San Antonio’s pizza scene is deeper than most people think. The city’s known for Tex-Mex and barbecue, but there are 200+ pizza spots across the metro — from wood-fired Neapolitan to Detroit-style to loaded pan pizza to 42-inch spectacles. We’re one of them, and we’re not pretending to be objective. But we do know pizza, and we’ve eaten enough of our competitors’ food to give you an honest guide.
Here’s who’s making the best pizza in San Antonio right now, organized by style so you can find exactly what you’re craving.
Neapolitan & Wood-Fired
Dough Pizzeria Napoletana
Locations: Blanco Rd | Hemisfair (downtown)
The deal: Dough is the name that comes up first when anyone says “best pizza in San Antonio,” and there’s a reason. Doug and Lori Horn opened the original in 2007, imported their ovens from Naples, and earned VPN certification (Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana) — meaning the ingredients and methods meet actual Italian standards. The ovens run at 900°F and cook a pie in 90 seconds. They’ve been on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-ins & Dives three times.
Order this: The Margherita is the purist’s test. San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil. If the Margherita is good, everything else will be. It is.
Best for: Date night, out-of-town guests, anyone who wants the closest thing to Naples without a passport.
Braza Brava Pizzeria Napoletana
Location: 7959 Broadway
The deal: Braza Brava runs a Stefano Ferrara wood-fired oven — the same brand used in Naples — and their dough is fermented for 48+ hours. The result is a stretchy, blistered crust that’s closer to Italian street pizza than anything else in the city. They take the Neapolitan rules seriously but add enough creativity to keep it interesting.
Order this: Any of their seasonal specials. The standard Margherita is excellent, but the specials show what they can really do.
Best for: Pizza nerds who want the technical side done right.
Il Forno
Location: Southtown (943 S. Alamo St)
The deal: Il Forno is the Southtown neighborhood favorite — wood-fired Neapolitan pies with unconventional toppings and locally sourced ingredients. The vibe is casual, the patio is great, and the pizza is consistently excellent. They cure meats in-house and pair everything with local beer and wine.
Order this: Whatever the special is, plus the burrata if it’s available.
Best for: Southtown dinner, walking distance from Blue Star and the King William District.
Stella Public House
Location: Blue Star Arts Complex (Southtown)
The deal: Farm-to-pizza concept with artisan wood-fired pies baked in an Italian oven. The crust gets charred spots and a satisfying chew. They focus on seasonal, locally sourced ingredients and have a solid craft cocktail program alongside the food.
Order this: The Margherita or the seasonal pie. The outdoor seating overlooking the river is worth the visit alone.
Best for: Happy hour, drinks + pizza combo, Southtown bar-hopping.
New York Style
Florio’s Pizza
Location: 7701 Broadway (Alamo Heights)
The deal: Steve Florio brought New Jersey pizza to San Antonio in the ’80s and has been in Alamo Heights since the early ’90s. The menu is simple — pizza, subs, salads — and the pizza is the point. Thin, foldable, crispy-bottomed slices with that New York chew. No frills, no gimmicks, just a guy from Jersey making pizza the way he learned.
Order this: The Florio’s Special (pepperoni, sausage, peppers, onions, mushrooms, olives, extra cheese) or a plain cheese slice to judge the crust on its own.
Best for: A quick slice that tastes like it came from the northeast.
Capo’s Pizzeria
Location: Broadway
The deal: Hand-tossed, NY-style pizza with a crust that hits the balance between crispy and chewy. Capo’s shows up consistently in “best pizza” lists and the pepperoni is a standout — generous cups of curled pepperoni with crispy edges.
Order this: Pepperoni. Classic for a reason.
Best for: A solid NY-style pie without the full-service restaurant wait.
Detroit Style
Via 313 Pizzeria
Location: Downtown (The Rim also)
The deal: Via 313 started in Austin and brought their Detroit-style pizza to San Antonio. Rectangular pies baked in blue steel pans with Wisconsin brick cheese spread to the edges — when it melts against the hot pan, it creates a caramelized cheese crust (called a “frico”) that’s the whole point. Sauce goes on top in racing stripes. The crust is airy and focaccia-like.
