The Quest to Find the Best Pizza in Pittsburgh

Published by Jeremy. Last Updated on January 12, 2024.

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In our endless quest to experience all Pittsburgh has to offer, we are on the look out for the region's best meals.

One food we absolutely love is pizza, and Pittsburgh has no shortage of restaurants offering up these delicious creations. But as with everything not all pizza shops are created equal, and our quest to find the best pizza in Pittsburgh was born!

Note: In the past, our quest style articles organized pizzas in various categories from below average to excellent. Since then, we have decided to remove any category style tier. That said, pizzas in this article loosely ordered by increasing preference in this article. So if you want to see our very favorites, scroll to the end!

What We Look For as the Best Pizza in Pittsburgh

Pizza Lupo Pittsburgh

Pizza is one of those food items you could ask any person on the street and they would have a different opinion on what “good” means.

To some it is the sauce, to others it is how hot it is when it arrives, the quality of ingredients, the type of crust and how it is cooked, and on and on and on.

This makes taking in recommendations somewhat tricky as even the worst neighborhood pizza joint could have a decent following and give it glowing reviews. But if you don't know what the person looks for in a pizza, you may not understand what the big deal is about when you try it for yourself.

So when it comes to us reviewing pizza, we wanted to set out a fairly straight forward set of criteria that we look for in a good pizza- one that can be applied to all of our reviews.

Our global criteria is to answer the eternal question: “what makes this pizza stand out from a neighborhood pizza joint?” We'd like to think you know the type when we say “neighborhood pizza joint”- they're the corner shops that all seem to use the same low-quality ingredients, are dripping with grease, and have relatively bland flavor.

As pizza lovers we can eat this all day without thinking twice, but it isn't to say we enjoy it much beyond the convenience aspect of it being literally just across the street.

For our reviews, we wanted to find the shops that stand out as being better- be it for their crust, toppings, sauce, sides, or any number of combinations. These are the kind of things we want to find on our quest for the best pizza in Pittsburgh.

A Few Notes: This guide is only to be taken as a list of places we've been to and reviewed on our site so far. It is not comprehensive. If you would like to make a recommendation, please comment below or contact us!

We are also not accounting for sides or other menu items in our rankings here- only the pizzas themselves.

Finally, many restaurants in Pittsburgh serve pizza; however, we are keeping this post to be either traditional pizza shops or restaurants with a disproportionately high number of pizzas on the menu (Italian restaurants with pizza menus would qualify). Restaurants with one or two pizzas on the menu are not included unless they are absolutely spectacular.

Neighborhood Pizza Joints

Pizza Fiesta

For better or worse, some of the pizza shops we try simply are average. In many cases this is not to say that they are bad, but just that they do not stand out in the sea of corner pizza shops and the common Pittsburgh pizza style at large.

They may have one pie that is truly amazing or even have a great side (in fact, most of the ones we've visited we've enjoyed the sides better than the pizzas!), but beyond those are simply not that memorable to us. They can still satisfy a craving if you want something quick and nearby, although we would not go out of our way for more.

The pizza joints we've reviewed so far that far into this category include the following:

As we don't have much to say about average neighborhood pizza joints (check out the reviews for some highlights), we will reserve the more detailed dialogue for the rest.

La Tavola

La Tavola Pizza

La Tavola is one of our favorite Italian restaurants in the city, but did you know that this Mount Washington staple has a pizza shop tucked away in the back corner?

The pizza at La Tavola comes in traditional rounds as well as square cut Sicilians. We found the rounds to be somewhat disappointing as while the toppings were delicious there was a lack of focus on making a good crust and sauce altogether.

La Tavola Sicilian Pizza

The square cut Sicilians are a marked improvement with a thicker crust that has a nice solid bite to it (and is crisp to the point of being crumbly, even), which is why we're giving this one a boost into the decent category.

We opted for the Nona Pina's Sicilian, their grandmother's specialty, which was only an onion based tomato sauce topped with basil, Romano cheese, and other spices- full of flavor and definitely worth adding on to any order!

La Tavola is located at 1 Boggs Avenue on Mount Washington.

Aiello's Pizza

Aiello's Pizza

Aiello's Pizza is a popular shop in Squirrel Hill that has a die-hard following behind it. This one serves up large pies whole or by the cut, and offers a surprisingly thin crust that gets fairly crispy as well. Those who go by the slice will enjoy this added pop beyond a conventional slice, as well as great prices for pepperoni or margherita cuts as well. Going beyond this, however, the sauce is somewhat conventional and fairly sweet, but really good for a quick cut all the same.

Aiello's Pizza is located at 2112 Murray Avenue in Squirrel Hill.

Beto's

Beto's Pizza

You may know Beto's as the place that puts a mound of cold toppings (including cheese) on their slices. This pizza is a bit of a novelty in the region and, while it has its place, is still a bit odd. We'll go here when we have a craving, but we have to be honest in saying that the craving doesn't come all that often.

Beto's is located at 1473 Banksville Road in Beechview.

Fiori's

Fiori's Pizza

Fiori's receives a lot of local attention for their pies, and has an almost cult like following behind it. We get it, its decent pizza, but at the end of the day the quality of ingredients and flavors are only just a little better from the rest.

If that is enough to get you to drive across town for a pizza, we won't judge, but I'm not sure it is enough for us other than the slight quality bump. For that, we'll give it a decent rating.

Fiori's is located at 103 Capital Avenue in Brookline.

Joe & Pie

Joe & Pie Pizza

Joe & Pie is located in the cultural district and kicks their pizza up with a delicious crust that is almost cracker like in the middle (read: thin and crispy).

