Lexington, Kentucky, is home to the University of Kentucky wildcats, and some amazing restaurants and breweries. When you marry those things, you may want to grab some delicious pies and brews before the big game at Rupp arena or just check out a new spot for Friday night pizza night.
Whether it’s wood-fired pizza, deep dish style with a cold brew, or a classic pie, Lexington has some great spots to satisfy your cravings. We’ve compiled our top recommendations of the best spots to eat pizza in Lexington, especially before a game or event downtown. You won't want to miss these top spots. Here are our picks for best pizza in Lexington, KY:
1. Goodfellas Pizzeria
Starting off super strong with Goodfellas Pizza. Get by the slice, which is as big as your head, or a whole pie. The New York style pizza doesn't miss and their breadsticks drenched in buttery goodness are *Chef Kiss*. They are literally always busy which is a testament that it’s pretty dang good. Grab a bourbon, cocktail, beer or mocktail and enjoy the cheesy pie.
2. Pies & Pints
Located in downtown Lexington, we are talking right across the street from Rupp Arena, Pies and Pints is the perfect place to grab a bite before an event downtown or just to hang out with friends and family. With plenty of space inside, they serve local favorites from places like Mirror Twin, Atrium and more. From their char-grilled wings with housemade creamy gorgonzola sauce (I could drink that sauce it’s so good), to their specialty pies like the chicken gouda or the seasonal Blistered Shishito specialty pie, this is a must stop for delicious craft style pizza.
3. Ethereal Slice House
Technically a brewery, but they also serve up classic hand-tossed New York style pizza. Grab a local brew to compliment your “Wildcat” pizza that features, Pepperoni, Italian Sausage, Italian meatball and red onion or their Honey Cup with Pepperoni, Ricotti finished with Hot Honey and fresh basil…excuse me while I wipe my drool while typing this. They have traditional pies too like Plain ol’ cheese and more. I highly recommend their Garlic Knots too.
>> Ethereal Slice House Website
4. Joe Bolognas
They’ve been around awhile so are a staple pizza joint of Lexington. Joe Bologna’s is a former synagogue with stained-glass windows which makes for a really cool vibe. With round and sicilian pie options, it’s definitely a spot to check out! If you want to change it up and get some pasta with your pizza, they have great pasta dishes as well and a much bigger menu in general than a lot of the other places on this list. They also have a more extensive drink menu with wines, beers, and cocktails. This is definitely more of a take your time and enjoy your dinner type of place than some of the other more casual pizza restaurants on the list.
5. Pearl’s
Another great pizza spot located in downtown Lexington is Pearl’s. A casual, intimate restaurant specializing in wood-fired pizza, seafood small plates, and seasonal vegetable dishes. They are also vegan friendly! So all pizzas can be made with house-made vegan ricotta and vegan sausage. Boasting their pizza as “Poofy, charred, and wood-fired, our dough is a hybrid of NYC
and Naples. It is fermented for 48hrs and made fresh daily, ALWAYS.”
6. Smashing Tomato
With two locations in Lexington, one in the HAMBURG PAVILION and the other in the Fayette mall, Smashing tomato is another great option for wood-fired pizzas. Boasting using local and fresh ingredients, their light and airy pizzas, calzones, or salads are definitely pizza-night worthy.
7. PieTana
Lexington REALLY likes their wood-fired pizzas. PieTana is another great option. PieTana also has a wider selection of specialty pizzas, flavors and different varieties than some of the other wood-fired pizza options in Lexington. Whether you want some corn ribs as an appetizer, a beer cheese pizza (yes you read that right), or a classic pepperoni, PieTana can satisfy a range of preferences and pizza enthusiasts.
8. Honorable Mention: Rosati’s
It’s not often I like putting chain restaurants on my posts, but if you are looking for Chicago deep dish style pizza in Lexington, Rosati’s is your best bet. There’s not too many options for deep dish in Lexington, Rosati’s has several locations across the US and serve up authentic Chicago style deep dish pizza with a thick flakey crust stuffed with delicious gooey cheese and toppings of your choice topped with marinara.
Lexington has a ton of pizzerias that we still need to try, so if your favorite pizza joint isn’t on the list let us know in the comments or DM us on Instagram and we will head on in to give it a try!
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Did we miss any of your favorite Lexingon pizza spots. Let us know by sending an email or DM on social media!
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