Papa Murphy's Take N Bake Pizza on Clinton Hwy in Knoxville, TN

Friends of mine absolutely rave about getting pizza from Papa Murphy's. I needed a little convincing to try it. After all, why pick up a pizza that has to be baked at home? Why not order from Pizza Hut or pick one up that's already cooked? I didn't get it. Now, I do.

Papa Murphy's wasn't busy on the day I arrived. The staff was pleasant and answered my questions. They just didn't volunteer any extra information. Fortunately, the menu board was pretty self-explanatory.

The first thing you notice when you walk in is the large glass counter. It reminded me of Subway. You can watch while the staff person works. Each pizza is made fresh by hand. If you are in the mood for cookies there are tubs of dough available. Papa Murphy also offers salads, desserts and appetizers. (Click here for a full menu.)

I wasn't sure what to expect when we got home. The pizza instructions said to leave the pizza on the tray and cook for 12-15 minutes. The whole tray thing made me want to dig out the fire extinguisher - just in case.
In no time at all the pizza was ready. There was no sign of fire or smoke and it smelled delicious. It took all of 30 seconds for the taste testing crew to arrive and longer than that for me to set the table.

We picked up a salad to go with the meat pizza from Papa Murphy's. The salad was fresh and crisp. Dressing and croûtons added the perfect touch. Were well pleased. But, as good as the salad was, it couldn't touch the pizza.

The freshness of the toppings was apparent in the first bite. Twelve minutes in the oven melted the cheese perfectly. The meat toppings were flavorful and the sauce wasn't the sticky sweet stuff that you sometimes get. Hubby thought the crust was a little thick. My daughter loved the crust. Go figure. Both of them loved the toppings. I loved having a fresh hot pizza straight out of the oven. We'll call it a win.

Now, we're hooked. The next time we're in the mood for pizza I might just be at the Papa Murphy's Take n Bake Pizza. It's on Clinton Hwy. in Powell across from the Suntrust on the corner. Click here for directions.