Tony Valainis
Grab a slice of savory, pepperoni-laden pie or a gooey, melty cheese variety and celebrate all things pizza. Check out some of Indy’s best-loved pizzerias in the city this weekend and keep the party going.
Arni’s Restaurant A casual, family-friendly standby for pizza and burgers. The Arni’s salad, a chopped-up mix of ham, turkey, cheese, and radish, is a popular pre-pizza nosh. Multiple locations
Bazbeaux Bazbeaux has changed little since 1986, when it opened in Broad Ripple, and it hasn’t really needed to. Flat crust baked crunchy. Toppings you won’t find at Domino’s, like pine nuts and prosciutto. And the cheese—mounds of mozzarella blended with provolone and pecorino. The slice-and-salad combo at lunch is one of the best deals in town. 333 Massachusetts Ave., 317-636-7662; 811 E. Westfield Blvd., 317-255-5711; 111 W. Main St., Carmel, 317-848-4488
Diavola Modestly loaded pies emerge expertly bubbled and charred from a centerpiece brick oven. Ingredients are simple but top-shelf, including homemade tomato sauce and meatballs, which join the likes of spicy soppressata, smooth clumps of fior di latte, and ample supplies of torn fresh basil and EVOO. 1134 E. 54th St., 317-820-5100
Futuro When it opened mid-pandemic, Futuro immediately grabbed attention with Detroit-style pies. It’s a rare purveyor of thick, pan-cooked slabs characterized by a cheesy exoskeleton and sauce spooned over the toppings, so it doesn’t make the airy, porous dough soggy. Followers quickly learned to make a play for the corners for maximum crispy-crust payoff, though the single-sided squares are hardly a compromise thanks to the quality of Futuro’s house-made ingredients, like ground pepperoni and chicken-and-ranch fixings. In fact, you don’t even need all that dough. The thinner tavern-style and gluten-free pizzas are just as impressive and generously loaded. 19 Cruse St., 317-360-4725
Giordano’s The famous deep-dish stuffed pizzas are well worth the wait at this Chicago-based chain. You can’t go wrong with the Chicago Classic, strewn with pepperoni, mushrooms, green peppers, and onions, or the Bacon BBQ Chicken, dotted with tangy, balsamic-marinated onions. 4110 E. 82nd St., 317-348-4085; 43 N. Illinois St., 317-288-3415
King Dough That Adam and Alicia’s Sweet’s Holy Cross crust shop, brought to Indy from Bloomington in early 2019, still charms as much as ever amidst all of its cheesy, oven-fired competition is testament to the total experience the Sweets bring to the pizzeria meal. The Sweets put an equal amount of care into the paintwork, neon accents, and wine cocktail selection at a second location that made its debut in Carmel this summer. Hopefully that means the Arkansas transplants are as smitten with Indy as we are with their fresh, feta-showered Greco salad and their Stinky Pete pie with mushrooms and both Gorgonzola and goat cheeses. 452 N. Highland Ave., 317-602-7960; 12505 Old Meridian St., Carmel, 317-669-2201
Jockamo Upper Crust Owner Mick McGrath puts his spin on pizza with an extra-crisp crust and offbeat combos such as the Mediterranean with hummus, olives, and tomatoes. Stop by this Irvington hotspot on Saturdays and Sundays to score a huevos rancheros pizza with eggs and chorizo, Jockamo’s version of brunch. 5646 E. Washington St., 317-356-6612; 9165 Otis Ave., 317-986-4545; 401 Market Plaza, Greenwood, 317-883-8993
Napolese Restaurateur Martha Hoover of Cafe Patachou fame dishes out her take on pizza—thin-crusted, blistered Neapolitan-style, and iconoclastically topped. Fresh toppings like fennel, asparagus, portobello mushrooms, and chevre top their seasonal pies. Affordable quartinos of vino rule. 114 E. 49th St., 317-925-0765; 8702 Keystone Crossing, 317-705-0765
Puccini’s Pizza Pasta This funky pizzeria serves up innovative combinations on chewy crusts. Specialty pies include the Twice Baked, with potatoes, bacon, and buttermilk-herb dressing, and the Campfire, with smoked sausage, onion marmalade, Gorgonzola, and rosemary. Multiple locations
Theo’s Italian Hearty pastas and puffy, pizza-like Roman-style pinsa flabreads top the menu at the latest of Cunningham Restaurant Group’s concepts in the former Stone Creek location in Plainfield’s Perry Crossing shopping complex. Named for restaurateur Mike Cunningham’s grandson, the restaurant incorporates some colorful whimsy into the décor, though the cocktail and wine list are quite adult, as are the sophisticated takes on otherwise homey Italian American fare. 2498 Perry Crossing Way, Plainfield, 317-203-9107
More pizza content to peruse …
Exploring Indy’s Pizza Provenance
