HOUGuide
The Best Pizza Places In Houston
photo credit: Richard Casteel
Finding a great pizza place in New York, LA, or Chicago is like attempting to count the number of Astros jerseys at Cobo’s on game day: there’s one every three feet. But the likelihood of stumbling into a great pizza joint in Houston? That’s like winning the mega millions, twice, on leap year. Which is fine, because Houstonians can throw some smoky brisket on a pie and it will always taste incredible. Take that, coastal elites (you’re OK, Chicago). While investigating where the best pizza in H-town resides, we’ve eaten a concerning number of slices, crammed our trash bins full of grease-glistening boxes, and maybe tossed a slice or two to an urban coyote (it was a lot of pizza). But now, we’ve narrowed down this definitive list of the best pizza in Houston.
THE SPOTS
photo credit: Gold Tooth Tony's
Gold Tooth Tony’s is turning out some excellent Detroit-style pizza without forgetting to have a little fun. The compact, counter-service joint is dishing out heavy-hitter pies. Each slice, made of fluffy, buttered dough smothered in glistening cheese with edges crisper than a fresh line-up, could easily be a meal on their own. There are classic options like cheese and margherita, but we like to get the more over-the-top varieties, like “The Griz,” which is more like a buffalo-chicken-bacon explosion. Or pies composed of unlikely teammates like pancetta, hot honey, and fig. But if you’d rather let your inner mad pizza scientist loose, there’s an option to build your own pie.
photo credit: Michael Anthony
It’s a bummer that Ostia only serves its excellent Neapolitan pies for lunch and Sunday brunch, but at least the pizza is a great excuse to sneak away from the office or change out of work-from-home pajamas. The soft, slightly charred crust with speck pepperoni or confit garlic and taleggio is what pizza dreams are made of. Why Ostia decides we only deserve this for lunch we’ll never understand, but there is something to be said about getting to have a slice on the sun-drenched patio with a Cappelletti spritz while ignoring emails from your boss.
photo credit: Richard Casteel
Pizaro’s Pizza Napoletana II in Montrose makes Neapolitan, Detroit, and New York-style pizza with imported Italian ingredients. So it’s best used as a takeout powerhouse for your at-home pizza needs. All of the pizza here is good, but the Neapolitan pizza is excellent. Baked for under two minutes in Pizaro’s giant wood-burning ovens, the pies are bubbly, soft, and slightly chewy. Grab a classic margherita red pie or an arugula white pie (add prosciutto). While the restaurant is spacious with plenty of seating, the uncomfortable metal chairs clanging against the concrete floors create a constant din of noise. And while you maybe shouldn't eat an entire pie in the car, who’s going to stop you?
photo credit: Chelsea Thomas
This EaDo spot keeps the pizza simple and a little snazzy—it’s like the restaurant threw a blazer over a graphic tee before heading out of the door. The compact dining room is full of mismatch chandeliers fit for a sophisticated fairy dinner party with dainty slices of pizza. Thin slices of ricotta pizza are topped with delightfully charred kale greens and a crispy crust that is just soft enough for the slice to fold over with ease. At Tiny Champions, pizza is sold by the pie, so bring a group of buddies to devour slices with you on the patio, or come during Happy Hour when pies are half-priced and you don’t have to choose which pie to have.
photo credit: Liz Silva
Romano’s Pizza near the edge of Montrose and River Oaks resembles the set of a sitcom. No one would bat an eye if a teenager got drenched with an orange soda and then a laugh track piped in through the speakers. Romano’s does pizza New York-style, which feels obvious alongside the classic pizza parlor aesthetic: semi-homespun framed prints of tomatoes, faux-brick facades, scrappy laminate tables. The pizza hits the exact right spot when you want a greasy, no-fuss pie. Grab a few pepperonis to go for a chill night at home.
