Newark sits at the outer edge of the metro, and its pizza runs on decades, not trends: family shops that have held the same corner since the 1970s, a wood-fired room with a patio, and a rotation of local favorites built on thin crust and heavy toppings. This list ranks the storefronts actually worth the drive up Route 16.
№ 01
Elliot's Wood Fired Kitchen & Tap
Newark $$
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The goat cheese red pepper pizza is the order here, a wood-fired pie with enough char and bite to hold its own against the beer list. The patio draws weekday crowds for live music at a reasonable volume, and the room stays comfortable even on busier nights. Parking is easy when the dinner rush hasn't hit yet.
What to ordergoat cheese red pepper pizza, margherita pizza, wood-fired pizza
№ 02
Plaza Pizza - Newark
Newark $
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Plaza Pizza has been a Newark fixture for generations, the kind of cheese and pepperoni pie that former residents drive back across the Outerbelt to reorder. The traditional pizza style has stayed consistent for decades. Recent pickup orders have run slower than they should, so call ahead or build in extra time before a hungry table.
What to ordercheese pizza, pepperoni pizza, specialty pizza
№ 03
Christy’s Pizza
Newark $$
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Christy's cuts a thin, crunchy pizza in the local square style and pairs it with a fresh salad and garlic bread, a straightforward combination that has earned it a reputation as one of Newark's top three pizza rooms. Service is steady and the room stays clean. Expect a short wait during peak dinner hours.
What to orderpizza, salad, garlic bread
№ 04
Don & Sue's Pizza Plus
Newark $
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Pepperoni and banana pepper pizza is the standing order at this counter, made with a sauce diners keep coming back for. The menu stretches into calzones, subs, burgers and salads, making it a reliable stop for a mixed group. The room runs casual and the pace stays relaxed, with service that holds up night after night.
What to orderpepperoni and banana pepper pizza, calzone, sub
№ 05
Louie's Pizza
Newark $$
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Louie's has run the same New York style thin crust for over five decades, and the consistency is the whole pitch: a crunchy bite, fresh toppings, and a cheese or pepperoni pie that tastes the same as it did a generation ago. This is a takeout operation built for people who already know what they want.
What to orderNY-style thin crust pizza, cheese pizza, pepperoni pizza
№ 06
Debra's Pizza
Newark $
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Debra's turns out a pizza built on fresh ingredients and a distinct sauce, with garlic bread and salad rounding out a fast pickup order. The shop carries roots in an earlier Newark pizza recipe, and loyalists who remember that original sauce and cheese blend can tell when a batch strays from it. Staff move quickly and stay friendly under pressure.
What to orderpizza, garlic bread, salad
№ 07
Dirko's Pizza
Newark
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The Kitchen Sink Pizza lives up to its name, a heavily loaded pie dense enough to surprise anyone carrying the box home. Stromboli and mac and cheese bites round out a menu built for groups with serious appetites, alongside pasta and family meal options. It is a dependable stop for travelers arriving hungry with no dinner plan.
What to orderstromboli, Kitchen Sink Pizza, mac n' cheese bites
№ 08
Too Talls Pizza
Newark $
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Too Talls runs a small counter with a big output, turning out cheese, pepperoni and supreme pies that show up reliably at office lunches around Newark. The value holds up against pizza twice the price. Crust consistency varies some visit to visit, occasionally landing softer and lighter on sauce than the best batches.
What to ordercheese pizza, pepperoni pizza, supreme pizza
№ 09
Bavellie's Pizzeria
Newark
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The Supreme pizza anchors a menu that also covers buffalo wings and a chicken parm sub, all built for weeknight takeout rather than a sit-down meal. A Johnstown location has built a loyal weekly delivery following. Wing orders can run short on drumettes, so specify preferences clearly when the order goes in.
What to orderSupreme pizza, Buffalo wings, Chicken Parm sub
№ 10
Marco's Pizza
Newark $$
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Marco's traditional-style pizza draws a following among diners burned by lesser chain pizza elsewhere, with a crust and sauce combination that reads as the real thing rather than an imitation. Boneless chicken and salad round out the menu for a fast, inexpensive meal. The chicken bites run spicier than expected, so ask before ordering for kids.
What to ordertraditional-style pizza, boneless chicken, salad
Frequently asked
What is the best pizza restaurant near me in Newark?
It depends on which side of town you're on and what you want. Louie's Pizza and Plaza Pizza carry the longest track records for classic thin crust and cheese and pepperoni pies, while Elliot's Wood Fired Kitchen & Tap is the pick for a sit-down dinner with a patio. Check the Insider Score on each listing to compare current standing before you decide.
Which Newark pizza spot is best for takeout?
Louie's Pizza, Don & Sue's Pizza Plus and Debra's Pizza are all built around fast pickup rather than a dine-in experience, with consistent recipes that have held steady for years. Too Talls Pizza and Bavellie's Pizzeria are solid options for a quick lunch or weeknight order as well.
Is there a pizza place in Newark good for groups or families?
Dirko's Pizza is built for group hunger with its Kitchen Sink Pizza and stromboli, and Christy's Pizza and Don & Sue's Pizza Plus both run family-friendly rooms with broader menus beyond just pizza. Elliot's Wood Fired Kitchen & Tap works well for a relaxed group dinner thanks to its patio.
How are these Newark pizza restaurants ranked?
Every restaurant on this list is ranked using its Insider Score, a rating built from the public review record for signature dishes, consistency and value. No restaurant pays for placement or a better position on this list; the ranking reflects what the review record actually shows.
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The data first, then the verdict
We start with the review record, not a press release. Every room here is a real kitchen with a strong rating across a meaningful number of reviews, ranked on our 10-point Insider Score. We weight consistency over time and the rooms locals return to, not the ones tourists pass through once. The list updates as the data does. How we work →
Amina Warsame
Staff Writer · Top of Columbus
Amina Warsame is a Staff Writer at Top of Columbus. Born in Mogadishu and raised in Northland, she grew up between her mother's kitchen and the grocery-cafes of the Somali malls. She writes the guides, sweeps the whole Outerbelt, and covers the Somali and East African tables as the beat she knows best.
