Pizza Cup 2018: We’re Down to the Elite Eight
The final results from the Sweet 16 round of the 2018 Beijing Pizza Cup are in... and it's been emotional.
This year's most controversial contender, Tube Station, has been ousted from the competition in a shock result by expat-friendly The Local. Did the purveyors of Beijing's largest pizza lose out because they pissed off the Italian community in Beijing (and abroad) with their on-the-nose billboard at the 2018 Beijing Pizza Festival? Or are Beijingers simply more in love with The Local's brand of American-style pizza? We may never know but the end result is the same. The Local in, Tube Station out.
We were not expecting that
The closest race among the other contenders proved to Di'anmen's Italian haven of Eatalia versus the Lido favorite Ramo. As for defeats, fans of Bottega will perhaps be unsurprised to hear that they crushed the Papa John's chain.
While those two big names were locked in their death-grip, these following establishments were also duking it out to defend their territory:
Gung Ho! Pizza beats Pizza Saporita
Pie Squared beats Great Leap Brewing #45
Bottega beats Papa John's
Annie's beats Pyro Pizza
The Local beats Tube Station
Q Mex beats Kro's Nest
Eatalia beats Ramo
La Pizza beats Yummy Box
And now, it's time to get ready for the second-to-the-last round. We hereby present you the contenders for the Elite Eight (drumroll please):
Gung Ho vs. Pie Squared
This one is going to be gruesome, as the reigning champions (Pie Squared) fight former champion (Gung Ho) to make it through to the next round. Sadly, one of these epic pizzerias will have to go. Who it will be, is up to you.
Q Mex vs. Local
Things are about to get really tense around Sanlitun, as neighbors Q Mex and The Local compete to move through to the next round. Only 100 meters separate their two businesses, but will the vote-count be equally narrow?
Bottega vs. Annie's
Traditional, Neapolitan-style Italian pizzeria Bottega is going head-to-head with one of Beijing's first ever pizza purveyors. Neapolitans are known for their fierce pride and fighting spirit, but we don't expect them to show any mercy to old favorite Annie's.
Eatalia vs. La Pizza
Proving that when it comes to defending pizza, Italy will always fight to the end, two of the city's best-loved Italian owned pizzeria heavyweights are heading towards a home-grown showdown. Mamma mia, this one is going to be tough.
Scan/Extract the QR Code below to vote the best pizza through to this year's Elite Eight:
It's been a dramatic and exciting round, but that wasn't all that we asked of you. We also tested your knowledge of local beer, and you voted on which names you knew:
The Big Four:
Jing-A (67 percent)
Great Leap Brewing (62 percent)
Slow Boat Brewpub (61 percent)
Arrow Factory (51 percent)
The Up-and-Comers
5. Panda Brew (34 percent)
6. Legend Beer (25 percent)
The Relatively Unknown
7. Great Outdoors (14 percent)
8. Nbeer Pub (14 percent)
9. Steamrhino (12 percent)
10. Dongli Brewery (7 percent)
11. Urbrew (6 percent)
12. Rolling Rolling (3 percent)
Knockout Round Schedule
The Elite Eight is announced Fri, Oct 26 and closes Tue, Oct 30
The Final Four is announced Tue, Oct 30 and closes Fri, Nov 2
The Championship round is announced Fri, Nov 2 and closes Mon, Nov 5
And finally, our winner of Beijing's Best Pizza 2018 will be crowned on Monday, Nov 5!
With the Sweet 16 results in, these are the final rankings so far
17. Paddy O'Shea's
18. Pizza Marzano
19. Tavola
20. Xian, East Beijing Hotel
21. Mao Mao Chong
22. Domino's
23. La Villa
24. Lievito
25. Tiago
26. The Veggie Table
27. Lily's American Diner
28. Lakers
29. Tribe
30. Pizza Hut
31. Legend Beer
32. NBeer Pub
33. Pizza Factory
34. Stuff'd (closed after voting started)
35. VSports
36. Luga's Villa
37. Eudora Station
38. The Rug
39. Fellas
40. Grandma's Kitchen
41. Le Fromager de Pékin
42. Tim's Texas BBQ
43. Bocca Della Verita
44. Nasca Cafe
45. Mrs Shanen's / Green Cow Cafe
46. LMPlus
47. Mio, Four Seasons Hotel
48. 1st Floor
49. Scott's Family Ristorante Italiano
50. Andy’s
51. Joe’s Bar & Kitchen
52. QS
53. Mr Pizza
54. Assaggi
55. Pizza Buona
56. Flypizza & Hoodakdak Chicken
57. Peter Pan
58. Panda Brew
59. Nine Road Pizzeria
60. Buddy Bar
61. PBD Pizza Bar
62. Fratelli Fresh, Renaissance Beijing Capital Hotel
63. Via Roma, Kempinski Hotel
64. 789 (A-Life)
65. Radici
66. Peiping Machine
67. Pizza Now
68. Bene, Sheraton Grand Dongcheng Hotel
69. Uno Bar & Grill
70. Passby Bar
71. Red Rose
72. Charlie's
73. Max Pizza
74. Mix's Italian Grill, Crowne Plaza Zhongguancun
75. Four Ace
76. Botany
77. Leos Pizza
78. Elisa's
79. Jazz-Ya
80. Prego, Westin Financial Street
81. Casalingo
82. Kitchen Igosso
83. Agrilandia
84. Hisewel Brew-pub
85. Pizzagram
86. Loft Eatalicious
87. Yun Brew
88. Blufish
89. Pinvita
90. Whale's Pizza
91. Miss Pizza
92. Byone
93. Jushi Pizza Just in Time!
94. Atta BJ
95. Ebeiguo
96. BK's Tavern
97. Pomona
Images: the Beijinger, Giphy
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