Best Pizza in Austin TX: 12 Spots Worth the Drive (2026 Guide)

Last updated: February 2026

Austin does not have a single pizza identity, and that is exactly what makes eating here so good. Unlike New York or Chicago, where one style dominates and everyone argues about who does it best, Austin pulls from everywhere. You can get a blistered Neapolitan pie with leopard-spotted crust on a Tuesday, a foldable New York slice at midnight on a Friday, and a thick, crispy-edged Detroit pan pizza on Sunday without ever leaving the city limits. The result is one of the most interesting pizza scenes in Texas, and honestly, one of the best in the country.

Whether you are staying on South Congress or posted up near 6th Street, you are never more than a short drive from something outstanding. Here are the 12 spots we keep going back to.

A Quick Style Guide for Pizza Tourists

If you have only ever eaten chain pizza, Austin is about to change your life. Here is what you need to know about the three major styles you will encounter around town:

• Neapolitan: Thin, soft, slightly charred crust baked in a wood-fired oven at extremely high heat. The center is tender and pliable, not crunchy. Toppings are minimal and high quality — San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil. You eat it with a knife and fork, and it arrives fast because it cooks in about 90 seconds.
• New York style: Bigger slices, thinner crust, foldable. The bottom has a slight crunch, the cheese stretches, and the sauce has a little sweetness to it. This is the style you grab by the slice at a counter and eat standing up or walking down the sidewalk.
• Detroit style: Baked in a rectangular steel pan, so the edges get thick, crispy, and caramelized with cheese. The interior is airy and pillowy. Sauce often goes on top of the cheese in racing stripes. It is rich, filling, and completely different from anything else on this list.

Neapolitan and Wood-Fired

1. Bufalina

Bufalina is one of those restaurants where the food is genuinely excellent but the atmosphere makes it feel like a party. The East Austin original on East Cesar Chavez does classically Neapolitan pies with a solid natural wine list, and the whole room has this energetic buzz that makes it one of the most fun dinner spots in Austin. They also have Bufalina Due up in Brentwood if you are staying north of the river. Go with a group, order too many pies, and do not skip whatever seasonal topping they are running that week.

2. DeSano Pizzeria Napoletana

Walking into DeSano on East 6th feels like a mini-vacation to Naples. They import their flour, their tomatoes, and their technique, and you can taste the difference. The crust comes out perfectly charred, light, and chewy with that signature Neapolitan puff around the edges. San Marzano sauce and fresh mozzarella keep things simple and correct. If you want to understand what Neapolitan pizza is actually supposed to taste like, this is your spot.

3. Pieous

Pieous sits out past the city center near Dripping Springs, and it is worth the drive. This family-owned spot does wood-fired Neapolitan on a sourdough crust, which gives the pizza a subtle tang and chew you will not find at other Neapolitan places in town. Everything is made from scratch. They also smoke their own meats, so if someone at your table does not want pizza (unlikely, but it happens), they are covered. Hours can be limited, so check before you head out.

New York Style

4. Home Slice Pizza

Home Slice on South Congress is an Austin institution at this point, and it has earned that status honestly. The pies are big, foldable, properly greasy New York style, and you can feed four people for around $20 if you are not going wild on toppings. The line out front is part of the experience — grab a slice from the walk-up window if you do not want to wait for a table. They also have a north location now. If you are staying on South Congress, this should be your first stop.

5. Allday (All Day Pizza)

Allday might be the best New York-style pizza in Austin right now. The crust walks that perfect line between charred and chewy, the sauce actually tastes like tomatoes, and every pie comes out of the oven looking like it means business. They opened a third location in 2025 inside a converted old post office in Hyde Park, which is a great space. If you have been disappointed by limp, soggy New York-style attempts elsewhere in Texas, Allday will restore your faith.

6. Pedroso’s Pizza

Pedroso’s landed as one of the top-rated pizza spots on Yelp in 2026, and the hype is real. They do big, properly proportioned New York slices with a crispy crust that actually holds up under the weight of the toppings. Their Sicilian square slices are also worth ordering — thick, oily on the bottom, and satisfying in a completely different way. This is no-frills, counter-service pizza done right.

