Kansas City is not like New York or Chicago — or even St. Louis. Why?
There’s no style of pizza that’s uniquely ours, perhaps because we spent more time developing the quintessential Kansas City barbecue.
But that doesn’t mean our pizza scene is lacking. These days, it’s growing and evolving thanks to innovative chefs, says Carlton Logan, co-administrator of the Kansas City Eats group on Facebook.
“You start to see things like Thai pizza and different flavors from different cultures, and even flavors that … are distinctive to Kansas City's food scene,” Logan told KCUR’s Up To Date.
New spots like Jhy Coulter’s Orange by Devoured and Northeast Pizza — where a New York-style crust is ultra thin, super crispy, and balanced with delectable cheese, sauce and toppings — fill out a pizza scene anchored by perennial favorites such as Minsky’s.
Northeast Pizza co-owners Noah Quillec and Mike DiStefano have impressive culinary resumes. Quillec has worked for years in his family’s restaurants, French Market and Café Provence, and DiStefano is the executive chef at Verbena. At Northeast Pizza, they’re focused on perfecting the humble pizza.
“That's one thing I love about cooking,” said DiStefano. “Really dialing in a product.”
So where do you go when you’re craving pizza?
Bailey, Logan, and Glenn Robinson, who runs Hood Dude Food Reviews on Instagram, shared their favorite shops. Plus, we rounded up some Kansas City residents’ suggestions from Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
Natasha Bailey:
Bacaro Primo offers some of the best Italian fare in Brookside, serving pasta, entrees and pizzas in the former Cafe Europa space. The LaFamiglia pie is a personal favorite, but the Rosa is a highlight: vodka sauce, ‘nduja (a spicy pork sausage spread), fresh mozzarella, honey and basil. Between the service and the ambiance, I could eat here once a week!
Northeast Pizza opened in February but has established itself as a local favorite. Enjoy a slice or a whole New York-style pizza, and don’t forget to check their socials for the “pie of the day.” I love their Chicken Philly Pie special — garlic cream sauce, aged mozzarella, roasted chicken, roasted onions and bell peppers. The Brooklyn Margherita is also good.
Dispatch Pizza is a catering company run by husband-and-wife duo, Jeremy and Kelly Long. They’ll pull up to any event in a beautiful antique truck, with wood-fired ovens ready to cook. The La Bella Vita is tasty and luxurious, topped with ricotta browned butter, truffle oil, burrata, prosciutto, hot honey and micro arugula.
Luca Bagel has been a standard of the Overland Park Farmers Market for years, but only recently opened a brick-and-mortar shop in Brookside. The Pizza Bagel will make you nostalgic for the bagel bites of childhood.
Providence Pizzeria Co is a mecca for pizza in Kansas City. The shop serves multiple crust styles: New York thin crust, Sicilian thick crust and Detroit-style pies. I order an East Coast, no matter what. Mozzarella, Italian sausage, bacon, mushrooms, ricotta, red sauce, fresh basil, and hot honey – you can’t go wrong.
Fortunati Pizza offers dine-in but my first time was by delivery, just down the street at Lucky Boys bar in the West Bottoms. I’ve been seeking it out ever since. The Pep Boi is a staple: traditional sauce, pepperoni, hot honey and jalapeño.
Pizza Tascio is a classic. And a simple slice of pepperoni and a soda goes a long way after spending hours shopping along 39th Street.
Carlton Logan:
Buffalo State Pizza Company is one of my favorite spots for New York-style pizza. Build your own pie, or order a specialty pizza in one of seven different sizes reaching up to 26 inches — and regular or gluten-free crusts. I usually order a single slice or as a calzone.
Artego Pizza serves not one, but two mac and cheese pizzas: one with bacon and the other with buffalo chicken. Artego’s dough is fermented, which gives it an airy, blistered crust. If dairy isn’t your thing, they also serve vegan cheese.
Pizza 51 only serves three specialty pizzas at its location right next to University of Missouri-Kansas City’s campus, but customers are also free to choose their favorite toppings. Choose a whole pie or a slice big enough to serve at least one.
Old Shawnee Pizza’s crab rangoon pizza was a delightful surprise — I love Chinese take out. The crab filling is made in-house, and tops the pizza with mozzarella, green onions, sweet chili sauce and crispy fried wonton strips. It’s served with a fortune cookie.
Third Coast Pizza serves the best Chicago deep dish in Kansas City. The Second City has mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, ham, ground beef, pork sausage, onion, mushrooms and green peppers. They also serve Chicago-style hot dogs and Italian beef sandwiches, if you’re missing the Windy City.
Marco Polo Italian Market, connected to Jasper’s in south Kansas City, still sells the Around the Boot Pizza that was made famous at Antonio’s: Italian sausage, pepperoni, onions, green peppers, olives, mushrooms, Canadian bacon, mozzarella cheese and pizza sauce.
Bella Napoli’s margherita reminds me so much of pizza in Rome. The pie is dressed simply, with tomato sauce, basil and mozzarella. Bella Napoli can also be an affordable choice: dine-in pizzas are $10 on Mondays.
Osteria Il Centro offers five appetizer-sized pizzettes. The margherita and prosciutto options are customer favorites, but the pesto shrimp is good too — it’s topped with asparagus and mozzarella.
Glenn Robinson:
Orange by Devoured makes an incredible Neapolitan-style pie. The pizzas are about 11 inches in diameter, so don’t be afraid to order one just for yourself. Owner Jhy Coulter is one of the most creative minds in pizza — every flavor combination hits just right.
Jimmy B’s Pizza serves Detroit-style pizza on a delectable buttery crust. It’s a pop-up currently operating inside River Bluff Brewing at River Market. Try the Meaty Mike — bacon, sausage, Canadian bacon, and two types of pepperoni — or the Hawaiian, featuring Canadian bacon, bacon and the always-controversial pineapple.
Minsky’s is a Kansas City icon. It’s been slinging dough since 1976, and has 17 locations throughout the metro and Lawrence. The Prime Cut pie is the greatest of all time: pepperoni, hamburger, American and Italian sausage, topped with mozzarella and bacon strips.
Southside Mafia Pizzeria, in south Kansas City, does classic pizzas the right way. It’s no-frills. Just consistent, good ‘ol pies.
Waldo Pizza is another Kansas City staple. Choose from chewy honey wheat crust, traditional hand-tossed, or even St. Louis thin crust, which is always topped with its own spin on Provel: a blend of mozzarella, provolone, Swiss, cheddar and muenster cheeses. Don’t forget the garlic ranch.
City Barrel Pizza + Patio shines because it takes risks with its flavor combinations. Pick from a standing list of specialty pies or try the flavor of the month. The Smash Burger Pie includes hamburger, American cheese, and mozzarella, and is topped after the bake with pickles, sesame seeds, a fancy sauce drizzle and shredded lettuce.
Your Kansas City pizza recommendations
- The Combine
- Clay & Fire – C&F Grandma Pizza
- Il Lazzarone
- Johnny Jo’s Pizzeria
- Pizza Shuttle
- Martin City Brewing Company – fig & prosciutto pizza
- Leone Original Pizza
- Pizza Shoppe
- Leo’s Pizza
- Avelluto’s Pizzeria & Ristorante
- Summit Pizza
- Glory Days Pizza
- Italian Delight
- 1889 Pizza Napoletana
- J&S Pizza
