With New York-based transplants like Lucali from Brooklyn and Joe's Pizza, the Magic City also has its fair share of homegrown legends already in the making, including Miami Slice, Fratesi's Pizza, and Vice City Pizza.
Although every spot in Miami is gouda in its own right, we had to narrow down our list to the very best in 2024. Presented in alphabetical order, behold the eight best pizzas in Miami.
The "bar pies" from Fratesi's Pizza in downtown Miami have gone viral for a reason. If you know, you know.
Photo by Mike Chau/@mikejchau
Fratesi's Pizza Pop-Up at Tâm Tâm
99 NW First St., Miami786-359-4647
instagram.comSituated inside of a Vietnamese restaurant in downtown Miami at the corner of NW First Street and NW First Avenue, the outdoor façade may be unassuming, but the inside is anything but. Served only on Sundays from 2 to 4 p.m. for takeout orders at the pickup window (with lines starting at 11 a.m. — no joke) and then from 4 to 10 p.m. for dine-in only, Fratesi's Pizza is quite literally the hottest pizza spot at the moment. And it's only served one day a week. Therefore, arrive early to secure a table, as no reservations are taken and seating is on a first-come, first-serve basis. Despite the small menu, every pizza at Fratesi's Pizza is seriously delicious. Go for a thin-crust bar pie, which is made perfectly thin and crispy, such as the "Demon Pig Boy" covered in pickled hot peppers, pepperoni, and Calabrian chili oil. Fratesi's also just added two bar pies to its permanent menu, including a vodka sauce bar pie and the "Carmelita," which is a classic plain pie with fresh mozzarella and basil. Pro tip: Follow Fratesi Pizza's Instagram account to get updated on the specials of the week and to check whether its hours of operation have changed.
The classic slice at Joe's Pizza that's hyped up by New Yorkers is worthy of all the hype.
Joe's Pizza photo
Joe's Pizza
240 NW 25th St., Miami786-230-1441
joespizzanyc.comJoe’s founder, Joe Pozzuoli, Sr., is from Naples, Italy, and, at the age of 84, still owns and operates the Greenwich Village flagship. His son, Joe Jr., and grandchildren, Sal and Pino Vitale, are part of the ownership and operations team in Miami. Joe's is the kind of pizza spot where if you're walking around Wynwood and craving a solid slice, you can walk in and walk out in less than ten minutes with a solid, New York-style pizza pie. Barstool Sports' very own pizza-ranking maestro, Dave Portnoy, was even shocked himself when he rated Joe's Pizza in Wynwood a solid 8.2 out of 10 (which is a high score for him). The pizza is authentic New York-style, meaning the slices are large, the sauce is flavorful without being overly sweet, and it's cooked to perfection. The Wynwood outpost has done a solid job of maintaining its New York-elite reputation.
Lucali
1930 Bay Rd., Miami Beach305-695-4441
lucali.comWhen you ask any true pizza connoisseur based in Miami who makes the best pizza, there's a 50 percent chance they mention Lucali. At first sight, Lucali, the Miami outpost of Mark Iacono's famed Brooklyn flagship, looks like a regular pizza joint. Furnishings are unassuming — mismatched tables and chairs, an open kitchen, a working bench manned by T-shirted pizzaiolos — but by candlelight, everything glows. Men in white shine with sweat as they use empty wine bottles to roll dough. Pizza makers take their time prepping pies for the wood-burning oven. Crusts eventually emerge thin and blistered, their surfaces puffed by blackened bubbles of golden dough and smeared with melted buffalo mozzarella and shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano that cocoons smooth tomato sauce. Such attention to detail — and the resulting pies — earned Lucali a Michelin Bib Gourmand designation in 2022.
Miami Slice
1335 NE Miami Ct., Miami305-217-5423
miamislicepizza.comThis Miami pizzeria has gained a viral following since its humble beginnings as a pop-up out of the La Latina kitchen in 2019. After dozens of recipe modifications in a quest to create the Magic City's best artisan New York-style slice, the concept was crafted into a proper slice shop. Open Thursday through Sunday starting at 5 p.m., the restaurant's lines are known to extend far past the entrance well before opening. Arrive early, and you'll be given the option to dine in or take out. Don't miss the chance to sit at the bar where you can watch staff shuffle massive slices in and out of ovens before plating them on wooden boards where they receive a final dusting of fresh-grated cheese, sauce, or add-on toppings. The menu offers five slices that can be gussied up with a choice of four "extras," including hot honey, a red sauce, three-cheese dip, or a few dollops of creamy stracciatella. Pro tip: The stracciatella makes for an utterly sublime top-off to the "Pepperoni Proper" or mushroom-truffle slices.
Mister O1's classic cheese pizza made with Italian tomato sauce and mozzarella is one of the best in the country.
