In 1977 Robert and Cheryl Fulton of Warrenton opened the Astoria Fultanos Pizza and I think I speak for my generation when I say that if you grew up on the coast, you grew up eating Fultanos pizza. Though I have sampled some wonderful pizzas in my life, and some of them truly authentic, there is nothing quite like Fultanos, and it is the standard that all other pizzas must meet. The Fultons no longer own the Astoria Fultanos location, but you can find them most days at the Warrenton location dishing up pizza with a smile. Since 1998, the Astoria Fultanos has been owned and operated by Mark and Eryn Cary, who have continued to serve wonderful pizza in the Fultanos tradition.

I began my recent visit to Fultanos with a trip through the salad bar. Better than the average pizza parlor salad bar, there are a variety of fresh toppings, including traditional veggie fare, peas, beets and hard-boiled eggs. Many pizza places Ive visited in my life try to pass off pizza toppings as a salad as if anyone wants saucer-sized tomato slices in a salad but Fultanos surpasses others in this category. Each of the salad dressings offered are also above average, with toothsome blends of savory spices, and are house-prepared.

A plate of cheesy breadsticks was also quite good, with cheddar and mozzarella cheeses melted atop soft, chewy breadsticks. The breadsticks were served with ranch dressing and marinara sauce on the side, and my only real complaint about the food is that the marinara sauce seemed much more like tomato paste than a real sauce and was too thick to really dip a breadstick into. It didnt have much discernible flavor, certainly not the notes of oregano, basil, and thyme that I would expect from marinara, and I actually wondered if someone in the kitchen had mistaken tomato paste for marinara. With the ranch dressing, though, the breadsticks were a home run, and they were also pleasing all on their own without any dipping sauce at all.

The main event of the evening, the pizza, was up to Fultanos usual standard of excellence and was terrific. The Big Coppola known in most other places as Hawaiian pizza with Canadian bacon and pineapple, was sweet and tangy. I am not particularly a fan of Hawaiian pizza in general, as I think pineapple in close proximity to tomato sauce is an off-putting combination, but that is just my personal taste. My fellow diners loved the Big Coppola, though, and the pizza toppings were generous.

I also ordered a pizza with pepperoni, Canadian bacon, sausage and olives, which was much more to my taste. The flavors of the pizza were rich and robust, and again, the toppings generous.

Fultanos greatest shining star is its remarkable pizza crust. The yeasty crust has a beer-like, fermented flavor, probably owing to the fact that the dough is aged two days before baking, and the bottom of the crust is dusted with cornmeal and is crisp. I have tried, unsuccessfully, to replicate the dough at home when I make pizza, and I would love to know what the restaurants secret is.

As the longest-standing Fultanos restaurant, the Astoria location, in my opinion, could use a little sprucing up atmosphere-wise, and that is my only real complaint about my most recent visit. For example, my fellow diners and I had several children between us, and they were disappointed to discover that all but one of the video games in the arcade area were out of order, and there were no signs posted on the games to indicate this. I would have appreciated knowing this before getting $10 in quarters from the front counter (as the change machine also didnt seem to be working); it seems like the non-working games could have been mentioned to me at the counter, as I cant think of another reason a person would want so many quarters.

In terms of the food, though, the Astoria Fultanos remains a top choice for pizza in the area, and I have been, and will continue to be, a fan for life.