Everyone knows that pi is roughly equal to 3.14, but what you may not know is that 3.14 is also roughly the number of pizza pi(e)s you’d have to eat every day, for… well, longer than it takes you to get really fat presumably, if you have any hope of choosing the very best from among Seattle’s slew of sweet ‘za options. Or you could just let us pick the 11 sweetest ones for you instead...
The Masonry
Uptown
What you’re getting: Classic margherita
Just two years old, this hole-in-the-wall boozer is already making a name for itself by serving up some perfectly delicious pizzas and spicy meatballs from a wood-burning oven. Keep it simple: fresh basil, mozzarella, tomato sauce, and garlic -- you’ll thank us when you let the crispy, starchy crust stand out on its own.
Delancey
Ballard
What you’re getting: Bacon & onion pizza
Included mostly because the ‘za is amazing (and partly ‘cause we don’t want this place’s passionate fans from coming after us), this Ballard pizzeria is home to some pretty fantastic-tasting (and looking) pizzas. Pro tip: follow this bacon-y and onion-y pie with some of the D’s bourbon-roasted peaches.
Serious Pie
Downtown/Multiple locations
What you’re getting: Penn Cove clams, pancetta tesa, lemon thyme
Super Chef Tom Douglas perfected SP's slightly sweet, almost pastry-like crust at his bakery around the corner, and it's so good that almost anything would taste amazing on it, but you wanna spend your clams on the 'za topped with diced, fresh-shucked ones from one of the Puget Sound's premier bivalve purveyors. Seriously (see what we did there?!), this pie can't be missed.
Primo Pizza Parlor
First Hill
What you’re getting: Sausage, peppers & mushroom
Located directly across from Town Hall in a historic 1920s hotel lobby, this cute cafe serves some sweet hand-tossed pies in an incongruently elegant dining room/bar, including this Italian fennel sausage- & spicy pickled pepper-topped number.
World Pizza
International District
What you’re getting: Baked egg pizza
Fifteen years after closing, this grunge-era Belltown mainstay reimagined itself as a salvaged, wood-heavy Chinatown slice house with seats for 20, and myriad touches from the old space, including vintage signage and a selection of pies that do something almost impossible: make you forget they’re vegetarian. Seriously, after you’re done with the baked egg pizza, just try the veggie pepperoni and see what we mean.
Big Mario’s New York Style Pizza
Capitol Hill
What you’re getting: A slice, any slice
There’s nothing better after a night of bar hopping on the Hill than a steaming slice of cheesy goodness at Big Mario’s, where the specialities include traditional New York-style pizza… and 40s of malt liquor. We’re not kidding.
The Independent Pizzeria
Madison Park
What you’re getting: Quattro pizza
About two dozen seats are available in this cozy and intimate pizza place just across from the beach, and you’ll definitely want to be in one -- with a glass of wine or one of its small selection of craft suds -- when the hand tossed pies, like this four-cheese number made with fontina, mozzarella, Gorgonzola, and ricotta, start coming out of the over.
Phoenicia
West Seattle
What you’re getting: Fig and pancetta pizza
This little Italian joint is well worth a trip to Alki Beach, where personal-sized pizzas (no sharing!) are cooked in a 900-degree oven that makes the perfect crunchy, but airy pizza crusts. And since you’ve probably come so far, why not get a little fancy? Fresh figs, pancetta, caramelized onions, Laura Chenel chevre, fresh and whole milk mozzarella, and EVOO get the job done.
related
The 11 Best Dumplings in Seattle
Bar del Corso
Beacon Hill
What you’re getting: Corno Di Capra
This eatery down south pumps out some truly special pies, but no matter what you order, the stars of the show are the fresh toppings, many of which are made in-house, including the pickled goathorn peppers, which along with house-made sausage, top this must-have pizza pie.
Kylie’s Chicago Pizza
Fremont
What you’re getting: Carnivore pizza
The super-deep dish, chunky sauce, and extra cheese -- that is what makes Chicago-style pizza so irresistible, and this Fremont joint’s filling pies have all that. What they don’t have is all of the grease that sometimes comes with rich Chicago-style ‘za, so grab a beer and get in on this meat lover's pizza featuring pepperoni, sausage, ham, bacon, and chicken, without feeling (very) bad about yourself.
