Best Pie: Pittsburgh Pizza Shop Wins International Competition

Caliente Pizza and Drafthouse took home a first-place prize for its “Quack Attack” pan pizza.

When most people think pizza, they think New York or Chicago. Soon, however, Pittsburgh might steal the spotlight.

Recently Caliente Pizza and Drafthouse, a pizza shop with locations in Bloomfield and Allison Park, was a winner at the International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. Eric von Hansen, Caliente’s chef, took home the first place prize and $4,000 in the competition’s Pan Pizza Division.

The 32nd annual International Pizza Expo pit 30 pies from around the world against each other.  Von Hansen’s pie, “The Quack Attack,” featured seared duck breast, roasted garlic butter and wild mushroom ragu, and was topped with fontinella and parmesan reggiano cheeses, baby arugula, teardrop tomatoes and truffle garlic oil.

"[The pizza] was inspired by the days when I was young and coming up through the ranks learning French fine dining cuisine,” Von Hansen said about his creation in a press release. “I wanted to take that knowledge and put that onto a pizza and bring the memories back.”

Pittsburghers will be able to try the prize-winning pizza soon; Von Hansen says that Caliente plans to add “The Quack Attack” to their menu once the team returns to Pittsburgh.