If there’s one thing Columbians love to talk about, it’s pizza.
Odds are, if you mention Columbia pizza to an outof-towner, they automatically think Shakespeare’s, but locals splinter off into factions of opinion — usually pretty diehard on which pizzeria is the greatest. Some insist on the classics while others prefer the smaller, hole-in-the-wall parlors where the employees recognize them or they might have a “the usual” on the menu. We’ve all seen the fights on Facebook and Reddit. Some get more heated than others. It’s a pretty easy way to pick an argument and since we like arguing, we decided to take a look at some of Columbia’s top contenders in the pizza fight. While it’s pretty much impossible to land on a definitive answer of which pizza in Columbia deserves the crown, we can still try.
The Inside Columbia staff called in and anonymously ordered a mass of the local favorites: no chains, no St. Louis-style slices, just eight of Columbia’s most talked-about pizzas. To get a read on each restaurant’s strong suits, we either ordered their most popular special or asked an employee to ring in whatever their personal favorite is on the menu. We’re judging each pie’s crust, cheese, sauce, toppings and the reheat value, even though leftover pizza is best served cold. Each category will be rated on a scale from one to five. While there’s certainly no bad pizzas in town, Columbia has plenty of slices to study. Let’s compare, contrast and agree to disagree.
Disclaimer: The following feature is an opinion-based review. No businesses have paid for or been compensated for their appearances, nor is this feature related to paid advertising in Inside Columbia magazine.
Shakespeare’s Pizza
The tourist’s favorite and regularly deemed the best pizza in Columbia by our magazine readers. With its red towel napkins, signature brown and green boxes, and plastic cups that make their way to your kitchen cupboard — Shakespeare’s is an iconic Columbia staple, shrouded by local fame. Some say it’s overrated. Some swear by it. We kept things simple and ordered a medium pepperoni for $17.32.
CRUST: Shakespeare’s isn’t exactly known for their crust. It’s mainly a vehicle, tending to hide itself behind a thick layer of cheese anyway. 2.6/5
CHEESE: Don’t get us wrong, the cheese at Shakespeare’s is definitely great, as long as you can get it to stay on the pizza in the first place. It’s stringy and generous, and hits the spot as long as it’s not sliding off your slice immediately and plopping onto the plate. 3.8/5
SAUCE: Not too tangy, not too tomato-y. While the sauce doesn’t stand out as much as their toppings, it certainly doesn’t hurt. 3.5/5
TOPPINGS: Shakespeare’s abandons the typical, flimsy pepperoni of other pizzas. These pepperonis are nicely seasoned and unique, cut so thickly that they curve at the ends and oil pools at the center. We’d probably order a bowl of just the pepperonis. Definitely their strong suit. 4.8/5
REHEAT VAULE: After zapping a slice of Shakespeare’s in the microwave, it reheats remarkably well, just a little bit greasier. 4/5
OUR OVERALL RATING: 3.7 out of 5. Always a great pizza, but its reputation precedes it.
Gumby’s Pizza
Gumby’s, located off Broadway with late-night slices and even later bar offerings, might have the best value with their regularly discounted pizzas. Is Gumby’s just another inexpensive college dive, though? It felt obvious to order their specialty Stoner Pie, topped with mozzarella sticks, french fries, bacon and pepperoni. We ordered a medium 12-inch for $19.
CRUST: Fluffy, doughy and garlicy. Can’t complain. 3/5
CHEESE: Pretty good cheese pull when it’s hot. The cheese at Gumby’s definitely carries if you don’t have toppings to rely on. 3.6/5
SAUCE: Gumby’s goes light on the sauce, leaving the cheese and toppings to do the heavy lifting. The sauce that is present is thin and suffocated by the cheese. 1/5
TOPPINGS: There’s a lot to unpack on the Stoner. The pepperoni and bacon are crispy, and the fries and mozzarella sticks run deliciously salty and greasy, like any indulgent pizza should. You don’t have to take after the name of the pizza to enjoy it fresh — but you might be if you want to enjoy the leftovers. 3/5
REHEAT VAULE: The toppings get mushy and flavorless after a battle in the air fryer or microwave. Much better fresh. 2/5
OUR OVERALL RATING: 2.5 out of 5. More of a novelty than a top contender.