This is balanced with sufficiently puffy edges and unusual topping combinations. We sampled the Joe & Pie special which features white sauce, gyro meat, two kinds of cheeses, spinach, and tomatoes. A hearty and flavorful pizza that does not hold back.

Joe & Pie is located at 955 Liberty Avenue in the Cultural District.

D&G Pizza

D&G Pizza

D&G Pizza in Beaver Falls serves up the local favorite Ohio Valley style pizza- namely square cuts with cold toppings (albeit with a small amount of cheese baked on-top). Much like others of this style, we call this one decent simply because we have not found one that has overwhelmingly impressed us one way or another.

The flavors are good, the style is better than neighborhood joints by far, but beyond that they don't stand out that much.

That being said the crust on this one is crisp, but not too crisp, and the toppings are not mounded up so high that you can't taste anything else. They're still cold, but you get a better balance of the warm crust due to the proportions which we can certainly appreciate.

If you order this one to go, Beaver Brewing Company next door offers a perfect compliment in the form of delicious beer that would allow this one to rank just a wee bit higher if we considered outside factors beyond the pizza shop's control.

D&G Pizza is located at 1818 7th Avenue in Beaver Falls, PA. Check out Buttermilk Falls just north of town before stopping for a slice here!

Bubba's

Bubba's Pizza in Greensburg

Bubba's in Greensburg has one of the more unusual pizzas to make this guide, and we're torn on whether or not to call it pizza at all (they do, so we're going with it).

This one is a thicker, focaccia-like dough (read: soft crust) with inverted toppings that is reminiscent of some of the Detroit style pizzas we'll feature later on.

It isn't the kind of pie you'd drive all the way over to Greensburg for, but if you are nearby and want to try something different with some really good flavors you'll certainly get that here. While there be sure to try their delicious Polish food that they are known for- yes they do both!

Bubba's is located at 14 N Westmoreland Avenue in Greensburg.

Frank's Pizza and Chicken

Frank's Pizza and Chicken

Depending on your order, Frank's Pizza and Chicken may be similar to most other neighborhood pizza joints as the crust and flavor profile of the sauce and cheese are, admittedly, rather conventional.

But the real gem here, and why this one has such a die-hard following, is for their buffalo chicken pizzas. This one is topped with generously cut pieces of chicken breast that are tossed in buffalo sauce that is incredibly well balanced in flavor and not too spicy. This flavor combination strikes a balance with the mozzarella and provolone blend of cheese as well as their housemade ranch on the side (which is perhaps even more popular than the chicken!).

As such, when you order from this one, you really know which pie you have to get.

Franks Pizza and Chicken has several locations north of the city including in Troy Hill and Millvale. We visited the Troy Hill location at 1442 Lowrie Street for this feature.

Colangelo's

Colangelo's in the Strip District

Colangelo's is a popular cafe and bakery tucked away just off of Penn Avenue in the Strip District. While this one is known for a number of delicious products, it is quite popular for their pizza! Pizzas here are available either as full pies or by the cut (pre-baked and reheated), and during our recent visit we opted for the latter with one traditional and one Sicilian.

While the toppings here were on the more conventional side, what we really love about Colangelo's is their crust. Both the traditional and Sicilian cuts had a wonderful flavor that you just don't get on most pizzas. In fact, all of the breads available at Colangelo's (both in pizza and sandwich form) are among our favorites we've had in the city- meaning that whatever you order will be delicious as the bread is truly the star!

Colangelo's is located at 207 21st Street in the Strip District.

Papa J's Twin Plaza

Papa J's Twin Plaza

Papa J's Twin Plaza took over the former Smallman Galley space in 2022 and serves up an array of pizzas by the cut, homemade Italian gelato, and an impressive bar space for wine, beer, and cocktails.

The pizza style served here is a bit different from traditional shops in the area as they use a high hydration dough (pushing 100%) cooked in large, rectangular baking dishes. The pizzas are then available for purchase by the cut which are then reheated in the oven upon order that makes for a nicely crisped crust.

If you've ever been to Italy and ordered square pizzs slices by weight, this one isn't that far off for the style. The dough is almost focaccia like (albeit thinner and with a crispy bottom) and is the kind of place that dough enthusiasts will have strong opinions on one way or another (we quite liked it). Throw in the fact that one “cut” amounts to two standard sized squares, and they have a dozen or so topping cominbations available at any given time, and you can get a solid meal without breaking the bank at this one.

Now we need to return back for a proper meal here to pair the pizza with wine and finish with gelato!

Papa J's Twin Plaza is located at 2016 Smallman Street in the Strip District.

Driven at Federal Galley

Driven

Driven is the latest Detroit-style pizza concept to go into Federal Galley in the North Side and is all about the doughy crust, crispy cheesy edges, and as of their opening at least, somewhat conventional pizza toppings.

If you like puffy crust, Driven will not let you down as they offered some of the largest slices of this kind of pizza we've had to date all with the crisp bottom and sides we know and love. But on the toppings front, perhaps we wanted more as we've been conditioned on crazy toppings from other shops that sell this style in the past. That being said, if you like classic flavor combinations served up Detroit-style, these pies shouldn't let you down (go for the vodka pie as it has some of the most intense flavors of all- a real gem)!

Driven is located inside Federal Galley at at 200 Children's Way in the North Side.

Aviva Brick Oven

Aviva Brick Oven

Aviva Brick Oven is a popular woodfired pizza shop located in Warrendale that also has a mobile oven that visits local breweries and events. We were fortunate enough to check this one out at 1700 Penn Avenue in the Strip District and opted to sample their namesake Aviva pie with hot Italian sausage and banana peppers.

