National Pizza Day is February 9 – and to celebrate, we asked our social media followers to recommend their favorite Grand Rapids pizza places. Only three of this year’s top vote-getters were on our 2023 list, making way for some long-established favorites and relative newcomers to take their turn in the spotlight.

The 11 pizzerias below got the most mentions in our poll, but another 25 received votes – indicating that a) there are a lot of great pizza places around town and b) just about every one of them is somebody’s favorite. You really can’t go wrong with any of the 55+ pizza joints in our restaurant listings. But locals say the following will send your taste buds into orbit:

Pizza flight for Flights of Flavor at the Mitten

For those that want to sample it all, try a pizza flight at Mitten Brewing!

Photo by Courtesy of The Mitten Brewing Company

The Mitten Brewing Company

It’s no surprise that this vintage baseball-themed microbrewery came in first place in our poll – it’s consistently won local media reader’s awards for “best pizza” since its founding in 2012.

The Mitten Brewing Company offers all the usual pizza options you would expect, but it really excels in its original creations like Hog Heaven, Curse of the Goat and Westerdog. Can’t decide? Order up a flight of six pizzas, including the weekly special.

Even better – get the Flights of Flavor digital pass to earn points toward free merchandise when you get the pizza flight. The Mitten also offers a Flights of Flavor beer flight. (Did we mention The Mitten’s beers have won a passel of World Beer Cup awards?)

The Mitten is housed in a renovated Victorian fire engine house on the city’s historic west side – dine in for the fun vibe and cool baseball memorabilia or take out to enjoy at home.

Greco’s Pizza

Located in southeast Grand Rapids, close to such family-friendly attractions as Craig’s Cruisers and GR Skate and Event Center, Greco’s Pizza is also well-loved for its specialty pizzas. Try the Chicken Bacon Ranch, vegetarian Primavera or grilled chicken-and-spinach-loaded Verona, featuring house-made garlic butter.

Any specialty pizza can be made into a stromboli, pizza by the slice is available for lunch and the restaurant’s popular pepperoni rolls are basically little pizzas folded into poppable delights.

Greco’s also offers an array of non-pizza Italian selections, all available for dine in or take out.

Vitale’s

Vitale’s is a storied name in Grand Rapids pizza history. The first Vitale’s location (on Leonard St.) was opened in 1966 by Sicilian immigrant Salvatore “Sam” Vitale. He and his family opened a takeout location in Comstock Park in the mid-1980s, and expanded it into a full-fledged restaurant in 1994, the first season for the West Michigan Whitecaps in close-by LMCU Ballpark. 

You don’t last 57 years (and counting) in the pizza business without putting out a quality product. Vitale’s pizzas are still homemade using the original recipes Sam brought with him from the old country, though they’ve added some new wrinkles throughout the years – like the Taco Pizza and BBQ Pizza.

Both locations also offer additional Italian dishes, American favorites, a full bar and lots of TVs to catch the big games.

Quarantino's in Eastown Grand Rapids

Quarantino's signature pizzas come in an 8 by 10-inch pan size, perfect for sharing (if you want!).

Photo by Alina Albin for Experience GR

Quarantino’s Pizza

Opened in GR’s Uptown neighborhood in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic – the name is a play on “quarantine” – Quarantino’s Pizza has evolved from a pop-up takeout shop into one of the area’s favorite pizza joints, complete with comfy indoor seating and a friendly, attentive staff.

Quarantino’s offers its signature pizzas in 8-inch by 10-inch sizes meant to serve one to two people. Selections range from Simply Red, made with red sauce, mozzarella and brick cheese, to It’s All Greektown to Me, which adds kalamata olives, artichoke hearts, spinach and feta to the Simply Red base. There are a number of vegan and gluten-free pizzas on the menu, plus the option to build your own traditional or vegan pie. (Yes, a square pizza is still a pie.)

Big Bob’s Pizza

Billing itself as “The ‘Cheers’ of East Grand Rapids,” Big Bob’s Pizza is a family-friendly restaurant and bar in Gaslight Village. The options here are plentiful, with a selection of “legendary” specialty pizzas and the opportunity to build your own pie with a choice of four sizes, four crusts (including cauliflower), seven sauces and 40+ toppings. 

Big Bob’s also offers a “briazzo” – a Chicago-style deep dish pizza stuffed with your choice of ingredients and smothered with sauce and cheese. There are lots of other items on the menu, too, including vegetarian dishes.

With a full bar – including numerous microbrews – plus free popcorn, kid-friendly dishes and a dog-friendly patio, Big Bob’s is great for the whole family.

