2020 Pizza Wars: The Best Pizza Places in Austin
Buona Giornata pizza fans! It’s time for our annual tradition: Pizza Wars.
The quality of pizza in Austin has grown exponentially since I was a professor at UT in the late 70’s. Being from New Haven, Connecticut, home to some of the most heralded Neopolitan pizza joints in the country, I was totally underwhelmed when I first tasted Austin pizza. Then I happened upon Brick Oven and was quite relieved. Finally, something that reminded me of home.
Gradually, the pizza joints improved from chains to owner-operated spots and the evolution of Austin pizza had begun.
Now, we are a city filled with very good pizza places … to the point that picking my very best spots has actually become quite difficult. And that’s something that was not the case when we first began this feature.
There’s no question that the rankings here are subjective. But not only have I tasted pies at Pepe’s and Sally’s in New Haven but also Grimaldi’s and Lombardo’s in New York and Pizzeria Uno in Chicago. Additionally I’ve sampled the best pies in Rome and Naples.
So it’s safe to say that I have developed my pizza palate and I know from whence I speak. So hold onto your napkins and let’s have at our list of the very best pizzas in Austin!
(1) VIA 313
Many of us spend so much time looking for the perfect NYC or New Haven style pizza pie that we sometimes overlook the engaging Detroit style pizza served by Via 313. I too was guilty of this when they first started serving pies out of a trailer on Austin’s East Side.
Actually, I was even guiltier because when I was in graduate school in Ann Arbor, Michigan, we used to go to Detroit for Greek food and pizza. The Greek food was good, but the pizza was way better. I guess that had slipped my mind for a time, but Via 313 gave me a delicious reminder.
The pie is built by cubing cheese and melting it till it caramelizes and creates a tantalizing barrier of cheese around the edge of the pie. The crust is engagingly crispy and, to the dismay of many NYC pizza fans, the pizza arrives in a square shape!
As noted, it took me a while to try Via 313 but when I did I was hooked. And if you’re wondering, by the way, the name comes from the Detroit area code.
(2) TONY C’S
Tony Ciola got his start at his father Dan’s Italian restaurant in Lakeway. From there it was a smooth segue to Tony C’s at the Galleria in Bee Cave.
Tony C’s is the only coal-fired pizzeria in town. As any true pizzaiolo can tell you you, managing the process of making pizza in the searing temperatures of a coal-fired oven is an art form in itself, but the results are worth the effort.
There are terrific NYC style pies at Tony C’s. I would recommend The Donato, which is topped with Italian sausage, coal-fired peppers, pizza sauce, and imported mozzarella. The crust is as it ought to be: soft but crispy with the requisite char on the bottom. Likewise I prefer the aptly-named Mama Mia, which is topped with pepperoni, sausage, and an abbondanza of cheese. They also manage to pull off a tasty eggplant Pamesan pie.
This place has been a regular in our Top Ten since they first opened. It’s easy to taste the reasons why.
(3) SALVATION PIZZA
This place draws its roots from Hartford, Connecticut (about 40 miles from New Haven). The original 34th Street location has closed, but it has given way to stores on Rainey Street and Rock Rose Avenue that are going strong. Happily, nothing has been lost in the transitions.
The first time my wife and I tried the bacon pie we both had flashbacks to the iconic Pepe’s in New Haven. Ditto for the amazing white pie with whole baby clams, bacon, and lemon. And the sausage, onion, and Jalapeño pie is a wonderful tip of the hat to Austin’s cuisine.
Salvation just flat out gets it and you would do yourself a favor by getting some yourselves!
(4) DESANO PIZZERIA NAPOLETANA
It’s unusual that a newer pizza spot makes our Top Ten, but Desano hit the ground running a few years ago and has never backed off. They import virtually all of their products from Italy: the mozzarella cheese, the essential Pecorino Romano, and even a special variety of Italian flour.
