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Out to Lunch: Best pizza in Ocean City?
By KristinMarch 27, 20185 min read
Squarz Pizza Pub: Squarz is a newer restaurant in north Ocean City, which is why I'm not totally embarrassed by the fact that I only just learned of its existence a few months ago. I like to eat around and am not known for committing to one particular restaurant, even if it is for pizza, but Squarz has got me hooked. I might just become a regular. Pushed back from the highway in the Montego Bay Shopping Center ("the one with Tequila Mockingbird," I always tell people), Squarz is not super easy to find. You have to already know that it's there, but they've still seen a steady customer base because word-of-mouth is definitely a thing when it comes to a solid pizza. They're open Thursday - Sunday in the off-season. "Hands down... Best pizza in Ocean City," their website boasts, and while many restaurants might claim this title, this one is telling the truth. Ledo's might be just down the street, but they no longer monopolize Ocean City's square pizza scene -- and Squarz's pies feature a homemade sauce, a special secret cheese blend and a light, fluffy crust that is second to none. Thursday night is now pizza night in my household, because that's when Squarz pizzas are half-off until summer hits. The kitchen is only separated by a half-wall, and you can usually find owner Darren Palitti back there making the pizzas and the pasta-of-the-day himself. The bartenders are great and genuinely want to know what it is you like to drink so they can make their selection -- of craft beer, in my case -- even better. The atmosphere is nice and could only be made better with a little more art on the walls, but we're told that's coming soon.
With its open layout, BL and I also found Squarz to be a good place for hosting events -- it's where we held the Ocean City Film Festival's closing reception/award ceremony. We ended up with way more guests than we anticipated, but the kitchen turned out pizzas like nobody's business.
Bethany Beach Ocean Suites/99 Sea Level: If you're up for the trek to Bethany Beach -- which you should be, since Bethany is beautiful and fun and not too far from OC -- 99 Sea Level in Bethany Beach Ocean Suites is worth a stop for lunch.
I spent most of the day Saturday in BBOS, the site of Shore Craft Beer's first Delaware beer festival. For the day, their ballroom was packed with Delaware breweries handing out tastes of their best brews, as well as music provided by Nashville musicians including Ocean City native Jimmy Charles, who had been in town for the Josh Turner concert.
It's a nice atmosphere, even without all the beer and country songs, though those things definitely help. The hotel lobby features photos of Bethany Beach days of old, and a beautiful blown glass chandelier by Berlin artist Jeffrey Auxer. Head to the back and you'll find yourself in 99 Sea Level, a high-end restaurant specializing in seafood and fresh, farm-to-table fare.
The chef is Danio Somoza, who's been working at the restaurant since its opening three years ago and who has claimed the title of Culinary Coast's Top Chef for two consecutive years. He says he most wants guests to come in and try something new.
What might be the best part of the restaurant is its outdoor seating, which puts you practically right on the Bethany Boardwalk. At the beer festival on Saturday, we were lucky enough that it was sunny and not freezing cold outside. It was another instance of not projecting just how many people would show up to the event, which is always a good problem to have, but the ballroom and lobby weren't quite big enough to hold the hundreds of people who showed up for four hours of beer tasting. Everyone was able to filter in and outside and drink their beers out on the porch, peer out at the ocean and soak up the sun on the beautiful day.
Overall, a good place to drink a beer and fall asleep. And enjoy a cheese board from 99 Sea Level, as featured in this article's header image.About Kristin
Kristin is a writer and photographer in Ocean City, Maryland, and is the content manager for OceanCity.com and other State Ventures, LLC sites. She loves getting reader-submitted stories and photos, so send her an email anytime. She also works part-time at the Art League of Ocean City and the Ocean City Film Festival and lives just off the peninsula with her dog and fiancé. Her photos can be found on Instagram @oc_kristin.
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