Tennessee might not be the first place that comes to mind when you think about world-class pizza, but the Volunteer State has quietly built one of the most exciting pizza scenes in the South. From wood-fired Neapolitan pies in Knoxville to New York-style slices in Nashville and creative chef-driven creations in Memphis, Tennessee’s pizza makers are serving up pies that rival anything you’ll find up north.
Whether you’re a local looking for your next favorite spot or a visitor ready to be surprised, these thirteen pizza places prove that great pizza isn’t just a Northern thing anymore.
1. City House — Nashville
When The New York Times calls your pizza some of the best in America, you know you’re doing something right. City House in Germantown has been turning heads since it opened, blending Italian wood-fired technique with ingredients that could only come from the South. Chef Tandy Wilson’s approach isn’t about copying anyone else’s playbook—it’s about creating something entirely new.
The belly pizza is the one that put City House on the map, topped with house-cured pork belly, mozzarella, and a farm egg that breaks into a rich, golden sauce when you cut into it. It sounds wild, but somehow it works perfectly. The crust comes out of the wood-fired oven with those signature leopard spots and just enough char to give it a smoky depth.
What makes City House special isn’t just the quality—it’s the creativity. This isn’t a place trying to be authentically Italian or perfectly New York-style. It’s confidently Tennessee, using local ingredients and Southern flavors in ways that feel fresh and exciting.
The atmosphere matches the food: casual but thoughtful, with exposed brick and communal tables that make you want to linger.
The restaurant has expanded its menu over the years, but pizza remains the star. Seasonal toppings change based on what’s available from local farms, so you might find something different each visit. Reservations are smart here, especially on weekends when both locals and visitors pack the place.
It’s not the cheapest pizza in Nashville, but when you’re eating something this good, the price feels justified.
2. Five Points Pizza — Nashville
Sometimes you don’t need fancy ingredients or a wood-fired oven—you just need a really good slice. Five Points Pizza in East Nashville has mastered the art of New York-style pizza, serving up massive slices that fold perfectly and taste exactly like what you’d grab from a corner shop in Brooklyn. It’s the kind of place that locals guard fiercely because it never disappoints.
The pizza here is all about balance. The crust has that ideal New York chew—not too thick, not too thin, with just enough crispness on the bottom to hold up under a generous layer of toppings. The sauce is tangy and bright, and the cheese melts into perfect stretchy strings when you take a bite.
Whether you go for a classic pepperoni or load it up with vegetables, the foundation is always solid.
Five Points does slices by the slice or whole pies, and both options are popular. The by-the-slice setup makes it perfect for a quick lunch or late-night snack, while whole pies are ideal for feeding a group. The restaurant itself has a laid-back vibe that fits perfectly with the East Nashville neighborhood—nothing pretentious, just good food served with a smile.
In a town that’s increasingly filled with upscale dining options, Five Points keeps it real. The prices are reasonable, the portions are generous, and the quality never wavers.
It’s the kind of place where regulars know exactly what they’re getting every single time.
3. Aldo’s Pizza Pies — Memphis
Memphis has its own take on just about everything, and pizza is no exception. Aldo’s Pizza Pies brings New York-style foundations to the Bluff City but adds just enough Southern character to make it distinctly Memphis. With locations in both Downtown and Midtown, Aldo’s has become the go-to spot for locals who want that big-city pizza experience with hometown flavor.
The restaurant describes its pies as New York-style with a Southern twist, and that’s not just marketing talk. You’ll find classic combinations done exceptionally well—margherita, pepperoni, white pizzas—but you’ll also discover creative options that incorporate regional ingredients and flavors. The crust achieves that perfect New York fold without being floppy, and the sauce-to-cheese ratio hits the sweet spot every time.
Both locations have their own personality. The Downtown spot attracts a mix of office workers, tourists, and locals catching a bite before a Grizzlies game or a show on Beale Street. The Midtown location feels more neighborhood-focused, with a slightly more relaxed atmosphere.
Regardless of which one you visit, the quality remains consistent across the board.
What sets Aldo’s apart in Memphis is its reliability. In a city famous for barbecue, it’s easy for other cuisines to get overlooked, but Aldo’s has carved out its own loyal following. The restaurant doesn’t try to be everything to everyone—it focuses on doing pizza really well, with fresh ingredients and consistent execution.
The prices are fair, the service is friendly, and the pizza always delivers.
4. Hog & Hominy — Memphis
Chef-driven restaurants often get a reputation for being more style than substance, but Hog & Hominy breaks that mold completely. This Memphis favorite combines serious culinary skill with approachable food that never feels stuffy or overdone. The pizza here isn’t just good—it’s the kind that makes you rethink what pizza can be when a talented chef gets creative.
