In pursuit of the preferred pizza place

It is difficult to find a place to stand in commercially zoned areas of Iowa City, where one cannot throw a stone and hit about five different pizza joints. Being a college town, the market is indeed ripe for aspiring pizza restaurateurs, pizza being the cornerstone of the college food pyramid.

While a four year hitch at the university certainly offers enough time to sample the plethora of pizza kitchens in the area, many college students tend to find one or two favorites and return to them ad nauseum.

Being no different myself, the pizza place that draws me back again and again has been, and will likely continue to be, Sam's Pizza.

Sam's, at 441 S. Gilbert St, is in the center what could easily be termed the "Pizza district" of Iowa City, given that it is one of four pizza places in that particular block of Gilbert St. The restaurant was relocated in 2006 after its former locale one block to the north was torn down to build new apartments. Of interest is the fact that owner, Terry French, in constructing his new establishment, personally purchased and processed a grove of cherry trees for the wood paneling which covers much of the restaurant's interior. French's pride in his business comes through in the food. The calzones in particular are a terrifically filling meal for a reasonable price, at around seven dollars, and chances are good you will have leftovers.

Space-wise, Sam's is potentially the most spacious sports bar in the downtown area; you won't have to worry about cramming elbow to elbow like you might in certain ped mall establishments (Bo James, looking at you). It's great for a quick cheap lunch or for those who prefer a beer to coffee during an afternoon of studying.