Pizza. It is a dish that Julia and I have failed to review in one of our installments of Drive-Thru Diners – until now, that is.
We have been searching high and low for businesses serving up the infamous Italian fare since the series officially began last December.
It’s been a long time coming. But good things come to those who wait, as the saying goes.
When deliberating where to venture to for our latest taste test, one brand that was mentioned – and has on numerous occasions to date – was Big Mannys’ Pizza, which is probably well-known with our readers in the north-east area especially.
I must admit, the first venue we intended on visiting was closed, so we made way for the Big Mannys’ Pizza branch on Holburn Street, inside The Adams sports bar.
It was meant to be.
Big Mannys’ Pizza: What is it and what’s on offer?
Where to begin?
Big Mannys’ Pizza is arguably one of Aberdeen’s most successful independent pizza brands.
Renowned for its mammoth-sized pizzas (18 inches to be exact), the business was launched in October 2020 by brothers Phillip and Ashley Adams, who own The Adams, and freelance chef Calum Wright.
The trio have grown the brand exponentially and now not only sell their mouth-watering pizzas from one unit in the city, but three.
They include:
- The Adams, Holburn Street, Aberdeen
- Pittodrie Street, Aberdeen
- Codona’s Amusement Park, Beach Boulevard, Aberdeen
Their New York City-style pizzas are baked fresh to order and hand-stretched with a top-secret recipe dough.
They are available in nine-inch, 14-inch and 18-inch sizes.
But as well as pizza, menu items include chicken wings, garlic bread, potato wedges and Cookie Cult cookies.
The order:
Please note: The prices in the receipt include special Big Mannys’ Pizza deals, so be aware that Julia and I visited on a Tuesday at roughly 2pm. We also collected our meal.
The results
So, would Julia and I recommend you get a pizza the action from Big Mannys’ Pizza, or give it a miss?
Above and Beyond
Both of us were after a hefty 18-inch pizza – because who doesn’t order the biggest pizza size on the menu to attempt to eat in their car?
The team at Big Mannys’ made us aware that they’ll soon be offering customers the chance to order 50/50 pizzas – both halves featuring different toppings.
We were instantly sold.
We started out on a high with the first half, which was one of the business’ vegan options – Above and Beyond.
It featured a multitude of different ingredients that married so well together including house marinara sauce, red onions, crispy onions, scallions and sriracha mayo drizzle.
There was also a heavenly Sheese mozzarella blend and juicy chunks of Beyond Meat burger.
It was one of the best pizzas I have eaten to date. The pair of us were full of compliments and even tucked into some more after filming.
Presentation
Julia: 4.5/5
Karla: 5/5
Taste
Julia: 5/5
Karla: 5/5
The New Yorker
The other half was recommended to us by the team, the New Yorker. It doesn’t feature on the current menu, but is available on request and will be readded to it in the near future.
There were thick chunks of ham, mushrooms, red onions and pepperoni scattered across a layer of stringy cheese. The marinara sauce was more apparent on the palate this time, which heightened the meaty flavour.
Julia and I agreed on several things when it came to this pizza. 1) The ingredients were fresh and 2) there were plenty of them.
The Above and Beyond just topped the New Yorker on taste, but I would urge meat lovers to try it out for themselves.
Lastly, we had a garlic crust to tuck into. It was sweet, salty, and boasted the right amount of garlic flavour to ensure it didn’t overpower the other ingredients.
Presentation
Julia: 4.5/5
Karla: 5/5
Taste
Julia: 4.5/5
Karla: 4.5/5
Smoke and Soul big crunch
The picture captured of our big crunch really does accentuate its crisp outer layer. Don’t let it fool you or put you off – we can blame poor car lighting.
Julia quickly picked up on the fact that our big crunch wasn’t exactly crunchy, which may have been down to it sitting in a sheet of tin foil for a while before we tucked in.
Nevertheless, the contents inside our toasted quesadilla remained intact during our tasting.
The Smoke and Soul pulled pork and macaroni and cheese, which Julia loved, were a match made in heaven with both ingredients melting in the mouth.
Despite featuring even more cheese – mozzarella – there wasn’t an overwhelming cheesy taste, which was great. This meant the pork could shine through, along with the tangy barbecue sauce.
Yes, it didn’t provide the crunch element, but I would definitely order one again.
Presentation
Julia: 2.5/5
Karla: 3/5
Taste
Julia: 4/5
Karla: 4/5
Buffalo chicken wings
Big Mannys’ Pizza is also well-known for its wings.
They are something I rarely (let’s be honest, never) order, but Julia is a big fan – so at least one person knew what to expect in a good or bad wing.
Oven baked in Angus and Oink Buffalo Soldier seasoning and tossed in buffalo sauce and blue cheese drizzle, they had the perfect level of kick to them for me.
The spice didn’t quite pack the punch Julia expected, but she appreciated the amount of meat on each wing.
Presentation
Julia: 3/5
Karla: 3.5/5
Taste
Julia: 3.5/5
Karla: 3.5/5
The Above and Beyond came out on top at Big Mannys’ Pizza, racking up a score of 19.5/20.
Can you think of any local venues or dishes you would like the Drive-Thru Diners to try?
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