East Lansing is home to various restaurants that are fan favorites, including several pizza parlors.
City residents have different opinions about which is best.
Domino’s
MSU junior Clara Pater said, “Domino’s is hands-down my favorite pizza place in the area. I think that the crust is the best and it’s good every single time. Other places it’s a hit or miss and they aren’t nearly as fast. I love the variety of places here. I come from a small town where there’s only one local pizza place, so coming here was exciting to be given more options to try.”
Two of these local restaurants are Georgio’s Pizza and Bell’s Greek Pizza. Other larger chains include Cottage Inn, Domino’s and Jet’s.
Georgio’s
Georgio’s is original when it comes to toppings. This family owned parlor has various pizzas that are unheard of at other places. These include macaroni and cheese and bacon pizza, gyro pizza, breakfast pizza, bacon cheeseburger pizza and more exotic combinations.
“The owners decided they wanted to do something that was a little different and make slices that are more than your standard pizza. It grew from there to offering all sorts of different things so that people who don’t necessarily want those standard toppings can still come and have some fun with their pizza,” cook Michael Alayyoubi said. “We don’t think that limiting what people put on pizza is a good idea and we really want to make sure that our pizza creations are fun and different for everyone.”
Georgio’s has been in East Lansing for 27 years in locations on Charles Street and Grand River Avenue.
Bell’s Greek Pizza
Another staple is Bell’s Greek Pizza. This restaurant has been around for 55 years and is the first place many alumni go when visiting campus.
“Our pizza is different from other pizza places. We have a famous Greek style pizza that’s very famous in the area,” said General Manager Habib Jarwan. “We try our best to serve the community. “Some people walk in here and say they used to go to school here 30 years ago, and this is the first stop they make when they come back”.
Cottage Inn
East Lansing’s Cottage Inn is at 615 E. Grand River Ave. This store has been operating since 2002 when it was opened by its current owner, George Hoover.
Although this is one of many locations within a large franchise, Hoover makes sure to build connections and welcome each person who walks through the doors.
“I greet every customer as much as I can personally. A lot of the kids know me by name and vice versa. I have good conversations with them on a nightly basis,” Hoover said. “Cottage Inn has a very loyal following. I have this great opportunity to get to know people and I believe that Michigan State Spartans are the greatest people on Earth and the more Spartans I get to know, the better person I can become.”