photo credit: Quit Nguyen
Cobbled together from equal parts pizza parlor nostalgia and arcade games, Nonno’s Family Pizza Tavern in Montrose, serves thin crust, or “tavern style” pies, and a fun menu of other Italian-American comfort foods. Try extra stretchy hand-breaded mozzarella sticks, pies like the Wise Guy piled high with giardiniera, or a Maui Wowie with pineapple and spam. We like to throw on a frozen drink or a couple shots of Malört to round out a meal, and a couple rounds of pinball.
photo credit: Liz SIlva
While Coastline Artisan Pizzeria may not be actually coastal—no beachfront properties yet exist in the First Ward as far as we know—it does make excellent Neapolitan-style and grilled flatbread pizzas. The corner spot boasts a full bar, a giant wood-fired oven, and excellent hand-tossed pizzas as simple as margherita to more elaborate ones with barbecue brisket. Walk in here solo and chat up the bartenders, or split a soft, pillowy, slightly tangy Napoletana pizza with a date.
photo credit: Richard Casteel
Deep dish is the overlord at Star Pizza in Montrose. And whether you order a 10, 12, or 14-inch pie, the hefty silver pan that arrives at your table somehow always looks bigger than you expected. The crust is golden, extra thick, and supports a mini-bathtub’s worth of red sauce. Freestyle the toppings with a laundry list of ingredients ranging from gorgonzola cheese to roasted poblano peppers. Or let Star do the hard work for you and get one of the specialty pizzas, like the Starburst with ground beef and Italian sausage.
Enoteca Rossa in Bellaire feels equal parts romantic and casual, as though it’s the only Italian spot in a small town. The place also serves pretty good hand-tossed al forno-style pizza. Comfortable for any and every occasion, Enoteca Rossa is great for a first date, celebrating an anniversary, or meeting co-workers for a quick bite. We like the funghi with charred mushrooms and earthy truffle cream. Always add extra arugula.
photo credit: Mikah Danae
Rosie Cannonball is an Italian-ish place where you go with friends to primarily feel bougie and drink wine and cocktails. The restaurant also has pretty great pizza, like the cacio e pepe pie. A fantastic crispy crust supports a blend of nutty pecorino, fresh black pepper, and creamy sauce—something to order over and over again. Have a pizza or two with a couple bottles of lambrusco in Rosie’s amber-hued dining room, where everything, including you, your date, and your many pizzas, look absolutely stunning.
photo credit: Richard Casteel
Antonio’s Flying Pizza in the Galleria area makes old school, red sauce Italian pasta and pizza. Open since 1971, Antonio’s is mostly known for the massive iconic neon sign of a chef tossing pizza dough in the air. The pizza here is fairly standard for a neighborhood spot that pumps out pies, with a hand tossed crust, red sauce, and a simple blend of cheese with toppings like pepperoni, prosciutto and arugula, and mushroom with truffle oil. Grab a few pizzas to go or dine to feel like you’re inside of an episode of The Sopranos.
photo credit: Liz Silva
Frank’s Pizza in Downtown serves up a reliable consistent classic New York slice. Somehow, pepperoni and mushroom tastes better in a place like this, which is to say a tiny counter-service restaurant, that’s open for lunch and until 3am on weekends—there’s always a throng of weekend bar goers lining up for a sobering slice after last call. Go classic, or opt for something a little different, like the house special boudin and bacon. Exactly what you need after a long night or for a quick lunch on the go. Just make sure to keep the line moving.
photo credit: Holly Dirks
Home Slice Pizza recently moved into Midtown as a new outpost from the Austin mothership. The restaurant interior is a successful ode to a 1970s pizza joint or someone’s grandmother’s wood-paneled basement, plus a scant few booths inside and small patio. The New York-style pizza runs fairly thin with a slightly soft crust and a light dusting of toppings. Signature pies like the eggplant pie or the pepperoni and mushrooms are tried-and-true staples that won’t steer you wrong. While you can eat here and take in the kitschy decor, we recommend ordering ahead and grabbing a full pie to-go, which is made to order, rather than ordering anything by the slice.