Photo by Nicole Lopez-Alvar
Mister O1
Various locations across Miami, including:2315 N. Miami Ave., Miami
786-991-9343
mistero1.com Owner and master pizzaiolo Renato Viola uses only the freshest ingredients and premium-quality cheeses (vegan cheese is available for an additional charge) to top Mister O1's thin-crust pies. While there are more than 15 options, the signature pie remains the 13-inch "Star Luca," named for its star-shaped points that form perfect little dough pockets filled with fresh, creamy ricotta cheese and a center layered center with the house Italian tomato sauce along with mozzarella and spicy salami. The "Star Luca" is light enough to eat the entire pie in one sitting (we dare you to). That star sets Mister O1 apart from other local pizzerias — however, one of their best pies is their classic cheese pizza made with Italian tomato sauce and mozzarella. It's so simple, yet its high-quality ingredients make it shine among the rest.
Old Greg's Pizza
3620 NE Second Ave., Miami866-653-4734
oldgregspizza.comWe'll never forget our first bite of one of the restaurant's most popular pizzas, the "O.G. Roni." It really is the pizza that started the fanfare — and our devotion. Miami pizza lovers flock to Old Greg's for a taste of its sourdough pies. Regulars have come to expect the wait for Old Greg's, named after the sourdough starter restaurateur Greg Tetzner and his girlfriend, Jackie Richie, affectionately dubbed "Old Greg." What began as a pandemic pop-up is now a brick-and-mortar shop offering Tetzner's famous pies and slices. For a crust that's nearly an inch thick, it's notably light, boasting a well-toasted bottom and covered with a slick of tomato and cheese that caramelizes into those extra-crisp patches that beg to be eaten first. While ordering the plain pie is never a bad idea, don't overlook the "O.G. Roni." The list of side dishes includes breadsticks with garlic-hollandaise dipping sauce, meatballs, and massive breaded chicken wings. Those, and desserts like the olive oil-based lemon poppyseed tres leches, gussied up with Sicilian pistachio, fennel pollen, and stracciatella-rich cream, make this more than your average pizza pit stop.
Square Pie City
3918 N. Miami Ave., Miami786-408-3591
squarepiecity.com A lifelong Miami resident and former private chef for rapper Rick Ross, Miami chef Jeremiah Bullfrog has done it all — from working in some of the most exalted restaurants in the world, including El Bulli in Spain and Noma in Copenhagen, to towing one of Miami's first food trucks, Gastropod. The chef also became known for his Miami-based food events, Duck Duck Goose and P.I.G., which brought together local and national chefs to turn out dishes focusing on fowl and pork, respectively. Bullfrog is creating some of the Magic City's best pizza at Square Pie City, where he delivers his own riff on the deep-dish square pie. Pies are available in half or whole pans and prepared with Bullfrog's 72-hour, double-fermented dough, which bakes up super crisp. Like most Detroit pies, it's topped with cheese before being smothered in a layer of sauce. Two varieties offer takes on both red and white pies, with the option for vegan/gluten-free substitutes. Standouts include the "All White E'rrything," topped with mozzarella, ricotta, Parmesan, and roasted garlic and the "Many Magical Mushrooms," with cremini mushrooms, porcini dust, mozzarella, asiago, and garlic; and the "Red in the Head, Fire in the Bed," made with spicy Calabrian chilies, chili-infused oil, mozzarella, and provolone.
Vice City Pizza makes one of the best Detroit-style pizzas in Miami.
Photo courtesy of Abí María Bar & Refuge
Vice City Pizza
2615 SW 147th Ave., Miami305-392-0826
vicecitypizza.comWhat first started as a pop-up during the pandemic has turned into the best pizza spot in West Kendall. While we’ve mentioned plenty of New York-style pizzas, this one is straight Detroit-style. Open Sunday through Thursday from 5 to 10 p.m. and Friday through Saturday from 5 to 10:30 p.m., expect long lines at the door of this hole-in-the-wall joint at the Plaza Alegre strip mall — but the wait will be worth it. The crust is nice and crisp, the pan pizzas pies are generously topped, and if you'd like to try more than one variety, you can order "half pizzas." We recommend ordering the "Ron Swanson," which is a classic pizza base with Neuskey bacon, Rosa Grande pepperoni, banana peppers, housemade fennel sausage, and Mike's Hot Honey. Other recommendations include a classic pepperoni with hot honey, brie, and fig and "Veggie Supreme" topped with mushrooms, roasted peppers, red onion, focaccia breadcrumbs, and Calabrian chili. Honestly, you truly can't go wrong here. Plus, the appetizers and desserts are just as great, including the crisp tiramisu and prosciutto croquetas served with fig jam.