Detroit Style

7. Via 313

Via 313 started as a trailer in Austin back in 2011 and has since expanded nationally, but the original city is still home base. Founded by two brothers from the Motor City, they brought legitimate Detroit-style pizza to Texas before most people here had even heard of it. The dough is rich, bubbly, and baked in those signature blue steel pans until the cheese along the edges turns into a crispy, caramelized crust. It is heavy, unapologetic, and completely addictive. Multiple locations around Austin mean you are never far from one.

More Great Spots Worth Knowing

8. Feral Pizza

Feral operates out of a trailer on North Loop, and the dough is the star. It ferments for nearly two days before it hits the oven, which gives the crust this incredible crispy, chewy, slightly sour quality that you will not stop thinking about. The style leans New York but the fermentation process puts it in its own category. Lines form for a reason. Go early or be patient.

9. Little Deli & Pizzeria

Little Deli is a neighborhood spot in Crestview that consistently ranks in the top 10 on Yelp, and it feels like the kind of place every neighborhood wishes it had. The pizza is straightforward and well-made, the sandwiches are solid, and the whole operation has a friendly, unpretentious energy. It is small, so expect a wait during peak hours, but the turnaround is quick.

10. Tony C’s Coal Fired Pizza

Tony C’s uses a coal-fired oven, which burns hotter than wood and gives the crust a distinctive char and crunch that sets it apart from standard New York-style places. The menu is Italian-American comfort food done well — think chicken parm, meatballs, garlic knots alongside the pies. It has been an Austin staple for years, and the consistency is part of why people keep coming back.

11. East Side Pies

East Side Pies keeps things fresh with quality ingredients and creative topping combinations across multiple locations. The crust is thin and crispy, the portions are generous, and they have a strong delivery game if you would rather eat pizza in your hotel room with no judgment. A reliable choice when you want something good without having to think too hard about it.

12. Southside Flying Pizza

Southside Flying Pizza offers over 30 toppings on hand-tossed pies, and they stay open late, which makes them a clutch call after a night out on South Lamar or Rainey Street. The pizza is solid, the portions are big, and the vibe is casual and unpretentious. If you need a pie at 11 PM and do not want to settle for whatever delivery app garbage is available, Southside has you covered.

Quick Tips

• Best late-night slice: Southside Flying Pizza stays open late and does hand-tossed pies well past the hour when most kitchens have shut down. Home Slice’s walk-up window is another strong option on weekends.
• Best for groups: Bufalina is built for sharing — order a spread of pies and some natural wine and settle in. Via 313 also works well for groups because the Detroit-style pans are meant to be split.
• Best by-the-slice: Home Slice and Pedroso’s both do excellent single slices at the counter. Allday is also solid for a quick solo slice if you are near one of their locations.
• On a budget: Home Slice feeds a group for around $20. Check out our full guide to cheap eats in Austin for more wallet-friendly options beyond pizza.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best pizza in Austin right now?

It depends on what style you want. For Neapolitan, Bufalina and DeSano are the top choices. For New York style, Allday is on a serious run right now with three locations and consistently great pies. For Detroit style, Via 313 is the clear answer — they essentially created the category in Austin. There is no single best pizza in a city this diverse, which is a good problem to have.

Where can I get pizza delivered to my hotel in downtown Austin?

East Side Pies, Via 313, and Home Slice all deliver through their own systems or major delivery apps. If you are staying downtown near 6th Street, DeSano on East 6th and several Allday locations are also within delivery range. Just be aware that delivery times get longer on weekend nights, especially during festival season.

Is Austin pizza expensive?

Not really. A whole pie at most of these spots runs between $14 and $22 depending on toppings, and slices at counter-service places like Home Slice and Pedroso’s are usually $3 to $5. Neapolitan spots like Bufalina and DeSano tend to be slightly higher because of imported ingredients, but you are still looking at a reasonable dinner for two under $50 with drinks. Compared to what you would pay in New York or San Francisco, Austin pizza is a solid value.

Planning your Austin trip? Check out our guides to hotels on South Congress, downtown hotels near 6th Street, and cheap eats across the city.