Everyone seems to have their favorite type of pizza: some prefer a very thin crust with light toppings; some want deep dish; others crave a thicker, chewy crust heavy with cheese, meat and veggies.

And then there is New York style pizza, which is what you will find at Waldo’s newest pizza place, Pizza Tascio at 409 W Gregory.  What defines New York style?  According to owner Erik Borger, who grew up in New York City, a NY style pizza  features a “thin crust, definitely foldable,  with light toppings and a crispy, flavor filled crust.” Are you craving a slice yet???

Erik’s “obsession” (yes he used that word) with perfecting his type of pizza started years ago.  He was caring for his father who was battling cancer.  Dad and son were craving the pizza tastes of their younger days growing up in NYC, so Erik decided to make his own.   At one point he had six commercial ovens in the garage at his St Joseph home, trying to figure out the perfect temperatures and flavors.  When he finally  got the recipe right, he opened the first Pizza Tascio there in 2021.  In 2022 he opened a second location on Burlington in North KC and the Waldo location is…#7 in the metro area!  I asked Erik if he was a bit exhausted and overwhelmed with the fast growth.  “This location has been much busier than I expected. It’s far exceeded my expectations and we haven’t been open that long.  However, I have a really good team and they keep everything running smoothly”. 

There are a few unique things about this pizza to note.  First, he offers one size of pie-18”.  Most “large” size pizzas are smaller than that, so even though the cost is a little higher, you are getting more of a high quality product.  These large pies are divided 8 ways for slices, and at Pizza Tascio you will get a large slice for as little as $5!  The superior ingredients Erik uses make a big difference that you can taste:  meats are sourced from Paradise Meats in Trimble MO; organic Napoli tomatoes from California, and he uses only 100% whole milk mozzarella.  I asked Erik about the phrase “no BS added” to the cheese he uses as stated on the website. He explained that most cheese has a fungicide added to prevent mold; he only uses cheese without any chemicals added.  It took a while but he found a source for his chemical free cheese…that is his strict dedication to perfection.   The menu focuses on various pizza combos of course, including an “upside down” pizza;  there’s a salad option, a dessert pizza and cheesy breadsticks.  You can dine in or pick up curbside.

Pizza Tascio is located in the former Classic Cookie spot at 409 W Gregory. Hours are Sunday-Thursday 11am-9pm and Friday-Saturday 11am-10pm.