No Odd Ordering at Miguel’s
Miguel’s Pizza – Slade, Kentucky
23
MARCH, 2012
I discovered Miguel’s Pizza during my first backpacking trip to the Red River Gorge in March 2012. Miguel’s is a must-stop for any backpacking (or climbing) trip to the Red River Gorge. They are ‘ground zero’ for the world-class rock climbing that the Gorge has to offer. Prior to my 2012 trip I had never heard of Miguel’s, but my pre-trip research kept bringing up mentions of “…and of course we did the mandatory stop at Miguel’s”. So, during my trip I stopped by to find out what all the fuss was about. I learned, yes, they have some of the best pizza I’ve ever had. But I also learned that ordering at Miguel’s Pizza is NOT for those wanting an odd number of ingredients.
“Buy my pizza or I’m going to have to eat my goats” – Miguel Ventura
Short history of Miguel’s Pizza
Miguel’s Pizza first began in 1984 in a renovated 1940-era store. It was opened by Miguel Ventura. But the ‘pizza’ part of Miguel’s would come later, in 1986. At first Miguel’s was an ice cream shop. At the time, the Red River Gorge was starting to climb in popularity as a rock climbing destination. There weren’t many lodging options in the area, so to take care of the climbers in the 1990’s Miguel started charging a $2 for climbers to camp in a large field behind the store. It was a symbiotic relationship – the climbers got a cheap place to stay, and Miguel’s got a steady stream of pizza and breakfast burrito orders. Check out Miguel’s website here.
Miguel Ventura – Founder and Owner of Miguel’s Pizza
From those humble beginnings, Miguel’s Pizza has grown to dormitory housing, tent camping, and house rentals. In addition to some darn good pizza. If you’re interested in learning more about Miguel’s, its history, and the impact it has had rock climbing the area there are a couple articles I recommend you read. This first is an article written by Whitney Boland for climbing.com. You can read the article here. The second is on a website called ‘Kentucky for Kentucky’ (kyforky.com) that you can find here.
First impressions
During my first Red River Gorge backpacking trip in 2012 I discovered Miguel’s quite by accident when driving around the local area. That was in my early, exploration days of backpacking, and I had decided to make the trip into more of a learning experience than backpacking trip. I set up a base camp at the Koomer Ridge Campground. The plan was to explore as many of the Gorge’s landmarks by car or day hiking, and then spend a night or two in the backcountry. During my first drive, I rounded a corner and saw a colorful yellow building with a field behind it packed with tents. Hippie-looking people (rock climbers) were wandering around everywhere. I got some nasty looks when I pulled out my camera to film the scene! This was Miguel’s, and it left a lasting first impression on me.
“A must when you’re visiting Red River Gorge! Huge rock climbing community. They have a seemingly chaotic ordering and serving system that somehow just works. Lots of seating outdoors in the back. Spend some time relaxing before your meal. You’ll be rewarded with some generously portioned and delicious food at a reasonable price.” – Customer Review
Ordering my first pizza – No beer and odd ordering only
I knew nothing about the ordering ‘process’ when I first entered Miguel’s. The ordering instructions are written on the left side of the overhead menu, but I didn’t notice. You’re supposed to write your order on a paper order sheet while waiting in line. I stepped to the counter, totally unprepared. Darn Newbie! Eventually, I ordered my usual pizza – bacon, ham, and pepperoni. They asked me what I wanted for my fourth topping. I said, “no, 4th – just those three.” They told me it was the same price for 1-2 ingredients, 3-4 ingredients, etc. Very strange, but ok…! I asked their suggestion for a 4th, and they said, “we have a killer homemade chorizo.” So, chorizo it was – and it was GREAT! I had discovered chorizo, and it was all because of Miguel’s ‘no odd’ rule.
Ham, Bacon, Pepperoni, and Chorizo pizza from Miguel’s Pizza
Conclusion – Odd Ordering at Miguel’s Pizza
The number of ingredients you order isn’t the only thing limited to even numbers. Miguel’s allows you to order a partial pizza. But if you order less than a whole pizza, you are limited to two or four slices. Hmmm… I don’t know what they have against odd numbers if anything. I’ve read several articles and done Google searches to figure it out, and I couldn’t find one mention of Miguel’s ‘odd’ ordering process. OK, so it’s probably just me that finds it strange! In any case, it hasn’t diminished my love for Miguel’s. I’ve visited Miguel’s for every one of my four Red River Gorge backpacking trips. Bob and I even detoured out of our way to stop at Miguel’s during our 2017 Grayson Highlands AT hike. The pizza has been consistently outstanding each time. Miguel’s… a little ‘odd,’ perhaps, but that’s part of what makes it unique.
YouTube Video – Ordering at Miguel’s Pizza
I am a ‘content creator’ with a passion for backpacking, creating videos, photography, and writing – with a healthy dose of all things outdoors on the side!
