10 Local Louisville Pizza Spots For Cheesy, Saucy Goodness, Picked By A Food Critic

bar Vetti

727 E. Market St.
This casually stylish Italian-theme restaurant, opened in the turquoise landmark 800 building in the autumn of 2017, and moved to its current location in Nulu’s AC Hotel by Marriott during the pandemic summer of 2020. No mere pizzeria, bar Vetti is a full Italian restaurant with serious chops. But its pizzas, even at elevated prices from $21 to $26, are worthy. Bearing the red, white, and green colors of the Italian flag, bar Vetti's excellent Margherita pizza carries on the Neapolitan tradition.

Coals Artisan Pizza

3730 Frankfort Ave.
Innovative in its time, Coals arrived in the then freshly renovated Vogue Center in 2011, filling the old Vogue Theater space with a classy pizzeria and a fierce oven burning hard anthracite coal at a fierce 1,000º, hot enough to turn out a memorable pizza in minutes. Boldly flying the red, green, and white colors of the Italian flag, the St. Matthew's – Coals’ version of the pizza Margherita – is outstanding, its simple toppings providing simple elegance. Twelve-inch special pizzas are mostly priced in the mid to upper teens.

Derby City Pizza

Various locations
I might not entirely approve of cracker-crusted, no-edge pizza, but I have to say this: Derby City’s pie was so good that I would not hesitate to go back for another one. Toppings went all the way to the edge of this small veggie pizza on a paper-thin, crackery crust. It was thoughtfully put together with textures and flavors that worked together like a winning team. Ten-inch specialty pies are $15.

Goodfellas Pizzeria

642 Baxter Ave.
The first Louisville outlet of a small but growing Lexington-based chain, this corner spot in the Baxter Apartments joins sibling eateries in Indianapolis and the Cincinnati are. In proper New York City street corner pizzeria style, Goodfellas' slices are long and flexible, allowing the bearer to fold one lengthwise and eat it while walking along. Did I mention that they are very, very good? Most of the 12-inch specialty pizzas are $18-$19.

Impellizzeri’s Pizza

Various locations
Deeply rooted in Louisville pizza history, pizza impresario Benny Impellizzeri has been making pizza since he started cooking at the fabled old Mario’s in Hikes Point in 1968. He opened his own pizzeria in his father’s Highlands butcher shop in 1978, turning out hot pies for long lines of eager supplicants with a heavily laden style of pie that has become institutionalized as “Louisville style.” Now with three Louisville shops and one in Elizabethtown, Impellizzeri’s keeps up the tradition. A veggie pizza, listed among Bennie's Original Specialties, piles tangy tomato sauce, melty mozzarella, and crisp, fresh veggies atop a sturdy, bready base. Single-size specialty pizzas are priced from $16.49 to $21.99.

Pizza Lupo

1540 Frankfort Ave.
Pizza Lupo is a top-tier pizzeria, but it’s more. It’s also a splendid Italian/international eatery with an impressive kitchen and an exceptional bar and impressive wine program. This winning combination makes Lupo one of my favorite restaurants. But we’re here to talk about pizza, and Lupo’s renditions, even at elevated pricing from $22 to $28, are among the city’s best. Pictured, “funghi,” Italian for "mushrooms," an imposing pizza loaded with fancy specimens from local Frondosa Farms along with four Italian cheeses.

MozzaPi Pizza

Various locations.
One of my consistent favorites, MozzaPi builds its pizzas on outstanding fresh-milled grain bread fired with pretty browned leopard spots (and makes top-notch artisanal breads, pastries, and cookies the same way). MozzaPi has added three branches at Ten20 Craft Brewery locations around town, but a trip out to its spacious home operation in Anchorage is well worth the effort. Pizzas are attractively priced in the $12 to $14 range. Pictured: An excellent 9-inch cheese pie was topped with roasted red peppers and mushrooms.

Old School NY Pizza

Various locations
They’re not kidding about the New York style and Brooklyn accent at this two-unit East End chain: Its thin, flavorful, foldable pies will take your imagination straight to a Gotham street corner. Buy a slice, or enjoy a 12-inch round like the delicious thin-crust veggie pie pictured. Small pies are $12.25 to $16.

Parlour

Various locations
Grown to six locations from its original shop at the north end of the Big Four walking bridge, Parlour gains its reputation the old-fashioned way, through quality and service. The veggie pizza featured here boasted fresh, quality toppings, a good, thin, bread-like crust, and a spicy fresh tomato sauce topped with mozzarella and grated parmesan. Ten-inch individual pies are priced from $13 to $16.

The Post

1045 Goss Ave.
The Post, featured in our review last week, is famous for its oversize, New York City style pizza by the slice, which changes daily. Spicy sausage, banana peppers, and feta cheese did well by the tasty slab-of-the-day featured. Slices are $5, 10-inch pies are $12 to $18.