The pie’s the limit Finelli’s of Ellsworth clear-cut readers’ choice for pizza

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Stereotype to the contrary, Mainers are a passionate people.

They’re passionate about the Red Sox, about tourists, and high school basketball.

They’re also fervent about pizza, apparently.

On Feb. 16, we asked you to send in your nominees for best pizza in eastern, central and northern Maine. Over the next month, nearly 400 votes poured in, for pizza makers from Limestone in the north to Bingham in the south (see voting sidebar).

And, when the flour settled, the clear winner, by almost a 3-to-1 margin, was Finelli Pizza and Subs in Ellsworth.

For those not in the know, Finelli’s is a little hard to find. It’s located on the left on Route 1, just after the turn at the triangle on High Street. But as an increasing number of aficionados have discovered, it’s worth the search.

With only two years at its current location, Finelli’s is the youngest establishment in the top five. But don’t let that fool you.

Its co-owner and chef, Paul Schneider, has been a pie man for more than 35 years, starting on Cape Cod. He ran Fellini’s Pizzeria (named after the filmmaker) in Providence for 11 years before selling the business, lock, stock and name, to a former employee.

The sales agreement prohibited Schneider from setting up shop within 50 miles of Providence. Instead, he and his wife Linda drew a circle on a map with a 300-mile radius from the Rhode Island capital.

Falling within that circle was Bar Harbor, where the Schneiders found a pizza parlor available at the end of Cottage Street. That’s when Fellini’s became Finelli’s, a simple rearranging of the letters. The couple tried to make a go out of it on MDI, but couldn’t find enough year-round customers.

So they resolved to find another place nearby. One day, when Schneider was taking in his wife’s car for snow tires, he spied a tiny “for rent” sign at his current location. He and a friend stripped it out and remodeled. A friend in Rhode Island lined up four pizza ovens and a mixer, and Schneider’s son drove them up in a truck. And the rest is history.

Finelli’s has quickly made believers out of pizza lovers in coastal Maine. One wrote, “The crust is semi thin, but still substantial. No extra dough to take away from the taste, but no soggy crust, either. The crust is truly perfection! The sauce is far superior from a normal pizza, and the ingredients they think of to top a pizza with are unique, and always fresh.”

That neatly summarizes the secrets to Finelli’s success. The dough, which is used for two kinds of pizza crusts and three types of bread, is made the day before, then allowed to season.

“The crust is everything,” Schneider said. “You have to walk the dough through its own little process. It depends on how you handle it, rather than what’s in it. You’ve got to throw it by hand, to keep the air bubbles in it.”

Schneider also has another twist when preparing a pie, putting the cheese on top of the dough, then the sauce, rather than doing it the way most pizzas are made.

“That allows the dough a few more seconds to get crispy,” he explained.

Then there’s the clever combination of fresh ingredients. Finelli’s best seller is the Pizza Bianca, on which the crust is topped with ricotta and mozzarella cheeses layered between baby spinach and garlic and drizzled with olive oil.

Other Finelli specialty pizzas include the Satyrican (Italian sausage, ricotta, fresh basil and mozzarella cheese), Garden (fresh tomatoes, scallions, squash, red onions and olive oil) and Sun Pie (fresh tomatoes, black pepper feta, mozzarella and olive oil). There’s even the lasagna pizza, a new creation after the move, which is topped with ricotta, ziti and sausage.

Still, there can be too much of a good thing.

“When you taste only sauce or cheese, you’re going to miss the rest,” Schneider said. “More isn’t better. It’s got to be properly balanced. You start doing the crust an injustice if you put too much stuff on it.”

Schneider and his trusty lieutenant, general manager Alex Knight, are the only ones making the pizzas.

“The biggest struggle is the consistency,” Schneider said. “We won’t let anyone else do it.”

In addition to the regular thin-crust pizza, Finelli’s also offers Sicilian pizza, calzones, pasta dishes, steak sandwiches, buffalo wings, salads, subs and homemade desserts.

Also available are slices of pizza, some off the regular menu, or from daily specials. On this recent day, there was a Lenten special with anchovies, raisins, pine nuts, tomatoes and marinara sauce.

The Schneiders have done their best to fulfill customers’ wishes. Linda laughed as she recalled delivering pizzas to men ice fishing on Eagle Lake. Then there was the man driving to get his take-out pizza at Finelli’s who got picked up by police on an outstanding warrant. “He called and asked, ‘Can you bring that pizza down to the jail?’ ” Schneider said, shaking his head.

