I’ve been on the hunt for the best pizza in Seattle since I moved here more than 10 years ago. You see, pizza is like a religion in New Jersey where I grew up. You have a pizza joint and you go to it all the time. It’s under $15 for a pie and people know your order.
However I learned when I moved to Seattle that Italian American-style food like pizza isn’t as common as it is on the east coast. Obviously my response was, “Challenge accepted,” and my obsession with finding Seattle’s best pizza began.
Seattle isn’t known for any specific style of pizza, but all the people who moved here during the crazy population growth over the past decade have brought different styles with them. When I first moved here you could only find New York-style and Neapolitan-style pizza. But now you can find Midwestern favorites like Chicago or Detroit style and Italian variations like Sicilian and Roman.
While some styles, like Sicilian, are difficult to find, it is possible. This guide has all my favorites, broken down by pizza style. Get ready to learn where to find the best pizza in Seattle.
The Best Pizza in Seattle
Jump to the best pizza in Seattle by style:
- New York style
- Neapolitan style
- Roman and Sicilian style
- Chicago style
- Detroit style
- Funky toppings
New York-style Seattle pizza
New York-style pizza is what I grew up eating in New Jersey. It’s a relatively thin-crust pizza (but don’t call it thin crust!) that is foldable yet still sturdy. It’s usually large at about 18″, so New York-style pizza is meant for sharing.
I’ve found it difficult to find New York-style pizza that holds up against the ones on the east coast. New York-style pizza is all about the texture: it should be doughy, but still springy when you eat it. A lot of the Seattle places in Seattle tend to make the texture too cardboard-y or border-line crunchy like a baguette. So all this is to say, my list of the best New York-style pizza in Seattle is short!
Pagliacci
website | neighborhood: various | what to get: The Original
People might judge me for this, but Pagliacci’s cheese pie is the closest I’ve found to the New York-style pizza I grew up eating. It’s surprisingly flavorful despite being a plain pie, with a complex blend of cheese and the perfect chew consistency.
Note, I think as soon as they start adding toppings things change, so I always recommend going old school and getting Pagliacci’s plain pizza.
Pro tip: While I haven’t been to all its locations, I swear the Magnolia location has the best version of the ones I’ve tried. Also, always get the Italian chopped salad.
Post Alley Pizza
website | neighborhood: Downtown | address: 1123 Post Ave | what to get: cheese pizza
It took me way too long to try Post Alley considering I used to work a block away. It’s a hole-in-the-wall spot tucked on the fringe of Post Alley past Pike Place Market. If you’re coming from 1st Ave, you actually have to go down a set of stairs at the Seneca cross street because it’s below street level.
Flavor wise, this is spot on to what you can get in NJ/NY. The cheese is complex, so you really taste the salty umami in each bite. The balance is perfect: not too saucy, not too cheesy. You can also taste the oregano, which is often missing from Seattle pies that claim to be east coast style.
Texture wise, it was close. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had plenty of pizzas in NJ/NY that had the exact same texture as Post Alley, but my preferred style has a bit more chew. I found Post Alley’s texture a touch on the baguette-side of the scale. For reference, when I tried folding the slice, it cracked instead of bent. While I love me some good char on pizza, this was just a touch overdone. It may have been the batch I got, so more research is needed.
Supreme
website | neighborhood: West Seattle | 4521 California Ave SW | what to get: double pep
Supreme is one of the few pizza spots in Seattle advertising New York-style slices. They’re located on lively California Ave near some of the best restaurants in West Seattle. The vibe is bar like and a bit divey, which is very on brand for New York/New Jersey pizza joints.
In terms of the pizza, the slices here are huge. The double pep is served with a ton of pepperoni that has irresistible pools of oil waiting for you to inhale. While I think the consistency of the dough is a touch chewier than it should be, the flavors are spot and close to authentic New York-style pizza.