Buddy’s Pizza

Detroit-style pizza – rectangular with a thick, buttery crust that’s crispy on the bottom – is the draw at Buddy’s Pizza in southeast Grand Rapids. This is the only Grand Rapids location of an iconic Detroit-based restaurant that dates back to 1946.

USA Today called Buddy’s “pilgrimage-worthy pizza” and the Daily Meal named it #6 of the 101 Best Pizzas in America. There are 15 “signature squares” to choose from, including Greek, Margherita and vegetarian versions, and you can build your own pies from a selection of two sauces, eight cheeses, nine meats and 20 veggies. There are four kinds of crusts available: original, thin, multi-grain and gluten-free. All pizzas are offered in 4-square and 8-square sizes.

Stop in for a slice of Detroit – and perhaps a beer, cocktail, glass of wine or dessert. There’s also a kid’s menu and daily lunch specials.

Mustachio’s Pizza

Mustachio’s is a food truck that travels far and wide throughout West Michigan, serving up its piping-hot wood-fired pizzas.

It specializes in Neapolitan pizza, made with simple, fresh ingredients like olive oil, pesto, red sauce, veggies and fresh mozzarella cheese.

Follow Mustachio’s on Facebook and Instagram to find out where the food truck will be appearing next.  

Martha's Pizza

Martha's Pizza crafts all of their pizzas with fresh dough made from Nantucket Baking Company.

Photo by Courtesy of Martha's Pizza

Martha’s Pizza

Located in the Heritage Hill neighborhood, Martha’s Pizza offers a variety of 12-inch handcrafted pizzas, all starting with dough made from neighboring Nantucket Baking Company. You specify a crispy Neapolitan or gluten-free crust, make your choice of house-made sauces and toppings, and your pizza is then baked to perfection in an 800-degree stone hearth oven.

Feeling adventurous? Try the Re-Loaded Potato Pizza, smothered with classic baked potato toppings, or The Volcano, a Hawaiian pie with a kick of jalapenos and a splash of sriracha. Or go classic with a Margherita or Tri-Works meat-lover’s pie. You can also take advantage of an “insane” number of toppings available to build your own pizza.

Franca’s Pizzeria

Franca’s Pizzeria opened in Uptown in 2022 and quickly became a local favorite. Owned by two brothers who immigrated here with their parents in 2011, its handcrafted pizzas are “Sicilian-inspired” and made with fresh, quality ingredients.

Choose a hand-tossed thin crust, thick crust or cauliflower crust for any of 15+ signature pizzas, including classic Italian recipes, vegetarian, Hawaiian and barbecue. Or build your own pie via a wide array of crusts and crust flavors, sauces, cheeses, toppings and drizzlers. Pizzas are available in three sizes and can also be made into strombolis.

Not in the mood for pizza? We can’t imagine such a thing, but there are plenty of other options on the menu, including pastas, subs and salads. Takeout and delivery only.

Momma’s Boy

“The best pizza and breadsticks outside of Italy,” raved one local resident about Momma’s Boy, a Rockford pizzeria about 15 minutes from Grand Rapids.

In business since 2016, Momma’s Boy offers 10 signature pizzas – including Buffalo Chicken, Five Cheese, Mac N Cheese and Spinach & Chicken Alfredo – in your choice of a hand-tossed or thin crust. You can also build your own pizza from assorted toppings. Gluten-free crust is available.

As for those breadsticks – they come in Parmesan and three-cheese versions, both equally delicious. Momma’s Boy also offers oven-baked subs, pasta, wings & boneless chicken, and a few salads. There are a few tables inside but it’s primarily a takeout operation.

Salvatore’s Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria

Serving Grand Rapids since 1976, Salvatore’s offers an extensive menu of homemade Italian food: bruschetta, breadsticks, pasta, salads, oven-baked sub sandwiches, Sicilian steaks, chicken parmigiana and more. Every dish has its fans, but the pizza is really next level.

Take the Taste of Grand Rapids pie, for example. Made with Sicilian-style sauce, ham, fresh basil, onions, sausage, Romano cheese and a cultured spice blend, it’s a winner of multiple local awards. It’s one of seven specialty pizzas on the menu. You can also choose your own toppings to be layered atop a cheese pizza base. Pizzas are available in four sizes, with gluten-free and cauliflower-crust options, and a carry-out pizza special is offered every day of the week.  

Salvatore’s is located on the city’s working-class west side, and the owners strive to offer fine food priced within reach of a blue-collar budget.

 

Remember that menu items and hours of operation are subject to change, so please check with an establishment before visiting!