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Friday, March 29
The Indiana Daily Student

Local pizzerias slice up awards

Two of Bloomington's very own pizzeria's, Aver's Pizza and Pizza Express received national recognition in the "Pizza Today" magazine's list of Top 100 independent pizzerias in the nation for 2002.\nAver's Pizza, 1837 N. Kinser Pike, opened seven years ago by Brad Randall and Kris Kaiser as a gourmet pizzeria. To make the Top 100 list, "Pizza Today" requires that the independent chains be willing to experiment with new ideas at all times. This is exactly what Aver's pizzeria does. Randall said that not only does Aver's focus on quality, but it aims to exceed in creativity. One of Aver's' best sellers is the Cream & Crimson gourmet pizza, which has an Alfredo sauce, oven-roasted potatoes, bacon, cheddar and Gorgonzola.\n"We serve gourmet pizzas," Randall said. "If (the Cream & Crimson) is not gourmet, then I don't know what is."\nIndulging in Aver's Pizza reminds junior Ryan Evans of his Chicago roots.\n"I've never had anything like it," Evans said. "Who would have thought you could ever find a pizza that makes you feel at home."\nPizza Express, who was not even aware that they made the charts, is another independent pizzeria in the Bloomington area. Manager Brad Wells said they have four different locations, and each is determined to provide what the community wants.\n"We are constantly changing our menu and throwing new ideas around," Wells said. "We simply want to please."\nPizza Express thrives primarily on quality and freshness, Wells said. They even have a local company ship in fresh produce daily to their four locations.\nWhen asked what exactly makes Pizza Express the leading pizzeria in Bloomington, Wells said, "Try it; once you try it, you'll know."\nFreshman Kara Flemming agrees, "I can't remember a Friday night my girlfriends and I didn't order Pizza Express at two in the morning. Their hours are what get us, not to mention their breadsticks." Wells said breadsticks are their No. 1 seller.\nBoth pizzerias agree that their main goal is to serve the customers.\n"This town is built around a college campus, so the closer you can get to the students the better off you are," Randall said.\nNow that Aver's Gourmet Pizza and Pizza Express have both made the nation's Top 100 Pizzeria list, both restaurants feel that there may be extra competition ahead in the future. \nBut according to them, that's good.\n"There is a mutual respect between competitors," Wells said. "I respect Aver's as my competitor; they challenge us to be better day after day"

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