(Photographed by Staff Writer Jesse Magnifico)

Staff Writer: Jesse Magnifico

Email: jmagnifico@umassd.edu

Right next door to Dunkin Donuts in the Campus Center, what was once Revolution Noodle in Fall 2022 and Tu Taco during Spring 2023 has now transformed into Top It Pizza. 

Cheese is their specialty, but is their food worth it?

I tried nearly everything on the menu. Here’s what I have to say.

PIZZA

Top It Pizza serves plain cheese, pepperoni, veggie, and buffalo chicken at the ready, but you can create your own 12-incher. They have a long list of toppings to choose from. 

While waiting in line, I skimmed the menu that flashes on the overhead screens. Each slice comes at nearly $3, which isn’t bad because they’re HUGE. The editor-in-chief of The Torch, Roxy Hepburn, and I shared our surprises over the sheer size of the slices. She said it was practically the length of her 15-inch laptop. She wasn’t lying.

The photo doesn’t serve justice; you need to see it for yourself. I’ve never seen slices so thick and huge. I shortly discovered the reason is because Top It Pizza often cuts their slices into sixths rather than eighths.

So, the price is well worth the slice.

For all it’s worth, Top It Pizza doesn’t skimp on toppings — the slices are jam-packed with them — but the cheese, sauce, and crust are another story.

The pizza looked incredibly greasy, and the crust was thin. Biting into the veggie, I was disappointed by the lack of stretch from the cheese, and I could hardly taste the tomato/marinara… I thought maybe it was just a bad slice left to sit too long, so I tried the buffalo chicken one.

I was met with the same disappointment. To put it in Gen-Z terms, the pizza was not giving.

My friend who was with me at the time, Victoria Raposo, half-jokingly said it tasted like Lazer Gate pizza. I’ve never been, but for those who have, take her word for what it’s worth: the cheese was rubbery with not a single pull or stretch; there wasn’t enough sauce or seasoning; and the crust was too thin and chewy. My jaw hurt! Even the crust lacked a nice doughy kick. Worse yet, the chicken was overcooked, and the buffalo sauce was nonexistent. There was zero spiciness!

“It’s a disgrace to buffalo chicken lovers everywhere,” Victoria said. She mentioned Arnie’s Subs serves better buffalo chicken because they drizzle the sauce directly on top. She’s right — I had to fan my mouth after trying their sandwich.

I mean, is Top It Pizza the worst pizza I’ve ever eaten? Far from it, but there are better options outside of campus. Top It Pizza’s slices are good for a quick fix, but you’re not missing anything special if you choose not to.

RATING: 5/10

PASTA

There are three kinds of pasta to choose from: chicken parmesan, chicken alfredo, and macaroni and cheese. Each is shy of $9, and they come in a red rectangular tin with a cute red and white polka dot top. I couldn’t get over how warm and fresh they were. I had to carry them on a plate because they were piping hot. 

The pasta options. (Photographed by Staff Writer Jesse Magnifico)

CHICKEN PARMESAN

I see where all the sauce and cheese went from the pizza… There is tomato sauce galore, a beautifully juicy and breaded chicken, and cheese that blankets the top. My jaw dropped to the floor when I dug my fork into the cheese and chicken because it actually STRETCHED, unlike the pizza! 

It was a wonderful experience.

Better yet, unlike the buffalo chicken bits, the larger breaded chicken here was cooked to perfection. My plastic fork didn’t struggle against cutting the chicken. Paired with the penne pasta, parsley/garlic seasoned tomato sauce, and beautifully melted cheese, I was swooning at the umami circus happening in my mouth. 

Nothing was dry or under/overcooked; it was purely delectable. It’s easily my favorite from Top It Pizza.

RATING: 9.5/10

CHICKEN ALFREDO

The alfredo sauce… Oh, the alfredo sauce… I cringe at it. Where are the garlic and the parsley? I may have caught COVID the week before school started, but I’ve gained my taste and smell back way before eating this. 

There is no zest to it!

It lacks the core of Alfredo. It’s just cream and cheese covering penne pasta, rubbery chicken, and semi-burnt broccoli. Even the broccoli has no salt or pepper to give it some pizazz. 

The chicken alfredo is not a slay.

On a positive note, the sauce is evenly distributed, and there’s a nice accumulation at the bottom of the tin. But the taste… 

RATING: 3/10

MACARONI & CHEESE

I was met with a crumby surprise atop the mac and cheese. How fancy! I dug my fork into the mix of bread and feta crumbs to feel the macaroni was cooked right. Putting it into my mouth, I was unfortunately not expecting the texture and flavor.

My heart broke; I was near tears. That’s what I get for getting my hopes up.

The crumbs were too crunchy, clashing between the cheddar and soft macaroni. The cheese, too, was rather lackluster. It spread throughout all the macaroni, but there wasn’t enough creaminess to it. It seemed to sit for too long before it was served. It was all offsetting! 

I hate to say it, but a box of Kraft or Velveeta is creamier and more savory than this. 

RATING: 5.5/10

CALZONE

The calzones are where it’s at.

A bulging crescent of bread, cheese along one inside edge, and meaty or vegetable fillings, they are the best things on the menu, along with the chicken parmesan. There are three flavors available: buffalo chicken, mushroom and spinach ricotta, and steak and cheese. 

The bread is gorgeously and tastily doughy, the cheese delightfully melted and stretchy, and the meal filling. The food servers brush oil atop the calzone and sprinkle parsley-like salt bae. 

The only complaint I have is against the buffalo chicken. Again. 

Unlike the buffalo chicken pizza, it wasn’t rubbery, it was juicy with the right amount of chew, but the sauce was lacking. There are hints of the chicken having been rolled in the orange sauce, but not enough stuck. I hope they opt to drizzle the sauce in the calzone next time…

Other than that, the size of the calzones and their fillings are beyond generous. For anyone curious, the mushroom/spinach and ricotta is my go-to.

RATING: 9.5/10

DESSERTS

I was taken aback that Top It Pizza serves sweets. They are all arranged on decorative platters accompanied by strawberries and blueberries, and the selection is constantly rotating.

You can’t choose a bad sweet here; it doesn’t exist. There is no bakery item that is not delicious. I repeat: everything in the bakery section is worthy of salivation.

I’ve tried their fudge brownie, cheesecake, tiramisu, and Oreo cream cake, and when I tell you they are to die for… I nearly melted into a puddle of deliciousness.

The brownie is perfectly fudgy and cakey and chocolatey, and the cheesecake is ASMR-worthy when the fork digs in, the tiramisu is creamy and cakey with a kick of espresso… My mom made me run back to school to snag a brownie for her.

They have other sweets available: pound cake, lemon squares, and chocolate cream pie. They are actively adding new items to the mix, so it’s always a surprise what will be available!

I’m surprised Top It Pizza doesn’t consider becoming a full-fledged bakery.

RATING: 11/10

THE VERDICT

I know I bashed Top It Pizza, but they do serve some good food. Albeit they’re a greasy, unhealthy option, the calzones and chicken parmesan are worthy options. 

The bakery section is also incredible, as I’ve just raved about. I wouldn’t eat here every day, but if you’re unsure what to order or need a quick fix, look no further.

If you’re limited on time and the Dunkin or Wendy’s line is too long, pop over to Top It Pizza. 

The prices are fair considering the hefty amount of food you get — I’ve never finished the pasta bowls in one sitting. Plus, you skip the line entirely because everything is already prepared. You’re in and out super quick!

OVERALL RATING: 7/10