveau
The 2024 closure of Pizza Brain’s physical space marked a temporary end to the availability of its pizza. But now through a partnership between Joe Hunter (Pizza Brain’s founding chef) and Cerveau, Pizza Brain pizza is once again available via Cerveau’s platforms and online delivery partners, DoorDash, Uber Eats & Grubhub. With its expanded menu including killer burgers, fries and wings, Pizza Brain is a veritable pizzeria within Philadelphia’s newest and best Italian restaurant- Cerveau.