Stevie’s Famous
website| neighborhood: Burien | address: 822 SW 152nd St | what to get: capicola and hot honey
I put Stevie’s Famous under the NY-style pizza list, but their version is like a mashup of New York and Neapolitan because they bake the dough a bit longer than your traditional NY slice to get a more bread-like bake. Since their slices are bigger and the vibe is old school east coast pizza joint, I’d say they fit mostly in this category so I’m sticking with it.
Stevie’s Famous was co-founded by Shane Abbott and Justin Harcus, owners of beloved Lupo pizzeria in Fremont known for its sourdough crust. They tapped James Lorimer of the late Bar Taglio and Kilroy’s Pizza to join them in creating an east coast deli and pizzeria. You’ll find pies by the slice, salads, and deli sandwiches, with specials on different days of the week. For example, Thursdays is meatball sub might and Mondays are all about the square pies.
While I prefer the less-baked version of a traditional NY-style pizza, there’s no denying Stevie’s Famous’ pies are awesome. While I usually gravitate toward plain cheese so I can really get a taste of a place’s dough, I prefer Stevie’s deft approach to toppings. Plus the moisture from the extra ingredients tend to make my preferred softer crust.
The menu changes regularly, but if they’re available don’t miss the mushroom and pistachio pesto pizza and capicola hot honey. The former is an umami bomb that goes beautifully with the sourdough crust. The capicola pie has ricotta and is topped with homemade hot honey that they really need to be bottling and selling.
Johnny Mo’s
website | neighborhood: Eastlake | address: 3272 Fuhrman Ave E #100 | what to get: classic New York cheese
Johnny Mo’s actually also serves Chicago-style pizza, but I like their New York-style pizza better. It’s a touch thinner (and therefore floppier) than traditional New York-style pizza, but the flavors are spot on. In true east coast style, the red sauce is slightly sweet and it has a complex cheesy flavor thanks to using more than just fresh mozzarella cheese.
Neapolitan-style Seattle pizza
Neapolitan-style pizza is the OG pizza because it came from Naples, Italy. New York-style pizza is actually an evolution of Neapolitan style from when immigrants came to America via Ellis Island.
Many people refer to Neapolitan-style pizza as New York-style, which isn’t technically correct. While you’ll find a lot of Neapolitan-style pies in New York City, this type of pizza has strict rules that must be followed in order to be a true Neapolitan-style pizza. The rules are that its dough must be made with Italian 0 or 00 wheat flour, Neapolitan or fresh brewer’s yeast (not dry yeast), water, and salt. It must also be kneaded by hand. For comparison, New York-style pizza dough usually has more ingredients like olive oil or sugar and is made with bread flour.
Not all Neapolitan-style pizza places in Seattle follow these strict guidelines, so to the human eye here are some other characteristics you’ll find with Neapolitan-style pizza. First, it usually has more sauce than cheese so it’s difficult to pick up. That’s why these are served in smaller sizes that a hungry person could eat by themselves with a fork and knife.
Second, I’ve found the crust is usually thicker than New York-style and that the pizza is made in a wood-fire oven, which creates more char. Most New York-style pizzas are made in an electric oven.
Here is the best Neapolitan-style pizza in Seattle.
Delancey
website | neighborhood: Ballard | address: 1415 NW 70th St | what to get: Brooklyn and white pies
I’m just going to say it: Delancey has the best pizza in Seattle. Heck…it’s one of my favorite go-to restaurants in all of Seattle.
I’ll never forget how I teared the first time I had Delancey pizza. I had just moved to Seattle and was incredibly home sick. My sister, brother-in-law, and I went to Delancey’s soft opening and the moment their Brooklyn pie touched my palate, I cried. The flavors are exactly like the New York-style pizza I grew up eating, just in a more Neapolitan format.
