Who Has The Best Pizza In Austin? We Found It…
And here we go with the "best pizza in Austin" discussion! It's an important one... Ask any Austin local where to find the very best pizza restaurant near you, and you'll get a wide variety of answers? Why? Austin has a wide variety of pizza styles!
And so creating a guide to the best pizza in Austin is a bit tricky, because what exactly are we going for, here?
Some people are drawn to large, fold-able NY-style slices (Little Deli and Homeslice), or small wood fired Neapolitan pizzas (Bufalina Due, Pieous).
There's delicious sourdough pizzas (Jester King, Meteor) and even "old-school NY-Style" (which Sammataro will tell you is very different from the NY-Style that Homeslice serves...) and Detroit-style rectangular pizzas.
There are, truly, SO many amazing pizza restaurants in Austin. So we'll list them in the order we think you should try them if you're new to Austin and just exploring this food scene for the first time.
But rest assured that 100% of the pizzas listed on this guide are worthwhile. So if you want to just use the map below and find some Austin pizza near you, that's a valid approach as well.
The Best Pizza in Austin
1. Via 313
Thick crust Detroit-style pizza is different from deep dish Chicago-style: Detroit is all about the thick, chewy crust with a crunchy exterior, while Chicago deep dish is basically a casserole of cheese.
Via 313 takes the #1 spot for Best Pizza in Austin because this pizza is the one that most locals are constantly craving and raving about!
Via 313 has multiple locations in Austin, so pick one near you. The sides and starters and drinks are all fine, but the deep dish Detroit pizza is really where this restaurant shines. Those charred edges are absolutely heavenly.
WEBSITE | Multiple locations
2. Jester King
We're just going to say it: this is one of the BEST pizzas you can get in the entire Austin area, and it's from a brewery! The Jester King kitchen serves these incredible pies made in their own wood burning oven. The dough is made leavened with indigenous yeast and bacteria from their own land. Wow.
Jester King, the award-winning Hill Country brewery that makes its beer with spontaneous fermentation, has a brick-oven pizza stand on its property. The pizza dough is HEAVEN, They make it with 100% Texas grains and cold fermented for 72 hours before it’s cooked in an 800-degree oven and then topped with local produce, veggies from their farm, and house-cured meats.
The entire Jester King property is a wonderful spot to hang out, whether you're looking for a date night idea in Austin or you need a brewery with a playground for the kiddos.
WEBSITE | 13187 Fitzhugh Rd, Austin, TX 78736
3. ABGB
The Austin Beer Garden Brewing Co. makes one of the best pizzas in Austin, but they’re often overlooked on "best pizza in Austin" lists because the name “pizza” isn’t in the brewery's title.
They won a gold medal for “Best Large Brewpub of the Year” from Great American Beer Festival for three years in a row because of their crisp German-style beer, but the big chewy-crust pizzas can’t be ignored. The pizzas at ABGB are made to be shared with a pitcher of beer. They’re thin, covered with creative and fresh toppings (if it's available, try the Texas Cheese Curd), and they pair perfectly with a big cold Pilsner.
WEBSITE | 1305 W Oltorf St, Austin, TX 78704
4. Bufalina Due
Moving on to a different style: Neapolitan! If you're craving one of these delicious, small, authentically Italian pizzas and you want to know where to find the best Neapolitan pizza in Austin, Bufalina Due is your answer.
Bufalina Due flash-cooks their pies in a big white brick oven from Naples, producing small Neapolitan pizzas that are charred and puffy on the edges. This pizza is so carefully crafted, it’s a good spot to go with the basics: red pie, Margherita, or Calabrese. They also have a really great natural wine program!
It's a small restaurant but really cozy and intimate for a date night option.
WEBSITE | 6555 Burnet Rd #100, Austin, TX 78757
5. Pinthouse Pizza
Looking for a kid-friendly pizza restaurant in Austin that the adults will enjoy too? Go to Pinthouse Pizza.
Their beer program is what puts them on the map in Austin, but the pizza is also really, really good. Order at the counter, grab a beer, and your large pepperoni + basil (or a million other special topping choices...) will be brought out to you I na flash.
These are pretty typical, doughy, chewy-crust pizzas that kids will love. No crazy frills, just good pizza and good beer. Austin LOVES Pinthouse Pizza, as is apparent by the multiple locations around the cities of Austin and Round Rock.
PHP rules the hoppy beer scene of Austin. Pair your pizza with an IPA!
WEBSITE | Multiple locations
6. Pieous
You have to drive out southwest of Austin toward Dripping Springs, but it’s worth it for those scratch-made pizza crusts! This place is certified by VPN Americas, which means they follow all of the very specific criteria to call their pizza authentic Neapolitan pies.
Pieous is also known for the insanely delicious pastrami sandwiches, and their pastries. You'll definitely want to grab a salad, a sandwich, and a dessert to go with your pizza.
WEBSITE | 166 Hargraves Dr h, Austin, TX 78737
7. Homeslice
The most iconic pizza name in Austin...but is Homeslice pizza actually good?
Yep! What can we say? Austin LOVES some Homeslice! This is authentic New York – style pizza, all thin and foldy. It’s cooked to order in a hot stone oven and delivered to your table piping hot with a nice firm texture to the outside of the crust (but soft enough to fold in half in the middle, NY style!)
WEBSITE | Multiple locations
8. Sammataro
This food truck is a phenomenal option for NYC-style pizza…but not the thin crust type like you’ll find at Home Slice. This is the old-school NYC pizza like you saw on the first episode of the Netflix show Ugly Delicious with Lucali Pizzeria in Brooklyn.
