This Legendary Maine Pizza Shop Has Served Cheddar-Topped Pies Since The 1960s

This Maine pizza spot has spent more than six decades proving that a tiny menu and a fiercely protected recipe can be far more memorable. Open since 1960, the no-frills Greek-style pizzeria has earned generations of loyal customers by focusing on one specialty and getting it right.

Each order starts with a 10-inch personal pan pizza, prepared fresh and topped with cheddar instead of the usual mozzarella. That unexpected cheese choice gives every bite a sharper, richer flavor that regulars instantly recognize.

Even pizza lovers traveling from all across Maine may find the trip tempting once they hear about the family history, old-school ovens, secret sauce, and dining room that barely seems to have aged.

How A 1960 Pizza Shop Endured

Back in 1960, a man named Alex Mantis opened a small pizza shop on Alfred Street in Biddeford, Maine, and changed the local food scene forever. What started as a modest corner operation quickly grew into something the community embraced with genuine enthusiasm.

Alex kept his recipe simple and consistent, building trust with every pizza that came out of the oven. When he stepped back, his nephew Andy Mantis took over in the mid-1980s, carrying the torch with the same dedication to quality and tradition.

In 2020, Andy’s daughter Steph Mantis became the owner, marking three generations of family stewardship over one beloved recipe. Steph also happens to be a recognized artist, known for a piece called “Forever Pizza,” where she encased a pizza slice in resin as a tribute to the shop’s lasting impact.

That creative spirit mirrors the pizzeria’s own staying power, rooted in love, craft, and an unwavering commitment to getting the pizza right every single time.

The Menu Is Gloriously Simple

Forget scrolling through a multi-page menu trying to decide between pasta, calzones, and wraps. Pizza By Alex keeps things beautifully uncomplicated by offering exactly one item: pizza.

And only one size at that, a 10-inch personal pan that is perfectly portioned for a single diner.

This focused approach is part of what makes the shop so efficient. Because the kitchen is only producing one product in one size, every pie gets the attention it deserves.

There is no cutting corners, no rushing a batch of breadsticks while the pizzas wait.

The simplicity also means freshness is never compromised. Dough is made on the premises every day, and toppings are prepped in-house rather than pulled from a bag.

The menu does offer a solid range of topping choices, from spinach and feta to pepperoni and hamburg, so there is genuine variety within that focused framework. Simplicity, it turns out, is actually a very smart strategy.

Cheddar Replaces Mozzarella

Most pizza lovers expect to see stretchy mozzarella pulling away from every slice. At Pizza By Alex, that expectation gets tossed right out the window, and honestly, the result is better than you might imagine.

The shop uses a distinctive cheddar cheese blend as its standard cheese instead of the mozzarella found on most pizzas. That extra step of grinding fresh cheese rather than using pre-shredded bags makes a noticeable difference in how it melts and how it tastes.

Cheddar brings a sharper, slightly tangy flavor that plays beautifully against the house-made tomato sauce. The combination creates a flavor profile that feels familiar yet completely distinct from anything you would find at a chain restaurant or typical pizza joint.

For those who want to layer on even more cheese character, feta is available as an additional topping. The cheddar choice is not a gimmick; it is a deliberate, decades-old decision that defines the entire Pizza By Alex identity.

Fresh Dough Made Daily

There is a reason the crust at Pizza By Alex has a texture that feels different from most other pizzas in the region. Every single day, the team prepares fresh dough from scratch using high-gluten flour, which gives the crust its characteristic chew and crispness.

The dough is hand-flapped into a 10-inch pan before cooking, a traditional technique that keeps the process personal and precise. No machines pressing out uniform rounds here; each crust is shaped by hand, which adds a subtle artisanal quality to every order.

A gluten-free option is also available for diners who need it, which is a thoughtful addition without compromising the original recipe.

The commitment to daily fresh dough production is one of those behind-the-scenes details that most diners never think about, but the difference shows up immediately in every bite.

That crispy, satisfying base is not an accident; it is the result of consistent effort and quality ingredients prepared with genuine care.

A Secret Family Spice Blend

Every great pizza needs a great sauce, and the one at Pizza By Alex has been earning its reputation since 1960. Made in-house using a secret family spice blend, this tomato sauce is one of the most talked-about elements of the entire dining experience.

The recipe has remained essentially unchanged since the shop opened, with one notable exception: MSG was removed from the formula at some point over the decades.

