After a week full of Expo East recap reports, I was more than ready to put my restaurant reviewer cap back on and indulge in food that wasn’t made by either myself or my school’s culinary outlets.
As it happened, my mom came up to visit me this weekend, which perfectly coordinated with my desire to leave my dorm room longer than a couple hours. Since I don’t get off campus often to run basic errands such as stocking up on food and cleaning supplies, we decided to center our weekend in Columbia, MD which conveniently was home to many stores I needed to visit: Costco, Wegman’s, Whole Foods, Petsmart, Target, and others.
Naturally, a weekend full of shopping and catching up required selecting a couple restaurants to indulge on. After browsing through the abundance of options on Find Me Gluten Free, my first stop on our culinary tour was Peace A Pizza in Catonsville, MD which promised great gluten-free pies and funky flavors.
In doing ground research about their protocols to prevent cross contamination, I contacted them via email and was impressed by the quick response I got that detailed their procedures. Someone who is not the main pizza maker makes all the gluten-free pizzas during each shift. These pizzas are made in the back, away from the main pizza line. They are cooked in the same oven as glutenous pies, but cooked in a protective pan so they never touch the stone directly. In addition, they have a dedicated peel and pizza slicer (that’s sanitized beforehand) to further prevent cross contamination.
As for their pizza crust and red sauce ingredients, they were able to confirm beforehand that the red sauce and crust are dairy free. Inside the restaurant, I saw a listing of the crust’s actual ingredients which provided double confirmation: rice flour, tapioca flour, water, potato starch, potato flakes, olive oil, sugar, yeast, and salt. It happens also be soy free for those needing soy-free items. The only available size is 12″.
Given the abundance of funky flavor combinations on their menu, I had a hard time choosing, but ended up going with the vegetarian primavera which featured red sauce, broccoli, mushrooms, diced tomatoes, pico de gallo, artichokes, roasted red peppers and seasonings. My order of no cheese on top was not met with any hesitation which was nice because usually I get questioning looks.
When it emerged, I was duly impressed by the abundance of color topping my pizza. The crust held its own under the weight of the toppings and was nicely browned on the bottom and a little bit chewier towards the center. The best part was definitely the ends which were baked to a crisp rendering them with great flavor and crunch. The sauce perfectly supported the multiple flavors of the veggies and was complimented by the taste of black pepper which made it pop. Each of the vegetables on the pizza were noticeably fresh and not overly cooked. It’s probably good that Peace A Pizza is located too far from my school for me to be a frequent customer because the temptation would be too great to ditch the salad bar for this easy way to get my daily serving of veggies! While it may have been a foot in diameter, I easily handled the whole pie in one sitting as I had missed lunch that day. There’s nothing like leaving a pizza place full and happy.
While enjoying our pizzas, my mom and I took in the hustle and bustle of the restaurant which was fun to watch as people streamed in to get take-out orders and little kids were lead through activities during one of their monthly events. They clearly display their ties to Catonsville which is really nice to see that they are actively supporting their community. I loved their bright and colorful decor which was whimsical and funky all at once.
In addition to this location, Peace A Pizza can be found in seven other locations in Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and even Florida (Boca Raton).
The Basics
Address: 15 Mellor Avenue, Catonsville, MD 21228
Website: www.peaceapizzacatonsville.com
Cuisine: Gluten-free pizza
Ideal For: Lunch, Dinner
Price: Priced the same as 14″ gluten pies. Mine was $15.09.
Accessibility: Easy wheelchair access.
Special Features: They offer a plethora of community events and opportunities to plan events alongside them. Check out their upcoming events here. They also offer carry-out, delivery and incentive program for frequent buyers.
Disclaimer: This review is based upon the information I have at the time of the review and does not reflect changes in ingredients or availability of items. Please contact the restaurant directly for up-to-date information and feel free to contact me with any questions or comments. I was not compensated for this review and it is a reflection of my personal opinion.