Newport Food Scene: The big game is on, and Aquidneck Island has your pizza craving covered

For sports fans out there, this time of year is always a bonanza.

Whether you are watching the excitement of the Major League Baseball playoffs, cheering on your favorite NFL teams or tuning in for an early season NHL or NBA game, there’s no shortage of sporting action available to watch (or stream).

And if you spend anytime watching a game, no matter who you root for or against, you’ll undoubtedly walk away feeling one thing: hungry for pizza.

Maybe it’s just me, but it seems national pizza chains are really upping their game this year when it comes to sponsoring televised sports. Every timeout, end of an inning or break in the action is greeted with the image of a slice of the most delicious looking pizza with strings of cheese that stretch from pie to slice as perfectly cooked pepperoni sits atop this dreamy snack.  You can almost smell it through your TV.

Before the game resumes, you’re wondering to yourself where the closest Pizza Hut is so you can go grab a pizza that has cheese rolled inside the crust. That’s advertising dollars at work.

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For the record, the closest Pizza Hut can be found in either Bristol or Fall River. You can also find a Papa John’s in Fall River and a Little Caesars (pizza, pizza), too. There are two Dominos locations on Aquidneck Island, both on West Main Road in Middletown.

Hopefully these local locations see some benefit from the millions of dollars their parent company spends on television ads. But, my true hope is for anyone being seduced by a slice of pizza dancing on your television screen, they decide to satisfy their craving at one of the many locally owned pizza joints here on the Island.

They make the best pizza — they just can’t afford to sponsor the NFL.

I’m not trying to bash pizza chains. They do a good job at what they do. They employ local people (which is always good). They make a consistent product and they can get it to you quickly. They also tend to be a bit cheaper and usually have offers and coupons to give your wallet a break.

When it comes to delivery, their technology for ordering is top-of-the-line. Pizza chains know what they're doing and anyone who orders from a pizza chain knows exactly what they're going to get. There’s space in the world of pizza to allow chains to do what they do, so have at it.

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But there’s also great local pizza everywhere, so don’t miss out on what’s out there beyond the chains.

There’s no escaping the allure of pizza this season. Apart from being taste-baited during every game, October is also National Pizza Month. And if ever there was a food worth celebrating, pizza is it.

Whether it’s an easy meal after a long day of school and extracurriculars, or the perfect complement to a movie night watching "Hocus Pocus 2," pizza is the answer that will always get the most cheers.

And outside of candy, pizza is the official food of Halloween. Did you know Halloween has surpassed Super Bowl Sunday as the biggest day of the year for ordering pizza? Forget worrying about what costume to wear. Start thinking about where to order your pies! October is pizza season, so let’s enjoy.

Where can you get a good pizza on Aquidneck Island?

If enjoying pizza is your goal, there are so many different and delicious places to choose from here in town. Even if you are looking for just a standard, typical pizza, every pie is different, and we all have our favorites.

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It’s no surprise the question of best pizza in town is always a subject for lively debate. Do you prefer A-1 Pizza or Rocco’s Little Italy? Are you Team Steve’s Famous or Team North End Pizzeria? Are you voting for Hollywood Pizza or Aquidneck Pizza?

It’s a debate people get passionate about. Ask a fan what makes West Main Pizza so good and prepare yourself for a dissertation on crust. Ask someone why they always go with Nikolas Pizza and be ready to hear about why Greek pizza is superior to Italian.

We hold our favorite pizza places close to the heart, like old friends. “I’ve been getting pizza from Mama Leone’s for 25 years.” “When I was growing up, we’d get pizza from Imbriglio’s every Friday.”

There’s no wrong answer to the best pizza town. You like what you like. The heart wants what it wants.

But, because it’s National Pizza Month, we should at least be trying different places and different types of pie, too. Have you tried the grilled pizza at Bar ‘Cino? Super thin crust that’s been cooked on the grill with the perfect toppings nestled on top.

Have you been to Antonio's Pizza By The Slice? They are serving up almost two dozen types of fresh pizza by the slice daily featuring all kinds of creations like Steak Burrito pizza and BBQ Chicken and Tortellini pizza.

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Looking for something different and tasty? Head to Brick Pizza in Bristol and get the Bristol pie (mozzarella, chourico and linguica, and cherry pepper rings in a Fra Diavolo tomato sauce.

What about the Sunday Gravy pizza from Foodlove Market? Bolognese sauce, mozzarella, ricotta, meatballs and pepperoni on their fresh made focaccia-style crust.

Or if you are craving comfort food, try the Shrimp Scampi and Bacon pizza at Localz: Shrimp, tomato, garlic herb spread, lots of bacon and mozzarella. That’s a pizza that you won’t find at the Hut.

This weekend, when I’m watching the games, I know I’m going to be barraged with commercials designed to make me crave pizza. I’ll do my best to resist, but if I can’t and succumb to the Pizza Sirens, I’ll know I have plenty of choices that will make me happy.

The win on Sunday will go to the pizzerias that are serving up the best pizzas around. In my book, when we are all eating pizza, were all champions (at least during National Pizza Month).

Dan Lederer is a Middletown resident with 30 years experience in the food service industry throughout New England. He continues to work locally behind the scenes within the industry and remains a devoted fan of all things restaurant and hospitality related. His column appears on newportri.com and Thursdays in The Daily News. Cheers!

This article originally appeared on Newport Daily News: National Pizza Month: Where to find good pizza in Newport RI