Pizza like La Rosa's?

[Saerenzea]

Hi all. My last trip to KI my wife and I shared some La Rosa's pizza. I generally don't care for pizza but this was unlike anything I've had before. Unfortunately I don't live near another one. I live in NE Indianapolis (Fortville, Fishers ish) and none of the local places have pizza like La Rosa's. If anyone knows of anything similar that isn't too far I will very grateful. 

[DeviousMrMatt]

Wish I could help you out there. It's pretty well known around Cincinnati that Larosas always taste better at Kings Island or at local festivals.

Wife and I found out that if you order from Larosas and get it "well done" it taste nearly identical from Kings Island

[medford]

Don't like pizza?  So you're the ONE

 

Can't help ya out, generally I think LaRosa's is just OK as far as pizza goes, its not horrible or even disagreeable, but so many better choices out there.  However, I love their sauce (its sweeter than most); you should be able to buy their sauce at your local Kroger store.  There are only 2 types of store bought sauce I'll put in my lasagna, LaRosa's or Meijer both are a little thicker and sweeter than most store bought sauce, I like a thick sauce.  If its the sauce that makes the difference, perhaps a home made pizza with their sauce will do the trick for you (or buy the sauce, heat it up and use it as a dipping sauce)

[flightoffear1996]

You could always make a trip to Cincinnati and they will make you uncooked ones you could freeze. Word of caution the LaRosas in the park taste completely different. 

[Klabergian Empire]

Just now, flightoffear1996 said:

You could always make a trip to Cincinnati and they will make you uncooked ones you could freeze. Word of caution the LaRosas in the park taste completely different. 

110% agree! I have no idea why the pizza at the park tastes so much BETTER.......

[thatguyfromohio]

110% agree! I have no idea why the pizza at the park tastes so much BETTER.......

I use to be a food supervisor, it’s cooked slower, so it’s more we’ll done by like 2-3 minutes

 

 

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[SnakePlissken]

I used to LOVE La Rosa's. But the King's Island La Rosa's I remember eating from 15 years ago is not the same as today. Sometimes its just ok in the park but usually its terrible. Back then I ordered whole pies. Now I'm not sure you can. Its slices under heat lamps. I love pizza and I have not ever had La Rosa's anywhere else to compare. I wonder if anyone else has had La Rosa's way back when and could explain why if at all the pizza taste has changed. Cheaper ingredients over the years or maybe it comes in frozen and not fresh anymore?

 I don't know.

[Benjamin22]

^ You can still order whole pizzas 

[Joshua]

3 hours ago, Klabergian Empire said:

110% agree! I have no idea why the pizza at the park tastes so much BETTER.......

Hard disagree, sorry guys. LaRosa's is so much better at the restaurant, taste-wise and price. Plus, you get more options with the real thing, including the ability to double up on that amazing sauce and add garlic to the crust. 

1 hour ago, SnakePlissken said:

I used to LOVE La Rosa's. But the King's Island La Rosa's I remember eating from 15 years ago is not the same as today. Sometimes its just ok in the park but usually its terrible. Back then I ordered whole pies. Now I'm not sure you can. Its slices under heat lamps. I love pizza and I have not ever had La Rosa's anywhere else to compare. I wonder if anyone else has had La Rosa's way back when and could explain why if at all the pizza taste has changed. Cheaper ingredients over the years or maybe it comes in frozen and not fresh anymore?

 I don't know.

Exactly! At the park, it's like glorified gas station pizza. I'd recommend trying it a restaurant if you get a chance. 

[TombRaiderFTW]

Yeah, I'm with Joshua. I don't find the park's pizza appalling, but it's got so little in common with the restaurant version, which I like a lot more. I find it kind of interesting, actually, that LaRosa's puts their name on something that's so different from (and, in my humble opinion, so worse than) their actual project.

[malem]

If you make your own pizza at home with fresh pizza dough, LaRosa's jarred pizza sauce (available at Cincy-area grocery stores) and provolone (not mozzarella) cheese, you'll be very close.

The major difference between LaRosa's pizza at the park and at restaurants is the crust. The park uses frozen dough and massive-capacity ovens to produce huge quantities of pizza, whereas the restaurants use fresh dough and different ovens. I personally prefer the pizza from the restaurants.

[Klabergian Empire]

58 minutes ago, Joshua said:

Exactly! At the park, it's like glorified gas station pizza.

 

[BoddaH1994]

So I’m with the camp that thinks that LaRosa’s at the park is better. I honestly think the people working simply don’t have time to weigh out the cheese and put way, way too much* on. I worked at LaRosa’s in high school and used to make myself pizzas with tons and tons of cheese and it reminds me of KI LaRosa’s.

 

*Figure of speech. There is no such thing as too much cheese.

[Saerenzea]

Thanks everyone! Sounds like I'll just have to go to KI more often. I will try their pizza in an actual restaurant. 

[YOULLBEBACK]

A lot of their unique taste is in the sauce, which you can buy online.  It is a sweeter tomato paste than most pizza places.  Try that on a homemade traditional crust and you'll have a decent Larosa's replica. 

[Ki Man]

I'm one of the weirdos who likes the park's LaRosa's better; those crispy pepperonis on the top are so good. But honestly I haven't had anything other than blue ice cream or a beer at the park in 3-4 years so I'll have to reconfirm my vote next time I get to the park. 

[CorkscrewMcPuke]

Luca Pizza (Pizza De Roma) is a pretty good contender since you live in Indiana.

