Don’t let the catchy name fool you. Lost Pizza Co. is easy to find. And, it occupies a very prominent place on the road to pizza heaven. I get it, it’s hard to believe someone has discovered a way to transform an ordinary round of dough pilled with toppings into something other than, well, ordinary pizza. If I can continue to enjoy one of Lost Pizza’s creative, gourmet pizzas topped with some of the most delicious sauce, meat, and cheese combinations I’ve ever tasted, I’m fine with being lost.
First, a little background on the unusual name. Lost Pizza Co. began as a dream of childhood friends from Indianola. Brooks Roberts and Preston Lott were roommates at Mississippi State University and dreamed of opening a restaurant while pursuing agriculture degrees.
Fast forward to 2007 – Roberts was living in the Virgin Islands and Lott came over for a visit. One conversation led to another and their restaurant dream was revived. Their first thought was to name their restaurant Lost Dog Pizza after the pub in which they met to make plans. After learning there was already a Virginia restaurant named Lost Dog, they shortened the name to Lost Pizza Co.
The first Lost Pizza Co. opened in Indianola in 2007, followed by a second location in nearby Cleveland. Today, there are franchise locations around Mississippi and in neighboring states. Check out their website for locations, but I’m guessing you already know if a Lost Pizza is in your area. Word travels fast about extraordinary pizza and Lost Pizza offers that – and much more.
Besides pizza, Lost Pizza serves salads, sandwiches, appetizers, and pasta dishes, but I won’t keep you waiting. I’ll get right to the main attraction. I learned a little about the ingredients that make Lost Pizza a step above most of the pizza I’ve sampled while talking to the manager of the Flowood location. I found out the dough is made fresh daily and only 100% meat, custom-blend, all-natural cheeses, and freshly sliced vegetables are deemed worthy of being placed on a Lost Pizza. Besides all that, the special sauces are, in my opinion, what transforms an ordinary pizza into something spectacular.
I didn’t get the recipe, but did learn the “secret sauces” are made fresh daily; no canned tomato sauce will do. When you try it – and perhaps you already have – you’ll agree “the secret’s in the sauce.” It’s just one of the reasons Lost Pizza has been at the top of several “Best in Mississippi” lists over the years.
Okay, enough background – on to those pizzas. During my first visit, I selected Fatboy’s Bacon Cheeseburger ($8.35-individual, $16.59-medium, $19.99-massive). I’d sampled cheeseburger pizzas before and loved them, but this one was like no other I’d tried.
Atop the homemade dough (I ordered thin crust, but it was still springy and full of flavor) is the special sauce, seasoned beef, bacon, red onions, ketchup, mustard, and cheddar cheese and baked together into a delectable cheeseburger on a plate. It’s then topped with chopped lettuce, fresh tomatoes, and pickles.
Other signature pizzas are Hector’s Taco Pie ($8.35, $16.59, $19.99) featuring seasoned beef, onions, and cheddar with a salsa base, topped with fresh tomatoes and lettuce, and The Hot Chick ($8.35, $16.59, $19.99) topped with a house-made ranch base, grilled chicken breast, onions, and buffalo wing sauce.
Also on the pizza menu are The Pitt Boss ($9.35, $17.59, $20.99) featuring pulled pork, red onions, cheddar, and bacon with a barbecue sauce topping; The Kujo ($10.35, $19.95, $22.99) topped with hickory ham, pepperoni, Italian sausage, beef, onions, green peppers, black olives, and mushrooms; The Lucille ($8.35, $16.59, $19.99) with grilled chicken, bacon, roasted garlic, fresh tomatoes with ranch, and The Otis ($10.35, $19.95, $22.99) piled high with bacon, hickory ham, pepperoni, Italian sausage, pork sausage, beef, and grilled chicken breast.
Those that enjoy a spicier pizza should definitely try the El Diablo ($9.35, $17.59, $20.99) topped with grilled chicken, bacon, roasted red peppers, banana peppers, jalepenos, and barbecue sauce.
For those that prefer less or no meat, there’s The Happy Hippie ($8.35, $16.59, $19.99) topped with fresh baby spinach, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, green peppers, onions, and black olives and The Islander ($8.35, $16.59, $19.99) featuring bacon, pineapple, and roasted red peppers.
If you’re still hungry after sampling the pizza (highly doubtful, but miracles do happen!), there are a number of appetizers on the menu, ranging from Mississippi Delta hot tamales ($8.25) to fried ravioli ($5.99) to wings ($7.99-$12.99) served in a variety of flavors.
Lost Pizza also serves sandwiches ($8.99), including the Lost Pizza Sub, Delta Melt, Court Street Panini and Yardbird.
Pasta dishes include grilled chicken Alfredo ($11.99), chicken spaghetti ($10.99), spaghetti and meatballs ($10.99), and baked cheese spaghetti ($10.99).
If you need a salad to pair with your pasta or pizza, there the house ($3.50-$5.50), chef ($5.99-$8.99), Caesar ($3.49-$5.74), and Greek ($9.99)
There are also a number of dessert pizzas ($6.99-$14.25) on the menu, including ones topped with cheesecake, pineapples, and strawberries, each with a dash of icing.
Lost Pizza in Flowood is located at 144 Friendly and Fresh Dr. near the Castlewoods entrance. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week. To find the location nearest you, check out the website at www.lostpizza.com.