Order this: The Detroiter (pepperoni with red sauce on top) is the starting point. The Cadillac (pepperoni, sausage, mushroom, onion) is the move if you want to go big.
Best for: Anyone who hasn’t tried Detroit-style yet. It converts people.
Chicago & Deep Dish
Chicago’s Pizza
Location: 5525 Blanco Rd
The deal: The closest San Antonio gets to real Chicago deep dish. Thick, buttery crust pressed up the sides of a deep pan, loaded with cheese and toppings, with chunky tomato sauce on top. They also do Detroit-style. It’s heavy, rich, and takes 30+ minutes to bake — plan accordingly.
Order this: The deep dish with sausage. Classic Chicago.
Best for: When you want a fork-and-knife pizza experience.
Loaded American & Pan-Style
Godfather’s Pizza
Location: 8530 SH 151 Access Rd (West Side)
The deal: That’s us. Full disclosure — this is our website. We reopened in San Antonio in 2025 after the brand had been gone for 35 years. Veteran-Owned franchise with one location on the west side. Five crust options (Original, Golden, Thin, Mozzarella Loaded, Gluten-Free), a specialty menu built around heavy toppings and bold flavors, and a Taco Pie that doesn’t exist anywhere else — taco sauce, seasoned beef, cheddar, lettuce, and tomatoes added fresh after baking.
Order this: Taco Pie on Golden crust. The Golden crust is buttery and pan-baked with a crispy bottom that’s the best thing on the menu. If you want a sampler, the Pizza Pack gives you four large pies for $75.
Best for: Loaded pizza with real toppings, west side delivery, feeding a group without overthinking it, catering for parties and events.
Big Lou’s Pizza
Location: 2048 S. W.W. White Rd (Southeast Side)
The deal: Big Lou’s has been a San Antonio legend since 2000, and the 42-inch pizza is the reason. Brian Lujan and his family designed custom pans — including that 42-inch monster that’s been featured on Man vs. Food and Food Paradise. Beyond the spectacle, the standard-size pizza is solid: hand-tossed, generously topped, and made with fresh ingredients and house-made sauces. They also serve a full Italian menu with pasta, sandwiches, and wings. Read our full Godfather’s vs Big Lou’s comparison for the side-by-side breakdown.
Order this: The 42-incher at least once for the experience. For regular eating, the BBQ Brisket pizza is the local favorite.
Best for: Groups, out-of-town visitors, anyone who wants a pizza experience they’ll remember.
Mattenga’s Pizzeria
Location: 7 locations across San Antonio
The deal: Husband-and-wife team (Matt and Enga) built this from one shop to seven locations, won Pizzeria of the Year 2025 from Pizza Today, and they’ve been voted Best Pizza in San Antonio three years running. Fresh daily dough, vine-ripened tomato sauce, 100% real mozzarella. They lean more artisan than chain but keep prices accessible. The Honey Bexar Pizza (crispy cup-and-char pepperoni, jalapeños, sweet hot honey) is a San Antonio original. We wrote a detailed Godfather’s vs Mattenga’s comparison if you want the side-by-side.
Order this: Honey Bexar Pizza. It’s their signature and it’s excellent.
Best for: The convenience of 7 locations, a polished local pizzeria experience, and a menu that goes beyond pizza into full Italian-American dining.
More Worth Knowing
Barbaro
Location: Monte Vista (2720 McCullough Ave)
The deal: Corner restaurant with a ceiling-height bar, wood-fired oven, and inventive pizzas. The hash brown pizza is a cult favorite. Happy hour is generous and the vibe is neighborhood-bar-meets-serious-kitchen.
