If you had asked me 30 years ago to pen a piece about pizza, I probably would have said no. Reason being, I wouldn’t have felt I had enough subject matter expertise due to the fact that my family — regrettably — just wasn’t that into pizza. Did you gasp? If so, that’s the appropriate reaction. Also appropriate, crying out “Mama mia!” My grandparents, bless them, were known to enjoy a good pie and I’d have it with friends, but my parents never made it, ordered it in or took us out for it. I know, I know. But before you start to feel bad about my childhood pizza deprivation, know that the Universe provides, because y’all, I married a man who is the yin to my yang or, the pepperoni to my cheese, as it were. For decades, 365 days a year, when asked what he wants to eat, my husband Mark has answered: pizza. More than once, when he has been on dinner duty for extended periods, I’ve had to intervene after he called to order a pizza or I noticed another frozen pizza going into the oven — for the third time that week.
Not that you need it, but for the diehards, to say that my pizza credentials have grown since the early days I spent earning my crust (pun intended) as a baby reporter is an understatement. For years, Mark and I have undergone multiple homemade pizza-making phases (thick crust, thin crust, yeasted, sourdough-ed and high-gluten-ed, check, check, check, check, check). We’ve embarked upon multi-city and multi-state quests to discover Neapolitan pizza as good as what we had — flex alert — in Naples, Italy. (Note to our fellow traveling pizza lovers: Outside of Naples, Italy, it can be found in a strip mall in Houston at a place called Pizaro’s Pizza Napoletana, which is owned by Bill Hutchinson, a Pizzaiolo certified by the Verace Pizza Napoletana in Italy. Hutchinson is obsessed with pizza perfection and authenticity and it shows.) Yes, my childhood was woefully pizza deficient, but I’ve more than made up for it.
Nighthawk Napoletana
Meanwhile, and most important, over the past 12 years, we’ve tried the pizza at every pie-slinging joint we can get ourselves to in New Orleans — a city with deep Italian roots, aka street cred, as evidenced by the plethora of pizza places. When you think about it, the Crecent City is basically just one big pizza party. Now, you could say we’ve eaten all the pies so you don’t have to, but why on Earth would you not want to? Because, to summarize Mark, the best pizza is whichever one you are currently eating. So without further ado, after literal years of stuffing my face with more than my share of New Orleans’ vast selection of pies, here is my (fairly well-informed) list of favorites. But don’t take my word for it. Rather, use this as a starting point for a quest to find your own pizza bliss. Mangiamo!
1 | Osteria Lupo
4609 Magazine St. | osterialupo.com
There are restaurants that are pizza places and those that happen to serve pizza. Osteria Lupo, is the latter. This Northern Italian restaurant in Uptown showcases a wood-fired oven, house-made pastas and a robust wine program — but it’s the pizza that earns the top spot on this list. The atmosphere is elevated — without being stiff — with warm lighting and modern decor. The star is the prosciutto pie, draped with 24-month Prosciutto di San Daniele — the real thing, from the Friuli region of northeastern Italy, aged long enough that it arrives at the table almost translucent, and has remarkable sweetness and depth. The crust is chewy sourdough, blistered and charred at the edges, and piping hot from the properly fired oven. The sauce is bright and clean — not sweet, not acidic, just right. Every ingredient earns its place on this pie, which is perhaps the highest compliment you can pay a pizza. Extra Cheese: For those with a side-quest of adding New Orleans’ Michelin recognized restaurants to their list, Osteria Lupo is a Michelin-recommended restaurant.
G’s Pizza
4848 Bienville St. | gspizzanola.com
The Narcissist Pizza is the way to go. It’s a flavor bomb with marinara sauce, artichoke, pineapple, roasted garlic, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, cilantro and chili pepper.
Have you tried?
Forbidden Pizza has a “Slice of the Day” that rotates in periodically which has pears, stracciatella cheese and cured ham. Catch it when you can!
Pizza Domenica has a whipped feta with sea salt served with roasted cauliflower…and it is incredible.
2 | Zee’s Pizzeria
3914 Baronne St. | zeespizzeria.com
Zander White, owner of Zee’s Pizzeria in New Orlean’s Milan neighborhood, grew up in Maine making pizza with his dad. White moved to New Orleans in 1994, working his way through local pizza joints as a teenager, and spent years perfecting his dough at weekend pizza parties on Oak Street. When the pandemic shut down his film industry job, White started giving pies away from the side door of his house. What began as an act of survival became a pop-up, then a proper pizza shop. The pizza here is thin-crust and charred, with an audible crunch. The Bye Felicia is the one to get: red sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni, ricotta and hot honey — an addictive combination of sweet, savory and spicy. The ricotta adds a creamy richness that tempers the heat of the honey, and the pepperoni crisps beautifully at the edges in the oven. Extra Cheese: Zee’s is next door to Lucy Boone Ice Cream.
