Review: Jim's Pizza in Kendallville, Indiana

There's a saying that goes something like this: "Even a bad pizza is still pretty good." While that is certainly true in most cases, there are a lot of degrees of goodness along that continuum. I'd like to share with the world a well-kept secret in the pizza realm- Jim's Pizza in Kendallville, Indiana.

Along with beer, pizza tends to engender a great deal of debate as to what the "best" is, and I'll admit it's a highly subjective thing to determine, but I'd like to try to make my case for Jim's being the best pizza in the world. That's a pretty bold statement I suppose, and I'll temper it a little by admitting that I'm not exactly a world traveler, so there are certainly scores of great pizzas that still lie in future, but this entire opinion is based on my experience alone.

It also is worth noting that there are very distinct regional variances in pizza and some people adhere to the parameters of their favorite very rigidly. Not being a culinary expert, I don't know exactly what Jim's would be called. It's definitely not a Chicago-style pizza, but it also doesn't fit into the New York-style either. Of the two, I'd say it is closer to New York style. Jim's is available exclusively in thin crust and is always cut into squares as opposed to wedges, which is where it differs from what I understand to be New York-style pizza.

Jim's is located in Kendallville, Indiana, a small town (about 9,000) in Noble county in the northeastern corner of the state. I am not exactly sure when Jim's opened but it has been well over the 37 years I have been eating it. I was lucky enough to grow up on the street Jim's is located and got to have it what seemed like every weekend. Jim's has survived the arrival of Pizza Hut, Domino's, Papa John's and countless other chains and local pizza parlors and has thrived, which is remarkable considering the size of the town. They have to be doing something right to be so successful for so long in such a competitive business. Now to the food...

Jim's is, as I mentioned earlier, only available in thin crust and cut into squares; similar to Pizza King for those of you familiar with that chain. Jim's is also only available as a carry-out as there isn't room for any tables or chairs in the tiny building Jim's has occupied for it's entire existence. Jim's is also only available four days per week, Thursday through Sunday, and only for dinner hours. By only offering carry-out and only being open for limited days Jim's creates a massively long wait to get a pizza. Those of us familiar with that fact plan accordingly and order waaay ahead of time. It's worth it believe me.

The key to Jim's pizza is the sauce. It is a surprisingly spicy sauce that I have never tasted anywhere else. As for what's in it, I can't pin it down exactly, but there is a strong black pepper flavor present along with several other unidentified spices that blend together perfectly. In addition, Jim's doesn't use any pre-cooked toppings, only fresh. If you don't believe that, you can watch the mostly teenage crew, dressed in matching Jim's t-shirts and hats, assemble and cook the pizzas in front of a large plate-glass window. In fact, that's a very vivid childhood memory for me, watching the older kids at Jim's speedily move the pizzas down the assembly line. It's certainly fun for a kid to watch it all coming together, especially mixed with the anticipation of the end result.

Another interesting aspect of Jim's philosophy is the simplicity of their menu. There are five sizes available if memory serves, illustrated by cardboard circles taped to the wall above the pick-up window. There are no gimmicky "specialty" or "gourmet" pizzas here. You pick your toppings and your size and that's it. No breadsticks, wings, grinders or desserts. The only other things available at Jim's are bags of potato chips (Seyfert's brand) and coolers stocked with various soft drinks. A recent addition to Jim's is the addition of a couple of upright freezers with pre-assembled frozen pizzas which, while much better than most other pizzas, are somehow not quite the same as the fresh versions, probably due to my lack of a high-temp pizza oven in my house. In short, Jim's is about quality pizza and nothing else. They don't need commercials, sales, gimmicks or even delivery people to be hugely successful. The only explanation for that is that they make an incredible pizza and do so consistently.

Being a huge (both in degree and size) fan of deep-dish pizza historically, I find the fact that I am such a Jim's devotee to be a testament to how good it is. It transcends my preference for deep dish, which is no small feat. If you find yourself anywhere near northern Indiana and want to show your stomach how much you love it, I suggest you veer off the beaten path and find your way to Wayne Street in Kendallville. There is not a better pizza on the planet in my opinion.