We’ve all heard our parents tell us that pizza is the main staple of the college student’s diet. Although that statement may now be outdated, has the novelty of a college friendly pizza parlor worn off? The answer is no.

Burke Street Pizza, located in the West End, provides anything one could ask for in a pizza establishment. Unlike commercial chains, Burke Street offers a more personal feel with friendly service and daily changes in the menu.

Burke Street is geared towards college students with a laid back atmosphere. The restaurant offers two services necessary to fulfill the culinary needs of any student: delivery and late hours. Without a car, delivery service ($12 minimum) proves to be extremely useful and prevents anyone from getting the same sandwich again at Subway. Burke Street also has extended hours until 3:00 A.M. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. In other words, it is the perfect place for “late night” dining.

The owners pride themselves for preparing “Authentic New York Style” pizza and can actually support this claim since they are New York and New Jersey natives. I tried a slice of the “BBQ Chicken” pizza and for a heaping slice, I paid a mere $3 (all specialty pizzas are served at this price). More traditional favorites such as a slice of cheese or pepperoni pizza can be ordered for $2 and $2.50, respectively.

Besides ordering by the slice, Burke Street lists an array of specialty pizzas that come in 14-inch, 16-inch and 18-inch sizes. These selections include more creative choices such as the “Voodoo Chicken” made with blackened chicken and sausage blended with red, green and banana peppers for spicy food fanatics ($13.99, $15.99, $17.99).

If none of the specialty pizzas seem appetizing, Burke Street gives you the opportunity to create your own oven fresh pizza. The base cheese pizza starts at $9.99 for the 14-inch and increases to $12.99 for the daunting 18-inch size.

Toppings range from various meats, vegetables and even pineapples for Hawaiian pizza lovers. Each topping costs additionally and ranges from $1.25 (14-inch) to $1.75 (18-inch). There is an extra charge for chicken. If the melted cheese already on the pizza is not enough, you can order additional varieties of cheeses. Feta, mozzarella, and cheddar start at $1.50 up to $2.00 to accompany additional toppings.

Burke Street not only offers quality pizza but also an array of salads and subs. One of their more creative hero sandwiches includes the “Burke Street Bomber,” which consists of either roast beef or turkey breast with bacon slices, melted mozzarella and brown gravy on a toasted garlic hero roll ($5.99 for an 8-inch sub, $6.99 for 12-inch). In addition, Burke Street caters to vegetarians with their “Super Veggie” melt ($4.99, $5.99). Meat lovers aren’t left out with their “Philly Cheese Steak” ($5.99, $6.99) and “Chicken Parmigiana” ($5.99, $6.99), amongst others listed under the “Manager’s Specials.”

For extremely ambitious eaters, Burke Street offers their “Family Feast Special” deal which consists of two 14-inch two-topping pizzas, garlic knots appetizers and a two-liter soda for $23.99 (carry-out or eat-in only). The catch is that this special is only offered on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Their website This text also provides information concerning daily specials on specialty pizzas served by the slice.

My advice about Burke Street is to snag a take-out menu when you visit because you will definitely want to come back or call for delivery.