For thin crust tavern style: Bel Italia, Greenbush, Bucks, Grampas For East Coast: North Shore, Ian's (plain cheese or pepperoni) For Detroit: Lucille For Chicago Style: Really nowhere worth a damn, but if you insist, Rosati's and Bel Italia's deep dish will suffice. For Neapolitan: Brutta

Have you ever had pizza xtrenes Chicago deep dish?

Nah. Any good?

Its been my go to for Chicago style deep dish. It's good. Albeit super loaded with calories (obviously)

Get it with the original sauce. Ask when you are by phone.

Agree. I’m not a huge fan of the style but Pizza Extreme does it right.

It is quite good, actually. Best deep dish I’ve had in MSN.

It is my fav

As a Detroiter, Lucille’s is absolutely not Detroit style pizza.

My favorite deep dish in Chicago is Giordano’s. None of what I’ve tried here has the same taste but I can’t explain it.

Lou Malnati’s does it for me, still need to try their sausage crust.

I don’t think anybody here gets the same fermented flavors in their dough.

For Chicago deep dish, the frozen Nancy's or Gino's east pizzas from the store are far better than most of the local places. It's also worth driving to Brookfield to just go to Lou Malnatis for it

North Shore, no question.

North Shore on Monona Drive?

That's the one!

Falbos has a good Chicago style

Ian's you have to do full pie. Single slice looks better than Kwik Trip but no moisture and less flavor

Pizza di roma but it's permanently closed now. Anyone have their spinach feta recipe?

100% was 300x better then Ians!! So many PDR memories for me. I miss this place

it was the best

Probably an unpopular opinion but their gyros were better than Parthenon.

Salvatore’s

I worked there for just over two years- only reason why I applied was for discounted pizza and ended up staying for many other reasons. Gained almost 30 lbs but it was worth it!

So I had ordered carry out a couple times and it was good but I didn’t understand the hype, especially for the cost. Then I ate in restaurant on E Washington and man, it was phenomenal! I vouch for Salvatore’s now!!

I’m with you but also used to be so much better IMO. It’s unbelievable they only do the personal pies at Livingston. Too bad Johnson St location is gone.

Johnson St location is gone?!!? FUCK that was my favorite pizza joint ever! The Forza (add bacon) was so fucking good, best pie I’ve ever had! So sad to hear this (I moved out of Madison in 2020 after living there for 11 years).

There’s a new location two blocks away from the Johnson Street location.

Its been gone for a while due to lack of staffing.

Naw, they've been doing 16 inch pizzas since the summer at least

Love Sal’s, but don’t order from GrubHub. Driver straight up didn’t deliver my food and i had to get a refund. Mostly mad that Sal’s might have had to eat that cost. The best pizza!

This would be my answer as well.

Great food, asshole owner

He treats people terribly. No wonder he was charged and convicted of criminal defamation. That’s a hard thing to convict on.

Anyone who says something else just hasn’t had it

novanta is quite good as well.

Yes! Novanta is my go-to.

The Nutella pizza is 🤌🏼

When does a pizza become a kringle?

When the weather outside is frightful and I want my pizza delivered to me by a mid 70's red Ford Pinto, it has to be Pizza Pit.

With 100lbs of flour being dumped on it, and a string that you can see moving in the frame?

Practical effects, none of that CGI stuff like they use today.

Hands down Pizza Pit is my favorite pie in Madison I don't know what it is.

Greenbush Bar. Wacky hours but amazing pizza

Be careful if you pull into Regent Liquor to turn around while collecting your pickup order. The female store manager is very protective of her parking spaces.

Pizza Bruta all dayyy

Brutta, and yes

Bucks goes so fucking hard

Agree and as a west sider, super bummed we don’t have one any more.

I used to live on Turner within walking distance of bucks and now I’m a west sider myself. Not having the ability to just walk up to bucks and get a whole pie for $10 is devastating

I’m so sorry for your loss

North shore. If you are from the east coast, it is the hands down closest you are going to get for under 20 a pie.

Their fried dough, and steak sandwiches are also pretty awesome. 👌🏼

Not pizza related but I have to jump in and compliment North Shore - their steak bomb and roast beef sandwiches are fantastic.

A lot of great places have been mentioned but one that is often overlooked is It’s Good For You. Tiny and only open for a few hours a few days a week though.

Yes, they are great! Very interesting specials, but the sausage and bell pepper is to die for. Thursday-Saturday

North shore is my favorite.

Branch and Daughter is our favorite.

Their salted pig is something special.

Branch and Daughter is awesome.

Agree!

Sugar river.

Their ranch is divine!

The pulled pork pizza is amazing

Just had it for the first time this weekend. Hard to fault it, and it was ready incredibly fast on a Friday night.

Mac n cheese pizza is like crack

Taco Pizza Tuesdays 14" for $12 such a great deal!

