I finally got a chance to try longtime Baton Rouge favorite Fleur de Lis Pizza just before leaving for Atlanta. Fleur de Lis is a cocktail lounge/pizzeria that has been around Baton Rouge for a long time–which is quite apparent by the state of the building and its decor (or lack therof).

Fleur de Lis

The place could probably be certified as a “dive”–cash only, basically a barroom inside, but a thriving business nonetheless. But something has to keep them on top of Baton Rouge’s best pizza list, so I wanted to find out what it was.

I stopped in one evening with two friends and was a little “skeeved” out when we walked in. However, our waitress was very friendly and attentive and made up for the dingy appearance. I tried Fleur de Lis’ specialty, Round the World (Anchovy, Italian Sausage, Mushrooms, Pepperoni, Salami, Onions; anchovy on the side, no onions) while one of my friends had a pepperoni and sausage pizza.

Round the World

Pepperoni and Sausage

The pizza was good, with toppings all the way to the edge so you got that crunchy, slightly burnt cheese taste. I thought there may have almost been too much cheese on the pizza, as it kind of overwhelmed the taste of the other toppings. The crust was good; thin, but not crunchy, and still thick enough to not get soggy during the meal. Overall, I thought the pizza was only OK. But really, there aren’t many pizza-centric eateries in Baton Rouge (only Louisiana Pizza Kitchen and Rotolo’s immediately come to mind, neither of which I’ve tried), so I guess it wouldn’t be difficult to top the “best pizza” list.

Fleur de Lis offers take-out and will half-bake pizzas to make them freezer-ready. I assume that most of their business is done via take-out, and I think if I decide to eat there again, I’d get take-out as well. I didn’t particularly enjoy smelling like pizza grease when I left the building!

www.fleurdelispizza.com