Earlier this week, I was invited to join several other bloggers to learn more about Papa Murphy’s pizza stores. The company is different from others in that their products are take-and-bake, meaning they prepare the pizza instore, but you cook the pizza yourself at home.

So the big question is why would somebody take-and-bake when they can just call up and have a pizza delivered, already cooked.

The answers we found were freshness and customizability.

Papa Murphy's pizza stores — The cooler, mixer/chopper, and dough hopper at Papa Murphy’s.

Papa Murphy’s locations do not have freezers. Nothing is shipped or stored frozen. They make the pizza dough in store from scratch, as we witnessed yesterday morning. They also cut and shred all the toppings in store as well. This means everything that goes on your pizza is fresh, and that is something you can really taste in the final product.

As for customizing your pizza, in addition to popular combinations ranging from gourmet vegetarian to 5-meat, you can also put together your own combination, including such unusual toppings as zucchini and artichoke hearts. They don’t skimp on the toppings, either. A family size pizza has almost a pound of cheese. You can also choose from several base sauces, including traditional pizza sauce, a hearty herbed tomato, and a creamy garlic sauce. They will even put together a half-and-half pizza, if your family or group can’t agree on what to get.

Once you get your creation, you don’t need anything else but an oven. Your pizza is already on an oven-proof cooking tray, so just pop it in and set the oven to the temperature specified on the instruction sheet the pizza is wrapped in, and you have your pizza, your way, when you want it.

But how does it taste, you ask. Really delicious. The crust cooked crisp on the bottom with a little chew (I should note I had the original crust – they also offer pan and stuffed pizzas). The toppings tasted really fresh, and one slice was very filling.

Besides having tasty pizzas, another thing that impressed me about Papa Murphy’s was how involved in the community they are. They have programs that reward good students, and book readers (and more) with treats such as a cookie dough dessert. They give out certificates to local schools for them to reward the kids for participation and encouragement. They also participate in fundraisers for local groups and charities.

Papa Murphy’s currently has three stores in the Orlando area: Apopka, Lake Mary, and Ocoee. They are looking to expand, but for now, only those on the northwest side of town get to enjoy their pizzas. In addition to pizzas, they also have several dessert style pizzas, as well as sodas and other beverages for sale.

For more information, including full menus and coupons, visit PapaMurphys.com.

Thanks to manager Nathan Ball and his employees for inviting us to visit their store and show us what goes into making a Papa Murphy’s pizza.

Have you eaten a Papa Murphy’s pizza? What do you think of it?

*Disclaimer: we were invited to visit Papa Murphy’s Apopka store. As always our reviews are our own.

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About Michelle Snow

Michelle is the owner and editor of CitySurfing Orlando. She also owns Zengrrl.com, is a freelance writer specializing in travel and entertainment, and has authored/co-authored four guidebooks on Orlando and Florida. She lives in Orlando near Disney, and hears Magic Kingdom fireworks every night.