The Pioneer Eats Here series went back outside Allen County with a quick drive to Huntington County. The restaurant scene in Huntington County is more diverse than you think. There are plenty of diners, sandwich spots, Mexican restaurants, and high-class places like Joseph Decuis. However, the winner for the best restaurant is The Patio Pizza & BBQ in Roanoke!
This is the first pizza place in the series, and it’s a place that was able to get its followers to help vault it to the top of the voting by posting a video on Facebook.
The Patio was opened by Jay and Jodie Geiger in 2019 after they spent two years researching, creating, and tasting pizza.
“While we had plenty of restaurant experience, pizza was a new adventure,” Jodie Geiger said. “We dove in by attending pizza shows, working in test kitchens, and experimenting until we created a menu we love. Our goal was simple: Offer a variety of delicious options from appetizers and pizza to BBQ favorites in a space that felt as inviting as your own backyard.”
This experience was different than our previous ones because we were able to share what we ordered. We got four different types of pizza, and spoiler alert, they were all good.
We arrived around prime lunch time, and the place was packed. The crowd was a mix of construction workers, friends catching up for lunch, and a big family taking up a few tables. Amy was our server, and she was awesome. She was running around the patio the entire time we were there.
“We’re proud to be a part of a community that supports us just as much as we support it. Our team members love what they do and share that passion with every guest who walks through our doors,” Geiger said. “The Patio has become a favorite gathering place for professionals, friends, and families alike. Guests love the outdoor vibe in the summer and fall, and thanks to our enclosed patio, it’s a cozy and inviting space all year round.”
If you’re ever swinging through Roanoke or you need a new pizza place, The Patio has got you covered. Here are our thoughts on the meal and overall experience at The Patio!
Brice
We started the meal with the fried green bean appetizer, and it was a pleasant surprise. The beans tasted like they were picked out of the garden right before they were battered and fried. The four pizzas we tried were: Mac Burger, Smoked Chicken Chipotle, The Patio, and Meet Me at the Patio. I think everyone’s favorite, including mine, was the Mac Burger. Pineapple on pizza is controversial, but pickles might be more divisive. However, they paired perfectly and made me think I had just taken a bite out of a burger.
The sauce on the Smoked Chicken Chipotle was excellent, the meat on The Patio was super flavorful, and the Meet Me at the Patio was a balanced combination of salty, savory, and sweet.
Hannah
The fried green bean appetizer was amazing and probably my favorite item we had. If you’re a fried pickle fan like me, you’ll have to check out this option!
Pizza Rankings:
- Mac Burger Pizza- a delicious combination of the best parts of a burger and the best parts of mac n cheese that pair perfectly together!
- The Patio (with BBQ sauce!) and Smoked Chicken Chipotle (with Ranch!)- These two are tied to me because they are both so good but so different. They were even better with the added sauce to dip them in!
- Meet Me at The Patio- A solid meat-lover’s pizza option!
Callie – Brisket Sandwich
Talk about friendly customer service! Amy was energetic and made our experience very smooth (even though we had a crazy order during a lunch rush).
If you’re a frequent Pioneer Eats Here reader, you may remember I am dairy-free, so I opted out of their exciting pizza offerings and went with a sandwich!
The brisket was tender and smoky! I enjoyed having the onion straws on the side to add a bit of crunch, and the horseradish sauce gave it the kick it needed.
The fried green beans were great! Very crispy and fried to perfection while keeping that freshness of the green bean alive!
Ashton
The Patio Pizza and BBQ was great! We started out with some yummy deep-fried green beans, made from garden-fresh green beans. We then sampled four different pizzas. While I enjoyed each of them (a lot!), I’d have to say that the Mac Burger was my favorite. The pickles added a delightful crunch and tang that just elevated the whole experience. The Meat Me at the Patio pizza was a classic meat-fest of a pizza, which was delicious. The Smoked Chipotle Chicken was particularly good and had a unique taste among the rest of the flavors!
This blog series was created to highlight the best restaurants in Northeast Indiana. If you missed out on voting the first time, make sure to follow our social media to vote for your favorite restaurant in one of our 11 counties.
Our previous stops in this series: Caruso’s in Steuben County, Albion Ale House in Noble County, Fulton & Main in Adams County, Botanas Locas in Kosciusko County, Shorty’s Steakhouse in DeKalb County, Destination 814 in LaGrange County, Harry’s in Wabash County, and Mercado in Downtown Fort Wayne.
Brice Vance is the copywriter and brand strategist for NEI, and his first job was at a pizza place. The Patio knows how to do it and is way better than where he used to work.
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