Finelli’s has gradually established a customer base at its Ellsworth location.

“It took time to develop a clientele here,” Schneider said. “A lot of customers came from out of state, other refugees from the chaos.”

Finelli Pizza & Subs is located on Route 1 at the Ellsworth triangle. Tel: 664-0230. Store hours are 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Fridays and Sundays.

Pat’s Pizza

Location: 11 Mill St., Orono, open 7 a.m.-midnight Monday-Sunday, cash, local checks and credit cards, 866-2111.

Established: The early 1950s.

History: Pat Farnsworth bought the business that became Pat’s Pizza in 1931 for $150. It went through incarnations as an ice cream parlor, a lunch counter and a hamburger joint, but has been serving its trademark pizza for more than 50 years. Pat’s Pizza is now available at 13 locations statewide.

Best-selling pie: Pepperoni is still king, according to owner Bruce Farnsworth (Pat’s son), being served on about 75 percent of the pizzas.

Secrets to their success: It’s a family affair at Pat’s: “There’s always a family member there, to stand guard and make sure everything gets done the same way all the time,” Farnsworth said. He’s been there himself for around 40 years, and has seen such flavors as Hawaiian and taco come into vogue.

On the menu: While pizza accounts for 60 percent of sales, Pat’s also offers salads, pasta and meat dinners, calzones, sandwiches, subs and ice cream, as well as a complete breakfast menu.

Atmosphere: Tradition has paid off at Pat’s. All those years are reflected in its decor, with historic and family photos on the walls and jukeboxes packed with songs from several decades. Farnsworth has purposely kept it the same: “We’re still here because we never change. When we replaced the floors and booths a few years ago, we got ones like the old ones. People who went to college here come back and say it hasn’t changed a bit. You can always come in and it’s going to be the same.”

Jason’s N.Y. Style Pizza

Location: 1147 Outer Hammond St., Bangor, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday, cash and credit cards, 941-0068.

Established: 1997.

History: Jason is actually the brother of Bangor owner Martin Fell. Jason Fell opened a shop in Calais in 1989, and later another in Baileyville in 1993 (the Calais store was closed in ’97). After working for his brother in Calais, Martin, a Pennsylvania native, and his wife, Donna, opened Jason’s in Bangor, then another in Brewer in 2000.

Best-selling pie: Large pepperoni, then the 24-inch monster party pizza (Jason’s offers five sizes, ranging from 6 inches to the monster).

Secrets to their success: The Fells make small batches of dough daily, and use a sauce made from scratch out of whole tomatoes. “If you can do the dough, sauce and cheese right, you can do pizza right, rather than hide it under the toppings,” Martin said. “I’d rather have less on it, and have it be good and cooked.” They also use imported ingredients unavailable in Maine. Also, for many years, Fell was the lone pizza chef. More recently, he has let others prepare the pies, under his supervision.

On the menu: While the thin-crust pizza accounts for 60 percent of the sales at the Bangor store, appetizers, breadsticks, pasta dinners, salads, subs, Stromboli and calzones are also available.

Atmosphere: Jason’s is utilitarian, with a handful of booths and tables. There’s some New York City-themed artwork on the walls, to reinforce where the pizza’s design comes from. It’s a place where customers can eat their pies and talk in comfort.

Tesoro Pizzeria and Restaurant

Location: 118 Harlow St. (corner of Franklin Street), Bangor, open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday, cash or local checks only, 942-6699.

Established: 1995.

History: Tesoro (Italian for treasure) is a dining discovery created by Fortunata and Rocco Agrusa after they moved from Long Island to Bangor 10 years ago.

Best-selling pie: Tomato, onion and garlic, followed closely by sliced meatball.

Secrets to their success: Let’s start with experience. Rocco, who makes all the pizzas six days a week, has been in the business for 40 years. At his “studio” behind the counter in the dining area, Rocco artfully crafts the pies, hand-tosses and spreads the crust before topping each with fresh, quality ingredients. Rocco added that patrons appreciate the consistency he provides.

On the menu: Pizza accounts for about half of Tesoro’s sales. Also available are pasta dishes and sauces, baked Italian entrees, chicken, veal and seafood entrees, soups, heroes and desserts. With almost everything prepared on the spot, there can be a bit of a wait, but it’s worth it.