The first thing we noticed about this one is that its size is a generous portion and was large enough to fee the two of us comfortably. Secondly, it didn't take long after biting into the first slice that we realized their namesake packs some serious heat (something we can get behind). While we do wish that this one was kept in the oven just a few moments longer to crisp up the crust a bit more, we have to admit this is a lovely woodfired pie all the same.

We look forward to checking out their restaurant for more options someday soon!

Aviva Brick Oven has a permanent location at 16099 Perry Highway in Warrendale as well as a mobile oven. We sampled this one from the latter.

V3 Pizza

V3 Pizza

V3 Pizza is an interesting spot that focuses on flatbread style pies in a build-your-own setup (much like Subway or Chipotle) with primarily local ingredients. This restaurant offers an impressive number of crusts, sauces, cheeses, and toppings making it all but impossible to try all the combinations.

While this one focuses on pumping out pies in a hurry, we have to say that this one is a great option for its size (enough food for two meals unless you're starving) and price (all pizzas are under $10!). Just keep in mind that the flatbread style of the crust in this one has a slightly different texture than you would expect from thin crust pizza.

But all things being equal, there really is not anything wrong with a cheap, fast pizza in the city.

V3 Pizza is located at 4500 Butler Street in Lawrenceville. We visited the now-closed downtown location for the above review.

Wood Stoked Oven

Wood Stoked Oven

Wood Stoked Oven is a mobile woodfired pizza oven that is making the rounds at area farmer's markets and breweries. We first spotted this one at Allegheny City Brewing in the North Side and paired an order of their margherita and bee sting (featuring pepperoni, hot honey, and jalapeno).

There are several things to love about these pizzas. They're a solid size (roughly 12″ and six slices), turn out fast, and are quite reasonably priced for what you get. Then there is the flavor with a nice charred crust and, in the case of the bee sting, a fairly solid punch of heat from the hot honey and jalapeno combo- two things we absolutely love in our pizzas.

We will note that since this one is mobile, their offerings are a bit minimal- roughly five or six pizza styles at any given time. But when woodfired pizza comes to you, well, we'll never say no.

Wood Stoked Oven posts their locations on their Facebook page.

Pizzeria Davide

Pizzeria Davide

Pizzeria Davide is the long-awaited pizza shop by the team behind the popular Italian restaurant, DiAnoia's, which finally opened its doors in mid-2019.

The shop offers pizza by the slice at a walk-up window as well as options for 12″ small and 20″ extra large pies in various styles of Old World (provolone), Marinara (no cheese), and Margarita (fresh mozzarella)- plus various specials based on different base pies.

The pizza here itself is quite tasty and focuses on simple, high-quality ingredients that really shine through in flavorful bites. On my first visit, I opted for a soppressata and mushroom Old World Style special and unknowingly ended up with a monstrous 20″ pie with some rather thin crust that, by the time it was delivered at least, was unfortunately not super crisp (although the flavor more than made up for it thanks to the high-quality soppressata that was mounded on).

Pizzeria Davide is knocked into a lower category here for one reason, and that is value. The pizzas only run in two sizes (small and extra large), and special pies (essentially discounted topping combos) are only available for the 20″ pies. From a value aspect, we'll go with the 20″ pies with slices as big as our heads, but at the same time our pizza order alone ran $25 before delivery and tip which is a bit excessive for any pie- quality or not.

If a mid-range pie ever comes out in both size and price, we will definitely consider boosting this ranking.

Pizzeria Davide is located at 2551 Penn Avenue in the Strip District as well as 1124 Park Manor Blvd in Robinson Township and 221 2nd Ave in Carnegie.

Caliente Pizza and Draft House

Caliente Pizza

The folks at Caliente Pizza and Draft House have been making names for themselves in the pizza scene, winning international competitions for their pan pizza.

So it should be no surprise that this one is ranked highly because of their crust (although the fresh toppings don't hurt it).

When comparing the two, we definitely enjoyed the crust of the pan as a superior product over the standard pizzas (which may be more in our below average category), but we have to admit that the edges are almost too puffy and take a fair bit of surface area away from the delicious toppings. Still, a solid pizza all the same.

Caliente Pizza and Draft House has several locations in the region. Our review is based off of the location at 4624 Liberty Avenue in Bloomfield.

Shelly Pie

Shelly Pie

Shelly Pie is one of those places with a die-hard following that we were recommended to try again and again. During our first visit, we opted for an order of one traditional pie and one Sicilian to try a bit of each.

On the traditional front, we went for a white pizza with tomato and spinach and really enjoyed the herb-forward sauce as well as the rather hefty amount of cheese on top. This paired well with the crust which had quite the good flavor as well. The Sicilian style pizza here was a bit of a let-down if only because the crust itself was quite doughy to the point that it took away from the toppings ever-so-slightly.

Couple the above with the fact that even the smallest orders at Shelly Pie are quite large and we can see why they're popular all the same!

Shelly Pie is located at 912 Penn Avenue in Turtle Creek, PA.

Spirit and Slice Island Pizza

Slice Island Pizza

The pizza at Slice Island (located at Spirit bar in Lawrenceville) is not for everyone, let's just get that out of the way early.

This one is Sicilian style and square cut, but they put an emphasis on unusual toppings like sausage and corn or pea shoots, jalapenos, and strawberries.

Weird? Definitely. Takes a bit to get used to? For sure. We started out not liking this one very much but by the time we finished our tray we were craving more. We rank this one above average because of that with the caveat that we know not everyone will have the same opinion.

Spirit is located at 242 51st Street in Lawrenceville.