Located in the Cooper-Young neighborhood, Hog & Hominy has an industrial-chic vibe that feels both hip and welcoming. The wood-fired oven turns out pizzas with perfectly charred crusts and inventive topping combinations that change with the seasons. You might find pizzas topped with duck confit, local greens, or house-made sausage—ingredients that sound fancy but taste approachable and delicious.
What makes Hog & Hominy stand out in Memphis’s pizza landscape is the attention to detail. The dough is made in-house and allowed to ferment properly for maximum flavor. The toppings are sourced carefully, often from local farms and producers.
Even the simplest pizza here—a classic margherita—tastes several levels above what you’d get at a standard pizzeria because every component is thoughtfully prepared.
The restaurant regularly shows up on local “best pizza” lists, and for good reason. It’s not trying to replicate New York or Naples—it’s creating something uniquely Memphis. The menu also features excellent pasta dishes and other Italian-inspired fare, but pizza remains the star attraction.
Reservations are recommended, especially for dinner service when the dining room fills up quickly.
5. A Dopo Sourdough Pizza — Knoxville
Sourdough pizza might sound like a trendy gimmick, but one bite at A Dopo will make you a believer. This Knoxville spot takes pizza seriously—really seriously—using naturally leavened dough, high-quality ingredients, and a blazing-hot wood-fired oven to create Neapolitan-style pies that would make Naples proud. It’s easily Knoxville’s most dedicated pizza destination, and the results speak for themselves.
The sourdough crust is the foundation of everything here. It’s fermented slowly, which develops complex flavors and creates that signature airy, chewy texture with a crispy, blistered exterior. The pizza comes out of the oven with those characteristic leopard spots and a slight char that adds smokiness without bitterness.
The center stays soft and tender, perfect for folding in half and eating with your hands.
A Dopo keeps the menu focused, offering a rotating selection of pizzas that highlight seasonal ingredients and classic combinations. You won’t find dozens of topping choices here—instead, you’ll get carefully curated options that showcase what’s fresh and what works best with the sourdough base. The simplicity is intentional, allowing the quality of each ingredient to shine through.
The restaurant itself has a modern, minimalist aesthetic that matches the food philosophy. It’s casual enough for a weeknight dinner but special enough to feel like an occasion. The open kitchen lets you watch the pizza-making process, which is part of the experience.
Seeing the dough get stretched, topped, and slid into the roaring oven adds to the anticipation.
6. Pizza Palace — Knoxville
Not every great pizza place needs to be trendy or artisan. Sometimes what you want is a classic spot with character, history, and pizza that’s been perfected over decades. Pizza Palace delivers exactly that—a Knoxville institution that’s been serving locals since way before farm-to-table became a buzzword.
It’s old-school in the best possible way.
Walking into Pizza Palace feels like stepping back in time. The retro decor, the booths, the whole atmosphere scream classic American pizzeria. But this isn’t just nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake—the pizza backs up the vintage vibes with solid, consistent quality.
The crust has a satisfying crunch, the sauce is tangy and well-seasoned, and the cheese is piled on generously without being overwhelming.
What makes Pizza Palace special is its place in Knoxville’s collective memory. Generations of families have been coming here for birthdays, after-game celebrations, and regular Friday nights. The restaurant shows up repeatedly in local “best pizza” conversations not because it’s trying to reinvent anything, but because it does traditional pizza really well and has been doing it for years.
The menu offers all the classics you’d expect—pepperoni, sausage, supreme, veggie—plus some house specialties that regulars swear by. The portions are generous, the prices are reasonable, and the service is friendly in that familiar, neighborhood-restaurant way. It’s not fancy, and it doesn’t pretend to be.
That’s precisely the point.
In a city where new restaurants open constantly, Pizza Palace stands as a reminder that sometimes the old ways are still the best ways. While other spots chase trends and experiment with unconventional toppings, Pizza Palace keeps doing what it’s always done: making good, honest pizza that satisfies.
7. Big Ed’s Pizza — Oak Ridge
Oak Ridge might be known for its scientific history, but locals know the real attraction is Big Ed’s Pizza. This legendary spot has been serving the community for decades, building a reputation that extends far beyond this small East Tennessee city. With multiple pizza awards to its name and a commitment to making everything fresh daily, Big Ed’s represents the kind of neighborhood pizza place that becomes part of a town’s identity.
Everything at Big Ed’s is made from scratch—the dough is mixed and rolled fresh every day, and the sauce is prepared in-house using a recipe that’s been perfected over years. That commitment to freshness makes a noticeable difference in every bite. The crust has that homemade quality you can’t fake, with a texture that’s both tender and sturdy enough to support generous toppings.