Atmosphere: With rust-colored booths and small tables, it’s a casual, friendly dining experience. With Dino singing “That’s Amore” and prints of New York, Italy and Sicily on the walls, it feels Italian. The Agrusas are on a first-name basis with a lot of their regulars. “We’ve made a lot of good friends and family here,” Fortunata said.

Tri-City Pizza

Location: Corner of Broadway and Center Street, Bangor, open 10 a.m.-midnight Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m.-1 a.m. Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m.-midnight Sunday, cash, credit cards, local checks with identification, 942-2933 or 942-2943.

Established: 1961.

History: George Chapman owned a bakery at that site, but switched the building to a pizza shop because, as he told the NEWS in 1998, “I couldn’t keep my baker sober.” Sales took off, and Tri-City became a Bangor institution, much like Pat’s in Orono. Where’s the Tri-City come from? Chapman had planned locations in two other towns, but those fell through. He sold out to Paul Winkler Sr. in 1964, and Paul Winkler Jr. and Bernard McDonald run Tri-City today.

Best-selling pie: Pepperoni remains the standard-bearer.

Secret to their success: “Fresh ingredients, fresh sauce, fresh dough,” McDonald explained. “Only one or two people know the secret ingredients to make the sauce. Also, the process is supervised pretty well.”

On the menu: There’s no gimmicks at Tri-City, with pizza accounts for about 90 percent of the eatery’s sales, McDonald estimated. Rounding out the menu is a variety of subs.

Atmosphere: Linda Blanchard, who has been the Tri-City cashier since the 1960s, is the friendly face out front at Tri-City, while the food preparation can be glimpsed through an open door. It’s take-out only, with a chip rack and soda cooler there to complete most meals.

Pizza contest voting

Finelli’s, Ellsworth: 104

Pat’s Pizza, Orono: 35

Jason’s, Bangor: 31

Tesoro’s Pizzeria, Bangor: 20

Tri-City Pizza, Bangor: 18

Zeke’s Pizzeria, Castine: 16

Buda Belly’s, Stetson: 12

Bangor House of Pizza: 11

Dino’s, Brewer: 11

Rendezvous Pizza, Limestone: 11

Angelo’s, Bangor: 10

Pat’s Pizza, Hampden: 10

Spanky’s, Bangor: 8

Pizza Gourmet, Hampden: 7

Reel Pizza, Bar Harbor: 7

Bear Brew Pub, Orono: 6

Jason’s, Brewer: 6

Winterport House of Pizza: 6

Pizza Oven, Bangor: 5

Rosalie’s, Bar Harbor: 4

Alexia’s, Belfast: 3

Gambino’s, Bangor: 3

Reno’s, Caribou: 3

Village Pizzeria, Hampden: 3

Belfast Variety, Belfast: 2

Fairmount Market, Bangor: 2

Market Cafe, Stillwater: 2

Pickle Barrel, Old Town: 2

South Side, Caribou: 2

Al’s Pizza, Augusta: 1

A.E. Robinson Mobil Mart, Newport: 1

Augusta Pizza: 1

Blue Ox, Millinocket: 1

Cameron’s Market, New Limerick: 1

Carmen’s Hometown Pizzeria, Calais: 1

Corner Cupboard, Newport: 1

Courtyard Grill, Bangor: 1

Dow’s Market, Houlton: 1

East Newport Variety: 1

Eureka Hall Pizza, Stockholm: 1

Evo Italian Brick Oven, Bangor: 1

Freshies, at Mobils: 1

Harold & Shirley’s, Presque Isle: 1

Hole in the Wall Deli, Newport: 1

Lissus, Orono: 1

Little Anthony’s Sports Bar and Grill, Bar Harbor: 1

Little Notch Pizza, Southwest Harbor: 1

Mill Pond Market, Pittsfield: 1

M&M Riverside Pizza, Brewer: 1

Movie-Pizza Shoppe, Waldoboro: 1

Owls Head General Store: 1

Palmyra House of Pizza: 1

Pat’s Pizza, Ellsworth: 1

Pat’s Pizza, Newport: 1

The Reef, Castine: 1

Ritchie’s Pizza, Newport: 1

Snow’s Corner Pizza, Orrington: 1

Stratton Pizza, Stratton: 1

Sweet’s Market, Bangor: 1

Unity House of Pizza: 1

Valley View Market, Bingham: 1

Veazie Variety: 1

Village Pizza, Newport: 1

The Village, Fort Fairfield: 1

Why Not Stop, Lincoln: 1

Zaddik’s, Camden: 1