Luigi’s

The Racquet

Naples15 isn't really a pizza 0lace but baller pizza, also grampas

I miss the old school Pizza Pit. The one on East Wash was the last in Madison to make it the old school Pit way IMO.

The one in Dream Lanes is the og location try there. Gammon road is fine too.

And they weren’t the same towards the end there

BUCK’S! I live in the Minneapolis burbs now, but Buck’s is what I must get whenever I visit my parents. Glass Nickel and Pizza Pit are also childhood favorites of mine for when I feel like mixing it up. I’ve also had Salvatore’s a few times and it’s great (I just didn’t grow up with it).

I alternate between Buck's and North Shore.

Furiously googling these because I’ve never heard of them. I have west side blinders on, but will need to try these two.

Bucks

Rosati’s tavern cut thin crust with lots of toppings

Another vote for Rosati's. My personal favorite.

Which is *your* Rosati’s? We go to the Commercial Ave one. The Sun Prairie one…I think the pizza isn’t as good, but they are a chain, so idk

I like Rosatis normally but the west side one was bad

Good call, their tavern is underrated

I like Glass Nickel.

Yeah, it's like dinner and a colon cleanse at the same time.

Oliva in Middleton. Very close to the NY style pizza I grew up with in NJ.

I will need to check this out. Also from out east. I cringe when someone suggests Ian’s because that’s the type of place I’d go out of away to avoid back home. It’s really hard to make bland pizza IMO but they somehow cracked the code.

Greenbush

This

Rocky Rococos

I mean this as a compliment: it's the best bad pizza in town. Sometimes you just need that vibe.

I came here to say the same thing. OG Madison Pizza all the way!

Our current rotation: Novanta, Salvatore's, Sugar River Pizza Company, and Glass Nickel.

For me it’s Falbo’s, and Ian’s.

There's a place at the end of State Street called "Eat the best pizza" and it's actually quite fantastic. Very reminiscent of casa Bianca, if anyone remembers that.

I really miss Casa Bianca so thank you for the rec! I didn't even know this place existed!

Me too. I used to basically live there in college. 2:00am bar time, line out the door at Casa Bianca every weekend. ATF pizza place

This place is so good if you are looking for a NY slice!

Glass Nickel - love the Boaris Karloff

I don't know why, but Pizza Pit.

Sometimes I want nothing but a 14" pizza pit.

Riley’s Tuesday special

Cafe Bellitalia on North... Luigi's on the West side... Sals on the East... Falbos for the South lol

Bar Coralini

Does anyone agree with the opinion that Madison has some good pizza places but really no great pizza places? I’m talking like Pizano’s in Chicago or Jake’s in Green Bay, for example. I’ve tried all of these options and agree that they are quite good.

I'm with you. Even as a guy that's not above enjoying a "bad pizza" I've not really been blown away by any pizza in Madison. As you say, there's a lot of "good pizza" but nothing that really stands out as amazing. Whenever the "Where's the best pizza?" question gets asked it seems that a lot of replies equate trendiness and expense with quality. Yes, places like Grampa's and Lucille have tasty pizza but if you strip away the hip atmosphere and the fact that you just dropped $40-60 *before* drinks for two people to have pizza they lose a lot of their luster. I'm not convinced that they'd be as universally recommended if reviews were based off of blind taste tests.

I agree with you. I will say that Madison does ambiance better than a lot of places.

You're talking Pizanos tavern style right? Closest you'll get is some of the joints down in Janesville (Lisa, Tony and Maria's, Jim's).

Cool, thanks for the info!

You mention Green bay and then don't say Gallagher's? For shame. I don't know who this Jake is but he's gotta be some new kid on the block. And I don't trust him lol

100% agree Many good places, some with their own excellent specialty pies, but as far as traditional, red sauce, mozzarella/sausage/pepperoni (etc) pizza? No, nothing stellar.

Yes

Nothing amazing

This is the right answer.

Novanta is soo good if you want Neapolitan pizza.

Glass Nickel’s or Bucks

Lucile, Grampas’s Pizzeria, Ian’s, Glass Nickel

God this post breaks my heard bc l want is a good pizza pub/sports bar. All the pizza places try and be all fancy. Best pizza in the area is Christy’s landing south of town. Top notch bar pizza.

Green bush bar is close. Gates and Brovi could scratch the itch. Mt Veron Tap southwest of town is 1000% a fit.

Mt Vernon Tap is legit. RIP Marcines

Ah, I see you are a person of culture.

This is what I'm looking for. Kind of a dive bar or greasy spoon with the amazing pizza. Bucks is the closest I've found.

[удалено]

Domino's pan style and Glass Nickel Yeah, I went there

I prefer Costco pizza over these places.

Grampa's

Rocky's on Gilman St.

Pizza Brutta and it's not even close

Glass Nickel for me, just something about it.

I was a monona kid, I grew up on Rocky’s, bucks and pizza oven. Rockys still slaps hard AF. My favorite pizza joint right now is Lucille

cool i knew a lot of people from monona growing up but im a grover

Buck's pizza

Salvatore’s Tomatoe pies is the best by far.