The restaurant’s longevity speaks volumes about its quality. In smaller cities, word-of-mouth reputation is everything, and Big Ed’s has built a loyal following that spans generations. Families who grew up eating here now bring their own kids, creating a cycle of tradition that’s rare in the restaurant world.
The walls are decorated with awards and accolades collected over the years, proof that the community recognizes what they have.
Big Ed’s menu covers all the pizza basics plus some creative specialty pies that showcase local preferences. The portions are substantial—this is Tennessee, after all—and the prices remain refreshingly reasonable compared to big-city pizza joints. The atmosphere is casual and family-friendly, the kind of place where you can show up in jeans and feel completely comfortable.
8. Lupi’s Pizza Pies — Chattanooga
Since 1996, Lupi’s has been Chattanooga’s answer to authentic New York-style pizza, bringing big slices and bigger flavor to the Scenic City. The restaurant’s colorful, energetic atmosphere matches its bold approach to pizza—this is a place that doesn’t do anything halfway. From the generous portions to the locally sourced ingredients, Lupi’s has built a reputation as one of Chattanooga’s essential dining experiences.
The New York-style pizza here is the real deal. Slices are enormous, with that characteristic thin-but-sturdy crust that folds perfectly when you pick it up. The cheese stretches in satisfying strings, and the sauce has just the right amount of tang to balance the richness.
Whether you order by the slice or get a whole pie, the quality remains consistent—a crucial factor for any pizzeria claiming New York credentials.
Lupi’s commitment to local sourcing sets it apart from typical pizza chains. The restaurant works with regional farms and producers whenever possible, bringing a farm-to-table sensibility to traditionally unpretentious food. This approach doesn’t make the pizza fussy or complicated—it just makes it taste better. Fresh ingredients always do.
The calzones deserve special mention—they’re massive, stuffed with quality fillings, and baked until golden and crispy on the outside while remaining tender inside. Many regulars swear by them as much as the pizza itself. The menu also includes salads, pasta, and other Italian-American favorites, but pizza and calzones are clearly the stars.
9. Community Pie — Chattanooga
Downtown Chattanooga has transformed dramatically over the past decade, and Community Pie has been part of that renaissance. This locally beloved spot serves up both classic and creative pizzas in a space that feels equally comfortable for a business lunch or a weekend dinner with friends. The name says it all—this is a place that’s become part of the community fabric, not just another restaurant passing through.
Community Pie strikes a nice balance between traditional and innovative. You can order a perfectly executed margherita or pepperoni pizza, or you can venture into more creative territory with seasonal specials and unique topping combinations. The crust is consistently good—crispy on the edges, tender in the middle, with enough structure to hold up under various toppings without getting soggy.
The restaurant’s downtown location makes it convenient for locals working in the area and tourists exploring Chattanooga’s revitalized core. The interior has a modern-casual aesthetic—nothing too fancy, but thoughtfully designed and comfortable. The open kitchen adds energy to the space, and watching the pizza-makers work becomes part of the dining experience.
What keeps people coming back to Community Pie isn’t just the pizza—it’s the overall experience. The service is friendly and efficient, the atmosphere is welcoming without being noisy, and the menu offers enough variety to satisfy different tastes without becoming overwhelming.
The restaurant also accommodates dietary preferences better than many pizza places, with options for those avoiding gluten or looking for vegetarian choices.
10. Tennessee Pizza Company — Seymour
Nestled in Seymour, just a short drive from the tourist-heavy Gatlinburg and Sevierville areas, Tennessee Pizza Company offers a refreshing alternative to the typical chain restaurants that dominate the region. This local spot has earned strong ratings from both residents and travelers, proving that you don’t need to be in a major city to serve excellent pizza. It’s the kind of place that surprises visitors who stumble upon it while exploring East Tennessee.
The pizza here covers the fundamentals exceptionally well. The crust achieves that ideal combination of crispy exterior and soft interior, the sauce is flavorful without being overpowering, and the toppings are fresh and generously applied. While the menu doesn’t reinvent pizza, it executes traditional styles with care and consistency—something that’s harder to find than you might think, especially in tourist-heavy areas.
Tennessee Pizza Company’s location gives it a distinct advantage. Visitors to the Smoky Mountains often eat at crowded, overpriced restaurants in Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge, but locals know to venture slightly off the beaten path to places like this. The atmosphere is relaxed and family-friendly, without the tourist-trap feel that plagues so many restaurants in the area.
Prices are reasonable, portions are satisfying, and the service maintains that small-town friendliness.
The restaurant has become a favorite among both locals who live in Seymour and visitors who discover it through word-of-mouth or online reviews. That dual appeal—serving both residents and tourists successfully—speaks to the quality and value Tennessee Pizza Company delivers.