Farmer x Baker

Pizza at Farmer x Baker

We typically visit Farmer x Baker for their weekend brunch menu (which typically does not include pizza), but were quite fortunate to make it out for a Friday night dinner menu which included house made pizza!

Seasonal ingredients are the name of the game here, and during our mid-July visit we were able to sample a couple gems like buffalo cauliflower and grilled peaches with sweet corn. Although the cracker-like crust here is on the exceptionally crispy side (a bit more than we normally prefer), the flavors of the dough and the toppings really shine at this one for a unique style of pie all around.

Pizza and gorgeous river views on a gorgeous summer evening? We can't say no to this one.

Farmer x Baker is located at the Aspinwall Riverfront park. Please note that this one's menu can and does change regularly, so it would be worth confirming prior to visiting if pizza is on the menu.

Proper Brick Oven

Pig and the Fig at Proper Brick Oven in Pittsburgh

Proper Brick Oven in downtown Pittsburgh focuses on brick oven pizzas (naturally) and other Italian inspired mains. During our visit we sampled a pie with prosciutto, figs, and goat cheese that was topped with fig-infused balsamic vinegar.

Between these wonderful toppings and a nice, charred crust we have to say that the pizza came together as one of the better ones we've had in downtown Pittsburgh. Just ignore the low quality of this photo and try it!

Proper Brick Oven is located at 139 7th Street in downtown Pittsburgh. They also have a food truck.

Ephesus

Ephesus Pizza

Ephesus Pizza is a bit of an odd one as it is as much of a Turkish restaurant as it is pizzeria!

Yes, it is an odd combination but the folks at this spot make a solid pie and top it with some more unusual options like lamb or chicken kebabs (with one full kebab per slice) or Turkish pepperoni (soujouck) to name a few.

Would this one fall in a lower category without the Turkish toppings? For sure. While the base pizza here is decent, the toppings are what really knock it out of the park and has us going back again and again. So when ordering from this spot be sure to go for the Turkish inspired creations- you can't go wrong!

Ephesus Pizza has several locations around the city. We often order from the downtown location at 219 4th Avenue near Market Square.

Pizza House (Police Station Pizza)

Police Station Pizza Cuts

Pizza House (also known as Police Station Pizza) is an institution in Ambridge, PA. This one serves up square pizzas, baked in large trays and served by the slice, with toppings added on after for a wonderful a la carte spread. Want one piece pepperoni, one with sausage and hot peppers, and others with even more toppings? You can do that, and it all clocks in at a rather reasonable price, too!

Perhaps the best part about slices from Pizza House is that the crust is crunchy right out of the oven. This means that it is best enjoyed right in your car 30 seconds after you leave the restaurant. Waiting to eat at home (or as leftovers) just isn't the same. Enjoy this one hot!

Pizza House is located at 1007 Merchant Street in Ambridge, PA.

Pizzaiolo Primo

Pizzaiolo Primo

Pizzaiolo Primo in Market Square focuses on authentic Neapolitan style pizzas that are cooked in a hot brick oven and topped with fresh ingredients (some of which include mozzarella rush imported from Italy!).

These pies come at a fair premium over their counterparts from other shops. But if you are looking for something that would compete with the high quality pizza we have in the city, and for that we love them in Market Square.

Pizzaiolo Primo is located at 8 Market Square.

Blue Sparrow

Blue Sparrow Pizza

You may know of Blue Sparrow as the global street food truck that has been a visitor to many area breweries and events over the years. This truck rolled out a pizza alley experience west of the city for many years and in early 2023 moved the concept to be a permanent fixture at the delicious brewery Dancing Gnome in Sharpsburg.

Pizzas from this one are large and run the spectrum from conventional to artisinal pies with some rather unique topping combinations like the War Pigs (miso braised pork belly with kimchi and black garlic kewpie mayo), Fungus Amongus (loaded with mushrooms, chimichurri, and truffle pecorino), a bacon pickle pizza, and so much more.

If you have ever craved a delicious pizza with one of Dancing Gnome's stellar IPAs, well, you can get them regularly from Blue Sparrow now!

Blue Sparrow's pizza truck can be found permanently at Dancing Gnome at 1025 Main Street in Sharpsburg.

Rockaway Pizzeria

Rockaway Pizzeria

Rockaway Pizzeria in White Oak checks a lot of boxes for us as far as NY-style pizzas are concerned. They offer large pies (18″), cuts by the slice (which get extra crispy the second time around), and unusual topping combinations that just work.

A white pie with clams? They have it. Specials like Cacio e Pepe or Caprese? You may find those in the by-the-slice display like we did. And don't forget the knots menu which, while not technically pizza, really helped round out our order (don't skip the bacon knots with artichoke dip).

While our main pie here was the Frankenstein pie which was fourths of the White, Greek, Cheese, and Pepperoni, our thoughts kept going back to the delightful Caprese slice by the cut as the ample balsamic worked wonders with the cheese, tomato, and basil. Those unusual combinations are quite wonderful at Rockaway!

Rockaway Pizzeria is located at 1949 Lincoln Way in White Oak, PA.

Enrico's Cafe

Enrico's Cafe Pizza

There is nothing better than a good pizza made in a woodfired oven, and at Enrico's Cafe you'll get just that. Confused why a biscotti store serves pizza? You should be.

This hidden gem of a cafe is located behind the biscotti store of the same name and serves up house pizza, pasta, and sandwiches during lunch (on very limited days at that) plus breadmaking classes, housemade wines, and more. The pizza is cooked in just a couple of minutes and is everything we love about this style of pizza- namely simple, quality ingredients cooked to perfection.

