Jagger’s — and its pizza — returns to Atlanta
March 3rd, 2008 by Thomas Wheatley in RestaurantsAs a wee tot living in 1980s Druid Hills, my family made a ritual of visiting Jagger’s, the co-ed-filled, beer-drenched pizza joint in the Emory Village shopping center. The pizza was smothered in cheese — drenched, rich, and quite simply the best I’ve ever had. Sometime in the 1990s, however, Jagger’s sold out to Park Bench, and Park Bench ultimately shuttered the Emory location. From that moment on, I’ve been on an unsuccessful search for the cheese-smothered rectangular pizzas touted as “Atlanta-style.”
Well, Jagger’s is returning. And it’ll be located at the Sage Hill Kroger Shopping Center at Briarcliff and Johnson Roads, just a few miles from its former location.
From the man himself, Bill Jagger, on AtlantaCuisine’s message boards:
YES Jaggers is COMING – hopefully before the end of March. With the SAME owner – Bill Jagger. We’re opening up first as pick-up and delivery with the same exact fabulous ATLANTA style pizzas as before. Later, maybe by the end of the year, we’ll be adding a sit-down restaurant (with a bar and we’ll consider those 2 dollar pitchers maybe every Leap Year St. Patty’s Day!)
Here’s a good summary of the pizza by Foodgeek from the AtlantaCuisine message boards:
Jagger’s pizza is cooked in a deep rectangular pan that is not too large – I’d say 6″ by 10″, maybe? – with a very thin crust lining just the bottom of the pan. Holes are rolled into the dough to keep it from rising too much. Then go in sauce and toppings, whatever you want, and the rest of the pan is filled with cheese. Like, we’re talking a lot of cheese, here. Hella’ cheese. The only outer crust on the pizza is actually browned cheese.
March 3rd, 2008 at 5:24 pm
“Atlanta style”
LOL
As in Loaded with Fatty Cheese.
Gotta love the South.
March 3rd, 2008 at 6:13 pm
Amen to that. I usually avoid the stuff, but not with Jagger’s. The writer on the message board says there’s a small crust, but it’s there, and it’s delicious. Toasted and awesome.
Can you tell I’m excited about this?
March 4th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
UMMMMMMMMMMMMMM .
March 4th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
hah, gotta love that first article tag….
March 4th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
no wonder Atlanta is one of fattest states in the nation.
isn’t there something like that already? ….Nancy’s tub-o-cheez ‘za. just call it chee’Za.
i guess “Atlanta-pizza” never caught on anywhere else…what a shame. meh
March 7th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
These other posters have NO idea what they are talking about. I too grew up in Atlanta and have found no other pizza that can compare to Jagger’s pizza. The crust is amazing and any topping you add just increases the enjoyment. I noticed the Jagger’s sign in the Sage Hill shopping center in December and can’t wait until it opens!
March 8th, 2008 at 8:20 am
Jagger’s may have been good – even great – but how can a style of pizza produced by but one now-defunct pizza joint define a city’s style? Seems like typical self-promotion to me.
Good or bad, Atlanta’s style of pizza is probably better defined by Mellow Mushroom or Papa John’s.
March 9th, 2008 at 3:43 am
Robin,
How dare you forget CiCi’s! Little leaguers all over the metro region are offended.
April 22nd, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Seems to me some folks are intimidated by a decent Pizza! Why all the disdain for “Atlanta style Pizza?” What matters is the taste…that’s something I don’t hear anyone arguing about eh!!!
April 25th, 2008 at 5:22 am
Jill,
Intimidated? Where did that come from?
Taste is not everything in life. Most of us would complain about non-organic food being labeled as such, even if it tastes good. Similarly, I take small issue with the labeling of this brand. That’s all – taste is not in the discussion. Nor is intimidation, whatever that means.
June 9th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
Jagger’s pizza is simply THE BEST pizza I have ever eaten!! Hands down. No other pizza even comes close! Now that I know they have reopened, I’ll be getting pizza there at least once a week, even though it is located across town from where I live.
June 9th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
Their website address is http://www.jaggerspizzaemory.com/
June 10th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
Jagger’s pizza is definitely well made and tasty. It may be even the best pizza in Atlanta, but that’s not saying much.
Anyone on here had Cheeseboard pizza in Berkeley, CA? The little shop at Shattuck/Vine accross Chez Panise. CL’s food editors must know what I’m talking about. Now that’s world class pizza!
June 11th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Update…. The veggie special I tried yesterday (for the first time since the original location closed) was indeed overly fatty. It was hard to taste the veggies with the overwhelming presense of cheese. Maybe their meat pizzas are better balanced. I still think Jagger’s is unique pizza, just overhyped a bit.
April 26th, 2009 at 6:57 pm
Eating is one of life’s great pleasures…Jagger’s Pizzas are a real treat to say the least…I never get tired of them….I make the dough every morning, the sauce, and then cook them….it’s fun working there and I’m glad Bill reopened the place….the proof is in the cheese and your taste buds…and good times are waiting for you……..stop by sometime….Later…Hollywood
PS…the chicken wings and salads are great, too…and we now have some banana pudding as an extra treat….these are the good old days