Zavino (previously known as ‘Za Vino) has a web site and some other news. Pizza will be somewhere between Neapolitan and Sicilian. The opening is set for October. Michael Klein has some more on the menu. [The Insider]

Stephen Starr’s pizza place at 2nd and Lombard has a name. it’ll be Stella Pizza. Stella is Italian for star. [The Insider]

We’ve been intrigued by Indian pizza since Tiffin announced they were going to be opening the cuisine merging Tiffin Etc. next to their highly successful Indian spot on Girard Ave. And now that we’ve seen the menu, drool!

Thin crust pizza with Indian inspired toppings and homemade sauces. Murgh Makhani & Lal Mirch combines Tandoori grilled chicken, “Makhani” – home made tomato sauce, red chili flakes and fresh mozzarella.

There’s a party this weekend if you’re lucky enough to be on Tiffin’s mailing list. The pizzeria opens to all next week.

Peek Tiffin etc.’s menu [The Insider]

Thrillist intrigues us today with this photo of Trios Trattoria’s Special Tomato square pizza. The pizza cooked in a trayhas us salivating and remembering another pizza we haven’t had in way too long, the “Siggi” at LaRosa Pizza on South Broad. Trios on the other hand is in Northern Liberties and judging by the menu, looks to be worth a jaunt.

Trios Trattoria [Thrillist]

Johnny Goodtimes is hunting for Philadelphia’s best pizza. He’s hit a few spots up so far and most recently dined at Chuck E. Cheese (CEC) with his Little Brother and comedian Chip Chantry.

The pizza was better than expected, the rodent problem, larger than life. All of Goodtimes’ Pizza Hunt reports are available on his web site.

Latest Spot in the Pizza Hunt: Chuck E. Cheese [Johnny Goodtimes]
Chuck E. Cheese [Official Site]

Rick Nichols accompanies Stephen Starr and a cast of others as he heads out for a pizza fact finding mission that visits New Haven, Connecticut, Manhattan and Brooklyn. At stake, just what kind of pizza will be cooked up at Starr’s 2nd and Lombard pizzeria.

Stephen Starr goes in search of the perfect pizza [Philadelphia Inquirer]

Oh this should generate some comments. Philadelphia gets two pizzas among the top 25 in the United States in the latest edition of GQ.

Tacconelli’s white pizza comes in at number 9 and Osteria’s Zucca pizza (not currently on the menu) is ranked number 22.

Additionally Philadelphia comes in at number 8 in US pizza cities.

American Pie [GQ/men.style.com via Meal Ticket]
The Top Ten (Cities, Not Pizzas) [GQ/men.style.com]
Alan Richman Names Top 25 Pizzas in the  US [Easy on the Eyes version from Slice]

KYW’s Hadas Kuznits tracks down Stephen Starr and she gets him to spill some beans on Pizza Select, Starr’s brick-oven pizza restaurant planned for 2nd and Lombard.

“I’ve been wanting to do pizza for a long time because I usually do things that I want.  And I can’t get really good pizza here in Philadelphia, so I’m just doing what I want to eat!”

He says they’ll offer lunch, dinner, and may even a little Italian-style breakfast. But they will specialize in pizza:

“It’s going to be real thin-crust, Brooklyn-style pizza, which you’d think is served here but it’s not.  Here it’s just thick, doughy pizza.  We’re doing a lot of research on this.”

Stephen Starr Creating a Pizza Restaurant for Headhouse Square [KYW Newsradio 1060 via MenuPages]
Coming Soon: Another Starr Restaurant [Podcast (MP3)]

View Larger Map
When we were tipped off by an anonymous source last week that Stephen Starr was interested in turning the former Cosi location at 2nd and Lombard into a pizza spot we were incredulous. Starr? South Street? Pizza?

But then a few more tipsters contacted us saying a deal was ready to sign. When a well-placed Starrling didn’t flat out deny the story we wondered if there could be something bigger than just a kernel of truth to this rumor.

We’re currently awaiting word back from Starr’s representatives but we want to know what you think: is Starr’s version of a “recession special” a pizza place?

Update: The Insider has the name as Pizza Select. [The Insider]

Jason Dilks grew up enjoying the tomato pies of De Lorenzo’s Pizza. Today he pays homage to the Trenton institution with SliCE in South Philadelphia. Rick Nichols tells the story but doesn’t explain SliCE’s weird capitalization.

Satisfying his hunger [Philadelphia Inquirer]
SliCE [Official Site]

We’ve been quite fixated by good pizza recently. There’s our ongoing affair with Earth Bread + Brewery’s Seed flatbread, our transforming experience at Franny’s in Brooklyn (maybe there is something in the water) and just this week we were told that maybe the best pizza in the country can be found in Phoenix. And now Craig LaBan taunts us with his description of the Chester County Pumpkin Pizza at Sovana Bistro in Kennett Square.

GoodTaste [Philadelphia Inquirer]