Italian Family Pizza
Downtown
What you’re getting: A LARGE
Opened in a space that used to house the shop where Jimi Hendrix played his first guitar, this NY-style ‘za slinger in the shadow of Pike Place market offers a unique experience: trying to eat a pizza so big that you might just end up like Jimi if you finish it (i.e., a legend).
Sign up here for our daily Seattle email and be the first to get all the food/drink/fun in town.
Cody Permenter is a freelance writer in Seattle who prefers pepperoni and bacon to sun-dried tomatoes and pesto. Follow him on Twitter.
-
1. The Masonry
20 Roy St, Seattle -
2. Delancey
1415 NW 70th St, Seattle -
3. Serious Pie
316 Virginia St, Seattle -
4. Primo
1106 8th Ave, Seattle -
5. World Pizza
672 S King St, Seattle -
6. Big Mario's Pizza
1009 E Pike St, Seattle -
7. The Independent Pizzeria
4235 E Madison Street, Seattle -
8. Kylie's Chicago Pizza
3601 Fremont Ave N #101, Seattle -
9. Bar del Corso
3057 Beacon Ave S, Seattle -
10. Italian Family Pizza
1206 1st Ave, Seattle -
11. Phoenecia
2716 Alki Ave SW, Seattle
A wood-fire pizza place boasting great ales and even better starchy goodness.
It’s no wonder Delancey has some passionate fans—this Ballard pizzeria is home to some of Seattle’s best tasting (and looking) pizzas. The wood-fired pies come with toppings ranging from the traditional, high quality (think Zoe’s pepperoni), to the quirky and seasonal (think Padrón peppers). Pro tip: follow this bacon-y and onion-y pie with some of the D’s bourbon-roasted peaches. It also has the cookie to end all cookies: a soft bittersweet chocolate chip cookie made with gray salt.
Serous Pie is one of the fine dining establishments operated by Seattle super chef Tom Douglas, and par for the course, it's nothing short of delicious. Expect crispy, wood-fired pizzas, a generous wine menu, and serious desserts at this petite Downtown eatery. The Penn Cove clam topped pie is not to be missed.
This 60-seater located in the lobby of an elegant 1920s' era boutique hotel in First Hill delivers with its simple, classic hand-tossed pizzas. Rustic Italian staples like stromboli and hand-cut pasta also feature on the menu. Half price happy hour deals on pies and cocktails make Primo a worthy after-work staple.
Fifteen years after closing their Belltown original, the brothers behind this golden-era-of-Grunge destination have reinvented it as a vegetarian-only slice-house in Chinatown. Chow down on vegan pepperoni pies inside the vintage-era digs. With seats for 20, and some well-placed nods to the old space, including some of their original vintage signage, this hip destination scores both on the aesthetic and culinary front.
There aren't many places in Seattle where you can slug an Olde English 40 and bask in the glory of true New York-style pizza, but Big Mario's is one of them. Located in Capitol Hill, this is one of the best spots for quality, thin-crust pie. Hipsters flock to Mario's for its retro style and late-night deals.
This beachside pizza shop in Madison Park open by a former sommelier turned dough slinger serves New York/Neapolitan style mash-ups. Expect creatively topped but not the over the top pies like the Stevedore with salami and Little Mama's hot peppers or the Twin Peaks with fontina and cremini mushrooms. The tiny, eclectically-furnished space is cozy and quirky.
Kylie's is a Chicago-inspired pizza-slinger hocking deep-dish 'zas with a West Coast twist.
Opened in the seriously overhauled Beacon Pub by an industry vet (Harvest Vine, Betty, etc.) who got his pizza chops working in Italy, BDC's serving up a seasonal menu of inventively topped, wood-fired pies including the fava bean puree/ cherry tomato/ sa
This pizza shop near Pike Place Market slings NY-style pizza inside a bare bones shop that, rumor has it, used to house the shop where Jimi Hendrix played his first guitar. The limited menu features basic but satisfying fare like pepperoni, sausage, and anchovy pies, crunchy Greek salads, and plenty of pitchers of Bud Light to go around.
From artisanal pizza to tapas to special entrées, this bistro in West Seattle features a mix of everything on its menu -- including breathtaking views of the Olympic Mountains. While the space may be small, it hosts two wine bars in house for tastings and more casual dining.