As a result, the Brooklyn pie is on my list of dishes you must try in Seattle. Owner Brandon Petit is from New Jersey and decided to open a pizza joint in Seattle similar to what he missed from back home. His ex-wife talks all about opening Delancey with him in her book, Delancey, and it’s fascinating to learn about Brandon’s obsession and commitment with testing to develop the best dough.
You’ll also see on my list of dishes to try at this top restaurant in North Seattle is the white pie. I switch whether the white or the Brooklyn pie are my favorites at Delancey because the white pizza with ricotta and roasted garlic is seriously one of the best flavored pizzas I’ve had in Seattle. I don’t even look at the menu when I go to Delancey anymore…it’s just a Brooklyn and white pie all the way.
Pizzeria Pulcinella
website | neighborhood: Rainier Beach | address: 10003 Rainier Ave S | what to get: Margherita
This pizzeria is off the beaten path in South Seattle. It’s on a rather busy road across from Lake Washington, but it’s located inside a repurposed house so there aren’t other restaurants within the vicinity.
The focus here is authentic Italian-style Neapolitan pizza, and I’d say they’ve succeeded. The dough is the perfect texture, the sauce the right balance of sweet to acidic, and the mozzarella deeply flavorful. This is definitely one of my top 5 pizzas in Seattle, so if you haven’t had it make sure to make the trip!
Bruciato
website | neighborhoods: Bainbridge Island | 236 Winslow Way E | what to get: Margherita
I feel like I’m cheating adding a place on Bainbridge Island to this list of the best pizza in Seattle, but holy hell their pizza is good. It’s owned by restauranteur Brendan McGill who owns most of the best restaurants on Bainbridge Island. His team is making such good wood-fired pies, it’s the perfect excuse for taking a day trip to Bainbridge Island.
In true Adria fashion, I always get the Margherita pie. It lets you taste the absolute perfection of Bruciato’s dough, sweet tomato sauce, and umami-filled cheese. But if you want to branch out, the mushroom white pie is also exceptional.
Pro tip: Get their meatballs too. They are hands down some of the best I’ve had in Seattle.
Bar del Corso
website | neighborhood: Beacon Hill | 3057 Beacon Ave S | what to get: Margherita
Bar del Corso is one of the quintessential Seattle pizza joints. Its Neapolitan pizza has a cult following, and for good reason. They consistently churn out deeply flavorful pies with a perfectly-chewy crust. I personally love the char they’re able to achieve on their wood-fired pizzas.
Pro tip: Don’t miss their baccala fritters. They’re light as air and not something you often see on the west coast.
Lupo
website | neighborhood: Fremont| 4303 Fremont Ave N | what to get: whatever looks good
Lupo took over the old Via Tribunali space in Fremont. I ordered takeout from them during the pandemic, but actually wasn’t a big fan. However, I gave them another chance a few years later when I attend a Pizzakaya event they did in collaboration with Soma Mutsuko over at Kamonegi.
That experience put me in my place. When trying their pizza fresh, I was blown away by the crust. It’s fluffier, lighter, and tangier than others on this list thanks to the use of sourdough. The wood-fired char went beautifully with that tang, so much so that I pretty much cried when I was too full to finish my crust.
Via Tribunali
website | neighborhoods: Queen Anne and Capitol Hill| what to get: Margherita
Via Tribunali was one of the first Seattle pizzerias I fell in love with. I used to go here all the time with my sister and brother-in-law to fulfill a constant craving for Margherita pie. Via Trib’s Neapolitan-style pizza is a bit thinner than others so there isn’t much in the way of its stellar tomato sauce and olive oil drizzle. You can really taste how high quality the ingredients are, which makes it one of the best pizzas in Seattle.
Pro tip: Via Trib has one of the best happy hours in Seattle with ~$9 pizza.
Ballard Beer Box
website | neighborhood: Ballard | 2446 NW Market St| what to get: Margherita and one of their seasonal pies
Ballard Beer Box is an unexpected place to get some of the best pizza in Seattle. It’s a taproom and bottle shop right in downtown Ballard with a ton of local brews from cult favorites like Ale Apothecary out of Bend and Garden Path Fermentation in Skagit Valley. Most people come here to grab beer to go or to enjoy on draft in the tasting room.
