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Nashville Pizza Style Selector
To find your perfect slice right now, use our quick-reference table. This is the ultimate cheat sheet for navigating Nashville's elite pizza options.
| Pizza Style | Best Spot | Price | Neighborhood |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neapolitan | Folk | $$$ | East Nashville |
| Detroit | Emmy Squared | $$$ | The Gulch |
| New York | Five Points Pizza | $$ | East Nashville & Sylvan Park |
| Tavern Style | Dicey's Pizza & Tavern | $$ | Wedgewood-Houston |
| Coal-Fired | Nicky's Coal Fired | $$$ | The Nations |
| Roman (Al Taglio) | PennePazze | $$ | East Nashville |
| Creative/Artisan | City House | $$$ | Germantown |
| Late Night | Slim & Husky's | $$ | Multiple |
The Official Ranking: Nashville's Top 12 Pizza Restaurants for 2026
After countless hours of "research" (read: eating), we've definitively ranked the city's best pizza. From old-school institutions to innovative newcomers, these are the top pizza restaurants in Nashville.
1. Folk
- Neighborhood: East Nashville
- Why It's Worth It: Folk isn't just a pizzeria; it's one of the best restaurants in the city, period. Helmed by Chef Philip Krajeck, the vibe is airy and sophisticated, and the pizzas are masterful exercises in flavor and restraint. The crust, fermented for days, has a magnificent chew, and the seasonal toppings are sourced from local farms. It's a special occasion pizza that justifies the hype.
- Price: $$$
- Signature Pie: Margherita with Cantabrian anchovies.
- Address: 823 Meridian St, Nashville, TN 37207
2. Five Points Pizza
- Neighborhood: East Nashville & Sylvan Park
- Why It's Worth It: When Nashvillians crave a proper New York slice, they go to Five Points. It’s a no-frills spot that executes the classics perfectly. The dough is hand-tossed, the slices are enormous and foldable, and the cheese-to-sauce ratio is always on point. The garlic knots are a mandatory starter.
- Price: $$
- Signature Pie: Prosciutto & Basil.
- Address: 1012 Woodland St, Nashville, TN 37206
3. Emmy Squared Pizza
- Neighborhood: The Gulch, Green Hills, & East Nashville
- Why It's Worth It: Emmy Squared introduced Nashville to the glory of Detroit-style pizza, and we haven't been the same since. It's all about the "frico" crust—the crispy, cheesy, caramelized edges that form when the Wisconsin brick cheese meets the hot sides of the rectangular pan. The pies are thick, airy, and topped with premium ingredients.
- Price: $$$
- Signature Pie: The Colony (Ezzo pepperoni, pickled jalapeños, honey).
- Address: 404 12th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37203 (Gulch location)
4. Slim & Husky's Pizza Beeria
- Neighborhood: North Nashville, Antioch, & 5th + Broadway
- Why It's Worth It: More than just a pizza joint, Slim & Husky's is a cultural hub. This hip-hop-inspired, fast-casual spot lets you build your own pie with unlimited toppings for a set price. Their artisan pizzas come in two sizes (Slim or Husky) and feature cleverly named creations. It's one of the best spots for a quick, satisfying, and locally-owned meal.
- Price: $$
- Signature Pie: Cee No Green (Alfredo, ground beef, pepperoni, Italian sausage, bacon).
- Address: 911 Buchanan St, Nashville, TN 37208
5. Smith & Lentz Brewing
- Neighborhood: East Nashville
- Why It's Worth It: What’s better than craft beer? Craft beer with world-class pizza. Smith & Lentz started as a brewery but quickly gained a massive following for their incredible pies. They offer both a classic wood-fired Neapolitan-ish style and, on certain days, a thick, pillowy Detroit-style that rivals the best. The quality of ingredients here is second to none.
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Signature Pie: The Hot Pep (Ezzo pepperoni, Calabrian chili, honey).
- Address: 903 Main St, Nashville, TN 37206
6. City House
- Neighborhood: Germantown
- Why It's Worth It: Before the current pizza boom, there was City House. This Germantown institution, from James Beard Award-winner Tandy Wilson, has been serving rustic, inventive Italian food for years. Their pizzas are a core part of the menu—blistered, chewy, and topped with whatever is in season. The Belly Ham pizza, with a perfectly runny egg, is an iconic Nashville dish. For a full exploration of the city's culinary scene, check out our Nashville food guide.
- Price: $$$
- Signature Pie: Belly Ham, Mozzarella, Grana Padano, Chilies, Oregano, Egg.
