Whichever way you say it, you need to try the one at Valley Pub in West Des Moines. We can settle the name debate later. First, let me explain how we even got here.
It was the best kind of accident.
I agreed to volunteer at the junior high dance, thanks to a convincing friend — the plan after was simple. Dance over, kids head to the football game with the principals, and the chaperones hang out. Perfect.
We ended up at Valley Pub because of its proximity to the stadium. And that’s how we found the pizza that changed everything.
It’s hard to explain without sounding dramatic, but I’m going to try anyway. The homemade ranch. The crunch and grease of the bacon. The bite of the chicken. The crust. Everything about it is exactly right. It’s not on the menu. You just have to know.
We kept going back. Every football game. Random Fridays when we all weren’t busy doing kid things. And somewhere along the way, the bacon chicken ranch pizza group was born. We talk life, we talk books — we have an actual list! — and we eat the best pizza that isn’t listed anywhere.
Here’s what I love most about this group though. It’s a mix of friends from completely different parts of my life — PTO, soccer, you name it. People who maybe never would have ended up in the same room are now sitting around the same table every few weeks. There is something really special about watching friendships come together over a common interest. In this case, that common interest just happens to be pizza. Honestly, there are worse things to bond over.
Matt had one question when I described it. “It’s a book club?”
Well. Not exactly. But we do talk about books. So …
It’s a hole in the wall. Perfect vibes. Perfect friends. Perfect every single time.
And if that’s not enough, the Mexican restaurant next door has live music and free nachos with margaritas on Fridays — and shallow shots. You’re welcome.