However Ballard Beer Box is also making really good pizza. You can expect 12″ Neapolitan style pies made with dough they fermented for three days. Each is made fresh and cooked one by one in the tiny oven, which I expect causes back ups when they’re busy. Luckily they told me they’re already planning to invest in a bigger oven so they can turn out more and offer slices. That shows the people are liking what they offer.
While I personally prefer Margherita pies with less cheese, this is my favorite pie to order here because you can really get a sense of the excellent dough. But I also encourage you to get one of their fun seasonal toppings to compare side by side. For example, last time I went they had a really good tikka masala paneer pizza that I haven’t seen anywhere else.
Roman and Sicilian-style Seattle pizza
Sicilian-style pizza is rectangular and thick, with a dough that’s more focaccia bread-like than traditional pizza dough.
Roman-style pizza is similarly rectangular because it’s often cooked in a sheet pan. You may see it called pizza al taglio, which means “by the cut” since this pizza is a popular street food in Italy cut with scissors. The dough isn’t usually as thick as Sicilian and has a consistency more like New York-style pizza than focaccia.
Dino’s Tomato Pie
website | neighborhood: Capitol Hill | address: 1524 E Olive Way | what to get: Sicilian cheese
It’s really difficult to find Sicilian-style pizza in Seattle, but leave it to Brandon Petit of Delancey to bring the east coast out west. Dino’s is Petit’s second pizza location that amps up the hamminess you’ll find in pizzerias throughout New Jersey that feel like a dive bar decorated by your Italian, Godfather-loving grandfather.
Dino’s Sicilian pizzas are square and thick-crusted like traditional Sicilian pizza, but I’d say it’s a more modern spin on the classics you’d find on the east coast. It’s a touch thinner and has irresistible cheese bits crusted from spending a ton of time in the oven, similar to what you’d find on the edge pieces of a lasagna or Detroit-style pizza everyone fights over.
Willmott’s Ghost
website | neighborhood: South Lake Union | address: 2100 6th Ave| what to get: white pizza with mushrooms
My favorite restauranteur, Renee Erickson, is behind this beautiful restaurant inside the Amazon Spheres. She’s built one of the best restaurants in South Lake Union perfect for feeding the hungry lunch crowd and after work socializers.
While there are a lot of great things on the menu (like meatballs…get the meatballs), we’re here to talk about the best pizza in Seattle. Willmott’s Ghost makes Roman-style pizza, which remember is a free-form rectangle shape you cut with scissors.
Willmott’s version is so thick and doughy it can sometimes feel almost borderline raw. As a result I’ve had pies I don’t love, like the Margherita, but the consistency really works with their white pie. The earthy mushrooms and creamy ricotta add to the comforting doughy texture, while a healthy dose of lemon brightens it up.
Chicago-style Seattle pizza
I’m going to try real hard and not be a biased east coaster here. 😂 When I’m craving pizza I will always think a New York-style or Neapolitan-style pizza is the best pizza in Seattle. But Chicago pizza has its place in the world, and I’ve had some pretty damn good ones.
Chicago-style pizza is often also called deep-dish pizza. It has a very thick crust and is often described as more casserole-like. It’s usually around 3″ thick and is made by layering cheese, toppings, and sauce (in that order). Authentic Chicago-style pizza has dense dough that has more the consistency of a biscuit or shortbread than traditional, yeasty pizza dough thanks to the use of wheat or semolina flour and oftentimes butter.
Windy City Pie
website | neighborhood: Phinney Ridge | address: 5918 Phinney Ave N | what to get: meatza pie
Windy City Pie is likely the first place that comes to mind when you think of Chicago pizza in Seattle. It has a cult following and for good reason. They serve a traditional, belly-bomb of a Chicago-style pizza and really amp up the flavors with toppings.
