Blaze Pizza: National chain all fired up for Baltimore debut

Have you ever been in line at a Subway and thought, “Boy – I sure wish they could do this with pizza”? Not-to-worry. Starting today, choosy diners may pick their artichokes and applewood bacon – assembly line style – at Baltimore’s very first Blaze Pizza restaurant.

Located at the Inner Harbor’s Lockwood Plaza (600 East Pratt Street, Baltimore, Maryland) Blaze Pizza is convenient to anyone touring the downtown business district and Inner Harbor area. There is also a location in College Park, Maryland.

The Subway comparison is not meant to be an insult. Anyone familiar with the ubiquitous sandwich chain knows the routine: you select your fresh-baked bread and then order your meal from an array of meats, vegetables and other fixin’s. Blaze Pizza starts with that highly successful model then kicks it up a notch with 40+ toppings, gluten free options and a veritable inferno of an oven. Blaze also offers a nutrition calculator and a calorie count for all of its many offerings – valuable information for those who are fighting the battle of the bulge. Allergen information is also available.

The pizzas at Blaze are all “fast fired” in a special oven. In this oven the dome temperature can reach upward of 900F, while the floor temperature typically ranges from 600F to 800F. From the moment you begin your order to the second the first slice tickles your taste buds, less than eight minutes will elapse. Freshly made fast food doesn’t get any faster than that.

House selections for the standard twelve inch shell range from a Simple Pie of mozzarella, parmesan, red sauce, to more exotic fare such as the Green Stripe (pesto drizzle over grilled chicken, roasted red peppers, chopped garlic, mozzarella, arugula) or the White Top (white cream sauce with mozzarella, applewood bacon, chopped garlic, oregano, arugula). There are also vegetarian options in the form of the Veg Out (zucchini, mushrooms, red onion, mozzarella, gorgonzola, red sauce dollops ) and more robust pulp for the paleo crowd like the BBQ Chkn (grilled chicken, mozzarella, red onion, banana peppers, gorgonzola, bbq sauce drizzle) and the ever popular Meat Lovers (pepperoni, crumbled meatballs, red onion, mozzarella, red sauce). The meats, by the way, are nitrite free.

Not sure you want to opt for just one? The friendly staff will gladly construct the half-and-half of your choosing. They will also make about any kind of pizza you desire – provided the needed ingredients are on hand.

How does the quick-fired fare taste? Our staff sampled the Veg Out, Meat Lovers and Green Stripe pizzas, and all came away quite satisfied. We also chomped on a beet salad before indulging on a desert of succulent s’mores.

Beverage options were limited to lemonade, fresh brewed tea, soft drinks and bottled water.

The average cost per person with food and drink was about $12.00.

While the food is tasty and reasonably priced, the ambience is a different matter.

Though brightly lit and very clean, Blaze Pizza has the look of a chichi cafeteria and the acoustics of a grade school gymnasium. The kids at the Wednesday night preview thoroughly enjoyed the echo effect, but anyone over thirty – probably not so much. Forget normal conversation. This is not a place to bring clients for a business lunch. Nor that first date – unless you’re down with getting to know someone solely via body language.

Not that any of this will matter to Millennials who socialize with phone in hand and earbuds in place. We suspect that’s the crowd who will most enjoy the Blaze Pizza experience. Regardless – the staff is quite efficient, super friendly and highly accommodating. It may also be quieter when the children are in school.

Want to judge for yourself? This Friday, April 8, Blaze is offering free pizzas from 11 am – 10 pm to anyone who likes Blaze Pizza on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or Snapchat.

More information about the company and its products, along with store hours and directions, may be found by visiting Blaze Pizza.