KC Pizza Archives - Our Changing Life

Italian Delight: A Kansas City Favorite That Stands the Test of Time

Jeff & Crystal — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 13:53:41 +0000

There was a time when Indian Springs Mall was the heart of shopping in Kansas City, Kansas. Families strolled the corridors, browsing department stores, and stopping for a bite. Tucked inside the once-bustling mall, Italian Delight served up New York-style pizza slices that became a favorite for locals. I remember grabbing a quick slice or a plate of pasta while taking a break from my job in the mall. The warm, cheesy goodness became a taste of nostalgia. It was a reminder of a place where friends and family gathered. The scent of fresh-baked dough filled the air, drawing in customers looking for a comforting meal. Visiting Italian Delight was a highlight of the shopping trip. A chance to sit, relax, and enjoy a delicious, affordable meal in a familiar setting.

Our Dying Mall

When Indian Springs Mall closed, it left a void in the community. Many longtime businesses shuttered, while others searched for new homes. Italian Delight wasn’t ready to call it quits. They packed up their recipes and moved west, ensuring their devoted customers could still enjoy the same flavors they had grown to love. The transition was not without challenges. Italian Delight’s owners remained dedicated and determined to continue their tradition. They searched for a location that offered the welcoming atmosphere their customers cherished. The move was a bittersweet moment for those who had fond memories of the mall, but their favorite pizza joint survived, carrying on their flavorful tradition.

Go West, Young Man!

Italian Delight has solidified its place as a local favorite. The new location, at 8145 State Avenue, offers a familiar feel. It’s a go-to spot for a casual lunch, a family dinner, or a quick bite after a long day. Their longevity speaks to the dedication of the owners and the loyalty of its customers. Many have been coming here for years, introducing new generations to their favorite pizza spot. The restaurant’s consistency and commitment to quality keep customers returning. Whether celebrating a special occasion, catching up with friends, or simply craving a classic slice, Italian Delight provides a familiar and welcoming space. The bond between the restaurant and the community is evident, proving that good food and service stand the test of time.

New Digs

The new location offers a familiar feel. Though the surroundings have changed, the welcoming atmosphere remains the same. Customers still find the friendly faces behind the counter. The space offers plentiful seating, with the smell of fresh pizza filling the air. Booths and tables invite guests to sit and savor their meals. During my lunch, a steady stream of customers filed through the doors. The menu stays true to its roots, ensuring customers can still enjoy their favorite dishes. Even with the shift in location, the spirit of Italian Delight remains unchanged, a comforting reminder of its origins at Indian Springs.

Plentiful Eats

The menu offers a variety of Italian comfort foods. Choose from oversized slices of pizza or hearty plates of pasta. Calzones, strombolis, and fresh salads round out the menu, ensuring no one leaves hungry. Everything is made with fresh ingredients, keeping the quality high and the flavors satisfying. The pizzas are hand-tossed, with perfectly crispy crusts and flavorful sauces. Their signature dishes include tasty stromboli, creamy chicken alfredo, and classic meatball subs loaded with savory goodness. Each weekday provides a different lunch special. Whether dining in or taking food to go, Italian Delight continues to serve up the flavors that have made it a cherished dining spot for years.

Solo Stop at Italian Delight

This visit to Italian Delight was a solo outing for me, a chance to revisit an old favorite. As I enjoyed a slice of pizza, memories of past visits came flooding back. It’s comforting to see that some things, like great food and friendly service, never change. Sitting in the familiar space, I watched customers come and go. The restaurant’s atmosphere is as inviting as ever, making it a perfect spot for a laid-back meal. It was a nostalgic trip and a reminder of how food can connect us to our past. Italian Delight has stood the test of time, proving that a good meal, fond memories, and a strong sense of community are a recipe for lasting success.

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Neapolitan Style Pies At Spin Pizza

Jeff & Crystal — Fri, 20 Oct 2017 10:01:38 +0000

For as long as they have been around, surprisingly we had never visited Spin Neapolitan Pizza restaurant. During a bout of shopping, hunger overtook us, and we stopped by their location at 14230 W. 119th Street in Olathe, Kansas. What we discovered at this locally originated pizzeria has created a couple of new fans of the place.

Looking For A Quick Bite

Shopping is one of our favorite leisure activities, and it doesn’t matter if we are buying or just looking. It was a beautiful Fall day in Kansas City, so just being Out & About was nice. We will often just target a section of the metro to visit, and then see what we discover. On this particular day I had broken the cardinal rule, and left my cameras at home. When the decision was made to partake in a new lunch spot, I felt the pain of having to fall back on my phone for pictures. (Sorry for the lower quality.)

Let’s Check It Out

When it was announced that we should start looking for food, we happened to be sitting at a stoplight at the corner of 119th St. & Greenwood St., heading eastward. Just across the corner we spotted Spin Pizza, and the decision was made before the light changed. Of course, we had missed our left lane turn, but that was easily remedied. A quick down and around brought us back to the shop from the opposite direction. The restaurant sits in a small shopping area surrounded by residential neighborhoods. Our timing was around 1:30 in the afternoon, so the lunch rush had subsided.

Spin Pizza is kind of a hybrid style dining experience that has become popular lately. Customers entering the store pass through a line where they order there menu items, before heading to the seating area. Food and drinks are delivered to the table by servers. While some people don’t like this set up as much as a traditional wait staff approach, we find that it shortens the length of time from arrival to meal. A large menu billboard calls out the variety of items available. Flatbreads, salads, sandwiches, and soups join pizzas as the options readily available. Since we were just looking for a quick lunch, we decided to try one of their wood-fired combination pizzas.

Give It A Spin!