Il Supremo
619 Pink St. Suite B, Metairie | ilsupremopizza.com
Fast-becoming one of the most acclaimed pizza spots in the city, with accolades to match. The catch: they prioritize online orders, walk-in waits can be lengthy, and ordering 24 hours in advance is suggested to guarantee a pie. Plan ahead and claim your pie.
Midway Pizza
4725 Freret St. | midwaypizzanola.com
Known for their deep dish-style pizzas, but thin crust is also on the menu. Get The Maselli, a Margherita with sliced meatballs.
St. Pizza
1152 Magazine St., Ste. 103 | @st.pizza
Having earned a spot on The New York Times list of the 22 best pizza places in the U.S., St. Pizza is a can’t miss. The Green Pizza, with greens, a blend of cheeses, garlic confit, Calabrian chili oil, basil and lemon, is dreamy. Get pizza and whole pies by the slice at their to-go window.
Tower of Pizza
2104 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie | facebook.com/towerofpizza
Full disclosure: this one has been on the author’s personal list for ages but wasn’t visited by deadline time. It is on this list based on the strength of a trusted recommendation from a well-traveled friend with good taste and Italian roots. The Hot and Spicy — jalapeño, ground beef, onions, green peppers — sounds weird, but intriguing. We’ll report back when we go if you do. Deal?
The Upper Crust: A Pizza-Perfect Glossary
Thin crust: Thin with a crunchy, cracker-like crust.
Party cut: Cut into squares, rather than slices.
Hand-tossed: Medium thickness with a soft, chewy interior and crispy exterior
Pan pizza: Pizza baked in a deep, cast-iron round pan with a crispy, fried crust.
Detroit-style: Rectangular pan pizza with a focaccia-like crust and a crunchy cheese-topped crust.
Chicago-style: Deep dish pizza layered “in reverse” with cheese and then with meat and veggies and topped with sauce
New York-style: Pizza with wide slices that are thin and foldable.
Grandma: Pie that is baked on a rectangular or square sheet pan, layered with cheese and then sauce.
Mo’s Pizza, Westwego
1112 Ave H, Westwego | mospizzanola.com
— The Supreme Pizza is the order at Mo’s. But they also do a Muffaletta pizza, which is a Louisiana flex and should be celebrated as such. If you have children, a large family or big group party, Mo’s — with its enormous, warehouse-esque digs — is your place.
To Dip or Not to Dip: Try these popular side-dips with your next pizza slice (or three).
Ranch Dressing
Hot Honey
Garlic Butter
Buffalo Sauce
French Dressing
Tabasco hot sauce
Coming Out on Top: Top 20 pizza toppings in 2026, according to Pizza Today.
1. Pepperoni
2. Sausage
3. Mushroom
4. Bacon
5. Onion
6. Extra Cheese
7. Chicken
8. Black Olives
9. Canadian Bacon
10. Jalapenos
11. Ham
12. Red/Green Pepper
13. Meatballs
14. Pineapple
15. Basil
16. Beef
17. Fresh Garlic
18. Banana Peppers
19. Spinach
20. Artichokes
3 | Nighthawk Pizza
141 Delaronde St., Algiers Point | nighthawknapoletana.com
A quick ferry ride to Algiers Point from the French Quarter, or a bridge-crossing drive, is worth the effort if slices at Nighthawk Pizza are on the agenda. The restaurant brings a fresh spin on classic wood-fired Neapolitan pizza, with both classic and novel toppings and sourdough crusts. The space is small, neighborhood-simple and unpretentious. A classic pepperoni pizza is the move here: the sourdough crust is fired in a wood-burning oven until it blisters and chars, then it is topped simply and deliberately. Nighthawk’s approach is influenced by San Francisco and New Haven pizza traditions, which means you’re getting something that feels distinctly informed by craft without being precious about it. Nighthawk is cashless, so plan accordingly. Closed Mondays; open Tuesday through Sunday from 4 to 9 p.m. Extra Cheese: The Caesar salad — made with wood-fired sourdough croutons from the pizza oven and a poblano-based dressing — is worth ordering alongside.