The combination of these along with Italian sausage, San Marino tomato sauce, and caramelized onions can be found in one of my favorite pizzas in Austin: the San Gennaro. This pie literally crackles with a first bite flavor rush and terrific mouth feel. It was love at first bite for me … and at second and third bite, too!
As you might expect with their meticulous attention to detail, they adhere strictly to Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (VPN) guidelines for preparing their Neapolitan pizzas. The pies have an NYC flair and the crispy crust and char on the bottom are redolent of the best from that area.
The Margherita Classic is a pie that can trace its origins to Naples when the original was created for Queen Margaret when she visited the city. And Desano nails it. You need to stop in for a slice before they climb even higher in the next Pizza Wars and the line is out the door!
(5) HOME SLICE
Home Slice began back in 2005 when three friends who shared a mutual love of NYC style pizza opened their first pizzeria on South Congress.
Ask them what a New York style pizza is and they’ll tell you it’s got a crisp, thick stone-baked crust topped with mozzarella cheese and a sprinkle of olive oil typically covered with pepperoni (my choice) or Italian sausage (also my choice) and a robust marinara sauce.
New York style pizza typically comes in in big slices, big enough to have to fold to get a proper bite. (Hence the frequent NYC rejoinder “Yo, let’s get a slice!”) Using a knife and fork would be unthinkable.
Home Slice got it then and they still get it, creating legions of loyal fans on South Congress as well as their recent newest addition in North Austin. They still haven’t quite gotten the New Haven classic clam pizza down yet but that’s only a minor blemish.
They richly deserve their ranking.
(6) THE BACKSPACE
I’ve long been a fan of Shawn Cirkiel, who has a history of operating successful restaurants in Austin such as Parkside on West 6th Street, which successfully pioneered the now common farm to table concept. There’s also the popular Italian spot Olive & June.
Thus it came as no surprise to me that The Backspace (named after its location behind Parkside) also became a rousing success. The Neapolitan style pizza with typical 12” thin crust found a highly receptive market. And it’s easy to see why.
Try the fennel sausage pizza, or the pepperoni Americano, or the Speck with fontina cheese, spinach, and red onion and you’ll see why. The classic Cirkiel touch is evident in each one of these along with the Bianca and the roasted mushroom.
I flat out love this place, thus it’s top ten ranking.
(7) LITTLE DELI & PIZZERIA
For some unfathomable reason, this classic and iconic neighborhood joint with locations in Crestwood on Woodrow Avenue and in Windsor Park on Briarcliff Boulevard has been overlooked by some. Well, not anymore.
Owner Tony Villani is a born and bred New Jerseyite who brought his Jersey style subs and pizza pies to Austin some years back. Aside from hand tossed thin crusted pies with a sweet New Jersey sauce, Tony serves a ton of subs and salads. But that’s another story.
Tony truly embraces the idea of neighborhood. There are lines on the wall that come from marking the heights of children who come to the joint with their parents.
You gotta love the pepperoni, roasted garlic, and cherub tomato pie. I also am very fond of the America vs. Leon, a white pie with house-made Italian sausage and, of course, plenty of garlic. The Rollotini pie is priceless, with roasted eggplant, Pecorino Romano, ricotta, and roasted garlic.
The other unique thing about the Little Deli is Tony himself. Ask him a question about Jersey pies and he’ll light up and talk your ear off, somewhat reminiscent of a guy who used to own a Jewish deli on West 6th.
So there you have the Little Deli & Pizzeria, a delightful mix of personality and pizza that’s long overdue for a spot in our top ten!
(8) NUMERO 28
Numero 28, a cozy Italian restaurant on 2nd Street, is the byproduct of two guys from Sicily by way of New York.
Bernardo Nolfo and Marcio Bolghi are two gregarious guys who make southern Italian pizza. I have traveled there and tasted the pizza, and Numero28 offers up an authentic replication of that style.
Consider the Diavola, a killer pie topped with mozzarella, tomato sauce, and spicy salami (or salume in Italy). The crust has a subtle crispiness that completes this lovely pie.