While we were preparing to order, one of the staff was working on preparing a pizza crust. There are still places you find tossed crusts, but they are becoming rarer. When we find one, it can be rather mesmerizing to watch. When the guy doing the tossing noticed me videoing, I think he added a little flair. I certainly noticed a small grin.

The True Test

After finding a seat, we waited for our food. The wait was not overly long, probably about 12 to 15 minutes. Soon our server delivered our piping hot pie to our table. We have fallen in love with the Neapolitan style pizzas, which are not so heavy on cheese, as many you find. Our choice at Spin Pizza was Tre Carni, which is topped with meatballs, pepperoni, and Italian sausage. The bubbly crust had just the right crunch, without giving up a little chewy texture. The toppings were well distributed across the pie, and the flavor was delicious. I even noticed the slight black licorice taste coming from the fennel in the Italian sausage. Clearly they use fresh ingredients for this mild seasoning to still be flavorful. We devoured our selection, and enjoyed every bite.

But Wait There’s More

When we made our way through the line, we noticed a display case filled with a variety of gelato. It all looked so good, and we truly wanted to try it. Unfortunately, the pizza had been more filling than we expected, and neither of us wanted to push our stomachs to an uncomfortable phase. We decided to hold off until a future visit. Perhaps next time we will just share a salad and sandwich, so that we leave room for dessert. We can always walk it off with more shopping. If you have tried Spin! Pizza, please leave us a comment about your experience. We’d love to hear your thoughts.

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Enjoying Happy Hour at Paulo and Bill

Jeff & Crystal — Fri, 19 May 2017 10:22:47 +0000

We love a good Happy Hour, and are always searching for new places. A visit to Paulo and Bill, located at 16501 Midland Drive in Shawnee, was an opportunity to check out their specialty menu. We hadn’t been to this location in quite some time, so we were eager to see what changes had taken place.

Social Sipping

Happy Hour at Paulo and Bill runs from 3:00 to 6:00, so it gave us ample time to relax and enjoy our early dinner. The restaurant’s bar has an assortment of high-tops and normal tables. Our visit was on a Friday evening, so the place was fairly busy. Even with that, we were promptly seated. Our high-top table was close to the bar, so it afforded us a good view for people watching. We started our visit by focusing on the drink menu. Our server stopped by to check on us, and had the same look we see at a lot of places when you are carrying a camera. After explaining why we were there, it seemed to ease her concern. Of course, it never fails that word gets around, and we get a lot of side glances from various staff members. Fortunately, we have gotten used to this.

The drink menu at Paulo and Bill has a handful assortment of beers, and wines by the glass. They also offer a decent number of specialty cocktails. This is where we concentrated. Crystal chose the Lemonade in Paradise, which has a lemon and coconut flavor. I was intrigued by the Sweetart drink description, so I ordered one. While it has a good mix of sweet and sour, it didn’t really taste like a Sweetart. At $8.00 per dink, the prices are not that low. Of course, they are down a dollar from our last visit, so that was a positive.

Good Eats at Paulo and Bill

This was a Friday evening, so that means “date night”. Yes, we still do research during our dates, because we wouldn’t want to miss the opportunity to share a new find with all of you. For our early dinner, we decided to each pick a flatbread pizza. Crystal chose their Caprese (pictured at top of article), which came with the standard cheese, basil, and tomato. We sometimes see this called a Margherita, to represent the colors of the Italian flag. At Paulo and Bill you can jazz it up with the addition of caramelized onions. It certainly added another layer to the flavors, and made a nice addition.

I opted for the Bacon-Cranberry flatbread. We were surprised to see they use full strips of bacon as toppings. It also has plenty of diced dried cranberries, which adds a touch of sweetness to the salty undertones of the meat. The crusts were thin, but not too crackery, so it held up well to the toppings. We munched on these, as we visited and people-watched. Both pizzas were delicious, and soon disappeared. By the end, our appetites were completely satisfied, and we were content in knowing we had another great Happy Hour location to add to our list. Now it was time to put the camera away, and continue with date night.

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Family Rules at Old Shawnee Pizza

Jeff & Crystal — Tue, 07 Feb 2017 12:13:09 +0000

You can tell a lot about a restaurant by the length of time it has been in business. Old Shawnee Pizza was established in 1969 by Joe Walker. Looking to provide a better life for his family, he borrowed the money from his father to begin the venture. Years later, seeing the need for more room, he moved to the current location at 60th & Nieman Road. They have since expanded to add a second location in Lenexa, Kansas. We have visited both sites, but prefer the original, as it is much closer to our neck of the woods.

Their menu is not limited to pizza alone, but also offers a variety of appetizers, salads, pastas, and sandwiches. Those in the know look forward to starting their meal with a salad oozing with the Old Shawnee Pizza green house dressing. Add some Cheese Crust or Bread sticks, and you have a meal already, but why stop there? There are so many other great menu items that we enjoy.

For the main course have them dish you up a serving of one of their delicious pasta dishes, like Chicken Alfredo or Cani-cotti. This dish is the best of both worlds, as you get a manicotti, and a cannelloni. If the choices are too much for you, we find that lasagna is always a good choice. If a handheld is more your style, try the Sicilian sandwich. It’s stuffed full of capicola, salami, pepperoni, and provolone, and topped with their garlic salad dressing.

Of course if you are like us, then you probably came to Old Shawnee Pizza for the pizza, and why wouldn’t you. With a menu chocked full of almost 30 different specialty pies, it can be difficult to decide which one to try. Of course you can always just build your own. There is an unbelievable amount of vegetable, meat, cheese, and sauce options. A person could visit dozens of times, and build a different combination each time.

The pies come in small, medium, large, and ‘The Biggin’, which will feed a family. Whatever you choose, you are sure to leave with a full belly. Stop in soon, and see if Old Shawnee Pizza ends up becoming your new favorite stop. So, what toppings are you going to put on your pie?

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