Pepperoni Pizza at Benny Marconis

At 2 am the bars in Downtown Roanoke close leaving many people drunk, hungry, and on the streets. On the weekends, it seems like the drunkest and rowdiest head over to a packed Texas Tavern and fight over 1 of 10 seats. That used to be the only option for grub without driving. Now, if you’re unlucky and can’t snag a $5 pepperoni or cheese pizza from Corned Beef & Co there is a magical place, on Campbell Ave where the pizza slices are bigger than your face. Benny Marconis.

I found myself there on Saturday with a couple friends and it was business as usual. About 20 drunk people happy as can be chowing down on massive slices that require 2 paper plates to hold.

Surprisingly there is no line so I’m thinking I’ll be feasting within 2 minutes. Nope. Friend #1 orders cheese. Guy says “five dollars”. Friend pays cash. Friend #2 orders pepperoni. Guy says “six dollars”. Friend pays cash. With my $6 in hand I order pepperoni. Guy says “five dollars and put that other dollar in here” and pointed to the tip jar. Whatever. It’s all the same.* So I throw my dollar in. He then tells us that the pepperoni slices aren’t ready yet but the cheese is.

We grabbed a table and watched friend #1 start eating. Shortly after I hear the employee start yelling at a customer in line who apparently isn’t welcome there anymore. They shouted at each other for a bit and the customer got chased out.

The excitement died back down and we still didn’t have our pepperoni slices. I walked up to the counter and there sat a big-ass pepperoni pizza. When I asked him for our slices he said ” I already gave them to you”. After explaining that if what he said was true then I wouldn’t be standing there starving and asking for my pizza. He finally gave up and handed over the pizza.

 

 

I ate the first half so fast that I was out of breath. Then I went for the fold. Not in half but from front to back so that I could get some pizza with my crust. The crust is closer to being thin than it is thick but is still very filling. Overall, the pizza is definitely way better than the national chains and is worth eating just for the novelty of the size.

 

 

 

* It’s actually NOT all the same. Their website says that cheese is $4 a slice and pepperoni is $5.

 

120 East Campbell Ave. Roanoke, VA

540-400-8818

www.bennysva.com/BennyMarconis