Fralo’s
Location: Dominion area
The deal: Brick-oven pizza with some of the freshest ingredients in the city. Signature pies include Grant’s Pear 2.0 (pears, gorgonzola) and the Nutty Chicken (pesto, pine nuts). More upscale than most SA pizza spots.
Trilogy Pizza & Wine Bistro
Location: 5535 N. Loop 1604 W
The deal: Gourmet wood-fired pizza paired with a solid wine list. The pizzas are creative and the crust is excellent. Good date-night option on the far northwest side.
Pizza Classics
Location: Northeast SA
The deal: Operating since 1979 with a secret sauce recipe and a thin crust that’s earned a loyal following for four decades. No-frills, consistent, been-here-forever neighborhood pizza.
How to Pick
| What You Want | Go Here |
|---|---|
| Best overall quality | Dough Pizzeria Napoletana |
| Best crust variety | Godfather’s Pizza (5 options) |
| Best spectacle | Big Lou’s (42-inch pizza) |
| Best NY-style slice | Florio’s |
| Best Detroit-style | Via 313 |
| Best deep dish | Chicago’s Pizza |
| Most locations/convenience | Mattenga’s (7 locations) |
| Best date night | Barbaro or Dough (Hemisfair) |
| Best wood-fired | Dough or Il Forno |
| Best for groups/catering | Godfather’s Pizza |
| Best value for large orders | Godfather’s Pizza Pack — 4 large for $75 |
| Best patio | Stella Public House or Il Forno |
| Best late-night | Depends on the night — check our late-night pizza guide |
San Antonio’s Pizza Scene Is Better Than You Think
This city has Neapolitan spots that would hold up in Brooklyn, a Detroit-style joint from the brand that popularized the style, a 42-inch pizza that’s been on national TV, and local operations making pies with as much care as any coastal pizza city. The only thing San Antonio doesn’t have is the snobbery — nobody here cares if you fold your slice or eat it with a fork.
We’re obviously biased — we make pizza and we sell pizza. But we wrote this guide because we think the whole scene deserves attention, not just us. Try Dough for Neapolitan. Try Big Lou’s for the experience. Try Mattenga’s for the convenience. And when you want loaded American pizza with five crust options and a Taco Pie nobody else makes, try Godfather’s.
You won’t run out of good pizza in this city.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best pizza in San Antonio?
It depends on what you’re looking for. For Neapolitan, Dough Pizzeria is widely considered the best. For loaded American-style, Godfather’s Pizza and Big Lou’s are the top picks. For Detroit-style, Via 313 is the go-to. Mattenga’s Pizzeria has won Best Pizza in San Antonio three years running and has 7 locations for convenience. There’s no single “best” — there’s a best for every style and every occasion.
Where is the best pizza near downtown San Antonio?
Dough Pizzeria (Hemisfair location), Il Forno (Southtown), and Stella Public House (Blue Star) are all within walking distance of downtown and the Riverwalk. For delivery to downtown hotels, most major chains and apps serve the area.
Is there good deep dish pizza in San Antonio?
Chicago’s Pizza on Blanco Road is the closest to authentic Chicago deep dish in the city. Via 313 serves Detroit-style, which is a different thick-crust experience. True Chicago-style deep dish is rare in San Antonio but Chicago’s Pizza does a solid version.
What’s the biggest pizza in San Antonio?
Big Lou’s Pizza on the southeast side serves a 42-inch pizza — roughly 1,385 square inches of pizza on a custom pan. It’s been featured on Man vs. Food and Food Paradise. It feeds 15-20 people and starts at $77.99 for cheese.
Where is the best pizza on the west side of San Antonio?
Godfather’s Pizza at 8530 SH 151 Access Rd is the dedicated pizza spot on the west side, serving Westover Hills, Helotes, Leon Valley, Culebra, and the JBSA-Lackland corridor. Check our full west side pizza guide for more options.
Want to try Godfather’s? Browse the full menu, check delivery areas, or order and find out for yourself.
Order Godfather’s Online
Or Call (210) 750-2222