Angelo’s Pizza & Steakhouse
Since 1991, Angelo’s Pizza & Steakhouse has served authentic Greek and Italian fare off Providence. Their square-cut pizzas gets thrown out in the debate fairly often, mainly among locals who know the ins and outs of Columbia’s longest tenured restaurants. We ordered the titular pizza, The Angelo’s, which comes with sausage, green peppers and onions for $22.95.
CRUST: Thin and dusted with flour, this is the driest crust so far, which works since the cheese and sauce are melty and almost liquid. 3/5
CHEESE: Compliments the sauce and provides a great pull when it’s hot. Can’t go wrong. 4/5
SAUCE: A bit overwhelming. The sauce to cheese ratio isn’t exactly even, which makes the red sauce bubble through the layer of cheese and drown it. The sauce itself is fantastic — you can tell it’s homemade with a lot of care, there’s just a whole lot of it. 2/5
TOPPINGS: Very, very generous. The veggies were hot but not overcooked, still maintaining a little bit of crunch that usually disappears when toppings are cooked away into being limp and mushy. The sausage is a little spicy with a more unique flavor than the others. 4.5/5
REHEAT VAULE: With how saucy our slices of Angelo’s were, it didn’t heat super evenly. 2/5
OUR OVERALL RATING: 3 out of 5. Authentic and generous.
G & D Pizzaria
Lauded as a casual, family joint, G & D’s homestyle pizzas are also commonly fought for in the debate on Columbia pizza. They also sling gyros, salads and steaks, but we’re zeroing in on their pizza. G & D Pizzaria really seems to take their family style seriously, since the medium-sized Country Music we ordered could probably feed over half the office with the sheer amount of toppings on it. The 12-inch pizza was $25.95, making it the most expensive, but we also loaded this one up the most.
CRUST: Crunchy crusts might not be for everyone. This crispy, unique crust acts as the pizza’s backbone, supporting a mountain of toppings. 3/5
CHEESE: On the Country Music, at least, the cheese gets a bit lost. 2/5
SAUCE: The unsung hero of G & D. The sauce is uniquely sweet and generously applied, without drowning the cheese or making your slice soggy. 4.8/5
TOPPINGS: Each square is loaded with a medley of beautifully cooked sausage, pepperoni, ham, ground beef, bacon and Canadian bacon. It’s the Thanksgiving dinner of pizza toppings. 4.9/5
REHEAT VAULE: Squares of G & D reheat surprisingly easy, holding up better than others. They’re a great leftover option after a zap in the microwave. 4.6/5
OUR OVERALL RATING: 3.5 out of 5. This is the family pick.
The Italian Village
Ultimately, this is the sleeper pick. Inconspicuously located in a strip mall on Vandiver might be the most underrated pizza in Columbia. The Italian Village is simple, operating out of a kitchen and a small lobby, offering everything you’d expect on the menu of a carry-out Italian joint. We carded through their variety of pizzas, pastas and sandwiches, landing on their Five Cheese Pizza — 12 inches of cheese for $21.60.
CRUST: The misshapen, bubbly crust on a pizza from The Italian Village is likely its strongest feature. It’s a lot more bready and fluffier than other pizzerias. 4.9/5
CHEESE: As promised in the name, this pizza was the cheesiest yet with pepper jack, mozzarella, feta, provolone and cheddar cheese. 4.8/5
SAUCE: Their sauce pales in comparison to the cheese. It’s a bit on the sweeter side and underwhelming. 2.5/5
REHEAT VAULE: Microwaving our leftover Italian Village left the crust a little chewy, but the cheese held up. 4/5
OUR OVERALL RATING: 4 out of 5. Two words: slept on.
