Glasgow’s Eugenes Pizza looks to defend “Best in Montana” crown
On any given night, the crowd at Eugene’s Pizza in Glasgow is large enough to fill the parking lots of three adjacent businesses. Loaded pies fly nonstop off the bricks of the oven, while floury discs of dough fly toward the ceiling of the dining room, providing dinner and a show. And at the center of it all are brothers and co-owners Sam and Jeff Knodel.
A northeast Montana staple for over 50 years, Eugene’s is looking for a repeat of their savory 2015 championship crown in the Montana Mint Pizza Bracket Championship. The Montana Mint Pizza Championship Bracket pits 60 pizza places from across the state in a three-round fan vote to determine the best in Montana. New this year, one spot in the Sweet 16 is reserved for the winner of a write-in ballot.
Pictured with their 2015 Montana Mint Pizza Championship Bracket trophy, Sam (L) and Jeff (R) Knodel are still cranking out the state’s top pizza every day at Eugene’s in Glasgow.
Eugene’s 2015 victory over pizza heavyweights such as Howard’s and Moose’s may have come as a surprise to some in the state, but the fact remains: if you’ve been there, you know.
“We really appreciated the Mint doing the contest,” Sam said. “It seems like we have people stopping in just to try it now because they heard about it through [last year’s contest].”
“Especially a lot of people wanting to have it shipped across the state,” Jeff added.
The Knodels said they saw a definite uptick in traffic after the excitement of last spring’s pizza bracket, and were overnighting pizzas well into April. They had t-shirts made proclaiming “Eugene’s Pizza–Voted Montana’s Best!”, and the trophy the Mint awarded them proudly overlooks the pizza making station.
Eugene’s Championship T-Shirts
So what’s the big deal? Eugene’s thin cracker crust, premium ingredients, and house-made sauces are the secret they believe sets them apart from other Montana pizzerias. According to Jeff, very little has changed in the restaurant over the years, and that’s the way they prefer it.
When asked about mounting a re-election campaign in an already-exhausting election year, the Eugene’s crew seemed confident in the will of the voters. As of yet there are no plans to stage debates, or to name a pizza “The Trump”. No gimmicks, just great food.
A winning recipe of hometown tradition, consistent quality, and a devoted following (some die-hard fans eat there every day) could be the keys to back-to-back Eugene’s titles.
“I think our fans are the most loyal fans that are out there,” said Sam. “We have lots of followers and lots and lots of repeat customers. There’s just no other pizza like this.”
Montana Mint Pizza Bracket Championship Details
You can vote for your first round picks until Sunday, March 20 at 10pm here. You can also vote on Twitter and Facebook. The winners of each round will be displayed the day after each round closes on the Montana Mint website and Facebook page.
The full bracket can be found here. A new campaign poster Montana Pizza shops can hang up in there shop can be found here.
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Aught Five Her spurs are of silver, her pony is gray. Riding the ranges at https://twitter.com/edoornek
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