Time and time again, I’ve heard of a restaurant’s mysterious pull on the pizza-loving community. So when I witnessed a woman’s eyes closing in ecstasy as she talked about this restaurant’s GARLIC KNOTS, I knew SIX HUNDRED DOWNTOWN (Bellefontaine) held great potential for securing a spot on the POSITIVELY DELICIOUS food blog journey, and indeed it did.
First off, Six Hundred is not in reference to Six Hundred Downtown’s address or the number of food bloggers who fell into their quicksand of mozzarella and carb-tastic options. As their website articulates, “Six Hundred Degrees Fahrenheit is the starting point for baking [their] pizzas. The temperature where perfection is baked. [Their] classic Italian and Midwest Style pizzas bake at Six Hundred Degrees and [their] Neo-Neapolitan pizzas bake at nearly Seven Hundred Degrees, creating the perfectly baked pizza.”
Now that the origin of the restaurant’s name is squared away, let’s talk about seating. Whether you sit inside or outside, you’re in for a treat. The outside patio faces the gorgeous courthouse and bustling, shop-lined Main Street and summons a modern, relaxed gathering vibe. In contrast, the inside creates a more intimate setting with high-back booth seating, warmer color tones, antique tin-looking ceiling tiles, crown molding, and soft lighting.
Once you choose whether you dine inside or outside, you’ll receive a menu that spotlights the owner’s culinary wisdom– 5 time World Pizza Champion Brittany Saxton.
When ordering a pizza from Six Hundred Downtown, your first decision is what style of crust you want– CLASSIC ITALIAN, DETROIT STYLE, SICILIAN STYLE. GLUTEN-FRIENDLY ARTISAN STYLE, or CAULIFLOWER STYLE? Your second decision is deciding how adventurous your pizza spirit is at the moment? Are you a simple-is-best pizza lover, or are you an AMERICAN MUSCLE, a MAD HATTER, a JOHN DILLINGER, a BIG AL, or THE SANFORD AND SON? Regardless of your choice, you’ll taste the excellence and see the difference between pizzas that are hand-spun and baked in an old fashioned brick oven like those from Six Hundred Downtown and those that are not.
If you’re not a pizzaholic, don’t worry. Six Hundred Downtown delivers non-pizza mouth-watering options as well. Appetizers, salads, calzones, sandwiches, pasta, desserts, and kid-friendly options abound. The GARLIC KNOTS, THE CHERRY APPLE PECAN salad, the LASAGNA, CINNAMON KNOTS, and CANNOLI are a few of the non-pizza menu options sending customers running back for more. And their on tap and bottled liquor and wine selections pair exceptionally well with their cuisine.
But here is the number one thing that pulls on my making-moments-at-home-special ever-loving heart: Six Hundred Downtown offers a “Take & Bake Pizza Kit” option for any size pizza on their menu. The standard toppings are safely pre-packed, and the kit comes with instructions. You can find a picture of one of these kits in this blog’s included photos. Note: Make sure to call a day in advance for this option.
Speaking of pictures, you’ll find my tastebuds sampled the PEPPERONI GLUTEN-FRIENDLY ARTISAN STYLE pizza– hands down the best gluten-free pizza I’ve had to date, the NEW ORLEANS CLASSIC ITALIAN STYLE pizza– delivers a sweet punch with mozzarella so pure that I envisioned someone shredding it from the highest quality mozzarella to ever come from Italy and Bulgaria, MOZERELLA BREADSTICKS– a crowd-pleaser, and CINNAMON KNOTS– knotted bread with an avalanche of cinnamon, butter, and icing that calls to you one bite at a time.
There are places where the potential for cultivating memories is so great that it’s practically palpable, and Six Hundred Downtown is one of those places. Visit solo. Visit with your family. Visit on a first date. Visit with a group. Visit because you appreciate a pizzeria that executes an award-winning and inspiring culinary vision with your tastebuds and wallet in mind.
The following photos are courtesy of Six Hundred Downtown’s Facebook page:
