Rustica

Northern Liberties pizza worthy of a harp and halo.

903 N. 2nd St.
Philadelphia, PA ZIP
215-627-1393

Hours:
Monday – Thursday: 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Friday: 11 a.m. – 1 a.m.
Saturday: 12 p.m. – 1 a.m.
Sunday: 12 p.m. – 10 p.m.

If there are five people you meet in heaven, I say there are also five pizzas: Different pies that have wildly affected your pizza-eating life that you get to eat again after you die. These pizzas could include something as elegant as a wood-fired, mozzarella-topped pizza eaten outside on a warm night in Sicily or as utilitarian as a greasy, hot slice consumed with college friends after the bars let out. But whether it's fancy or low-brow, you remember that pizza for years, how perfect the melted cheese and warm bread tasted.

One of the pizzas I expect to meet in heaven is from Rustica in Northern Liberties. Specifically, the McTigue, a whole-wheat-crust white pizza topped with gorgonzola, balsamic vinegar, figs and basil leaves. It's a totally unexpected mix of sweet, salty and pungent, all layered on a soft, rustic crust with a crispy bottom. Just one bite of the pizza gives me the superhuman strength necessary to eat three more pieces. (Although this superpower unfortunately doesn't do anything to help the “feeling really full” business that follows four slices of pizza.)

Of course, Rustica offers plenty of other pizzeria fare beyond the McTigue, both standard and unexpected. Their menu is stacked with sandwiches, salads and both red and white pizzas on white or whole-wheat crusts. Toppings range from basic cheese to gourmet options; other favorites in my household include pico de gaello and steak.

Yes, the pizzas served at Rustica are a little on the fancier side, and that's reflected in the prices. If you're just looking for a cheap-but-tasty cheese pizza for a party, you're probably better off looking elsewhere. But if Rustica's fancy pies are what you want, they offer pizzas for delivery, take-out or eat in. Visitors can get pizza by the slice, and the restaurant's interior features a handful of tables, plus two outside when the weather is nice. And while I can't promise you that you'll find one of your five heavenly pizzas at Rustica, I can say that if you like soft-crusted pizza with nice toppings, you'll probably enjoy what you get.