Best Pizza in Cleveland (2025)

A tiny, lively room with brick walls, Negronis, and New York‑leaning pies that have become the city’s benchmark. Consistently lauded by local critics, named Best Pizza by Cleveland Scene, and praised by national reviewers, this Gordon Square standby is the one Clevelanders line up for. Expect crisp‑chewy crusts, quality toppings like speck and lemon ricotta, and occasional specials that locals track like events.

Sourdough‑fermented, wood‑fired pies in a playful, vinyl‑spun space, where the Wonder Bread and butter is a rite of passage. The craft shows in blistered rims and clean, balanced toppings. Recognized by Cleveland Scene readers right behind Il Rione, Cent’s captures what Cleveland pizza feels like in 2025: precise, unfussy, and proudly local.

In Cleveland Heights, pizzaiolo Marc‑Aurele Buholzer turns out disciplined Neapolitan pies: soft centers, leoparded cornicione, and a minimalist respect for San Marzano, fior di latte, and basil. Featured in Cleveland Magazine’s pizza coverage, Vero reads like a love letter to Naples and remains one of the East Side’s defining pizza experiences.

A focused Lakewood pizzeria baking wood‑fired pies with restraint and clarity—think margherita, marinara, and the beloved Leonardo with pistachio and arugula. Frequently praised by local food writers and noted by Food & Wine via Cleveland Scene, Harlow’s shows how Cleveland’s pizza scene values craft over spectacle.

Born in Collinwood and expanded to Ohio City, Citizen Pie fires Neapolitan‑inspired pizzas at serious heat—smoked pepperoni and cacio e pepe pies are crowd favorites. Downtown’s Roman offshoot closed in 2024, but Ohio City and Waterloo remain active, as confirmed by local reporting. It’s fast, friendly, and emblematic of Cleveland’s wood‑fire wave.

Since 1981, this Lakewood institution has served bready‑crusted, provolone‑forward pies and playful specialties to generations of West Siders. It’s the neighborhood favorite that still draws citywide pilgrimages, earning Best Pizza honors from Cleveland Scene readers in 2024. Expect waits, big portions, and a lot of Cleveland on the plate.

Little Italy’s longtime standard‑bearer (family‑run since 1961) turns out crisp, thin pies alongside old‑school red‑sauce hits. It’s as much a cultural rite as a meal, referenced often by local critics when charting Cleveland’s pizza lineage. Go for a classic pepperoni and a carafe; leave with a story.

A downtown brewery that treats its wood‑fired pizza with the same care as its medal‑winning beers. Eater’s essential Cleveland list calls it out, and locals swear by pies like the mortadella or spicy soppressata. Spacious, convivial, and perfect before a show or game.

From a 1956 family recipe to a downtown retro slice counter, Geraci’s delivers big, foldable slices and late hours near the arenas. Named Best Pizza‑By‑The‑Slice by Cleveland Magazine, it’s also earned celebrity fandom, cementing its place in the modern Cleveland slice scene.

A friendly, family‑run fixture near the Cuyahoga since the early 1970s, known for buttery‑edged tavern pies and generous toppings. Highlighted by local news roundups and a steady presence during Cleveland Pizza Week, it’s a neighborhood favorite that feels quintessentially Cleveland.

A takeout slice shop from the Il Rione team, tucked beside Tremont’s Edison’s Pub. New York‑style slices with smart add‑ons like hot honey and arugula pesto have earned quick buzz. Covered by Cleveland Scene, it’s a casual, late‑night ally for the neighborhood.

YouTuber‑turned‑pizzaiolo Charlie Anderson’s East 4th slice shop brings an artisan take on classic New York pizza to downtown, with seasonal pies and classes for serious pizza nerds. Announced and opened in early 2025, it’s already been featured by Cleveland Magazine.