Pizza can truly fit any occasion. You can cozy up and watch a movie on the sofa with a slice of marinara or get all dressed up and tuck into a diavola at a fancy pizzeria. The possibilities of pizza are endless. And with so many fabulous pizza joints in Indianapolis, it’s difficult to know where the best place is to indulge in the cheesy goodness of pizza.
From mind-boggling hot-dog-crusted pizzas to doughy bases doused in chocolate and sprinkles, some pizzas available nowadays have certainly strayed far from their humble Italian roots. Whether you want to live out your wildest pizza fantasies or prefer to keep it simple with a good old margherita, you’ll find something that hits the spot at one of these irresistible pizza places in Indianapolis.
1. Pizzology, Carmel
Ever the champions of shopping locally, Pizzology only use the freshest ingredients from local farms that implement sustainable practices in the Indianapolis area. Before visiting the pizzeria, you should be made aware that your pizza may come out a little charred around the edges. These Neapolitan-style pizzas are cooked the traditional way at incredibly high temperatures for you to get the authentic Italian experience. Ask a Naples local and they’ll probably tell you that the more charred, the better!
📍13190 Hazel Dell Pkwy Ste 180, Carmel, IN 46033
2. Futuro, Fountain Square
If you’re dining out with fussy eaters, then Futuro is your best bet. Choose from a range of pizza dough styles like deep dish and thin crust or try their Detroit-style rectangular pizza if you’re looking for a bit of an edge. Pizza aficionados of the sweeter persuasion should definitely try their signature Spotted Pig pizza. Imagine a springy inch-thick pizza base topped with applewood-smoked bacon, goats cheese, ricotta and jalapeños doused in warm sticky sweet honey. We’re salivating just thinking about it.
📍 19 Cruse St, Indianapolis, IN 46202
3. King Dough, Holy Cross
Pizza is taken very seriously at King Dough. Owners Adam and Alicia Sweet describe the art of pizza making as a craft driven by quality, and the proof is certainly in the pudding (or pizza). Sized at 14 inches, these gourmet pizzas combine interesting combinations of fresh ingredients that surprisingly work. Who’d have thought grape and Gorgonzola could taste so good together? The pizza place also has a selection of yummy appetizers including succulent wings, homemade meatballs and crispy calamari for you to sink your teeth into (just remember to leave room for pizza).
📍 452 N Highland Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46202
4. Pearl Street Pizzeria & Pub, Downtown & Geist
The delicious delights of Pearl Street Pizzeria & Pub can now be enjoyed at two locations in Indianapolis. Guests can visit their original location in the heart of the city or stake out their recently opened spot in Geist. The specials they offer differ depending on the day of the week, so be sure to check their website before you pay them a visit. Beat the Monday blues with a classic pepperoni pizza or welcome in the weekend with Friday’s slice of sausage on a tasty tomato base. You can even watch a football game with a cold beer and a slice of pizza at the restaurant’s shotgun-style bar. This place truly has it all.
📍 65 E Pearl St, Indianapolis, IN 46204
📍 10462 Olio Rd, Fishers, IN 46040
5. Bazbeaux, Downtown, Broad Ripple & Carmel
Named after one of King Louis XI’s most mischievous court jesters, Bazbeaux boasts some of the best pizzas that Indianapolis has to offer. Each pizza is smothered in a mixture of provolone and mozzarella cheese then drizzled in a homemade tomato sauce before finally being topped with the ingredients of your choice. Cajun shrimp, fancy lump crab, Andouille sausage and Genoa salami are all examples of the mouthwatering toppings you can add to your pizza. If you too are suffering from a cheese addiction, you should definitely get your hands on Bazbeaux’s super cheesy garlic bread. Pull apart the pieces of bread and see just how far the gooey strands of cheese can stretch.
📍 329 Massachusetts Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46204
📍 811 E Westfield Blvd, Indianapolis, IN 46220
📍 111 W. Main St, Carmel, IN 46032
6. Diavola, Canterbury-Chatard
Named after the devilishly spicy pizza, Diavola certainly packs a punch when it comes to good quality pizzas. Before choosing from their selection of premium pizzas, make sure you try their deliciously creamy burrata or classic bruschetta topped with fresh tomato, basil, garlic and parmesan. If you’re feeling adventurous, ask for their calzone of the week known simply as the ‘weekly surprise.’ For $18, you’ll be served an enormous oven-baked folded pizza stuffed with a concoction of delectable ingredients that you’ll only discover when you tuck in.
📍1134 E 54th St, Indianapolis, IN 46220
7. Byrne’s Grilled Pizza, Rocky Ripple
You may have noticed one of Byrne’s Grilled Pizza’s food trucks driving around the streets of Indianapolis to hand out slices of crispy pizza to locals. In fact, that’s how the business initially ran until 2011 when the owners caved to incessant requests from customers to open a restaurant. In addition to their army of food trucks, the pizzeria is famous for their incredibly thin crusted pizzas. We recommend their Señor Byrne’s pizza which adds refried beans, hamburger meat, onions, clinatro crema and cheddar cheese to a fine base smothered in salsa before being sprinkled with doritos. The crusts may be thin, but the soul of this family-owned business goes deep.
📍5615 N Illinois St, Indianapolis, IN 46208