Scratch Brick Oven

Very laid back and relaxing environment. Highly recommend the trust pizza these guys know their stuff!

Best pizza in JC, hands down. You have to get used to the «process», but once you do, youll be back again and again. The pesto breadsticks are a must try — that pesto sauce is right on! Super friendly service and a really fun, relaxed atmosphere.

Top notch pizza! Funky vibe and friendly faces. Will continue to fill my pizza cravings at Scratch :))

Great food and atmosphere! Shared a trust pizza with some co-​workers and we loved it! Will definitely have to go again when I’m back in town!

This is by far the best pizza place ever… definitely my favorite. Get pesto sauce & full or limited trust. Yummmmmy.

I really like this place. Although the atmosphere is a bit more hipster than I am into, the food is amazing. They offer some specialities like the Chicago which is incredible. They took us back to see the brick oven and how they bake the pizzas. Really interesting!
I would recommend for sure. It’s local as well and it’s best to eat local!

Tried this pizza cause I had heard good things about it. It was horrible the pepperoni didn’t look like pepperoni and tasted like bacon. The pizza didn’t have good flavor at all. It was the worst pizza Ive ever gotten. I wont go back.

Trust, trust is where it’s at. Their gluten free pizza is the bomb! And they are very careful, never gotten sick.

I love their pizza and cheese sticks. It is one of those things where it is dependent on the oven being a perfect temp and who is working as to how nice your pie looks and tastes. They are my favorite non-​delivery pizza place!
It is B.Y.O.B. also, so that is a fun twist.

Pizza is amazingggg. They also deliver through double time which is great. I do wish they had more topping selections

I moved here after spending a year 10 miles outside New Haven, CT. I don’t have much to say about CT, but I do have to admit they have the best pizza in the US. I knew that was going to be the one thing I would miss and I hoped to find decent pizza in Johnson City. Scratch exceeded my expectations. I had to try the limited trust pizza and they made a completely creative dish. I am not at all disappointed to be living where I can get this masterpiece any time I want. One night I will have to break down and try the Chicago deep dish style. Just need to know that I am going to blow about a week’s worth of calories for that special occasion.

Definitely not basic. Not for basics. *** #dontevenlookatmeyoubasic
Perfect crust! Not too doughy. Crispy and crunchy in the best way!
Really cool and totally laid back staff.
Great price for a giant pizza. tons of fresh ingredients
to choose.
BYOB (small fee for bringing beer/​wine in but if you’re polite, chill, and not a drunkard they won’t charge ya!)

Coolest pizza place on Earth!!! If you are into a traditional restaurant pass Scratch by. If you want to settle in and release the hippie in you this is the right place!!! Everything is the honor system and you can even trust them to make any kind of pizza they can think of given what limits you impose.
I truly miss Scratch!!! What a loss. But thank goodness that his wife keeps the legacy going — she is just as special.
The very high temp wood oven which is custom built offers a one of a kind flavor to the pizzas and sandwiches.
You owe to yourself to try this place and just soak it in. Don’t go if you are in a hurry. Scratch deserves time and attention like a fine wine.
Thanks for creating and being a one of a kind experience!!!

It is the best pizza you will find in Johnson City, and arguably East Tennessee. Scartch’s was one of the first places I ate when I came up to go to college at ETSU and is still a personal favorite. I recommend them to anyone who is in search for a great pizza! Order the Trust pizza, I have uet to be disappointed!

My family is in the pizza business down south. Every time I’m in Johnson city I make a trip to scratch pizza.
Hands down the best in town. I love the pesto sauce on mine .Its heaven. All their ingredients are so fresh and so much to choose from. If your ever in the area and love pizza I highly recommended this establishment. They even have a record player you can play songs on, lots to choose from. The staff are all really cool too. Best pizza.

Must try the «trust pizza»! It was amazing! Be brave, just do it! ;-)
Not accustomed to «trusting» others with my pizza toppings… but WOW! I could have never come up with the crazy creation they gave us! It was delicious! Seriously, just writing about it is making me hungry for another one! Keep it up Scratch!

The outside of Scratch isn’t much to look out but the interior is pretty awesome, filled with fun, old school décor and a juke box. The ordering process was a tad confusing when we first walked in but the guy behind the counter was super friendly and explained everything… eg: Trust or Limited Trust.
We went with the full on trust and was not disappointed at all! After we handed in our order sheet, we were told we could check out their brick oven in the back so we did and it was pretty cool.
I hadn’t realized the BYOB option came with a fee but that was fine… I think it was around $ 3. There’s indoor and outdoor seating here but it gets a little warm on the inside as they didn’t appear to have any AC. Parking blew a little bit because the lot was super duper small so we ended up parking down the street.
We waited about 15 minutes or so for our pizza to be done and it was certainly well worth the wait. My husband and I damn near housed the entire thing (we left with 3 tiny pieces leftover) and would gladly do it all over again!

I was so annoyed and hungry after over an hour of waiting that I was already drafting my 1 star review in my head. However, the pizza was so good I could not give them just 1 star. So here’s my review:
5 STARS– pizza
1 STAR– service and rules
We ordered and they said 30 – 35 minutes. After over 40 minutes, I went to check on our pizza and the guy said he couldn’t find our order. Then the befuddled dude looked down at the very pie he was making and said «oh! Here it is!» I said «you’re just now making it???» He said it would only be another 10 minutes. After I sat back down and waited another 5 minutes, a guy came by to say our pizza was going in the oven in 2 minutes and would only be 10 after that. A full 60 minutes after we ordered, and just when I was ready to leave, they called our name.
This place is strange. If you’re one of those artsy-​fartsy type, you’ll love it.
–seat yourself in the dark rooms of this old house turned pizza place.
–all tables and chairs are mismatched and some chairs are very old with cloth seats. Seem disgusting. I bet anyone doing a germ analysis of that cloth could get the place shut down.
–you could end up at a large table with strangers
–only paper plates
–no servers
–BYOB– and they charge you for it!!! So, you pay for your own drinks and then you pay again for bringing them in!
— I just wanted a water and had to go to a nearby store to get it. They have a fridge with old fashioned soda in the back and it’s help yourself, honor system. No bottle water. How dumb.
— no crushed red pepper.
Now, for the pizza– it was phenomenal. I was concerned because they don’t have regular pepperoni, but it was awesome. Fresh toppings. The crust was not too thick, not too thin. My only complaint about the pizza is that they cut it square instead of normal. You could probably request that though. And they cut it after its in the box, which means it doesn’t get cut all the way through and they don’t even have plastic knives, only forks.
Lastly, I’ll explain the «TRUST & LIMITED TRUST»
Trust — they will put everything, including 3 different sauces (red, green curry, chimmichurri pesto).
Limited Trust — cross out items you dislike and they won’t put those.

Amazing
Byob, Tell them you «trust» them to make the pizza and you will get a pizza built with pure love from the amazingly talented pizza chefs. Brick oven makes the crust crisp and beautiful with flavor. Help yourself record collection. Super relaxed staff. Eclectic collection of chairs and action figures as interior décor. Great place!

Not sure how anything other than 5 stars could work here.
The atmosphere is a great relief to the modern norm. Still cozy and comfortable and just a relaxing place to eat.
The food. Never had a bad pizza here, dont think you can go wrong here with anything you order.
Undoubtedly one of the best spots in JC