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Pizza is one of those perfect foods: the right combination of bread, tomato sauce, melty cheese, and whatever meats and vegetables a person could want. Luckily, Austin has a bevy of impressive pizzerias around town, meaning everyone can enjoy one of the most important edible work of Italian art for every meal of the day: morning, noon, happy hour, evening, and late night.
Austin has something for every pizza lover. Find brunch-ready slices all day at Sour Duck Market, thick meaty offerings and an impressive beer selection from Pinthouse Pizza, exciting combinations over at East Side Pies or The ABGB, Neapolitan classics from Dallas-import Cane Rosso, which adheres to strict standards of the AVPN (Associazone Verace Pizza Napoletana — basically, the Naples pizza police), gluten-free at Via 313, vegan at True Food Kitchen, and much more. When pizza hour hits, this guide will offer a pizza solution to any pizza craving.
Breakfast
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It is the most important meal of the day, after all. Start the morning off right with breakfast taco pizza from Sour Duck Market. Served all day by the slice, the pizza comes with pico de gallo and soft-scrambled eggs. (1814 East Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard; Central East Austin)
There are also two breakfast pizza options at Cannon and Belle, found in the recently-renovated Hilton Austin: farm eggs and ham or brisket pizza. Don’t forget to hit up the cold-pressed juice bar for any vitamins you may have somehow missed with your nutritious breakfast choices. (500 East 4th Street, Downtown)
Brunch
Start brunch adventures at Il Brutto, the recent east side Italian spot with a fun patio. After choosing the appropriate pizza (the brunchiest version has sausage, roasted red peppers, and a fried egg). There are several nearby establishments to continue Sunday Funday. (1601 East 6th Street, East Sixth)
Looking for a cute brunch date? Stop by 40 North’s cozy bungalow and enjoy Neapolitan-style pies. There’s a savory brunch pizza with two cheeses, fingerling potatoes, pancetta, dandelion greens, and rosemary, as well as sweet pizza dough beignets. Having dessert after brunch is highly recommended here. (900 West 10th Street, Downtown)
If you’re a brunch hater who is being dragged to the Sunday meal with friends, convince them to head to Second Bar + Kitchen. Munch happily on Black and Bleu pizza (with pork belly confit, medjool dates, bleu cheese, and black truffles) while the rest of your party dives into the French toast. At least you can all agree the cocktails are fabulous. (200 Congress Avenue, Downtown; 3121 Palm Way, Domain)
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Lunch
For thin, crispy New York-style slices, there’s a raging debate between East Side Pies and Home Slice. Want the classics? Fold your slice of garlicky margherita or white clam from Home Slice. Feeling creative? In addition to its popular red sauce, East Side Pies has eight other options (chimichurri, hummus) to make your wildest pizza dreams come true. (East Side Pies: 1401 Rosewood Avenue, Central East Austin; 5312 Airport Boulevard, North Loop; 1809 West Anderson Lane, Crestview; Home Slice: 1415 South Congress Avenue, Travis Heights; 501 East 53rd Street, North Loop)
Thin crust is a great option for lunch pizzas — you don’t fill up on bread, and still have room for dinner pizza. While the idea of healthy pizza may seem like blasphemy, the team behind popular Seaholm spot True Food Kitchen have created some surprisingly good offerings. The vegan butternut squash uses almond ricotta, organic kale, smoked onion, and cranberries for a burst of tartness. The huge open kitchen makes for great entertainment, too. (222 West Avenue, Downtown)
Happy Hour
While happy hour specials at pizzerias are plentiful, these are the best of the best. Five dollars will get you a cocktail, a glass of wine, or a Neapolitan-style margherita pizza during the beginning of the week at Cane Rosso from 5 to 7 p.m. (meat lovers can opt for the $7 Emma or Ella). It leaves you with more money to spend on the ridiculously rich dessert pizzas. (4715 South Lamar Boulevard, Sunset Valley)
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The bottle and board special at North Italia means $20 for a bottle of wine and a pizza from 3 to 6 p.m., a steal for the Domain or downtown. If you like breakfast for happy hour, try the bacon and egg pizza, which includes asparagus, potatoes, rosemary and garlic confit. (1506 Century Oaks Terrace, Domain; 500 West 2nd Street, Downtown)
Work downtown? Italic offers $3 Italian beers, $5 wine and cocktails, and half-price pizzas from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. during the week. This means the fiery-sweet soppressata with fontina, salami, red chili flakes, and honey is only $9.50. (123 West West Sixth Street, Downtown)
Dinner
Pizza and wine or pizza and beer? These are the important decisions to make when choosing a sit-down dinner spot. Tasty pies and a massive wall of beer make Pinthouse Pizza the ultimate neighborhood pizza joint. The white Armadillo pie is a favorite, with poblano peppers, local artisan sausage, ricotta, and cilantro. (4729 Burnet Road, Brentwood; 4236 South Lamar Boulevard, Barton Hills)
If you like a good bit of char on your pizza, The Backspace is a necessary stop. One of the more upscale pizza options, this tiny eatery serves classic pizza flavors with interesting Italian wines, and the dessert jars are always excellent. (507 San Jacinto Boulevard, Downtown)
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Pizzeria Sorellina, the sister restaurant of Apis, keeps the family tradition of locally sourced ingredients — particularly evident in their excellent salumi. It’s worth making the drive out to try the uniquely chewy crust, which is the result of a sourdough starter. (23526 Highway 71 West, Spicewood)
Hailed as some of the most authentic Neapolitan-style pizza in Austin, the menu of Bufalina changes seasonally — but the margherita is always a staple. Pro tip: The Brentwood location rarely has a wait. (1519 East Cesar Chavez Street; Bufalina Due, 6555 Burnet Road, Brentwood)
Another wood-fired Neapolitan option, Unit-D Pizzeria in Cherrywood excels at veggie-topped pies. The charming space, which includes a small patio and lots of natural wood, adds cozy ambiance. (2406 Manor Road, Cherrywood)
Late Night
Some options for those with discerning taste in midnight pizza. The mad scientist chef behind The ABGB will have everyone vying for slices. Lamb, wild boar, quail eggs, and fennel pollen crust are just some of the ingredients that regularly make appearances on the menu. Grab a pint from the rotating taps and enjoy on the sprawling outdoor space. (1305 West Oltorf Street, Galindo)
Conveniently located within stumbling distance of Stubb’s Bar-B-Q and the other Red River music venues and until 2:30 a.m., Hoboken Pie sells foldable slices sent from Jersey heaven while waiting for a rideshare. Whole pies are also available — up to 20 inches — as well as pastas and savory garlic knots. (718 Red River Street, Downtown)
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You don’t need to go out for pizza if it’s already in the bar. The expertly made drinks at King Bee pair well with the crunchy pizzas in this dive cocktail lounge. Toppings change seasonally, though The Cheesiest is definitely true to its name. (1906 East 12th Street, Central East Austin)
Last, but definitely not least, the cheese-laden, thick-crust squares of Detroit-style Via 313 pizza will, after two beers, be the best thing you’ve ever eaten (the gluten-free crust also gets rave reviews). Try the best of both worlds with the Omnivore: mushrooms, onions, and green peppers combined with sausage and pepperoni and topped with a dollop of red sauce. 61 Rainey Street, Downtown; 700 West 6th Street, Downtown)