Sample 10 top local pizzas with our Pizza Guide

[Robin Garr]

Sample 10 top local pizzas with our Pizza Guide

"Funghi," a fancy mixed-mushroom pie at Pizza Lupo.


Will I ever get this constant craving for pizza out of my system? I really doubt it. Why in the hell should I even want to abandon this adorable creation?

In other words, here I am again, talking about pizza for the second week in a row. You got a problem widdat? What’s more, this one is for you folks: Behold, my thoughts on 10 worthy pizzas I’ve praised in recent years.

This is not my personal Best of Pizza list, nor a ranking. I’m listing them alphabetically to be fair. I’d grab a slice from any of these eateries, any day.

bar Vetti
This casually stylish Italian-theme restaurant, opened in the turquoise landmark 800 building in the autumn of 2017, and moved to its current location in Nulu’s AC Hotel by Marriott during the pandemic summer of 2020. No mere pizzeria, bar Vetti is a full Italian restaurant with serious chops. But its pizzas, even at elevated prices from $21 to $26, are worthy. Bearing the red, white, and green colors of the Italian flag, bar Vetti's excellent Margherita pizza carries on the Neapolitan tradition.
bar Vetti
AC Hotel
727 E. Market St.
883-3331
https://barvetti.com

Coals Artisan Pizza
Innovative in its time, Coals arrived in the then freshly renovated Vogue Center in 2011, filling the old Vogue Theater space with a classy pizzeria and a fierce oven burning hard anthracite coal at a fierce 1,000º, hot enough to turn out a memorable pizza in minutes.  Boldly flying the red, green, and white colors of the Italian flag, the St. Matthew's – Coals’ version of the pizza Margherita – is outstanding, its simple toppings providing simple elegance. Twelve-inch special pizzas are mostly priced in the mid to upper teens.
Coals Artisan Pizza
Vogue Center
3730 Frankfort Ave.
742-8200
https://coalsartisanpizza.com

Derby City Pizza
I might not entirely approve of cracker-crusted, no-edge pizza, but I have to say this: Derby City’s pie was so good that I would not hesitate to go back for another one. Toppings went all the way to the edge of this small veggie pizza on a paper-thin, crackery crust. It was thoughtfully put together with textures and flavors that worked together like a winning team. Ten-inch specialty pies are $15.
Derby City Pizza – Clifton
2331 Brownsboro Road
290-0677
https://derbycitypizza.com

Goodfellas Pizzeria
The first Louisville outlet of a small but growing Lexington-based chain, this corner spot in the Baxter Apartments joins sibling eateries in Indianapolis and the Cincinnati are. In proper New York City street corner pizzeria style, Goodfellas' slices are long and flexible, allowing the bearer to fold one lengthwise and eat it while walking along. Did I mention that they are very, very good? Most of the 12-inch specialty pizzas are $18-$19.
Goodfellas Pizzeria
642 Baxter Avenue
398-5704
https://goodfellaspizzeria.com/louisville

Impellizzeri’s Pizza
Deeply rooted in Louisville pizza history, pizza impresario Benny Impellizzeri has been making pizza since he started cooking at the fabled old Mario’s in Hikes Point in 1968. He opened his own pizzeria in his father’s Highlands butcher shop in 1978, turning out hot pies for long lines of eager supplicants with a heavily laden style of pie that has become institutionalized as “Louisville style.” Now with three Louisville shops and one in Elizabethtown, Impellizzeri’s keeps up the tradition. A veggie pizza, listed among Bennie's Original Specialties, piles tangy tomato sauce, melty mozzarella, and crisp, fresh veggies atop a sturdy, bready base. Single-size specialty pizzas are priced from $16.49 to $21.99.
Impellizzeri’s Pizza at Holiday Manor
4933 Brownsboro Road
425-9080
ihttps://mpellizzeris.com

Pizza Lupo
Pizza Lupo is a top-tier pizzeria, but it’s more. It’s also a splendid Italian/international eatery with an impressive kitchen and an exceptional bar and impressive wine program. This winning combination makes Lupo one of my favorite restaurants. But we’re here to talk about pizza, and Lupo’s renditions, even at elevated pricing from $22 to $28, are among the city’s best. Pictured above, “funghi,” Italian for "mushrooms," an imposing pizza loaded with fancy specimens from local Frondosa Farms along with four Italian cheeses.
Pizza Lupo
1540 Frankfort Ave.
409-8440
https://pizzalupo.com