Even better? A personal size pizza here runs just about $12, making it a stellar deal for a quality pie. Truly one of the best pizzas in Pittsburgh in one of the most unassuming places.

Enrico's Cafe is located at 2022 Penn Avenue in the Strip District.

Alberta's Pizza

Alberta's Pizza

When good woodfired pizzas are available, it is really hard to say no. Much like Enrico's Cafe above, the mobile oven from Alberta's Pizza comes in on our favorite list for all of the same reasons. Delicious, personal-sized pies, coming in at great prices (often about $12-$15 depending on the pie).

While these are just a bit more expensive on average than Enrico's, they often come with slightly more premium toppings. The Calabrese Kid is one of our favorites, and is a margherita pizza topped with soppressata, honey, and hot chili oil. Or, if you want to go all out, The Genny has hand stretched mozzarella, grana padano, genoa salami, and arugula, and is one of their most robust pies!

Throw in the fact that this food truck is often found at breweries like Dancing Gnome or Grist House, and you've got the makings of a delicious pairing.

Alberta's Pizza can be found at different breweries and events in the city. Check out their website for future locations.

Woodfired by Lorelei

Woodfired by Lorelei

It was truly a sad day in Pittsburgh when Pizza Taglio hung up their pizza peel for good. We often considered this East Liberty pizza joint to be the gold standard of woodfired pizza and it left a hole in our hearts for quite some time. Thankfully, the wonderful team behind the nearby bar Lorelei quickly swooped in to take over the space and now offers the aptly named Woodfired by Lorelei!

If you've missed Pizza Taglio, we've found you a worthy heir.

Woodfired by Lorelei offers pretty spectacular 14″ Neapolitan pies ranging from the conventional Margherita to more inventive options which, during our first visit, included a seasonal peach pie with peaches, gorgonzola, pickled jalapenos, and more. It sounds weird, but the flavor profile was quite well balanced and worked well with the perfectly cooked crust.

We'd be happy just having great pizzas coming out of this oven once more, but couple it with having drinks available at Lorelei and, well, we really have no complaints.

Woodfired by Lorelei is operating out of the former Pizza Taglio space and is currently only available directly at the bar at 124 S Highland Avenue in East Liberty. Keep an eye out as this may change in the future.

Driftwood Oven

Driftwood Oven

The folks at Driftwood Oven were one of the first in the city to take a woodfired oven mobile to local breweries and events. Their pizzas were stellar, but the owners wanted more and opened a brick and mortar location in Lawrenceville in 2018.

The permanent location offers up solid iterations of the Driftwood Pies we know and love- namely a perfect crust and locally sourced ingredients for the toppings. The pies are high quality and quite delicious but come in at $19-$26 per pie which puts them on the more expensive end on the list.

Be sure to try their Omi's Slices- Sicilian cuts that showcase just how good the team is at making bread here, and is perhaps the best Sicilian we've had in Pittsburgh to date.

Driftwood Oven is located at 3615 Butler Street in Lawrenceville.

Slice on Broadway

Slice Ginormous Pizza in Beechview

One of the biggest complaints we hear about Pittsburgh pizza is that there are no New York style pizza options in the city. While our options are quite limited for this, we have to admit that Slice on Broadway does a fantastic iteration of massive, thin pizza slices that should make any New York pizza lover proud.  

If you're truly hungry go for the ginormous (pictured) as it is large enough to feed a small army, or simply grab a slice or two at their PNC Park location during a Pirates game!

Slice on Broadway has several locations in the city. Our review is based off of the location at 2128 Broadway Avenue in Beechview.

Alta Via Pizzezria

Romeo from Alta Via Pizza

Alta Via Pizzeria in Bakery Square is the first true pizza shop by Big Burrito restaurant group and is an extension of the Italian restaurant of the same name in Fox Chapel. Take a high-end Italian vibe of the original shop, add some stellar pizza, and put it right in the heart of Bakery Square and you have a recipe for success here.

But you should be warned- the pizzas at Alta Via Pizzeria are huge. One conventional round pie and one square (Detroit style) here was enough to feed us silly not only at dinner but for four meals of leftovers at home. (Just don't be surprised that they come at a price to match.)

What is great about this particular shop is they have some budget-friendly pies of conventional styles and some more elaborate options with incredibly high-end ingredients. The Romeo, a round pie with tomato sauce), came topped with sausage, caramelized onion, ricotta, Calabrian chili oil, and chives and was one of those perfect bites we adore finding in this city. The Flora square pie, on the other hand, was intensely savory and rich thanks to its white sauce, artichoke, and blistered tomato toppings as well.

But for us, we'll be ordering the Romeo on every visit (plus another new one)- it is truly that good and then some.

Alta Via Pizzeria is located at 6425 Penn Avenue in Bakery Square.

Badamo's Pizza

Badamo's Pizza Pittsburgh

Badamo's Pizza is one of those spots that always reliable for us, and we give them high marks for a simple reason- both their traditional and Sicilian style pizzas are solid (a rare feat for establishments that offer both).

In both cases the pizzas are relatively light on the cheese and sauce (with the Sicilian being a bit heavier on the latter), and the flavors of the toppings and crust are allowed to come through nicely. The crust could stand to be a bit crispier and the toppings are a bit sparse at times, especially on the whole, traditional pies (by-the-slice gets a second bake which does wonders!).

But whether you want an entire pizza or a slice on the fly you'll do right by visiting this one. Although if it were up to us, we'd recommend the by-the-slice option every time!

Badamo's Pizza has two locations- one at 1509 Potomac Avenue in Dormont (formerly in Mt. Lebanon) and one at 1106 Federal Street in the North Side. We visited the North Side location for our review.

