Obama's Favorite Pizza Coming To Washington

The owners of the pizzeria that makes Barack Obama's favorite pies are heading to Washington, NBC 5's Anthony Ponce reports.

Italian Fiesta Pizza in Hyde Park is taking its spicy-sauced, thin crust pizza to D.C. for an event previewing the food at the inauguration:

The Ritz in Washington D.C. is paying to fly the pizzeria's owners to the nation's capitol for the inauguration expo to be held there next week to serve their pizza there.

A month before the election, owner Patti Harris-Tubbs got a phone call from the Ritz-Carlton in Washington, D.C., asking if she would be willing to come to the nation's capital to make her pizza if Obama won. She thought it was a joke, Harris-Tubbs when Obama won, the hotel e-mailed back, offering to fly her and her husband out to serve their pizza next week at the Presidential Inauguration Expo, which is an event designed to preview the food that will be served at inauguration time in January.

The owners told NBC that Obama was introduced to their pizza by Michelle Obama, whose parents gave it to her as a reward for good grades.

Watch a WGN Report on the pizzeria:

Comments

[WatchmanD]

I have to smile. Thanks for an issue I can sink my teeth into. Italian Fiesta/Gio­rdano's/Vi­ccino's/Ba­cci's '08

[SheriChardonnay]

I LOVE ITALIAN FIESTA!

[brklynivn]

They'd drop that in minute if they had one of DiFara's from Brooklyn pies, there's nothing even close!

[JeremyO]

East coasters are always braggin on their pies. But let me ask you, have you even tried a Chicago pie? And not the deep dish, the thincrust ones that you can only get at mom-and-pop pizzerias in Chicago. They'll go toe to toe with any NY pie.

[pomawg]

Not a "pie" to be found in Chicago!

[jingles32]

Never had one so I'll reserve judgement! hehe BUT, everything I've read or heard about Chi pie, including Food Network's great pizza expose, tauts Chi pies as thick crusted with all this "stuff" on it; weird stuff, lol. Around here, in the NE, that is called a Sciilian pie; OK, but not what a classic pie is all about...th­in, crispy and golden, with a great sauce and cheese...d­az it!

[jumperpin]

EXPOSED: thick/pan wedge-cut knife -n-fork stuff is for dumb tourists.

Thin-crust square-cut bare-hands RULES !!

[Jeff1958]

It's called a pizza PIE for a reason. You don't cut pies into squares. You cut them into slices and fold a slice down the middle and eat it with your hands. And if you tip it back, you can let some of the grease run off.

[dutch163]

finally..s­ome important news!!

[BabsfromKansas]

Obama Win Causes Obsessive Supporters To Realize How Empty Their Lives Are

http://www.theonion.com/content/video/obama_win_causes_obsessive?utm_source=EMTF_Onion

[SharonAustinTX]

The Onion often satirizes to provided some lightheartedness to the election. I'm a complusive Obama supporter and for the first time in my life am interested in politics. I plan to stay involved and be one of the 10 million army who will respond when Obama asks for participation in passing his progressive agenda. Politicians will be deluged with e-mails and phone calls and ultimately be voted out of office. Name them and shame them. Change has come to America.

[WowJones]

TOO SALTY MR. PEOTUS! I love my Chicago style pizza, but it's time for a change.

[6925thCobras]

It appears that the Demos, just like the past administration, have no sense of what it is going on in the real world. While people are losing their homes to foreclosures they are going to have a party and fly a pizza maker out to Washington. This may seem like an insignificant thing but given the way our bailout money is being spent by the financial institutions isn't it time to set a better example?

[Forestfromthetrees]

Well if you understood the state of the Pizza industry in DC you might be able to understand that this might actually be a good economic move.

[Colmore]

Remember how many parties the Bush administration had when Georgie "won"??

