After the Bell: Mr. Pries Reviews Pepp’s February Pizza Lineup

February 4, 2026

February is packed with bold flavors, meaty favorites, and some seriously crave-worthy specials at Pepp’s Pizzeria in Urbandale, IA!

This month, we welcomed Matt Pries to help grade our latest pizza lineup. Matt is a Literacy Interventionist at Waukee High School with 31 years in education and 20 years at Waukee, working with students in grades 10–12. Outside the classroom, he coaches boys' cross country at Dallas Center-Grimes and assists with girls' track and field at Waukee Northwest. AND, Mr. Pries was a pie slinger himself here at Pepp's this summer! We're so excited to have him back in the shop for a bit to taste this month's specials.

Here’s what he thought of each one:

Barbecue (BBQ) chicken pizza at Pepp's Pizzeria

Crab Rangoon (Feb. 3-7)

Back by popular demand! This crowd favorite is built with a creamy rangoon base, topped with crispy wontons, and finished with sweet chili sauce.

"What I love the most is probably the sweet chili sauce on top, it helps offset the richness of the crab rangoon sauce as the base. The flavor profile is super great, but it is really rich. If you’re a big fan of crab rangoon you should come and knock this thing out, cause you’re probably gonna say it’s an A.”

Grade:
Grade B
Meatball pizza at Pepp's pizzeria

Mega Pepp (Feb. 10-14)

“Look at all those pepperoni’s, pepperonis! I’m a pepperoni fan, but to have the three different kinds of pepperoni on here, that’s really special. The cupped pepperoni is nice and crispy. There’s a variety of flavors, even though it’s all pepperoni.  Here’s what I would do, pepperoni’s come in here and get yourself a side of vodka sauce or creamy parm and do some dunkin'. That takes it up a notch.”

Pepperoni Word Count: ???

Grade:
Grade B+
Elote pizza at Pepp's pizzeria

El Diablo (Feb. 17-21)

Built with a garlic butter base, crushed red pepper, soppressata, capicola, and finished with hot honey, this pizza brings bold flavor and just the right amount of heat.

“Yeah, that’s really fun. The beautiful part is the way everything melds together, and then you get hit with that hot honey at the end. If you like spice, get in here for that. If you don’t like spice, you might want a ranch dipper or something, but it’s fine just the way it is for me. Great pizza.”

Grade:
Grade A
Thanksgiving pizza at Pepp's Pizzeria

Ricotta Roni (Feb. 24-28)

Topped with pepperoni, ricotta, hot honey, and basil, all on our signature 24 hour cold fermented dough, this one brings sweet heat and creamy goodness together.

“It’s special because it’s got the heat of the hot honey and it's got the richness of the ricotta, but it’s not too much. If you want more richness, ask for double ricotta so that you get it in every bite. But the way it is now is really yummy, and it’s a great combination of flavors.”

Grade:
Grade A+

🏆 The Gold Star Winner... el Diablo!

Mr. Pries said it best: "February is a month for the meat eaters! Get in here this month for a lot of special pizzas, but I’m going with el Diablo because it's new, it’s flavor-packed, and you can do some special things with it with some dipping sauces if you’re not a super heat guy or gal. Come check that one out, that’s where I give my gold star.”

🍕 Try the February Pizza Specials at Pepp’s Pizzeria in Urbandale!

You can get all four limited-time pizza specials this month at Pepp’s Pizzeria, located at 4640 86th Street in Urbandale, Iowa. Or explore our full menu and see why we’re a go-to spot for some of the best pizza in Des Moines! Order online and use code 10PRIES to get 10% off your order throughout February.

Each seasonal special is available as a personal or whole pie (no slices).

Valentine’s Day Special – One Day Only! 🩷

Celebrate love, pizza-style, with our heart-shaped pizza, available February 14th only! Choose from cheese or pepperoni when ordering online and make your Valentine’s Day extra delicious.

Nominate a Teacher You Love 🍎

Huge thanks to Mr. Pries for joining us to try out this month’s pizza specials! We’re proud to support local educators who make a difference every day. Each month, we treat one deserving teacher to a FREE pizza party. Help us choose the next winner by submitting a nomination here!

Pepp’s Pizzeria – Urbandale’s Home for Crust You Dream About (and Pizza You Brag About)

📍 4640 86th Street, Urbandale, IA (Open Tuesday-Saturday from 11 am-8:30 pm)

❤️ Serving up local flavor, creative monthly specials, and a side of Iowa Nice.

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