Pizza Lupo

Pizza Lupo

We generally do not like to compare one shop to another on this site, but we have to admit that when we first had Pizza Lupo it reminded us of Badamo's (above) in many respects. The pies are huge, have exceptionally thin-crust, and feature a hearty distribution of toppings with flavors that meld really well together.

If you like pizzas with as thin a crust as possible, the pies here are going to be up your alley. Just be prepared for a lot of leftovers as their smalls are as big as other places large (at least at the time we went- 14″ pies are huge!). We can't wait to return to this one to check out their Grandma pies next.

Pizza Lupo is located at 5123 Butler Street in Lawrenceville.

Piccolo Forno

Piccolo Forno Pizza

If you've ever traveled around Italy, you probably know the traditional Italian style pizza all too well. A bit larger than a personal size, a nice char from a hot oven, and incredibly thin crust that barely holds up to the toppings, thus encouraging you to eat each slice as fast as you possibly can.

If you're looking for this style pizza in Pittsburgh, look no further than Piccolo Forno– home to what we think is some of the most authentic Italian pizza there is.

Piccolo Forno is located at 3801 Butler Street in Lawrenceville.

Mercurio's

Mercurio's House Pizza

If our review for Piccolo Forno and other spots above isn't an indication, we love it when a traditional wood fired Italian pizza is done well. At Mercurio's, this is exactly what you're going to get with a menu that is reasonably priced (most pies run $10-$15- on the cheaper end compared to others in the city) and with fairly conventional flavor combinations. It is just (mostly) simple toppings, on top of a beautifully charred crust, and served within minutes of ordering- just as any good Italian pie should be.

Finish it off with a scoop of Italian gelato and you have the makings of a perfect meal!

Mercurio's has two locations- one in Shadyside at 5523 Walnut Street and one in Fox Chapel at 1335 Freeport Road. I visited the Shadyside location for this review.

Threadbare Cider House

Threadbare pizza

Threadbare is a cider house located in the North Side that uses locally sourced ingredients to make their tasty concoctions.

In addition to their beverage menu, Threadbare focuses on making artisan personal pizzas with seasonal ingredients (one such pizza from opening weekend included charred fennel, peach, preserved lemon, black pepper, mozzarella, and brie which was an astounding combination of flavors).

The reason we rank this pizza amongst the very best is not the toppings, even though they were quite good, but rather the crust as it was cooked perfectly and nearly all pieces we tried had a nice crunch the whole way through. It is the kind of crust we wish most other pizza places had, and for that reason we can't stop talking about it.

Threadbare Cider House is located at 1291 Spring Garden Avenue in the North Side.

Iron Born

Iron Born Pizza

Iron Born is a pizza shop in Pittsburgh that focuses on Detroit style pizza. The style offers thick crust, inverted toppings, and flavors that we somehow never knew we were missing. The crust is the highlight here as it is quite thick, doughy, and offers a solid bite in every piece (and is why we give it our top category in this one).

But it is also worth noting that this one is on the more expensive side of the spectrum as far as pizzas are concerned. Call us addicted all the same!

Iron Born is located at 413 Grant Avenue in Millvale and 1806 Smallman Street in the Strip District.

We know we have a long way to go until we've tried all the pizzas Pittsburgh has to offer. We try to get a few pizzas every month and will update this guide with each new pizza joint we try! If you have a recommendation we should try sooner rather than later please comment below or contact us!

While you're at it, check out our Pittsburgh pizza webstory too!

89 thoughts on “The Quest to Find the Best Pizza in Pittsburgh”

  1. We would love if you tried our pizza at The (original) Upper Crust in Fox Chapel. We are a local favorite and have hand tossed pizza with quality fresh ingredients. We are located at the corner of Harts Run and Dorseyville rd. In Fox Chapel. Thank you for your consideration.

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    • Napolis Pizzeria in Sq Hill is a must on any pizza list. They have been in business over 40 years. Get a Pepperoni pizza and you will not be disappointed.

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      • When I compare Napoli’s to Mineo’s and Aiello’s (all of them very good), Napoli’s is the stand out for me – crust is soft inside, zesty sauce, balanced amount of cheese, and the small pepperonis that cup. I’ve been going there since 1978 (but have given the others plenty of opportunities).

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    • Threadbare’s pizza crust and dough will change throughout the year. They use yeast from the distilling processes of their whiskeys and bourbon. Still delicious and crunchy but a fact I thought you would like to know.

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    • I was coming on here to say the same thing! J&S in Natrona Heights is amazing! I travel all over the US and internationally for work and hands down J&S is my favorite. Both their traditional thin and their Sicilian are out of this world!

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      • Rosa’s Pizzeria (when it reopens) new Kensington on catulpa. Best Pizza I have ever had and I grew up on J&S as well back when it was in the mall.

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    • De Salla’s in homestead or E8th St/ Ravine St. has the best pizza in the country. I live in WV and anytime I go to Pittsburgh, (couple times a year) I have to get De Salla’s. This is one to definitely be put on a list for the best.

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  2. Thank you for making this. Coming from the NY/NJ area, I have found a few good places in the Burg that do pizza to my standards. Unfortunately many places are horrific in their versions of pizza. The cheeses burnt over the crust, speckled burnt spots all over the slice of pizza, super white cheese, crappy foamy crust, tiny slices to up your slice count (like we don’t notice), sweet sauce, raw ingredients….NO! STOP! A couple decent places I’ve enjoyed : Fazios and Grazianos in Bloomfield, Meglios Pizza (Monroeville), Bella Notte and D’annoia’s in the Strip. If you’re desperate La Famiglia pizza chain or Sbarro. What I’ve come to love that’s is unique to Pittsburgh is Vincent’s Pizza in Forrest Hills and Shelly’s pizza in Turtle Creek.

