For pizza lovers across the country, Dave Portnoy has become something of a culinary compass. The Barstool Sports founder and self-proclaimed pizza aficionado has, over the years, carved out a niche with his wildly popular One Bite reviews. In August and early September 2025, Portnoy’s pizza pilgrimage took him from the sandy shores of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, to the bustling streets of Columbus, Ohio, with his signature wit and no-nonsense scoring system in tow. Along the way, he shone a spotlight on both longstanding favorites and up-and-coming newcomers, giving locals and foodies everywhere plenty to chew on—literally and figuratively.
Let’s start in Massachusetts, where Portnoy continued his relentless quest to sample the Bay State’s best pies. According to Townsquare Media, August saw him dropping in on two distinct Cape Cod establishments: Sweet Tomatoes Pizza in South Yarmouth and Jack’s Restaurant & Bar in Falmouth. These visits marked his 16th and 17th Massachusetts pizza reviews of 2025, bringing his New England tally for the year to an impressive 23.
Sweet Tomatoes Pizza, with its casual vibe and focus on thin, crispy pies, was up first. The shop, which also boasts a location in Chatham, prides itself on serving pizza by the slice or whole, catering to both the grab-and-go crowd and those settling in for a meal. Portnoy, ever the stickler for details, evaluated the pizza using both his regular scoring system and the special “Cape Scale”—a nod to the unique tastes and standards of the Cape Cod pizza scene.
On the Cape Scale, Sweet Tomatoes scored a dazzling 10.2. But Portnoy, never one to let local pride cloud his judgment, gave it a more tempered 7.3 on his national scale. “It’s the type of pizza I would eat regularly,” he noted, highlighting the shop’s good dynamics and welcoming vibes. He did, however, mention that his slice was “a little floppy,” a trait that might irk some purists, but he was quick to praise the sweet sauce and, for those who like a bit of texture, the tomato chunks on top. While Sweet Tomatoes may lack a bustling social media presence, Portnoy’s review—and a peek at its Yelp page—offer plenty of reason for locals and tourists alike to stop by for a slice.
Next up was Jack’s Restaurant & Bar in Falmouth, a relative newcomer to the Cape Cod dining scene, having opened its doors in 2013. Jack’s touts a diverse menu of elevated pub fare, but it’s the pizza that’s won it local acclaim and a slew of awards. Portnoy’s visit here marked the final stop on his self-styled “Cape Cod Tour,” and he wasted no time in sizing up the goods. As soon as he opened the pizza box, he declared it looked like a “great bar pie”—high praise from a man known for his fondness for this particular style.
“I always score bar pie really high,” Portnoy remarked as he dug in, and Jack’s did not disappoint. He awarded it a 7.9, stating plainly that it “lived up to the hype.” According to The Enterprise, Jack’s has cultivated a loyal following, with signature offerings like the Jack’s Special—topped with onions, mushrooms, peppers, sausage, and pepperoni—drawing crowds. While Portnoy sticks to cheese pizza in his reviews for consistency’s sake, he made it clear that Jack’s variety and quality set it apart in a crowded field.
These latest Massachusetts reviews cap off a busy summer for Portnoy in New England. In July alone, he visited nine Bay State pizzerias, and his total count for the region continues to climb. For fans tracking his journey, the question isn’t just which spot he’ll hit next—it’s whether their own favorite haunt will make the cut (and, hopefully, land a coveted high score).
But Portnoy’s pizza odyssey didn’t end in Massachusetts. As September rolled in, he shifted his focus to the Midwest, specifically Columbus, Ohio—a city with its own fiercely loyal pizza culture. According to The Columbus Dispatch, Portnoy’s latest One Bite review took him to Bobby Jo’s Pizza in Clintonville. What makes this stop especially notable is Bobby Jo’s status as a true newcomer: the shop had been open less than a month when Portnoy arrived, having just launched its kitchen inside Donerick’s Pub on August 9, 2025.
In his 2-minute, 43-second video review posted on the One Bite app, Portnoy was quick to praise Bobby Jo’s. “Good sauce, good tang,” he observed, though he did note, once again, that the crust was “a little floppy.” For those keeping score, that seems to be a recurring theme in his recent tastings. Still, the verdict was positive: Bobby Jo’s earned a 7.5, tying it for 369th place among the staggering 1,143 pizza joints Portnoy has sampled across the country. Not bad for a place that’s only been serving up pies for a couple of weeks!
Owner Danny Phillips, who built buzz through popups and online sales since February, now has the distinction of seeing his fledgling business join the ranks of Portnoy-reviewed establishments—a badge of honor in today’s pizza-obsessed landscape. “It’s only been open two weeks, but we already had people tell me I had to try it,” Portnoy said in his review, underscoring the word-of-mouth excitement that’s propelled Bobby Jo’s rapid rise.
While in Columbus, Portnoy didn’t stop at just one spot. He also paid a visit to The Pizza House on East Lincoln Avenue, a North Side institution with a 64-year legacy. Here, he awarded a 7.4, just a hair below Bobby Jo’s, cementing both as worthy contenders in the city’s competitive pizza scene. The timing of Portnoy’s Columbus tour wasn’t random, either—he was in town ahead of the Ohio State football season opener against Texas on August 30, 2025, adding an extra layer of excitement for both sports and pizza fans alike.
As Portnoy’s reviews continue to rack up views and spark debate, they offer something more than just entertainment. For small business owners, a Portnoy visit can mean a sudden surge in customers and the kind of publicity money can’t buy. For pizza lovers, his honest—sometimes brutally so—commentary provides a roadmap for their next meal. And for the communities he visits, it’s a chance to see their local gems recognized on a national stage.
With 16 Massachusetts pizza places, 23 New England spots, and over a thousand pizzerias nationwide under his belt so far, Portnoy shows no signs of slowing down. Whether you’re a die-hard fan of thin and crispy, a devotee of the classic bar pie, or just someone who loves a good slice, there’s no denying the outsized influence of one man’s taste buds on America’s pizza landscape. So the next time you’re wondering where to grab a bite, you might just want to check if Portnoy’s already been there first.