4 | Charred at Care Forgot Beercraft
1728 St. Charles Ave. | instagram.com/charred_nola
In 2017, tired of working for others after years earning a living as everything from a Bourbon Street bouncer to a butcher and later a line cook and sous chef, Patrick McLaughlin stared started the pop up 504 Pizza. McLaughlin — who says he was raised Sicilian with Italian food is his blood — traveled with his biga style pizza (an Italian pre-ferment made with flour, water and a wee bit of yeast in which the dough is left to ferment for 16 to 24 hours) to breweries around the city, eventually finding a home at Care Forgot Beercraft in the Lower Garden District and, in 2025, changing the name to Charred. Here, the menu includes four standing options — margherita, pepperoni, an upside down garlic margherita and the cosa nostra with confit garlic, roasted red bell pepper and red onion — and rotating specials incorporating seasonal ingredients, plus cannoli. Don’t forget there is also, most certainly, an excellent beer pairing for your pizza fresh from the brewery’s taps. The pizza maker’s choice is an adventure (such as a recent pie laden with mushroom cream sauce, a mix of mushrooms and truffle oil), if you are into that sort of thing. Extra Cheese: Make it a beer crawl! Avenue Pub, with its extensive number of taps, bottles and cans is next door.
Fun Facts: (according to Pizza Today)
New York-style pizza is the most popular style in the U.S.
American’s favorite pizza topping is pepperoni.
The word “pizza” originated in Gaeta, Italy in 997 A.D. according to food historian Giuseppe Nocca in “La Repubblica.”
Americans eat three billion pizzas per year.
The average American eats 180 slices of pizza a year.
Magazine Pizza
1068 Magazine St. | magazinepizzanola.com
The distinction here is simple: cheesiest pizza in the city. If that’s your metric, this is your destination. The crust is chewy and they also don’t skimp on any of the other toppings.
Pizza Delicious
610 Piety St. | pizzadelicious.com
The Hawaiian here is nothing like the Hawaiian you’re thinking of: sriracha pineapple and Nueske’s smoked ham make it a craveable combo.
Mid-City Pizza
4400 Banks St., midcitypizza.com
The Classic Sicilian, made with focaccia dough, is the move — thick, chewy, and satisfying.
5 | Margot’s
1243 Frenchmen St. | margotsnola.com
Tucked into the 7th Ward on Frenchmen Street, Margot’s has excellent date night vibes. For the childfree by choice or childfree for the night, this is your spot. Nary a kiddo in sight. The interior at Margot’s vibes like a minimalist chic (but casual) neighborhood bar. Natural wine, Italian-tinged cocktails and sourdough pizza are all on tightly curated menu. The Burrata Margherita, which was on the seasonal menu, featured fresh burrata where shredded mozzarella might otherwise be. The burrata pools decadently into the sauce and the sourdough crust is properly charred and chewy. The natural wine list is well-chosen and a little adventurous — exactly right for a Thursday night with someone you want to impress. Open Thursday through Monday, 4 to 9 p.m. No reservations. Extra Cheese: If you don’t drink or just aren’t imbibing during your visit, Margot’s has a few thoughtfully crafted zero-proof cocktails on its menu.
Nola Mia Gelato Pizzeria
2230 St Claude Ave. | instagram.com/nolamia19
The huge New York-style slices here are legit with delicious, crispy and chewy crust that doesn’t get soggy as you eat it. The Sicilan-style, rectangular, Grandma pizza might make you weep.
Theo’s Pizza
Multiple locations | theospizza.com
Impossibly thin crust is the name of the game here. The Veganator is the pizza to get, and yes, you can ask for dairy cheese instead of vegan cheese. But the real reason to come back, repeatedly, is the Caesar salad with house made dressing, piles of thickly shaved parm and pita chips instead of croutons. You’ll start craving it and before you know it, you’ll visit multiple times a month.
Forbidden Pizza
604 Baronne St. | forbiddenpizza.com
Go here for the New York-style pies, to see and be seen and to order the Forbidden Fruit: fig jam and bacon are the sweet-savory combination of our perfect bite loving souls.
For Your (Special) Consideration: Some of our favorites across the area.
Gluten Free
Fat Boy’s Pizza
Five Greater New Orleans locations
eatfatboyspizza.com
Magazine Pizza
1068 Magazine St.
504-568-0211
magazinepizzanola.com
Pizza Luna
407 Baronne St.
504-218-8656
thepizzaluna.com
Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza
Three locations
theospizza.com
Vegan
G’s Pizza
4840 Bienville St.
504-483-6464
gspizzanola.com
Mid City Pizza
4400 Banks St.
504-483-8609
midcitypizza.com
Pizza Delicious
617 Piety St.
504-676-8482
pizzadelicious.com
Zee’s Pizzaria
3914 Baronne St.
504-766-6056
zeespizzaria.com