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  3. Della Sala’s Pizza on Verona Rd, Verona. Take out only but their pizza knocks it out of the park. Order it half-baked and finish it in your oven. Absolutely delicious crust.

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    • He’s been around for 50+ years! Still making pizza out of the garage! I used to live up the road. He was a nice guy to us kids!

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      • Della Sala’s Pizza on Verona Rd. It is really the best pizza ever!! Not just take out only, but cash only, no delivery, no need for a choice of what kind of crust you want they have only one crust. Their pizza rocks!! Still making pizza out of the garage with boxes stacked high on the counter as it has always been. Oldest cash register I’ve seen. I lived up the street too and now I’m only 3 miles away so I still go there all the time. Same signs inside today as in the 60’s. Love their hot sausage!!

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  4. The best pizza by far in Pittsburgh is Graziano’s at Penn and Main in Bloomfield. It’s not the artsy-fartsy kind that’s piled high with a thousand items, but honest, authentic Italian pizza with only the best dough, sauce and cheese with an optional topping. If you get it well done, the outer crust cannot be duplicated anywhere else.

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  5. Best pizza, hands down, Cersasoli on the Northside. The disrespect that this pizzeria does not get ANY recognition. Everything about it is GREAT! Owners are nice and the pizza is better

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  6. You should try Pizza House (also known as Police Station Pizza) located in Ambridge. It’s different than a traditional pizza but is my favorite.

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    • There are 2 in Ambridge Pa. that have been listed as the 2 best in Beaver County and have appeared on many lists. Frank’s Pizza on Duss Ave. and Pizza House ( Police Station Pizza) on Merchant St.

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  7. You should try the pizza at L & I’s Food & Spirit’s at 200 S Carbon St, Penn, PA 15675.
    It is delicious from the crust to the sauce and whatever seasoning they sprinkle on top. Traditional pizza at it’s finest. The taste definitely stands out from all the other pizza shops in the area.

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  8. Rating pizza is a subjective thing. What one person loves, another loathes. I have to disagree with one aspect of your criteria. What you call “high quality ingredients” is just another way of saying “fancy toppings”. Pizza, at its foundation, is 3 things: Crust, sauce, and cheese. Fancy toppings can’t elevate a mediocre pizza into a good one. Likewise, a lack of frilly toppings doesn’t make a good pizza into a lesser one. We can agree to disagree over what we like as individuals. I just think your methodology isn’t sound.

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    • I don’t think that the term high quality necessarily means fancy. Perhaps a better term would be fresh ingredients (maybe due for an edit on that end). Pre-made dough, vegetables from cans, and the like often have noticeable taste differences from fresh ingredients (i.e. “high quality” in our opinion), and not in a good way. Fancy toppings are often high quality by default because they’re also sourced fresh, but that doesn’t mean its always the case.

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  9. Trolley Stop Inn in Bethel Park Library Rd. Best Pizza, great sauce and great hoagies too, matter of fact all their food is great. Give it a try you will love it….

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  10. I have been eating Vincent’s Pizza on Ardmore Blvd for 68 years I can’t get it anymore because I don’t drive.Its the gold standard of pizza.I believe it was the second pizza place in Pittsburgh but it’s always been #1 with our family.

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  11. Frank’s pizza in Ambridge is an awesome pie.

    Medium hand made and hand tossed crust, well cooked and firm, sauce that is to die for, awesome cheese and think cut pepperoni. The pie is built with cheese on the dough, sauce over the cheese and a light swirl of spiced Olive oil. This is the pizza that angels would make. No Western PA pizza comparison is complete without a strong look at Frank’s.

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  12. Try napolies pizza in Baden very good an it’s definitely itilian style pizza and lots of food to try there as well

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  13. The Other Place in Greentree is awesome.Three crusts to choose from, very sausy and they don’t short you on the toppings. Hoagies are excellent and lots more to choose from the menu.

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  14. For us Gluten Free folks, I think Nobbys Pizzeria on Vanadium Road Scott Township needs to be mentioned.I l will go the 45 minute drive to get their GF pizza. It’s the best I’ve had so far!

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  15. Lots of great pizza represented here ! I’ve had about half of them on this list. River House in Charleroi still at the top. They are making Palantino’s old recipes brought over from Italy 100 years ago. Their tomato sauce and thin fresh dough makes all the difference ! Must try.

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  16. If you are coming to beaver county you got to go to Ambridge. The pizza house aka police station pizza is hands down the best. If you thought d and g was good, you’ll have your socks blown off. The other is Frank’s pizza in ambridge with the sauce on top of the cheese.

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  17. Franks Chicken and Pizza in Troy Hill close to downtown minutes off of route 28. I love their buffalo chicken pizza. Another hot spot for pizza I’d recommend would be Pizza Romano in Oakland on Atwood St.

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  18. Mama Lena II over near Mancini’s. I’ve never had their normal pizza, because it’s well known that they have won many awards for their white pizza. It’s unlike any white pizza I’ve ever had since I left Pittsburgh, and when I come back to visit I always make a point to stop. I’m grateful you did Ephesus and your review is accurate. The taste of the toppings is indeed excellent.

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  19. I am so shocked you didn’t have Benny Fieros on here. Their large slices are bigger than your head and the taste is magnificent!!

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    • It is on our list to go to eventually, but in being a chain I have to admit it hasn’t been our biggest priority. One day soon!