The meatza pie has sausage, pepperoni, and candied bacon. It is so meaty, yet slightly sweet thanks to the bacon. I usually need to be rolled out of the joint after eating it, but the flavors make it a worthy indulgence.
West of Chicago Pizza Company
website | neighborhood: West Seattle | address: 5604 Delridge Way SW (inside the KBM Commissary Kitchen) | what to get: The Original
West of Chicago is making traditional Chicago-style pizza in Seattle that is less dense than Windy City. It uses less toppings too, so you can really taste the nuance of the crust. I love how the crust is flaky like a biscuit and slightly sweet.
I also love the toppings on The Original, which includes pepperoni, house-made spicy Italian sausage, caramelized onions, fresh mozzarella, provolone, tomato sauce, and Parmesan cheese. The caramelized onions make the dish thanks to the deep, sweet flavor it adds to counterbalance the slight spice from the sausage.
Pro tip: It took us a minute to find West of Chicago because it shares a space with other restaurants and pop-ups inside the KBM Commissary Kitchen, which is like an incubator for small food businesses. This means there’s no sit-down option. Instead you ring a doorbell outside a takeout window to grab your order to go.
Detroit-style Seattle pizza
Some people confuse Chicago style and Detroit-style pizza, but Detroit style is its own category. First, it’s more similar to Sicilian-style pizza than Chicago because it uses a similar spongy focaccia-like dough that is wetter than other pizza doughs. It results in a lighter, porous consistency that isn’t as chewy as New York-style pizza. And while it’s “deep dish” in thickness, it definitely isn’t casserole or biscuit-like like a Chicago style pizza.
Another distinguishing characteristic of Detroit-style pizza is the shape. It’s made in a square, deep dish, industrial blue steel pan that has angled sides allowing for the top of the pan to have more surface area than the bottom. This helps pizza makers press the dough into the pan and ensure the dough fills up the entire area, which allows for crunchy edges encrusted with slightly burnt cheese. The combo of the dough and pan makes for a doughy soft center and crispy sides.
Lastly, traditional Detroit-style pizza uses brick cheese. Wisconsin brick cheese has a mild flavor and is semi-soft. It’s more similar to cheddar than mozzarella and has a high fat content that helps give dough a buttery flavor. And like Chicago-style pizza, the ordering of the ingredients is opposite what you’d expect for pizza. Traditionally, toppings go on first, followed by cheese, then sauce. This makes sure the dough doesn’t get soggy.
I’m a big fan of Detroit-style pizza because its spongy consistency reminds me of Pizza Hut’s deep dish pan pizza. At the risk of y’all disowning me, I sort of love Pizza Hut because I grew up eating it and remember having birthday parties there. But don’t let my guilty pleasure cause concern. These Detroit-style pizza spots in Seattle are many levels above Pizza Hut. 😂
My Friend Derek’s
website | neighborhood: Fremont | address: the owner’s house| what to get: pepperoni
My Friend Derek’s is one of the newer Detroit-style pizza places in Seattle. Derek started making pizza out of his house during the pandemic and it’s so, so, so good. Since it’s just him he can only make so many pies, but they’re consistently sold out weeks in advance.
This is hands down one of the best pizza places in Seattle. The dough is the perfect spongy consistency and the edges irresistibly crispy. I also love how the pepperoni sticks out a bit from the sauce and cheese so you get some crispy bits.
MOTO
website | neighborhood: West Seattle | address: 4526 42nd Ave SW| what to get: crab pizza
MOTO is newer on the Seattle pizza scene, but they’re so popular that you have to book out your pizza order months in advance. And it’s for good reason. They’re making exceptional Detroit-style pan pizza.
One of my favorite things about MOTO is that you can really taste the crust since they don’t smother it in toppings. Considering they use a 150-year-old starter, you want to be able to taste the nuances in the dough. It’s fluffy, yet crispy with charred edges that remind me of a Parmesan crisp.