Tony’s Pizza Palace
I don’t often hear Tony’s Pizza Palace in the G.O.A.T. debate — but when it is mentioned, I listen. People who choose Tony’s as their favorite pizza in Columbia usually know what they’re talking about. Chances are, they’ve been around town forever, same as Tony’s, which has stood proudly on 5th Street for decades. We ordered a 12-inch size of their House Special for $22.80.
CRUST: On the thinner side, Tony’s crust isn’t as crispy as the others but still has a little bit of a crunch to it. Compared to their other strong suits, though, it’s not too remarkable. 2.5/5
CHEESE: Great cheese pulls at Tony’s. The white cheese is stretchy and melty, definitely a highlight. 4/5
SAUCE: Might be the most tomato-y sauce by far. Not ketchup-y, but likely the closest to Marinara sauce. 3.2/5
TOPPINGS: Everything but the kitchen sink — pepperoni, Canadian bacon, sausage, beef, onions, green peppers, mushrooms. The toppings are above and beneath the cheese, woven throughout the pizza. Nothing’s burnt or soggy, cooked to perfection. Not to mention the sausages are the literal size of planets. 4.6/5
REHEAT VAULE: The square of Tony’s managed to hold up in the microwave, although its thin crust got kind of flimsy, unable to support its mountain of toppings. 2.7/5
OUR OVERALL RATING: 3.4 out of 5. A townie’s classic for a reason.
Endwell Taverna
One of the newer Italian spots to hit downtown, Endwell Taverna rakes in hungry patrons nightly, often with a wait. Endwell’s atmosphere is excellent and the drink menu is definitely a highlight — but how does the pizza hold up outside that dining room? We picked up their Margherita pizza to put it to the test. Our 12-inch pizza was $16. No protein could be why, but it’s still not as expensive as we expected it to be.
CRUST: Made with sourdough, the fermented crust is delicate, crispy and pliable. 4/5
CHEESE: While you don’t get much cheese on a Margherita, the splotches of fresh, melted mozzarella speak for themselves. 4/5
SAUCE: Endwell’s sauce is definitely the freshest, tasting well worth the price tag of a night dining out. Rich, but not overbearing. 3.8/5
REHEAT VAULE: Do yourself a favor and just eat it fresh. 1/5
OUR OVERALL RATING: 3.2 out of 5. Great New York-style.
Pizza Tree
This walk-up window is another frequently-mentioned contender in the “greatest pizza in Columbia” debate. Known for its by-the-slice deals and rotation of eccentric, bold flavors, Pizza Tree is a common favorite. While there were endless specialties — the OMGWTFBBQCHIX, an assortment of veggies on their Wabbit Food and their Kimchi Pie — we ordered the Instant Classic to see if it’s worth waiting on the curb for. Our total was $22 for the 12-inch pizza.
CRUST: You know a Pizza Tree crust when you see it. There’s usually a bit of char blackening the bottom of your slice; it’s dark but not burnt, flaky and easily foldable. 4.8/5
CHEESE: Pizza Tree’s cheese nearly melds to the crust, decadent and oily, but not too greasy. Tastes even better if you fold your slice in half, the way it’s intended. 5/5
SAUCE: Without overpowering the cheese and various toppings, the tangy sauce acts as a glue, keeping it all together. 3.5/5
TOPPINGS: Always the highlight at Pizza Tree. Their signature little discs of pepperoni, combined with crispy pickled onions and fresh basil top the Instant Classic. Fresh and flavorful, with bonus points for the housemade ranch on the side. 4.9/5
REHEAT VAULE: Pizza Tree didn’t reheat quite as well as its counterparts — the microwave left it a little stiff. 2.7/5
OUR OVERALL RATING: 4.2 out of 5. Worth the hype and worth finding parking downtown.