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  20. It’s A Pizza Cake Cafe in McKees Rocks. Turned me on to the best pizza and I’m not a pizza lover. This is a hidden gem!

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    • Cucina Bella is indeed very good. I’d put it at least at the level of Il Pizzaiolo, maybe even a notch above. But you have to eat it there. It does not travel well. However, the place is BYOB, and the corkage fee is reasonable.

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  21. Please check out Pizza Shack in Brentwood. Located on Claritin Blvd (rt.51). It’s the best I’ll ever have. It has a pastry crust with a sweet, delicious pizza sauce. They’re generous with cheese. All of those along with whatever toppings you choose, everything blends so well together. I recommend Pizza Shack to pizza lovers because it’s unique. So are their business hours, Thursday to Saturday 4pm-8pm, or until they’re out of ingredients. Cash only, no delivery. Each person I’ve introduced pizza shack to has fallen in love too!

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  22. Bruno’s pizza on east hardies road across from sheetz is EXCELLENT!! I’m very. picky about my pizza. Bruno listened and it came just like I had asked!! (Yes, there really is a Bruno!!)

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  23. Thank you for posting a pretty accurate synopsis of local pizza shops.
    I have tried about 6 of them you visited. I totally agree your observations.
    I have been doing pizza reviews for two years. I just celebrated my 150th pizza Review.
    Needless to say it’s a passion, the history, the stories from owners, priceless!
    Unfortunately, the deception of low quality pizza is what most see as standard and acceptable. Trash ingredients, convertor belt ovens, zero craftsmanship, high volume garbage…McPizza.
    When you experience fantastic pizza, you don’t look back. There is NY style, grandma style, bar style, coal, wood, gas…each style has its own fans, I prefer coal fired. Thin, crispy, great char, flop and undercarriage.
    My hope is Pittsburgh continues to evolve as a pizza town. We have made great progress, but I’m still waiting for that 9.0 pizza.

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  24. We at Mama Meatballs Pizzeria are a family owned business in Wilkins Township. Our Bruno White Pizza is delicious favorite! Of course we make our homemade Meatballs daily, so our Mama Meatball Pizza is another favorite. We have our traditional hand tossed round pizza and our homemade Sicilian pizza. We make our own hot Italian sausage which makes our sausage and ricotta pizza another delicious choice. We would love for you to give us a try!

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  25. I would have to say try Vic’s Oven in Bridgewater Pa near Beaver. They have thin and a Sicilian and they have traditional pizza to crazy specialty pizzas. The Italian Stalion is a favorite as is the gyro, the McVic, The Hunky Alley, wedding soup pizza and the shrimp scampi pizza.

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  26. I’m really surprised Bella Notte in the Strip District hasn’t been mentioned (unless I completely missed it?). My wife and I thought they made a very good pie.

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  27. I was in Pitts not too long ago on the same quest. I was there for a bodybuilding competition and I had not had a slice of pizza in 4 months. Every uber or taxi I got in I would ask. “Do you like pizza?” They ALL said “Yes, I like pizza.” I would then follow up and ask where is the best place to get it. 99 percent of them himmed and hawwed..and could not give me a name quickly. I said, “you dont like pizza or you would have not hesitated. By the end of the trip, 2 names kept coming up, Mineo’s and Fiorie’s

    I enjoyed Fiores but I think any pie would have done the trick after 4 months abstaining.

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    • You guys need to check out Frank’s pizza in ambridge, pa also. Cheese on the bottom and sauce and pepperoni on the top.

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  28. Yellow Bridge Brewing is far and above the best I’ve had – thin foldable crispy crust with sauce/toppings that meld to become one with the bread.

    Pizza is pretty subjective and they’re all honestly way more similar than they are different. Usually pizzas are judged on how well they conform to a particular “style”, instead of how outright enjoyable they are. But I guess part of the enjoyment is classifying all the nuanced ways to combine cheese and sauce over bread 😛

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  29. Pasquales pizza in Dravosburg right outside McKeesport is a decent sicilian maybe on the doughy side but the dough is awesome and the sauce is perfectly balanced and they are generous with toppings and friendly there!

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  30. So, as I NY transplant, if I just wanted a basic, plain, cheese pie (no artisan, no crazy toppings, no wood fired bull) that would remind me of grabbing a greasy, big ass slice at my local joint back in NY….what is my best option? ‘Cause, visually, it looks like “Slice on Broadway” makes the pizza that I’m most accustomed to eating.

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    • I would say that is a solid first start. Badamo’s or Pizza Lupo may want to be on your radar, but I would not call them New York the way Slice is.

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  31. Just found your site and your tiers seem reasonable (although when I saw Caliente’s mentioned I was about to disregard the entire list – until reading the fine print that you liked the pan pizza, not the conveyor belt crap). Sadly, I’m in the S. Hills and when we trek into the city, it’s not for pizza, so admittedly haven’t tried a ton of shops outside Sq. Hill (and I don’t get the love for any of them). Coming from CT, smack dab between The Bronx and New Haven, I’m not crazy about most of what I’ve had here. Claudio’s on Painter’s Run was our favorite, but he gave up the shop during the pandemic. Slice on B’way is a bit too far. Badamo’s (before moving to Dormont) went downhill – crust started resembling a garden-variety Pittsburgh pizza. We won’t do conveyor belt joints and most of the deck oven places are uneven – can’t do a well-done pie and often toppings slide right off. We will go to Harry’s in Peters (they use a recipe bought from a popular joint in West Hartford, CT). Or we do brick oven, like Cucina Bella or Il PIzzaiolo. But I am intrigued by some of the places named here and hope to try Homestead, Gussy’s and maybe some others soon.

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