[DemocracyIsComing]

Please get a grip and a life while at it. "They" the Democratic Party you seem to be referring to has nothing to do with this. In fact this is pure capitalism at work and if anything can get us out of this financial mess is the free market enterpreunial spirit. If a little free publicity helps an honest business person why begrudge and belittle that? After all it is no the first in history for a pizza chef ("Raffaele the pizza maker" who was more authentic than "Joe the non-plumber") to be recognized by a more prominent personage (see "Pizza Margherita" http://whatscookingamerica.net//History/Pizza/PizzaHistory.htm).

Just grab a beer a slice of your favorite pizza and take in a deep breath.

[katlade]

Speaking of capitalism - how about all the books, DVDs and commerative items of Obama's election win out there right now. That should help the economy. I have already ordered a T-shirt that says "YES WE DID" and I am buying up every magazine with him or his family on the cover to save for my grandchildren. Whatever stimulates the economy, be it pizza or books, it is all good.

[MathIsTruth]

The example is being set by the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, not the "Demos".

Whether you like it or not, there will be a big celebration in Washington this January. Some are predicting a million people will go there to celebrate. A lot of money will be spent (a lot of which will go to small businesses like restaurants and souvenir makers and will help stimulate the economy), but so what?

This is such a huge, momentous time in American history, that I believe it is fitting to have a gigantic celebration.

[BassMent]

It makes me laugh when foolish dittoheads post a comment without reading the article.

Now, go back and actually READ the thing, and then tell us all who exactly is flying these people to Washington DC. (Hint: The Ritz-Carlton is not a liberal lobbying group... although they do have a lobby.)

[lybabash]

great answer!

[dmsdzinr]

BUY stock in Italian Fiesta Pizza. I am thinking that we will see the Company go Countrywide in 2009!

[LeftLeanWing]

My favorite pizza was from Bel Cantos in Boston . It used to be in Harvard Sq and in Somerville. Haven't been there in awhile.. Not sure if it's still there.

I remember having deep dish pizzas served with walnuts, spinach, broccoli, their own homemade sausage, raisins.

Ah.... the memories.

[mucknort]

Boston's North End has some of the world's best pizza. My fav: Circle Pizza

[SickOfTheCorruption]

Wow, this pizza must be really good.

[jc23blue]

I love this story! I love that she thought it was a joke at first. She sounds like a really nice woman - which no doubt adds to why the Obamas love their pizza. I just hope it will be able to translate because isn't the oven important? And don't people say it's all to do with the water? What if DC water isn't up to speed with Chicago water?
Great story. Best of luck to them. Hope it becomes a national chain. Or international! Then we could get it here in London.

[scorpioleidy]

Having lived in Chicago most of my life - I can honestly say from many, many, many personal experiences that Italian Fiesta is THE BOMB!!! It is by far THE BEST pizza on the southside of Chicago - my fave location is the one on 71st street in the South Shore neighborhood ..........­...... mmm mmm good!

[Jeff1958]

Better than Aurelio's in Homewood?

[scorpioleidy]

It could be a tie - the first time I tried Aurelio's, I almost lost my mind---it was that good!!! Hard to find good pizza in the south suburbs of Chicago - but Aurelio's is probably a close second! Arrenello's and Sanfratello's (Glenwood) are good, too!

[LiberalUnderYourBed]

IMHO, Aurelio's does not live up to its hype.
Perhaps because I Iive on the north side and I'm spoiled by the great variety of good pizza up there.

[trebo12]

WAAAAAY better than Aurelio's and Sanfratello's. I've tasted them all...

[TopDog]

I want a piece.....­now!

[rjmiller]

Oh man I miss Chicago pizza, particularly the stuffed pizza from Viccino's and Giordano's. That stuff is the best in the world. As a rule, I get one every time I visit my parents.

[JJ30]

I'm laughing at all the bloggers debating whether Chicago pizza is better over NY pizza or vice versa!

[Egalitare]

I volunteer to be a taste judge. Just hand over a sample of each once a week and I'll get back to you just before the 2010 elections.­...

[Dystopic]

either way it's better than LA style pizza ..

[Aabby]

True...In LA they think Pizza Hut is all there is to Pizza.

[roald]

or St. Louis (style) or DC area pizza.