Doughmocracy! Vote to Decide Who Makes the Final Four Taste-Off

Scan to cast your vote now in the Elite Eight
and get your JSS Delivery Coupon:

More on that later, but for now, let’s take a peek at the results of the Sweet 16:

The top one and two seeds in all brackets managed to make sausage out of the competition, which put an end to the champinship hopes of this year’s crop of newbies -- Forno, Frasca and The Pizza Show -- who nonetheless put up a valiant fight. They will no doubt be forces to reckon with into the future (go try them if you don't believe us).

That leaves us with a round of familiar names and entrenched competitors. Four of the remaining eight are former champions.

In Bracket A, defending champ Pizza Saporita easily slid past Pizza Marzano, while Annie's toppled the mighty Tube Station. 

Bracket B saw Q Mex take down La Pizza and '17 champ Pie Squared knock out newcomer Forno.

Meanwhile in Bracket C, '16 champ Bottega came out on top over The Local, while Gung Ho bested Pyro Pizza. 

In the final bracket, two mighty Beijing brewmeisters outdid the newcomers as Great Leap Brewing bested Frasca and Jing-A felled The Pizza Show.

That brings us to the matchups for the Elite Eight:

Bracket A: The defending champ vs one of the longest-running pizza places in the city:
Pizza Saporita 意块披萨 (#1) vs Annie's 安妮意大利餐厅 (#2)

Bracket B: Perennial contender Q Mex vs one-time champ Pie Squared:
Q Mex Bar & Grill 库迈 (#1) vs Pie Squared 方派 (#2)

Bracket C: two former champs go head to head:
BOTTEGA 意库 (#1) vs GUNG HO! 叫板！比萨 (#2)

Bracket D: The battle of the brewmeisters:
Great Leap Brewing 大跃啤酒 (#1) vs Jing-A Brewing Co 京A (#2)

If you’re still having trouble deciding, though, then pull up your JSS Delivery App and give a couple a try. Otherwise, just grab your JSS coupon for RMB 30 off your next pizza when you complete your ballot.

Single and ready to mingle? Grab your tix to the Taste-off now!  

We just released 24 new single seats for the two afternoon sessions of the Final Four Taste-Off Saturday. Grab ‘em before they sell out again!

Meanwhile, there are still some tables available too, so feel free to gather the whole gang for the tasting.

Scan with WeChat to grab your tix

Extra Cheese

In addition to the main vote, we also asked you the most pressing question in the world of pizza: Does pineapple belong on a pizza?

The answer is a resounding YES, with 81% of the voters saying they love it themselves or believe it's your god-given right to put whatever you want on your pizza (and no one should tell you otherwise, mister). This puts Beijing in sharp contrast to the nation of Iceland, whose president once attempted to outlaw the practice.

Indeed, if you’ve ever dined at local pizza buffet, then you know that there is a very open mindset about what can go on pizza in Beijing. That’s reflected in the demographic disparity in our survey, which found that 97 percent of local Chinese gave pineapple a thumbs up, while foreigners were split -- 60 percent in favor, 40 percent against.

Pineapple and pizza. Love at first sight, or an unholy combination?

The pro-pineapple crowd are a mix of both fans of the savory-sweet combo and pizza libertarians with an anything-goes attitude. See some of their responses for yourself:

It does belong. As the body requires its hands, so does the pizza require the pineapple.

It’s a great Canadian invention! Not every time but once in a while it’s nice. You can also substitute the ham with bacon for a different spin

It's a modern classic!

Depending on the pizza base/sauce and especially with salami/pepperoni it brings required freshness to an otherwise heavy, greasy taste.

For me, no -- but pizza is an amazing food in that it can be embraced by any region or culture and adapted to those local flavors.

I’m ok with pineapple on a pizza from time to time. It adds a nice sweetness to it.

Pineapple does not belong on pizza traditionally, but who cares? It tastes amazing!

Pineapple deserves a place in the land of pizzas. Hasn’t 2020 already demonstrated to us that the world is a better place the more accepting we are of each other’s differences?

Pizza is a form of art. Creativity is not limited by its toppings.

If you like it, why not? Don’t harsh someone else’s mellow.

The anti-pineapplers, meanwhile, are generally traditionalists, arguing that tropical fruits are not placed on pies in Italy or in New York City, or they claim the sweet topping does not belong on a savory creation. Here's some of their attempts to justify their position:

It's a crime against humanity

It's disrespectful to the pizza gods

It makes a pizza too sweet, and soggy

In Italy we no have pineapple, historically

I'm from NYC & IT'S NOT CUSTOM!

Pizza is mediterranean, pineapple is tropical. No way that combination should exist

Pineapple on pizza is a tragic decision.  Just some things are not appropriate.

I’d say no, because it’s disgusting, but people can put whatever they want on their pizza.

No. It just tastes rank. Pineapple, durian, and sweet mayonnaise on pizza can all get in the sea.

Definitely not. If you’re going to put pineapple on pizza why not just put peaches or pears on it as well? Gross.

As for weird toppings, our readers have tried all manner of odd items on their pizzas: Fruit such as apples, dates, cherries, peaches and prunes; Chinese delicacies such as chicken feet, chicken hearts, stinky tofu, yams and dumplings; as well as a variety of other flotsam and jetsam such as curry, crushed taco shells, french fries, scallops and wasabi.

So that's the round -- and you only have three days to decide who goes to the Final Four! We'll be announcing the Final Four on Thursday, and then its on to Boxing Cat for the live Taste-Off.

As is our custom, we also asked you in the last round of voting to rank the competitors that did not make the Sweet 16; here's what you said: (and thus is their final standings in the 2020 Cup):

17. Kro's Nest 乌巢 
18. Xian Bar, EAST,Beijing 北京东隅仙酒吧 
19. Pizza Hut 必胜客 
20. Hulu 琥禄 
21. Baozza 包萨 
22. Boxing Cat Brewery 拳击猫精酿啤酒馆 
23. Domino's Pizza 达美乐比萨 
24. Papa John's 棒约翰比萨 
25. Turkish Feast 西庭·秀色 
26. EATALIA 意塔利意式餐厅 
27. TIAGO 
28. Yummy Box 美盒披萨 
29. Green Cow City Cafe 单太太绿牛咖啡 
30. Paddy O'Shea's 
31. Plan B 
32. The Rug 

They join those that were ranked in the last round:

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