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10 Best Pizza Restaurants in Charleston

perfect slice of delicious pepperoni pizza in charleston

Discover the finest pizza offerings in Charleston, South Carolina, with our comprehensive guide. Although known for its traditional Southern fare, Charleston also boasts a wide array of top-notch pizzerias. From the authenticity of Neapolitan crusts to unique, locally inspired creations, there is a slice for every kind of pizza lover in this historic city. This guide highlights the best pizza restaurants, chosen for their exceptional quality, variety, and customer reviews. Whether you’re a resident or a visitor looking to indulge in some cheesy goodness, these picks will not disappoint. Get ready to embark on a culinary journey through Charleston’s best pizza joints.


D’Allesandro’s Pizza

229 St Philip St, Charleston, SC 29403
843-853-6337
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D'Allesandro's Pizza Charleston
Source: Instagram

Located in Harleston Village, D’Allesandro’s Pizza is a family-friendly pizzeria and beer pub serving gourmet pizzas at an accessible price.  Owners and brothers Nick and Ben D’Allesandro hail from Pennsylvania and use their northeastern and Italian roots to bring Charlestonians a unique taste of family tradition in a friendly, casual atmosphere characteristic of the South. The dough is fresh, scratch-made, and tossed by hand to order at D’Allesandro’s, and their extensive menu features plenty of specialty pies, salads, calzones, and freshly baked bread. They also have vegan and vegetarian options.  You’ll love the Red-Headed Salami pie with sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella, genoa salami, and ricotta. You should also try the Beetnick with an olive oil and garlic base, mozzarella, goat cheese, bacon, golden beets, and rosemary for more sophisticated palates. 


Crust Wood Fired Pizza

1956 Maybank Hwy #B, Charleston, SC 29412
843-762-5500
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Crust Wood Fired Pizza Charleston
Source: Instagram

Crust Wood Fired Pizza is a trendy authentic Italian kitchen and Neapolitan pizzeria located in the James Island and Summerville neighborhoods. You’ll love the interior dining room that feels like you’re walking into the cabin of an old ship, with all wood walls, booths, and bar illuminated by antique chipped-paint rot-iron light fixtures. All cooking revolves around their wood-fired hearth, and the menu has a wide variety of antipasti, house-made pasta, sandwiches, and of course, their famous wood-fired pizza. Crust’s pizzas execute Neapolitan pizza’s perfectly bubbly and charred crust.  Try the Crustacean pizza with spicy shrimp, prosciutto, arugula pesto, feta, mozzarella, arugula, and Calabrian chili oil. 


Paisano’s Pizza Grill

Multiple locations
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Paisano's Pizza Grill Charleston
Source: Instagram

While Paisano may mean “countryman,” the owners at Paisano’s Pizza Grill use it more as a friendly, fellow-man term with the motto of this welcoming pizzeria being “Made by friends, for friends.” Paisano’s Pizza Grill is a beautiful hangout spot for friends and family to enjoy a creative pizza while playing board games and arcade games. With three locations James Island, Mt. Pleasant, and West Ashley, Paisano’s friendly and fun atmosphere has won over Charlestonians young and old.  Along with delicious pizza, Paisano’s has some delicious chicken wings, sliders, sandwiches, and salads. There are also daily specials that include half-priced specialty pies and discounts on wings.  You should try their Wiggly Piggly Pizza with a hot honey mustard base topped with pulled pork, red onions, pickle chips, cheddar cheese, and a barbeque sauce drizzle.

See also  10 Best Charleston Steakhouses You Need to Visit

Slice Co

1662 Savannah Hwy #202, Charleston, SC 29407
843-343-5827
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Slice Co Charleston
Source: Instagram

Located in the West Ashley neighborhood, Slice CO is a family-owned and operated New York-style pizzeria, selling pizzas by the slice or whole from a small locale. Slice Co is primarily a pick-up and delivery business, but their slices are fresh, and their whole pies are made to order using high-quality ingredients. At New York-style pizzerias, you can usually get two kinds of pies: a round, crispy thing crust pie and a thick, dense, square Sicilian pie. Both pies are available whole and by the slice at Slice Co, and they’re both delicious.  Pizzas are fully customizable with options for a red or white base, crust type, and choice of toppings. You must try the square Sicilian pizza with house-made fresh mozzarella, San Marzano tomato, anchovy garlic, olive oil, fresh basil, oregano, and parsley.


Indaco

526 King St, Charleston, SC 29403
843-727-1228
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Indaco Charleston
Source: Instagram

Indaco is an elegant and refined Italian eatery and wine bar serving rustic-Italian food made from scratch in a charming rustic-chic dining space a few blocks from Marion Square. Indaco’s open kitchen and large butcher block tables create an intimate atmosphere to enjoy a family-style Italian meal. The wine list at Indaco has an impressive selection of Italian wines, while the cocktail bar has negronis on tap and makes their own Italian sodas for the kids.  Chefs make fresh pasta daily along with scratch-made salami and cured sausage. Their wood-fired pizzas can be main courses or appetizers if you want to sample one of their outstanding pasta dishes.


