Best Pizza in Iowa
Whether you’re bar-hopping, out-and-about, or looking for an easy dinner option, Iowa has no shortage of pizza locations. That’s why we asked our audience for recommendations for the best spot in the state.
They gave us about 350 comments and about 125 different spots. But a few rose to the top.
Number one was Pagliai’s, both the Iowa City and Grinnell locations, with a whopping 123 endorsements.
Pagliai’s was officially opened in 1957 by the son of immigrants from Northern Italy. According to the history section on the website, the Pagliai family first shared their recipes shortly upon arriving in Zook Spur, Iowa, a former mining town on the border between Polk and Dallas counties.
The original restaurant was a bar in Ames, but as the food grew more popular it took on restaurant status. The family was able to expand to Grinnell in the mid-60’s.
Karen Wallace told us on Facebook, “Was great first time I visited in the 60’s, still as great today.”
Mabe’s Pizza in Decorah took the No. 2 spot, with 92 endorsements.
The restaurant was originally Mabel’s Lunchroom (named for founder Mabel White), and it opened in 1953, without pizza on the menu.
It was renamed Mabe’s Pizza in 1968 when pizza became a permanent menu item.
Great Plains Sauce & Dough Co. in Ames came in No. 3, followed by Casey’s (all locations), and Wig & Pen Pizza Pub (Iowa City and Ankeny locations) rounding out the top five.
Because so many spots were mentioned, the following is not a complete list, but we want to give some love to the smaller locations around the state because there was so much enthusiasm from every corner. I grabbed every restaurant that had five or more endorsements.
(One problem: Napoli’s. There are multiple restaurants with this name all over the state, without seeming to be connected. Maybe it’s safe to say your luck will be good at any of them!)
Western Iowa
Bob Roe’s Point After, Sioux City
Breadeaúx Pizza, Corning/throughout the state
Chopper Davo’s Pizza, Sioux City
El Fredo Pizza, Sioux City
Godfather’s Pizza, Cherokee
Jerry’s Pizza, Sioux City
Pasquale’s Pizza, Humboldt
Pizza King, Council Bluffs
Woody’s Pizza, Estherville
Central Iowa
The Brickhouse, Alden
Centro, Des Moines
Chuck’s Restaurant, Des Moines
George’s Pizza and Steakhouse, Pella
Georgioz, Colfax
Gusto Pizza Bar, Des Moines
Happy Joe’s Pizza, Urbandale
Jeff’s Pizza Shop, Ames
Leaning Tower of Pizza, Ankeny
Pete’s Pizza, Indianola
Pickles Pub, Kamrar
Pyra Pizzeria, Norwalk
Sonny’s Pizza Bistro, Saylorville
Zeno’s, Marshalltown
Eastern Iowa
The Airliner, Iowa City
Basal Pizza, Waterloo
Chad’s Pizza, Cedar Falls/Dyersville
Geno’s Pizza, Preston
Harris Pizza, Davenport
Mama Nick’s Circle Pizzeria, Waterloo
Marco’s Italian and American Foods, Dubuque
Mike’s Pizza & Steakhouse, Ottumwa
Nana Rosa’s Pizza, Reinbeck
Need Pizza, Cedar Rapids
Pizza Haus, Williamsburg
Rusciano’s Authentic Taste of Napoli, North Liberty
The Safe House Saloon, Lansing
Shot Tower Inn, Dubuque
TJ’s Pizza, Clermont
Tomaso’s, Cedar Rapids/Marion
Vitale’s, Clinton
The Wedge Pizzeria, Iowa City
Zoey’s Pizzeria, Marion
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