The Prosciutto is another terrific pie. It’s topped with mozzarella, Prosciutto di Parma, arugula, and shaved Parmesan. The delicate flavors do not stand in the way of the robustness of this pie.
The Austin, in a nod to local flavors, mixes sausage peppers and jalapeños together (an anethema to Italian pizza lovers) but, frankly, it’s delicious, so who cares!
There is artisanal craftsmanship to be found at Numero 28, and that flair is evident in every pizza. Hence, their entry into the Top Ten.
(9) THE PIZZA CAVE
This eponymous name comes from owners Joe and Sue Cave. Joe is an authentic pizzaioli from, believe it or not, El Paso by way of New Jersey. The couple plied their trade in relative anonymity in a small restaurant in Dripping Springs until flooding forced them to move into a much more expansive location on 290 West.
The first time I drove by after they opened, there was a line of cars backed up. Given the reputation of accident-prone 290, I assumed a crash was causing the delay. Then I realized the hold up was from cars trying to get into the Pizza Cave parking lot!
Word had rapidly spread through the area about the newly opened restaurant and it exploded with pizza craving customers. The astonishing growth was reminiscent of the meteoric rise of the original Jack Allen’s Kitchen in Oak Hill and the common bond between the two was great and approachable food: nothing too fancy or tricked up, just damn good!
The pizza pies at The Cave have an unmistakable NYC vibe and terrific crust along with engaging flavors. The aptly named Spelunker is an abbondanza of mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce, sausage, pepperoni, green peppers onions, and olives. It rocks with flavor and the big slices absolutely require folding in the true NYC tradition.
The Sicilian Pie has a thick crust topped with an ample amount of sauce and mozzarella cheese. It’s simple but delicious in the best “less is more” Italian credo.
Another unique offering is Joe’s special Basil Pesto Pie featuring basil pesto atop a crispy crust along with mozzarella cheese. While the green appearance may be off putting to some, one you settle into this pie the mouth feel becomes apparent and irresistible.
And on a non-pizza note, be sure to try a bowl of Joe’s Piggy Chowder. This tastes like New England style clam chowder but without the clams and sausage instead. The first spoonful blew me away.
Now I know many Austin pizza fans are saying “Where the hell has this place been?” Well, it’s had a low profile in Dripping Springs. But not anymore. It’s more than worth the drive (about 10 miles from Oak Hill) and make sure to have a Pinwheel while you’re there. (Joe will tell you what that is.)
So we welcome The Pizza Cave to our Top Ten. You might say out of the darkness and into the sunlight!
(10) PIEOUS
I have loved this place ever since it opened. They’ve ranked in the top 2 or 3 for the last four years. I really liked that first bite flavor rush that was redolent of my favorite New Haven joints.
They are, of course, still in the Top Ten, partly because of the enormity of their impact on the Highway 290 corridor and because their pizza is still quite good.
However, there’s a difference between quite good and sensational. They’ve slipped out of the top rankings since lately I’ve noticed some subtle differences in their flavors that I can’t quite put a finger on.
Pieous has always been known for its stellar consistency but, ironically, in my last few visits I’ve noticed the absence of owner Josh Kainer. He is the foundation of this place, and as Mark Katz found some years ago, no matter how crowded your place is, you gotta be there.
We wish the very best for Pieous and that is simply to be again, the very best, as they have been.
So there you have it. This Pizza Wars has been incredibly difficult to write simply because there are currently so many very good pizza places in Austin. In some cases the difference between some of our top ten restaurants was razor thin. Such was the quality.
That being said, there are many restaurants that had would have definitely been contenders for the list if we had a “Top 15”. These would include Bufalina, East Side Pies, Saccone’s, Roppolo’s, 40 North, Toss, and Pinthouse.
And we have to attend to the saddest part of this piece – great spots that have shuttered over the past year. These include Frank and Angie’s, Due Forni, the iconic Milto’s, Conan’s, Unit D Pizzeria, and several others. They will all be missed
We’ve already begun researching next year’s Pizza Wars, so perhaps we’ll see you on the pizza trail. 🙂
