East Idaho Eats: Malad pizzeria shines with secretly delicious dough

Photo: A half hot hog and honey-half Clint’s pizza from The Pizza Stop in Malad. Video: Clint and Leslie Brackin, co-owners of The Pizza Stop in Malad discuss their food and restaurant. | Kalama Hines, EastIdahoNews.com

MALAD CITY — For nearly 20 years, The Pizza Stop has been a fixture in Malad City — offering wings, pastas, salads and what many locals believe to be the best pizza around.

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Husband-wife ownership team Clint and Leslie Brackin met in front of a pizza oven, at The Pizza Stop in Preston. That was where the business was launched more than 30 years ago by Clint’s parents.

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The business was then expanded to Malad City, which has embraced and allowed it to be one of the few businesses that have succeeded in the small town.

What sets Pizza Stop pizza apart from other pizza is the crust. Asked what it is that makes their crust stand out, Leslie and Clint offered different perspectives.

Leslie said quickly, it is the love that goes into the dough. Clint, on the other hand, offered a bit more information — though he was careful not to give away any of the recipe secrets.

“It’s probably what’s actually in the crust (that sets it apart from others). Most (crust recipes) are pretty basic, but there’s a lot of other stuff in (our crust) — it goes a lot deeper.”

The Brackin’s take the same ingredient-forward approach to everything else they serve, like the pasta.

As Clint explained, many pizza places that offer pasta use a cheese-based sauce — after all, that’s what they have in bulk. Pizza Stop, he added, uses real cream making their Alfredo.

For our visit, EastIdahoNews.com was offered the chicken and mushroom Alfredo, and a signature pizza.

The pasta was creamy, with the perfect ratio of mushroom and chicken to noodle. As someone who does not often choose pasta from a pizza menu — why, when there’s pizza? — this Alfredo made me reconsider life choices.

The pizza was a half-and-half. One side was the Hot Hog and Honey — topped with bacon, sausage, red chili flakes and hot honey sauce.

As someone who always puts chili flakes on his pizza, the idea of it seemed perfect. The execution was as good. The combination of the pork-centric pie with a touch of spice was fantastic.

The other half was, what is called, the “Clint Pizza.”

This is a creation thought up by the co-owner, who explained, he often finds himself hungry while working through the night make fresh dough. His pizza is a quick, creative and unique pie.

There is no mozzarella. Instead, a double-helping of pepperoni is stacked directly on top of a barbecue sauce drizzle. On top of that, there is several helpings of parmesan cheese and, finally, a hot sauce drizzle.

“If you’re around, maybe give this one a try — it’s definitely full of flavor,” Clint said of his creation.

Full of flavor it is. The almost strange combination of pepperoni, hot sauce and barbecue sauce is something I would never have thought to make, but I am glad Clint did.

Clint and Leslie said they have been approached by people from both Pocatello and Logan, Utah, about expanding their restaurant, but they have declined. Clint’s brother Collin, who purchased the Preston location from their parents, is currently in the process of expanding to Smithfield, Utah, but expansion is not currently in Clint and Leslie’s plans.

“We’re comfortable with just keeping this one our baby,” Clint said.

The Pizza Stop in Malad is located at 99 North Main Street. They are open Monday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

You can find them on Facebook — here.

If you would like to make a recommendation for the next destination to be included on East Idaho Eats, email Kalama@EastIdahoNews.com and include “EATS” in the subject line.