- Address: 1222 4th Ave N, Nashville, TN 37208
7. Dicey's Pizza & Tavern
- Neighborhood: Wedgewood-Houston
- Why It's Worth It: Leaning into the retro tavern-style trend, Dicey's serves up crispy, cracker-thin crust pizzas cut into party-ready squares. It shares a space with Diskin Cider, making it a perfect spot for a group hang. The vibe is laid-back, the pizzas are shareable, and it offers something unique in a city full of Neapolitan and Detroit pies. It's one of our favorite Nashville hidden gems.
- Price: $$
- Signature Pie: The We-Ho (Pepperoni, Sausage, Mushroom, Onion, Green Pepper).
- Address: 1235 Martin St, Nashville, TN 37203
8. DeSano Pizza Bakery
- Neighborhood: Midtown
- Why It's Worth It: DeSano is all about authentic Southern Italian tradition. They use imported Italian flour and tomatoes, and their massive, wood-fired ovens cook pizzas in about 90 seconds. The atmosphere is communal and family-friendly, with long wooden tables where you can watch the pizzaioli at work. It's a top contender for the best Neapolitan pizza in Nashville.
- Price: $$ - $$$
- Signature Pie: The DeSano (Sausage, pepperoni, garlic, buffalo mozzarella).
- Address: 115 16th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37203
9. Nicky's Coal Fired
- Neighborhood: The Nations
- Why It's Worth It: As the name suggests, Nicky's uses a massive coal-fired oven—the first of its kind in Nashville—to produce pizzas with a uniquely charred, crispy-chewy crust. The menu is rustic Italian, and the pizzas are the star. The high, intense heat of the coal oven creates a flavor you can't get anywhere else.
- Price: $$$
- Signature Pie: The Rosie (Red sauce, fior di latte, pepperoni, basil, Pecorino).
- Address: 5026 Centennial Blvd, Nashville, TN 37209
10. PennePazze
- Neighborhood: East Nashville (inside L&L Market)
- Why It's Worth It: For a taste of Rome in Music City, PennePazze offers pizza al taglio—by the slice. These rectangular slices are cut with scissors from long slabs of focaccia-like dough. The crust is incredibly light and airy on the inside and perfectly crisp on the bottom. It’s ideal for a quick lunch while exploring the shops at L&L Market.
- Price: $$
- Signature Pie: The Spicy (Calabrian 'nduja sausage, stracciatella).
- Address: 3820 Charlotte Ave, Nashville, TN 37209
11. Lockeland Table
- Neighborhood: East Nashville
- Why It's Worth It: While not strictly a pizza place, this beloved neighborhood restaurant has a wood-fired oven that turns out some of the most underrated pies in town. It’s part of their Community Hour menu (a killer happy hour) and the main dinner menu. The atmosphere is cozy and rustic, making it a great spot for a date night after a day exploring Nashville's best things to do.
- Price: $$$
- Signature Pie: The LT Pig (House sausage, pepperoni, pancetta, smoked mozzarella).
- Address: 1520 Woodland St, Nashville, TN 37206
12. Greko Greek Street Food
- Neighborhood: East Nashville
- Why It's Worth It: Looking for something different? Greko offers a "Greek Za," a pizza-like flatbread that's fluffy and delicious. Topped with ingredients like feta, gyro meat, and Kalamata olives, it's a fresh, flavorful twist on Nashville pizza. It’s one of those unexpected finds that make the food scene in Nashville, Tennessee so exciting. Read more of our deep dives in our local stories.
- Price: $$
- Signature Pie: Gyro Za with lamb/beef, feta, and tzatziki.
- Address: 704 Main St, Nashville, TN 37206
A Deep Dive into Nashville's Pizza Styles
The city's pizza scene has exploded, moving far beyond simple pepperoni pies. Here's a breakdown of the most popular styles and where to find them.
Neapolitan Perfection: Where to Find the Best Neapolitan Pizza Nashville
This is the ancestral style of pizza, governed by strict rules. The dough must be hand-worked, the toppings minimal and high-quality (think San Marzano tomatoes and Buffalo mozzarella), and the bake time short and blisteringly hot. It results in a soft, soupy center and a puffy, charred crust.
- Top Spots: Folk, DeSano Pizza Bakery, City House
Detroit Style's Takeover: The Cheesy Crust Craze
Baked in a rectangular pan, Detroit-style pizza is known for its thick, focaccia-like crust and, most importantly, its "frico" edge of caramelized cheese. The toppings are applied in reverse, with cheese spread to the edges, followed by other ingredients, and finally "raced" with stripes of tomato sauce.
- Top Spots: Emmy Squared, Smith & Lentz Brewing (on select nights)
Classic New York Slices: Foldable and Fabulous
The quintessential American slice. Large, hand-tossed, and with a thin layer of sauce and low-moisture mozzarella, it's designed to be folded in half. The crust should be crisp yet pliable.
- Top Spot: Five Points Pizza
These artisans are just a few of the many amazing culinary WowLocal Pros that make this city delicious. '''
