If your first impression of Pappi’s Pizza & Pub is "This place is a dive," then you’re right on the money. Patrons might notice that some of the walls are covered in carpet, which doesn’t appear to have been vacuumed for quite awhile. There are also sporadically placed memorabilia items, one being a rusted metal sign for "Prince Albert." Anyone looking for the men’s room might have trouble, since there is no sign indicating which room it is. The sign fell down several years ago, and the management doesn’t seem to see any need to replace it.

Just to be clear, the restaurant is in no way filthy. The management just seems to put much more money into the food than decor. Pappi’s is definitely not the kind of place you go to take in the atmosphere. However, if you can endure all of these less than trendy conditions, then you will be treated to some of the best independent pizza in the Kansas City area.

Face it, this place would have to serve some good food in order to stay open. And what’s more, the pizza ain’t cheap. A medium two topping put me out about $12. I could do much better economically at certain chain places. In fact, there are a few pizza buffets where I could eat a medium supreme pizza (or two) for around $3. But here’s why Pappi’s was worth my $12: quality. It’s a simple concept, but this mass consumer society seems more interested in quantity.

I have heard that the key to Pappi’s quality is the pizza crust, or skin as some employees like to call it. Unlike more trendy places, Pappi’s only offers only one type of crust. It is thin, but isn’t a cracker. On top of that, Pappi’s puts a thick pizza sauce. The cheese on top is a perfect mixture of several varieties. To be honest, a cheese pizza would be plenty delightful. But anyone who wants toppings will find a surprising freshness. Mushrooms, black olives, red peppers and many other vegetables appear to be freshly chopped.

And for meat lovers, the sausage and hamburger are a must. Both are cooked fresh and crumbled over the pizza. Compared to the globs of meat found at chains, this method is much more pleasing to the eye as well as the palate.

Though the place may sound like a haven for less desirable members of society, that’s not the case. On a Friday or Saturday night, it is filled with people from all walks of life. It is not unusual to see a birthday party taking place. For anyone who thinks "Old Chicago" is a good facsimile of an old-style pizza parlor, Pappi’s is there to prove what a good indie pizza joint is all about. Pappi’s is just about serving good pizza. I wish I had some right now.

(Pappi's Pizza & Pub is located at 405 N. Blue Parkway in Lee's Summit, Mo.)

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