When three accomplished pizza chefs gathered to evaluate 16 frozen pizzas, they brought decades of expertise and uncompromising standards to a blind taste test — and, to no surprise to devoted fans, Amy’s Kitchen’s Cheese Pizza received some impressive reviews.
Epicurious invited Victoria Tiso, Rosario Granieri, and Nino Coniglio — a world pizza champion — to assess supermarket staples ranging from budget basics to premium pies. Their verdicts revealed surprising winners and validated some long-held assumptions about frozen pizza quality.
Amy’s Kitchen Cheese Pizza: ‘Has a Lot of Flavor’
Amy’s Kitchen’s Cheese Pizza emerged as a standout among the mid-tier offerings, earning praise for its wheat crust’s depth of flavor and authentic cheese pull.
“I kind of really like the way this pizza looks already,” Tiso said in the video. “It has a really good smell. The crust is very good. Has a lot of flavor.”
Granieri added, “It looks nice — like an emoji. It’s crispy.
The wheat flour is less processed. That’s why it gives more flavor. It’s a good pizza. The organic brand’s commitment to quality ingredients showed through in the tasting, though the sauce received mild criticism for its cooked rather than fresh tomato base.
When the trio of chefs discovered they had just sunk their teeth into a cheese pizza by Amy’s Kitchen, the enthusiasm was immediate.
“So excited to see this pizza,” Granieri exclaimed. “I actually tried it 11 years ago.”
Table 87’s coal oven margherita pizza claimed the top spot overall, with all three chefs praising its authentic New York-style characteristics. The brand’s vacuum-sealed packaging technology preserved the fresh mozzarella’s quality and prevented freezer burn — a detail the chefs particularly appreciated.
At the opposite end, Totino’s party pizza prompted Coniglio to demand they “shut down the factory,” while Great Value’s microwavable offering drew criticism for its aluminum sulfate content and rubbery texture.
Technical Merits: What Makes Frozen Pizza Work?
The chefs’ technical analysis revealed fascinating insights into frozen pizza production. Docking marks — tiny holes punched into the dough — indicated rushed fermentation processes in several brands. Coniglio explained that proper dough development requires building a gluten network “like a tic-tac-toe board,” while rushed production leads to collapsed structures and inferior texture.
Packaging plays a crucial role in quality preservation.
The test demonstrated that frozen pizza can achieve respectable quality when manufacturers prioritize proper fermentation, quality ingredients, and appropriate packaging technology. While none matched fresh pizzeria standards, several offerings proved worthy of pantry space. The chefs’ message to manufacturers was clear: Fewer ingredients, better basics, and proper technique beat artificial solutions.
For home cooks seeking to maximize frozen pizza quality, Coniglio recommended using a baking sheet and finishing under the broiler — techniques that help frozen pies develop better crust characteristics. The proper preparation methods can elevate even middle-tier frozen pizzas closer to pizzeria quality.
What Others Are Saying About Amy’s Kitchen’s Cheese Pizza
Pizza connoisseur Dave Portnoy of Barstool Sports granted Amy’s Margherita Pizza a tasty ranking of 6.4. “It’s a great score. This is a thousand percent better than yesterday’s. Whoever gave me Amy’s, this is pretty good. Pretty good frozen pizza, Ms. Amy.”
Kevin Jones of pizzaneed.com was another fan. “The sauce is subtle but blends very well with the spices,” he shared on TikTok. “The crust is crunchy and you can’t go wrong with that. This cheese is pretty tasty. Overall, I’m a fan of this pizza. The crust is good as well as the spices and the sauce. It’s a good eat. I give it an 8.1 out of 10. It’s definitely worth a try.”
A reviewer named Renny gave Amy’s Kitchen’s Cheese Pizza five out of five stars. On target.com, they wrote, “Amy’s frozen pizza are simply the best. The dough is even similar to my mom’s home-made ‘Italian grandma’ style pizza, it’s fluffy and yet it can get crispy on the bottom if you so desire. The ingredients are clean, no junky stuff! No other natural and/or organic frozen pizza I’ve had comes close. I rave about their pizzas to anyone who’ll listen. I add my preferred toppings before popping it in the oven. Amazing, exceptional stuff. Thank you, Amy’s family, truly.”
Amy’s Cheese Pizza isn’t the only pie getting love on social media in the Amy’s Kitchen fleet of foods. The brand’s Margherita Pizza made Mashed’s “12 Frozen Pizza Brands That Use The Highest Quality Ingredients.”
“The brand is renowned for its commitment to organic ingredients, non-GMO commitments, and inclusive options that cater to various dietary needs, including gluten-free and vegan diets,” mashed.com reported. “Amy’s pizzas are no exception, featuring an ingredients list packed with things like organic tomatoes, part-skim or whole-milk mozzarella (with vegan alternatives available), and hand-stretched crusts, underlining the brand’s homemade approach.”