That kind of thoughtful evolution, keeping the spirit of the original while making a health-conscious adjustment, speaks to how seriously the Mantis family takes their craft.

What makes the sauce work so well is how it balances with the sharpness of the cheddar cheese. It is not overpowering or too sweet; it hits that ideal middle ground where every ingredient on the pizza gets to shine.

Diners who love extra sauce can request it as an added topping, which is a popular choice among regulars who know exactly what they want from their pie.

The Interior Has Barely Changed Since The 1970s

The interior has remained largely unchanged since the restaurant expanded in 1967 and again in 1972, when the Mantis family acquired a neighboring driving school to add a second dining room.

Park bench-style seating lines the space, and touches of greenery add a warm, lived-in quality that no interior designer could manufacture. The walls and decor carry that unmistakable retro charm that comes only from decades of genuine use, not from a renovation meant to look vintage.

Outside, the corner location is marked by a prominent neon sign that glows with old-school personality, especially at night. The overall setting is casual and welcoming, equally comfortable for a solo lunch or a group gathering.

There is something grounding about a place that has not felt the need to reinvent itself aesthetically, because the food and the atmosphere together already deliver exactly what people come for.

The Old Oven Versus The New Oven

Few things generate more conversation among Pizza By Alex regulars than the choice between the old oven and the newer conveyor belt oven. Both cook the same pizza, but longtime fans will tell you the experience is noticeably different depending on which one you pick.

The old oven has a devoted following among diners who believe it produces a more even cook with better crust texture and depth of flavor. The good news is that customers can simply request the old oven when placing their order, making it a personal preference rather than a guessing game.

The conveyor belt oven is faster and handles high-volume periods efficiently, which matters on busy days when the line stretches and phones ring constantly. Neither option produces a bad pizza; it really comes down to what kind of experience you are after.

For first-time visitors, asking for the old oven is a fun way to experience the shop the way longtime fans have enjoyed it for decades.

Signature Pizzas Include Alex’s Special And Yaya’s Greek

Among the topping combinations available at Pizza By Alex, a few named creations stand out as the best way to experience what the shop does best. Alex’s Special is the flagship combination, loaded with onions, green peppers, salami, pepperoni, mushrooms, and a handful of kalamata olives.

It is a well-balanced mix that reflects the Greek-American roots of the pizzeria, with the olives and salami giving it a Mediterranean edge that sets it apart from a standard pepperoni pie. The flavors work together without any single ingredient drowning out the others.

Yaya’s Greek takes a lighter, vegetarian approach with onions, feta cheese, and spinach, delivering a savory and slightly briny combination that pairs beautifully with the cheddar base.

The Hawaiian option rounds out the specialty lineup with ham and pineapple for those who enjoy that sweet-and-salty contrast.

Each named pizza feels like a personal recommendation from the family rather than just a menu item, which adds a warm, personal touch to the ordering experience.

Bring Cash Before The First Bite

Pizza By Alex operates on a cash-only basis, which might catch first-time visitors off guard in an era where tapping a card has become second nature. Checks with a valid state ID are also accepted, but credit cards are not part of the equation here.

Rather than leaving customers stranded, the shop has an ATM right inside the restaurant, so forgetting to stop at the bank on the way over is not a crisis. It is a practical solution that fits the no-nonsense character of the place perfectly.

Pricing is genuinely affordable for the quality on offer. A plain pizza starts at $8.97, while specialty options like Alex’s Special come in at $13.92.

Additional toppings range from $0.99 to $1.99 each, making it easy to build a customized pie without the total getting out of hand.

For a fresh, handmade pizza with real ingredients and a recipe that has stood for over six decades, the value here is hard to argue with.

Timing Your Pizza Run Matters

Pizza By Alex keeps a consistent schedule that makes planning a visit straightforward. The shop is open seven days a week, Sunday through Saturday, from 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM every day.

No guessing about holiday closures or midweek breaks; the hours stay the same all week long.

One helpful tip for dine-in visitors: the dining area may begin winding down around 7:30 PM even though takeout service continues until 9:00 PM. Arriving earlier in the evening or during lunchtime gives the best chance of enjoying the full sit-down experience without feeling rushed.

Friday evenings tend to be busier, with a steady stream of pickup orders and phone calls keeping the staff moving. Pizzas are made fresh to order and typically take 15 to 20 minutes, so building in a little wait time is part of the experience.