We’re sure you’ve seen them: the photos of a grilled cheese or slice of pizza where the cheese pulls just so beautifully, it doesn’t seem real. While the cheese is (usually) real, it does take a little behind-the-scenes magic to help that pull reach the screen. But if you follow our tips, you too can perfect your cheese pull. 

First off, don’t be shy with the cheese. If you want the perfect pull, there actually has to be an abundance of cheese to pull. Shocker! Make your sandwich or pizza as is, but towards the end, add on some extra cheese with maximum pulling power. Some of the best and most melty cheeses for this are provolone, mozzarella and fontina. But remember, not all cheeses are created equal. For example, a slice from a ball of mozzarella is going to give a better pull than shredded mozzarella will. Also, when using provolone, make sure it’s mild and not sharp as the sharp does not really melt.

Now that we’ve introduced the cheeses, what about slicing them? When making a sandwich, there is one key component to help maximize your cheese pull. You’ll want to cut the sandwich in half before adding the cheese. After you’ve made the cut, pile the cheese onto the already sliced sammy. Then, once you’ve piled on the goods, throw the sandwich back in the oven until it gets hot and bubbly. The sooner you can perform the pull after it comes out of the oven, the better. Doing it in this order helps so that you don’t cut the cheese in half, and you allow it to stretch fully as you pull the sandwich apart. 

Like most good things in life, your cheese pull should not be rushed. Slow and steady wins the race here. Pull slow and strategically. It’s usually best to pull up and out rather than just straight apart. It’s all about those angles, baby!

Here’s another pro-tip for doing the perfect cheese pull for fried cheesy foods like mozzarella sticks: scoring. You want to take the stick of cheesy goodness and lightly cut an outline around the breading where you want to pull the stick apart. Be sure to only cut the breading and not the actual cheese or this tip will not work as well. Grab the stick from each end and pull one side up and out for as long as it may stretch. This will create a cleaner and possibly longer pull.

Whether you’re looking to perfect your cheese pull for food photography purposes, or simply to impress your friends the next time you’re out for pizza, we hope these tips helped. If you find yourself wanting to really hone in on your cheese pull skills, we’ve got plenty of cheesy menu items for you to practice with. Come stop on in and step up your game!

With a long menu of pizzas sprawled out in front of you, it’s easy to feel intimidated. How are you supposed to choose just one kind of pizza when the list goes on and on? We’ve been in this predicament too many times to count. Thankfully, it’s not a bad situation to be in, right? We’ve devised a three-step system for choosing the best pizza to make sure you get the most out of every bite.

Step 1: The Sauce

White? Red? Pesto? This crucial step will narrow down your choices by at least half if not more. Choose wisely.

Step 2: The Toppings

Are you craving a veggie-heavy pizza or are you leaning towards a stacked meaty slice? Don’t be afraid to shy away from simplicity in this case either. We love a pizza where the cheese is the star, which brings us to the most crucial category.

Step 3: The Cheese

The cheese will determine the trajectory of your Italian experience. Its importance is the pinnacle of the pie. We’ve managed to narrow down the four best cheeses to top any slice.

Mozzarella. A classic choice, suitable for any occasion. This cheese is always a safe bet. Whether you’re trying a new restaurant or going back to your favorite spot, you can be sure that a shredded pile of mozzarella will bubble and brown beautifully. Thick slices of fresh mozzarella will warm your insides on a slice of The Margarite, with fresh basil to wonderfully complement it. As a standalone it can hold its own, and in an assortment it soars to the top. Try it with some shredded cheddar or provolone for a fun twist.

Ricotta. The classiest of the pizza cheeses in our opinion. When you order Ricotta, you mean business and everyone around you will know that you are a risk taker. It steals the show with its powerful flavor and doesn’t require much else to delight your taste buds. A favorite pairing for a creamy ricotta cheese is white sauce and garlic. Have you tried our Quattro pizza?

Blue Cheese. Blue cheese is a bit of an underdog. While it’s not the most prominent of the pizza cheeses, it’s actually extremely versatile. It’s great used for salad dressings or for dipping slices into, bite by bite. Another option is creamy gorgonzola -- it’ll give you that melt-in-your-mouth buttery flavor to complement a fan favorite, the buffalo chicken pizza.

Pecorino Romano. More commonly known as the classic grated cheese. It stands out as being a great addition to any of the above cheeses. Like the salt of any great meal, pecorino romano adds more depth and flavor to your pizza. The sharp, smoky notes balance a red pizza sauce, making them the star duo.There are many levels to a perfect pizza, but the cheese holds the greatest importance. Choose wisely!