11. Red 7 Pizza Co. — Columbia
Columbia’s historic downtown square has seen its share of changes over the years, but Red 7 Pizza Co. has become a welcome addition to the area’s dining scene. This fast-casual spot brings artisan-quality pizza to a smaller Tennessee city, proving that creative, high-quality pies aren’t limited to Nashville or Memphis.
The restaurant’s commitment to accommodating different dietary needs—with gluten-free and dairy-free options—makes it particularly valuable in a region where such choices can be limited.
Red 7’s approach combines the speed and convenience of fast-casual dining with the quality standards of a serious pizzeria. You order at the counter, but the pizza coming out of the oven rivals what you’d get at pricier sit-down restaurants. The crust options include traditional, gluten-free, and cauliflower, giving diners real choices without compromising on taste.
The dairy-free cheese actually melts and tastes good—a rarity in the alternative-cheese world.
The menu balances classic combinations with more adventurous options, allowing both traditional pizza lovers and adventurous eaters to find something they’ll enjoy. Toppings are fresh, sauces are made in-house, and the attention to detail shows in every pie. The restaurant also offers salads and desserts, rounding out the menu nicely without losing focus on pizza as the main attraction.
Columbia might not be on most food tourists’ radar, but Red 7 gives locals a reason to stay in town rather than driving to Nashville for quality pizza. The restaurant’s presence in historic Columbia also contributes to the revitalization of the downtown area, bringing foot traffic and energy to the square. The atmosphere is casual and modern, with a welcoming vibe that works for quick lunches and relaxed dinners alike.
Red 7 Pizza Co. represents the kind of locally owned business that strengthens smaller Tennessee communities. It brings big-city quality to a more intimate setting, serving residents who deserve great food options without having to travel.
12. Folk — Nashville
Folk has carved out its own niche in Nashville’s crowded pizza landscape by focusing on quality without pretension. Located in East Nashville, this neighborhood spot serves Neapolitan-style pizza with a laid-back atmosphere that makes you feel like a regular even on your first visit. The restaurant embodies that perfect balance of taking the food seriously while keeping the experience casual and fun.
The pizza at Folk follows Neapolitan traditions—soft, pillowy crust with a slightly charred exterior, simple but high-quality toppings, and that perfect ratio of sauce to cheese that makes every bite satisfying. The oven runs hot, cooking pizzas quickly and creating those signature bubbles and char marks that signal proper technique. The menu changes seasonally, incorporating fresh ingredients and creative combinations that respect tradition while adding personality.
What sets Folk apart is its commitment to being a true neighborhood gathering place. The space feels welcoming and unpretentious, with communal seating that encourages conversation and a bar area that features carefully selected craft beers and wines. It’s the kind of place where you can grab a quick solo dinner at the bar or settle in with friends for a longer evening.
The restaurant’s approach to service matches its food philosophy: knowledgeable but never stuffy, efficient without feeling rushed. The staff clearly cares about what they’re serving and can guide you through menu choices without making you feel like you need a degree in Italian cuisine to order pizza. This approachable expertise makes Folk accessible to everyone, from pizza purists to casual diners just looking for something delicious.
13. NY Pie — Nashville
When you’re craving an authentic New York slice in Nashville, NY Pie delivers exactly what you’re looking for. This straightforward pizza shop doesn’t mess around with fancy concepts or fusion experiments—it focuses entirely on replicating the New York slice experience as faithfully as possible.
The pizza here nails the New York fundamentals: thin crust with just the right chew, tangy tomato sauce, and quality mozzarella that melts into stretchy perfection. Slices are large enough to require the classic fold, and the crust holds up without getting soggy or floppy. The cheese-to-sauce ratio hits that sweet spot where neither element overwhelms the other, creating the balanced flavor profile that makes New York pizza so universally beloved.
NY Pie’s menu keeps things simple, offering pizza by the slice or whole pies with traditional toppings. This isn’t the place for white truffle oil or prosciutto—it’s about pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, and other classic options done right. The simplicity is intentional and appreciated.
Sometimes you don’t want creativity; you just want a really good, familiar slice that tastes exactly like you remember.
The atmosphere matches the food: no-frills, efficient, and focused on getting you fed quickly without sacrificing quality. It’s perfect for a quick lunch, a late-night snack, or feeding a group without breaking the bank. The prices are reasonable, especially considering the generous slice sizes and consistent quality.
The service is fast and friendly, understanding that sometimes people just want their pizza without a lot of fuss.
In a city where new restaurants often chase trends and try to be the next big thing, NY Pie takes a different approach: mastering one style and doing it consistently well. For Nashville’s growing population of New York transplants and anyone who appreciates classic pizza done right, NY Pie fills an important niche in the city’s dining landscape.