For many regulars at Leo’s Pizza & Greek Taverna, pizza is a weekly ritual. They’ll come in and order the same pie, time and time again.
“We have regulars who have been coming here for over 20 years. They never get tired of our pizza,” says Nola Bakas who co-owns the Kootenay Street restaurant with her husband Kostas.
Leo’s is one of six participants in the Nelson’s Best Pizza contest, on now until September 6.
What keeps people coming back for Leo’s pizza? Bakas says it’s the quality. Everything is made from scratch, from the slow cooked tomato sauce to the hand pressed dough, following authentic Greek recipes that haven’t changed since the business opened in 1989.
“Pizza is our main signature dish, so we make a lot of it,” Bakas says. “If I go into the kitchen during the dinner rush, there will be a stack of empty pizza pans as tall as me.”
The chefs often make fresh dough twice per day and always have lots of freshly chopped toppings on hand. If there’s one thing you can be sure of at Leo’s, it’s that your pizza will come loaded with vegetables and/or meat.
“We really cram a lot of toppings onto our pizza. Our new customers are always surprised how much we load them up,” Bakas says. “You’re not going to leave hungry.”
Bakas says by far the most popular pizza at Leo’s is the Greek Special — a simple, vegetarian option with spinach, feta and green onion, as well as a special blend of spices.
“It’s a hit because it’s so healthy and there’s a lot of flavour with the spices,” Bakas says. “It’s absolutely delicious.”
To vote for Leo’s Pizza & Greek Taverna in the Nelson’s Best Pizza contest, go to nelsonstar.com and click “contest” at the top of the page.
You must be registered to vote and only one vote is accepted per day.
Other participating restaurants include Thor’s Pizzeria, Itza Ristorante & Pizzeria, Hume Hotel, Louie’s Steakhouse and Panago.
The winning pizza will be featured on the cover of {vurb}.