[silver2005]

Tip- if you want to make LaRosa's sauce sing- add a bit of kick.  A bit of a spicy flavor really goes with LaRosa's pizza sauce very well.   Also helps if the sauce is pretty fresh out of the oven.   Especially when I order hoagies and calzones, I either add jalapenos on them or on the side.  

silver2005, who wishes KI would take a page from the Reds and offer calzones in the park.  

[Klabergian Empire]

2 hours ago, YOULLBEBACK said:

A lot of their unique taste is in the sauce, which you can buy online.  It is a sweeter tomato paste than most pizza places.  Try that on a homemade traditional crust and you'll have a decent Larosa's replica. 

Wooo! Where!?

 

1 hour ago, Ki Man said:

I'm one of the weirdos who likes the park's LaRosa's better; those crispy pepperonis on the top are so good. But honestly I haven't had anything other than blue ice cream or a beer at the park in 3-4 years so I'll have to reconfirm my vote next time I get to the park. 

I agree. The thin pepperonis are good.

[Vortex]

My wife loves the thin crust at the park. I love the meat lovers at the restaurant.

[WhatTheBlazes]

On ‎11‎/‎12‎/‎2019 at 9:42 AM, medford said:

Don't like pizza?  So you're the ONE

 

Can't help ya out, generally I think LaRosa's is just OK as far as pizza goes, its not horrible or even disagreeable, but so many better choices out there.  However, I love their sauce (its sweeter than most); you should be able to buy their sauce at your local Kroger store.  There are only 2 types of store bought sauce I'll put in my lasagna, LaRosa's or Meijer both are a little thicker and sweeter than most store bought sauce, I like a thick sauce.  If its the sauce that makes the difference, perhaps a home made pizza with their sauce will do the trick for you (or buy the sauce, heat it up and use it as a dipping sauce)

The grocery stores here in Indy do not have the LaRosa's sauce for sale, I have looked everywhere.  However, if you are on the east side of town, there is a LaRosa's restaurant in Batesville, which would be a 45 min to an hour drive down 74 E, where you can dine in (get the Cheese breadsticks too) and stock up on sauce to take home.

This is one of those unique places where if you are around it all the time like the Locals in Cincy it is meh, but when you don't have it as an option you always want it. Which I think about it multiple times a week and wish we had them here haha. Think Yuengling before we got it here too a couple years ago 

 

 

[BoddaH1994]

10 minutes ago, WhatTheBlazes said:

The grocery stores here in Indy do not have the LaRosa's sauce for sale, I have looked everywhere.  However, if you are on the east side of town, there is a LaRosa's restaurant in Batesville, which would be a 45 min to an hour drive down 74 E, where you can dine in (get the Cheese breadsticks too) and stock up on sauce to take home.

This is one of those unique places where if you are around it all the time like the Locals in Cincy it is meh, but when you don't have it as an option you always want it. Which I think about it multiple times a week and wish we had them here haha. Think Yuengling before we got it here too a couple years ago 

 

 

Just order online:

Larosa's Pizza Sauce 14oz https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H3YI6MO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_iLzZDbNYH48A9

[Bansheelover]

A huge difference between KI LaRosa's pizza, and LaRosa's from one of their stores is that the pepperoni is on top of the cheese at KI where it is under the cheese from the store. Next time you order from a store ask for the pepperoni on top. Tastes just like KI's then 

[YOULLBEBACK]

19 hours ago, Klabergian Empire said:

Wooo! Where!?

 

I agree. The thin pepperonis are good. 

https://www.cincydirect.com/Index.aspx/Larosas-Pizzeria-Store/

A little pricey but you get 12 cans...you may find them cheaper online somewhere else

[SnakePlissken]

39 minutes ago, Bansheelover said:

A huge difference between KI LaRosa's pizza, and LaRosa's from one of their stores is that the pepperoni is on top of the cheese at KI where it is under the cheese from the store. Next time you order from a store ask for the pepperoni on top. Tastes just like KI's then 

I have always wondered what monsters stick the pepperoni under the cheese. Always put it on top. Would make for an interesting poll.

[silver2005]

I think KI should partner with LaRosa's to revamp all the locations in the park, both to approach the quality outside the park and possibly expand the menu.  

[cdubbs727]

19 minutes ago, silver2005 said:

I think KI should partner with LaRosa's to revamp all the locations in the park, both to approach the quality outside the park and possibly expand the menu.  

Re-open the International Restaurant as a LaRosa's sit-down pizzeria. 

[cdubbs727]

Every year, one of my most-anticipated things about our annual KI trip is the food we're going to eat (this may be why I was not allowed to ride FoF this year). LaRosa's is one of my favorite things. 

But this year, it was really underwhelming. It was overcooked at the Festhaus, just really gross and unappetizing. I think I need to stop buying it there -- except that it's really a great spot to go on a rain day or to get out of the heat (and I'm not eating in-park Panda Express). 

[Klabergian Empire]

2 hours ago, YOULLBEBACK said:

https://www.cincydirect.com/Index.aspx/Larosas-Pizzeria-Store/

A little pricey but you get 12 cans...you may find them cheaper online somewhere else

YES!!! THANK YOU!!! Now I can make homemade Larosa's Pizza! I have the crust and cheese down, but now all I need is the sauce and thinly sliced pepperoni.

[WhatTheBlazes]

23 hours ago, Klabergian Empire said:

YES!!! THANK YOU!!! Now I can make homemade Larosa's Pizza! I have the crust and cheese down, but now all I need is the sauce and thinly sliced pepperoni.

What crust do you use?