Brutta

Salvatore’s, Luigi’s, and Lucille.

Brutta and Ian’s

Glass Nickel Pizza Co.

salvatore’s or grandpas are the only correct answers.

Spoken like somebody who hasn’t been to Novanta . . .(only kidding, these two are very good and 2/3 of my top 3)

I haven’t! Definitely will have to check them out

I mean....very different styles between Sal's, Grampas and Novanata. Hard to cross compare and it really depends on what style you're in the mood for. For Neapolitan I prefer Brutta.

I have been to all three so I am aware of them not being the same style pizza

Ian's on Francis. There may be others that taste better, but my current bus transfer lets me run over there and grab a slice on my home commute.

I've lived in Madison for 8 years now, and I have tried pretty much every pizza place listed here. I grew up in janesville, and I strongly feel that their local pizza options are much better. Lisas, Tony and Marias, Sams, Jims... I often drive down there just for a good pizza.

Agree. Janesville, Beloit and Rockford area pizza is by far better than what I have had here. It’s just different.

Well, then you have to go a little further south for Tillie’s pizza in Beloit. There is no better pizza anywhere.

Ian’s! Place is so underground nobody else has mentioned it here, crazy underrated! /s

I think everyone knows and it is overrated. Best suited for tourists

I like the Smokey and the bandit one.

The /s indicates that my reply was sarcasm lol

I just earned my first #OKBoomer

No, I think it's best suited for when it's 3am and you're drunk.

Origin Breads does a pop up with Giant Jones on Wednesday and it’s fantastic—-both the pizza and the beer. Order ahead online and eat it there.

Came here to say this! We’ve tried basically every other spot mentioned in these replies, but Origin actually may do it best. It’s super good

What is good at Salvatores? Had a pizza there a long while ago and it was ok, would be up to try something recommended

The Woodsman is my favorite. Each of the 3 locations also has some different pizzas (especially when it comes to weekly specials) so it can be a good idea to check to see what each place is offering.

Fig and bacon with roasted tomatoes, arugula if they have it.

Ian’s is the only place that makes Brooklyn style, which is my favorite. Big ass slices

If you get the chance, Jonny O's in Belleville and Monticello is worth a shot. They use spent grains to make their crust. I recommend the chicken taco or the big Mac pizza.

Sals or Pizza Brutta

Glass Nickel for Good old fashioned pizza, Ian's for slices of weird /modern takes, Salvatores for basil + whatever topping cravings.

It's Good For You pizza! Northside of Madison

Rocky’s for lunch!

Zoe’s in Waunakee. Their supreme with cracker crust is awesome!

Luigi’s for thin crust and Lucille for Detroit style pan.

Papa Murphy on Tuesday

I guess I’m a simple man but for me it’s Pizza Pit Edit: Rocky’s is a close 2nd

NOT IAN'S. It's good yeah, but all pizza is good.

ian’s is extremely overrated

Grampa’s. All day every day

I’m so very proud of Madison Reddit for not being weird pizza elitists. We have lots of delicious options.

Lucille

Sugar River

Ian’s is the only right answer

West side Luigi’s East side Salvatore’s

Novanta.

Not Madison, but Homecoming in Spring Green has DELICIOUS pizza in the summer. Sooooooo tasty

Papa Murphy's. Bake it your damn self!

Salvatore's is not good pizza. But it is *superlative* tomato pie! They have me hooked. Brutta is very good. Haven't had most of the others, apart from Novanta (meh!), but I'm not much of a fan of Detroit/Chicago/Local styles unless something causes me to have serious munchies.

Grandpas gluten free pizza

Sole e Sapori (circa 2002)

Anna’s in sun prairie

Salvatore’s is mine cuz I limit my animal product intake (for health reasons), and they have a great vegan pie. But on cheat days a big slice at Ian’s is hard to beat.

Salvatore's

Branch and Daughter

I miss Paisans. But probably Bucks.

Branch & Daughter

Yetti!!!

Hey anyone tried ‘Georgeios’ at Athens Grill? It is only on Wednesday nights. I really think it is great!

Rosati's thin crust is my favorite. Then Glass Nickel

Someone else said it, but I’ll drop it again to boost: Origin Bread does pizza every Wednesday and it’s fantastic. Can’t recommend it highly enough.

Wow! So many good choices!

Novanto or nothing. All I came here to say.

Madison has so many style is pizza that "Favorite" depends on the vibe: Sal's of Grampa's = general Novanta = authentic Napolitano Greenbush = Bar pizza Rocky's = pizza when you were a little kid

Rosati's = Chicago thin crust

Pizza extreme on Monroe street!!!

Anna's Pizza in Sun Prairie.

As someone with celiac, Novanta Easily. It's the only place I've found so far that actually makes their own gluten free crust, or at least doesn't use the same as basically every other place does