However, the Pizza Man pie lost points in the category of "Milwaukee-ness." Whereas Balistreri's focused on Brew City-based ingredients, Pizza Man picked Wisconsin-made products, instead.

"It was very close, but Balistreri's was simply more Milwaukee," says staff writer Molly Snyder Edler.

The Classic Slice entry was delicious, too, featuring locally grown basil, feta cheese, and half with Greco meatballs (Greco is a local company), half with curried tofu.

Classic Slice owner Marisa Graff-Lange served her zesty creation with bottles of Spotted Cow, a detail that won bonus points with the judges. However, although the pizza was well-crafted and flavorful, it received a lower score in the category of "Milwaukee-ness."

"I appreciated Classic Slice's ability to appeal to both the carnivores and herbivores without sacrificing its Brew City authenticity. But the curry-seasoned tofu -- although delicious and locally made -- was a bit of a hiccup in their Milwaukee theme," says OnMilwaukee.com staff writer Julie Lawrence. "The combination of feta and basil made my mouth happy, but I wouldn't say it represented our city's 'official' flavor."

Zaffiro's was the least creative with its entry, serving an existing pie taken from its menu called the "EBF" ("Everything But Fish"). The pizza was baked to perfection, with its signature crackery crust and loaded with every imaginable classic topping other than anchovies.

"Both Classic Slice and Zaffiro's delivered on their already solid pizzas. I wish Zaffiro's would've made something unique, because the pizza tasted so great -- it just didn't follow the rules of the contest," says Tarnoff.

A couple of the contest judges found Zaffiro's pizza too meaty, but senior editor Drew Olson was the least bothered by the carnivorous toppings, or their inability to incorporate a Milwaukee theme into the pizza.

"There was nothing particularly 'Milwaukee' about this offering, but that didn't bother me as much as it should have. It always touches off arguments from the thick-crust contingent, but I think this is the best pie in the city. Even though it was heavy with meat and ingredients, the crust holds up and the symphony of flavors is sublime," says Olson.

Balistreri's and Classic Slice plan to feature their "Milwaukee" pizzas on their menus so the public can sample these delectable, Cream City-inspired slices.

"The 'Slice of Milwaukee' pizza contest was a ton of fun, and OnMilwaukee.com sincerely thanks all four of the restaurants for their tasty efforts," says Edler.