Famulari’s Pizzeria

Multiple locations
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Famulari’s Pizzeria Charleston
Source: Instagram

Famulari’s Pizzeria is the undisputed Charleston favorite for pizza lovers, specializing in both New York and Chicago-style pizza with seven locations in and around Charleston. Named for the owners and brothers Jason and Justin Famulari, Famulari’s Pizzeria opened in 2008 and has been an annual winner for Charleston’s Best Pizza award ever since. The brothers have perfected both styles of pizza and offer an extensive menu of other comfort food favorites like wings, burgers, sandwiches, calzones, and Stromboli. You don’t want to miss out on the super-decadent deep-dish Chicago-style pizza, namely the Chi-Town Classic, with mozzarella, double pepperoni, double sausage, and a chunky flavorful red sauce that goes on last.


Pizzeria Di Giovanni

40 N Market St, Charleston, SC 29401
843-727-6767 
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Pizzeria Di Giovanni Charleston
Source: Instagram

Located just north of the French Quarter, Pizzeria Di Giovanni is an authentic Italian pizzeria owned and run by proud Italian Chef Giovanni. Chef Giovanni uses an old family recipe passed down from generations to craft authentic and gourmet thin-crust Neapolitan pizzas for dine-in or take-out. Pizzas at Giovanni’s are 100% customizable and sold whole or by the slice, along with stromboli, calzones, and a modest selection of fresh salads, so you can get everything to your preference. Giovanni’s shapes the dough into hearts for special occasions, which I thought was a sweet and skillful touch.

See also  13 Best Charleston Brunch Spots to Try Out This Weekend

Renzo

384 Huger St #4126, Charleston, SC 29403
843-259-2760
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Renzo Charleston
Source: Instagram

Renzo is a refined Italian eatery and natural in a beautifully preserved yet renovated old historical Charleston storefront that architect and owner Eric Hutson designed himself. Hutson’s wife Nayda is the unofficial sommelier, choosing a rotating selection of natural wines for customers to enjoy with their delectable meals from executive chef Colin Marcelli. The dishes at Renzo are stunning in presentation and taste as good as they look. Chef Marcelli creates a fusion of flavors in his pre-pizza small plates like shrimp etouffee gnocchi that you need to try. The specialty pies had my favorite combination of flavors: the Wrath of Kahan with piquillo pepper sauce, mozzarella, chorizo, shallots, and Medjool dates.  


Toni’s Pizza

1795 N Hwy 17 #1, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464
843-416-8232
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Toni's Pizza Charleston
Source: Instagram

Toni’s Pizza is a Detroit-style pizzeria owned and operated by three Detroit natives, Toni and Pete Sahutske and their uncle, Steve Hopkins who have been in the pizza business for over 40 years in Detroit’s most famous pizzerias. Located in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood, Toni’s Pizza is the most authentic Detroit-style pizza you can find outside of Detroit. If you’ve never had Detroit-style pizza, it’s a square-shaped deep-dish pan pizza with extra crispy edges served in steel pans with the toppings and cheese spanning the entire surface, including the crust. I recommend you try the meatball pizza, using Toni’s spectacular homemade meatball over mozzarella and red sauce.  


The Obstinate Daughter

2063 Middle St, Sullivan’s Island, SC 29482
843-416-5020
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The Obstinate Daughter Charleston
Source: Instagram

Located inside a pastel-colored antebellum plantation house on the historic St. Sullivan’s Island, The Obstinate Daughter is a fine dining Southern fusion restaurant, combining local Carolina ingredients with Spanish, French, and Italian cooking traditions. They source all ingredients and craft beverages from local farms and vendors to create a varied menu of small plates, pasta, pizza, and desserts. The wood-fired pizza at The Obstinate Daughter has the classic Neapolitan crust but deviates from strict Neapolitan tradition by offering innovative topping combinations. Try the Funky Baller with meatball, kimchi, scallion, mozzarella, and parmesan. Or, if you’re looking for something a little more unique, try the Old Danger with pancetta, a fried egg, scallion, black pepper, white sauce, mozzarella, and parmesan.

Why Trust Us?

When it comes to local restaurant recommendations, we pride ourselves on being a reliable and trustworthy resource. Our suggestions are not just based on our personal experiences, ensuring a more authentic and well-rounded perspective, but also on extensive online research. We diligently searched the internet and reviewed 6 credible sites and blogs, including Carolinas.eater.com and Tripadvisor.com. 

See also  36 Best Restaurants in Charleston

We compiled all the findings in one location and sorted them by the frequency of mentions to ensure you receive top-notch recommendations. We strive to present you with a curated list of establishments that truly stand out, allowing you to enjoy the best dining experiences possible. 

Interested in the sources we consulted? Check out the list of all 6 sites we referenced below this paragraph, offering transparency and an opportunity for our readers to explore further. Our commitment is to deliver trustworthy and unparalleled recommendations, helping you make informed decisions on your culinary journeys.

https://carolinas.eater.com/maps/best-pizza-charleston
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurants-g54171-c31-Charleston_South_Carolina.html
https://foursquare.com/top-places/charleston/best-places-pizza
https://chstoday.6amcity.com/best-pizza-charleston-sc
https://www.postandcourier.com/food/pizza-in-charleston-our-food-editor-s-top-16-pizzerias/article_7c2a4c46-d7cd-11ed-89be-5f7faa8b0df6.html
https://www.counton2.com/news/local-news/highest-rated-pizza-restaurants-in-charleston/

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Written by Brian Nagele

Brian attended West Virginia University, then started his career in the IT industry before following his passion for marketing and hospitality. He has over 20 years experience in the restaurant and bar industry.

As a former restaurant owner, he knows about running a food business and loves to eat and enjoy cocktails on a regular basis. He constantly travels to new cities tasting and reviewing the most popular spots.

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