MozzaPi Pizza
One of my consistent favorites, MozzaPi builds its pizzas on outstanding fresh-milled grain bread fired with pretty browned leopard spots (and makes top-notch artisanal breads, pastries, and cookies the same way). MozzaPi has added three branches at Ten20 Craft Brewery locations around town, but a trip out to its spacious home operation in Anchorage is well worth the effort. Pizzas are attractively priced in the $12 to $14 range. Pictured: An excellent 9-inch cheese pie was topped with roasted red peppers and mushrooms.
MozzaPi Pizza
12102 La Grange Road
890-4832
https://mozzapi.com

Old School NY Pizza
They’re not kidding about the New York style and Brooklyn accent at this two-unit East End chain: Its thin, flavorful, foldable pies will take your imagination straight to a Gotham street corner. Buy a slice, or enjoy a 12-inch round like the delicious thin-crust veggie pie pictured. Small pies are $12.25 to $16.
Old School NY Pizza[/b]
10600 Meeting Street
Norton Commons
882-3000
https://oldschoolnypizza.com

Parlour on Frankfort
Grown to six locations from its original shop at the north end of the Big Four walking bridge, Parlour gains its reputation the old-fashioned way, through quality and service. The veggie pizza featured here boasted fresh, quality toppings, a good, thin, bread-like crust, and a spicy fresh tomato sauce topped with mozzarella and grated parmesan. Ten-inch individual pies are priced from $13 to $16.
Parlour on Frankfort
2636 Frankfort Ave.
895-9400
https://eatparlourpizza.com

The Post
The Post, featured in our review last week, is famous for its oversize, New York City style pizza by the slice, which changes daily. Spicy sausage, banana peppers, and feta cheese did well by the tasty slab-of-the-day featured. Slices are $5, 10-inch pies are $12 to $18.
The Post
1045 Goss Ave.
635-2020
thttps://hepostlouisville.com

Read my full report on LouisvilleHotBytes, with photos of a pizza from each establishment:
https://www.louisvillehotbytes.com/our-pizza-guide

You'll also find this report in LEO Weekly's Food & Drink section this week:
http://www.leoweekly.com/category/food-drink/

This is a thoughtful list, Robin.

Speaking for myself, on the high end (in terms of price), my favorites are Lupo, Coals, MozzaPi, Bar Vetti, and Garage Bar. However, in practice, we overwhelmingly go to Lupo. Their sfincione pizza (tomato, anchovies, shallots, breadcrumbs) is the best pizza I’ve had anywhere in Kentucky. Just outstanding. Plus, we just like the ambience and non-pizza options and wine selection at Lupo better than the other places, so it tends to win out.

In warm weather there’s also a whole lot to be said for the patio at Coals, where an excellent margherita pizza and a giant mug of draft Peroni all seems to go a lot easier on the wallet than the other places – around $25 per person after tip, if I’m remembering correctly, which is a steal these days.

On the mid-range to cheaper side, I also endorse:

Bonnie & Clyde’s: an inexpensive, casual, throwback – but the pizza is, in my opinion, much, much better than the other local Louisville-style places. The crust char on the bottom and edges almost reminds me of Pequod’s in Chicago. Just delicious. I think the Dixie Highway location holds it back from receiving the love and attention within the local pizza scene that I think it deserves.

The Post, where a big slice of the day and beer are a great deal (and near my house).

Noble Funk/Noble Hearth – the pizza is good, but the beer is constantly excellent, which means I wind up eating there a lot.

Otherwise I don’t really get pizza anywhere else. I plan to give the Emmy Squared/West Sixth courtyard a try sometime.

[Robin Garr]

All good nominations, Iggy! I ought to hit up Bonnie & Clyde's sometime just for old times' sake.

I'd like to respectfully petition to add Richo's/New Albanian. Some of the best pizza in the area.

[Robin Garr]

I'd like to respectfully petition to add Richo's/New Albanian. Some of the best pizza in the area.

Thanks, Mike! I remember it fondly, although it's been a while. I've had enough Sunny Side nominations that I'm wondering about doing a Southern Indiana follow-up. Legacy Pizza in N'Albany is another great one, super high quality artisan bakery as well as pizza.