They start with 48-hour fermented drought that’s cooked in their custom wood-fired oven until it’s a nice soft, chewy crust with some charred bits around the edges. Choose your own toppings – they’re all carefully selected and the best quality!
WEBSITE | 1108 E 12th St, Austin, TX 78702
9. Little Deli
Little Deli, we love you!! This is a neighborhood gem in the true sense of the word! Everyone and their grandmother’s dog knows about Homeslice, but not as many folks are aware that this darling deli tucked into a shopping center in a Crestview neighborhood is serving some of the best New Jersey-style pies you’ll find in the state of Texas.
While Homeslice Pizza is always packed with tourists, Little Deli is a bit more of a secret in the Austin dining scene and locals are the ones who keep this place crowded.
WEBSITE | 7101 Woodrow Ave Unit A, Austin, TX 78757
10. Love Supreme Pizza Bar
This new addition to the east Austin pizza scene is a must-try! Love Supreme is a giant indoor/outdoor restaurant in a part of Austin that’s typically quite crowded, so the space + ample parking makes it an immediate win.
But the pizza stands alone, regardless of the adorable ambiance. They serve 13″ round pies that are somewhere between a Neapolitan and a NY-style: each slice is strong enough to be folded in half to eat, but the middle is not as wet as the pies at a place like 40 North.
It’s a great family-friendly spot, but there are also two bars (one indoors, and one under the big covered patio) making this an excellent option for a fun date night.
WEBSITE | 2805 Manor Rd, Austin, TX 78722
11. The Backspace
Tiny, iconic, and still one of the very best things to happen to Dirty Sixth Street, The Backspace is the best pizza in downtown Austin. (Btw: there's a larger location on Anderson Ln in North Austin, too.)
These small Neapolitan pies are cooked in a wood-fired oven and delivered with a nice charring around the edges. The Backspace is an intimate restaurant that only seats 30, so it’s a lovely space to open a bottle of red wine to pair with those pizzas on date night.
Looking for a fun date night idea? Go to Backspace for dinner, then walk around the corner to the secretive Midnight Cowboy cocktail bar for post-dinner drinks.
WEBSITE | 507 San Jacinto Blvd, Austin, TX 78701
12. Lil Nonna's
If you're looking for the best vegan pizza in Austin, head to Lil Nonna's. All of their pies are 100% vegan, made with vegan mozzarella, seitan sausage, beeteroni, and lots of fresh veggies.
The food truck is at The Yard in South Austin, which is a great place to wander from bar to bar and try out some of the best that Austin has to offer.
Lil Nonna's is also a great place to get gluten free pizza in Austin.
WEBSITE | 440 E St Elmo Rd A1, Austin, TX 78745
13. East Side Pies
While note necessarily one of the best pizzas in Austin on its own, East Side Pies has earned a spot on this list for a few reasons:
For starters, these are pretty big pizzas. If you're ordering for a crowd, East Side Pies is an excellent option.
Also, this is the go-to spot for thin crust pies in Austin. While that style isn't as popular as Via 313's gooey-gooey Detroit-style, or Bufalina's Neapolitan style, there's definitely a crowd of people who prefer big, piping hot, thin-crust pizza slices.
And finally, East Side Pies wins the pizza options contest! From pesto to olive oil, red sauce to chimichurri, and even a black bean sauce option, you can create SO many different pizza combinations at East Side Pies.
East Side Pies is also available as a restaurant at the Austin airport. If you're traveling and want to squeeze in one more restaurant, stop by East Side Pies at the airport terminal.
WEBSITE | Multiple locations
14. Il Brutto
Craving Neapolitan pizza + cocktails in a gorgeous outdoor setting? Head to Il Brutto! They have a beautiful outdoor patio where you can enjoy a few pizzas and Negronis while sitting under the shade of a giant Live Oak tree.
Although these pizzas are tasty, they don't master the true art of Neapolitan pizza in the same way that Bufalina and Pieous do. However, the ambiance of Il Brutto is the clear winner here. Their patio really is so lovely, especially on a cool autumn evening!
WEBSITE | 1601 E 6th St, Austin, TX 78702
15. The Meteor Cafe
You need to try the delicious sourdough pizza at this little coffee shop/wine bar/cafe on South Congress. It's a great place to stop in for a solo lunch, a work session, or a wine date, order a pie, and enjoy it on their large back patio.
WEBSITE | 2110 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704
16. North Italia
For a fun girlfriends night out, go to North Italia! With locations at The Domain NORTHSIDE and downtown at the 2nd Street District, both of North Italia’s restaurants are the most beautiful places to dine!
The restaurant has lots of natural light, white marble table tops, big windows that allow guests to look into the kitchen, and a bright, hip mural covering an entire indoor wall.
Oh…and the pizza is pretty great, too. They’re small with a nice thin, chewy crust. Go for a full meal of Italian wine, appetizers, and pasta, too.
WEBSITE | 500 W 2nd St #120, Austin, TX 78701
17. Desano Pizzeria
Here's another one that follows the strict guidelines of VPN, so it's a legitimate Italian Neapolitan pizza pie!
Desano is a chain that started in Nashville and now has several locations around the country, and (yup) they have one in downtown Austin, too! They're truly phenomenal pizzas and this place could definitely be higher up on this list...we just wanted to be sure to highlight some of the Austin local places first before making way for the mini chains.
WEBSITE | Multiple locations
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