They change the toppings seasonally, but if it’s available get the crab. It’s delicate with a hefty portion of crab and a lot of zest and dill to make a belly bomb pizza somehow feel light. If it’s not available, the Harlem chop cheese one is another goodie.
Save room for dessert to try their soft serve ice cream. While I thought the ice cream was a bit too icy for my palate, they’re making interesting “cones” that are pastries dipped in toppings. I enjoyed the cinnamon sugar one because it tasted like a zeppole, an Italian fried dough dessert I grew up eating at carnivals in New Jersey.
Sunny Hill
website | neighborhood: Sunset Hill | address: 3127 NW 85th St| what to get: Arcade pepperoni pizza
Sunny Hill opened up on the quiet corner of NW 85th St and 32nd Ave in the old Lucky Santo location. They have a menu of both Neapolitan style and Detroit-style pies, plus what some people say is one of the best burgers in Seattle, but their Detroit-style pizza is what to get here.
They get great crisp on their pepperoni, likely because they put a healthy portion of it on top of the sauce and cheese (breaking the typically Detroit-style pizza pattern). I personally like how they also use less cheese, as too much melted cheese makes me gag. But if you love gooey pizzas, you may prefer My Friend Derek’s.
Seattle pizza with funky toppings
When I order pizza, I usually stick to more traditional toppings. However, there are some places serving the best pizza in Seattle that really know how to play with toppings to create unique flavors. These are some of my favorites.
South Town Pie
website | neighborhood: South Park | address: 8611 14th Ave S | what to get: pastrami
South Town serves New York-style pizzas. You’ll find traditional pies on the menu, but insiders know to get the pastrami. It’s a take on the classic Jewish comfort food and has no red sauce. Instead it features gruyere fondue, mozzarella, pastrami, caramelized onion, and dill pickles on an everything-bagel-spiced crust. I’ve literally never had pickles on a pizza and the purist in me originally balked, but I’ve been converted. This pizza is awesome.
Pro tip: Order a side of extra gruyere fondue for dipping.
Other Seattle pizzas to try
When I first moved to Seattle more than a decade ago, there were only a handful of pizzerias. Now there are a ton. If a pizzeria isn’t mentioned in this article, chances are I’ve been and I didn’t love it. Yes, even that popular White Center and Tom Douglas spot (I love you Tommy D!).
But there are a few pizzas in Seattle on my short list to try. When I do, I’ll update this post to add them above if they’re the best of the best. So PIN THIS GUIDE FOR LATER!
- Cornelly – Capitol Hill spot said to make great Neapolitan pies
- Petoskey’s Pizza – Bar in Fremont making Midwest-style pizza
- Mio Posto – Neapolitan pizzeria with multiple locations
- Independent Pizzeria – Takeout-only Neapolitan pizzeria in Madison Park
- Pizzeria 22 – Neapolitan pizza in West Seattle
- Slice Box Pizza – New York-style pizza in SODO
So where’s Seattle’s best pizza?
Hopefully this guide on the best pizza in Seattle by style helped, but if you want to know my top 5 ranking regardless of style, here it is:
- Delancey
- Pizzeria Pulcinella
- My Friend Derek’s
- MOTO Pizza
- Lupo Pizza
As you can see, I’ve yet to find a New York-style pizza that I’d put in my top 5. Here’s to hoping one day I find one that makes the list!
More Italian food worth trying
If you’re looking for the best pizza in Seattle, I’m going to take a guess that you love Italian food in general. Here’s some more inspiration for your next meal.
- Seattle’s Best Italian Restaurants
- Where to Get the Best Pasta in Seattle
- My Aunt’s Famous Italian Lemon Drop Cookies
- Easy Italian Fish Soup
- Easy Oven-Baked Risotto
- Smoked Salmon Stuffed Shells
