Anyone who has taken a subway to work knows that one of the best parts of a commute is grabbing a slice of pizza on your way home. In New York, in particular, you can find numerous pizza shops as you make your way down the street.
So it is with Glide Pizza and the BeltLine. Glide opened over the summer in the Irwin Street Market, which earned fame when O4W Pizza stunned many of us with its Grandma pizza, a square piece of heaven crafted from an old world Italian family recipe. O4W Pizza soon left us for the cheaper suburbs like a new parent, a hole in our stomachs and hearts until the same owner opened Nina & Rafi a few steps down the BeltLine and dominated the pizza market. (But that's another post).
Now Glide, offering a New York style pizza (some say Brooklyn), is a worthy successor to the space left by O4WP. Its slices are huge, its crust thin and chewy, its pepperoni savory. It serves slices, or whole pies, at its walk up window - the closest you'll find to a NY street vendor.
The owner, Rob Birdsong, is an Atlanta native who moved home after living in New York and missed the pizza. His pies are made from a half sourdough crust, and a full one comes with housemade ranch dressing and pickled pizza peppers, both of which are getting rave reviews. You won't find a large selection - just a few choices, including their own Southernized pie, the Homegrown (pimento cheese, mozarella, mushrooms and scallions). It's quality over quantity. It is also considerably pricier than some of the slices you find in NY, but quality ingredients cost more.
If you aren't familiar with the Irwin Street Market, head south on the Eastside Trail until you hit Irwin Steet. Instead of turning left to go to Krog Street Market, look to your right for the funky little co-op building made of corrugated metal.
Walk right up and order. Don't be afraid to eat that slice as you continue down the trail. No one's judging you. It may be the best subway pizza you've ever had, without the commute.
An Atlanta native, Nicole Gustin is the Founder & CEO of BiteLines, which offers walking food tours on the Atlanta BeltLine. She considers the BeltLine her backyard, and is excited to see how Atlanta is reinventing itself. The BiteLines blog features art, restaurants, happenings and weirdness on the Atlanta BeltLine. Share story ideas and pics at: contact@bitelines.com. Or follow on Instagram @bitelinesatl.
Note: We have paused our tours during the pandemic, but will ramp up again as soon as it’s safe.