Last Updated on May 25, 2022
Disclaimer: This site uses demographic data, email opt-ins, display advertising, and affiliate links. Please visit our Disclosure and Privacy Policy pages for further explanation.
We didn’t expect to create a post about the best pizza in Durham but after years of devouring the city’s options, it just felt like the time had arrived. Because everybody loves pizza and in case you didn’t know, there are more than a few incredible places to grab a slice or whole pie here.
And in an effort to keep you as informed as possible about food throughout North Carolina, here we are with this guide. Beyond traditional favorites, we’re gourmet options to the mix, so be prepared to pass the truffle oil.
No matter what you’re seeking, we guarantee there is a pizza joint here that will meet your desired taste.
For more about Bull City, check out our guides covering things to do, including free things and kid-friendly fun. If you’re looking for a fun place to stay in the area, check out these Durham Airbnbs.
The Best Pizza in Durham NC
Some of these pizza places also feature in our guide to restaurants in the city. If you’d like to visually plan a trip around these pizza joints, check out our map at the bottom of this post.
Note: If you think we left something out, please keep in mind that our food guides are always expanding. With that, let’s get to the best pizza in Durham!
Pizzeria Toro
Website | 105 E. Chapel Hill Street
Pizzeria Toro is not your typically college pizza joint, though you’ll probably see Duke students enjoying the wood-fired, locally procured goodness at this insanely popular place. Perfect for a date night or for celebrating with friends, Toro pizza is best served with a bottle of Italian wine.
This pizza spot in Durham is also known for amazing antipasti and salads. Ricotta dumplings and kale salad are some of the most talked-about sides here, and why not? They go great with our favorite pie, which is a white pizza with brussels sprouts, cipollini, pancetta, and ricotta!
Perfect For: Date Night, Special Evening, Wine.
We’ve also experienced Pizzeria Toro during a Taste Carolina Gourmet Food Tour, which is an awesome way to experience Durham’s food scene!
Bocci Italian
Website | 5850 Fayetteville Rd
Many folks will agree that this is South Durham’s favorite pizza. Bocci Italian in Sutton Station provides a family-friendly atmosphere for enjoying their delicious pies!
With a great outdoor section for littles to play and thick bubbly crust to devour, Bocci Italian strives to recreate the Italian trattoria. More than just pizza is served here, so make sure to grab an order of Bocci Balls with your square Nonna’s pie!
Perfect For: Families, Italian Food, Vibe.
Pie Pushers
Website | 117A W. Main Street
When we first moved to Durham, a stop at the Pie Pushers food truck at the Farmer’s Market was always a must. And after so much success in Durham (and beyond) as a food truck, Pie Pushers took their pizza slinging skills to a permanent location on Main Street. With fantastic lunch deals and pizza by the slice, Pie Pushers is one of our favorites in Durham.
Note: Any specialty pizza can be made gluten free for only $2 more.
Perfect For: Pizza by the Slice, Specialty Pizza, Lunch Deals, Garlic Knots
Read More: 50+ Easy Day Trips from Fayetteville (Great Getaways!)
Devil’s Pizzeria
Website | 742 W. 9th Street
Sometimes we get so caught up in just how many food options there are in Durham. Maybe that’s because it’s kind of a college town? Disagree all you want but I think Duke and NC Central being here have a lot to do with all the great pizza in Durham.
Enter Devil’s Pizzeria, which is perfect for late-night study sessions and still delicious the next day cold. Kneading their dough fresh every day, Devil’s Pizzeria keeps prices affordable while producing incredible pizza!
Perfect For: Large Crowds, Catering, Cheap Eats
Hutchins Garage
Facebook | 402 W Geer St
A slice of New York can be found in Durham’s pizza scene in the form of Hutchins Garage. Located just down the street from Fullsteam and Cocoa Cinnamon, Hutchins Garage is where the real pizza lovers go for a slice.
Thanks to quality ingredients and a laid-back vibe, we can’t decide which of their specialty pies are the best, even when choosing between the Eggplant Alla Norma and the Mortadella.
The building’s exposed brick and the #instaworthy “Pizza Made Me Do It” neon sign further assert this restaurant’s place as one the best for pizza in Durham.
Note: Hutchins Garage offers gluten-free and dairy-free.
Perfect For: Afternoon Pizza and a Beer, Vibe
Enzo’s Pizza
Website | 2608 Erwin Rd
Sometimes, you just craving a square-cut pizza, right?! Well, if so, Enzo’s pizza is exactly what you’ll want, but there’s more flavor beyond that center square.
Located close to Duke Hospital and Duke’s main campus, Enzo’s was consistently named the best pizza in Durham by the community. That’s why they branched out and started a franchise known as Brenz Pizza Co. You can find them in Chapel Hill and across the country.
But back to Enzo’s, our favorite pizza has to be the Heater. This one is packed with buffalo sauce, ranch, cheddar, chicken bacon, and jalapenos!
Perfect For: Thick Crust Lovers, Delivery, Fast and Quality Pizza
Pompieri Pizza
Website | 102 City Hall Plaza
There aren’t many places where you’ll find Neopolitan-style pizza in Durham, but Pompieri our go-to! Coming from the same owners of Bull City Burger, Pompieri is known for a casual family-friendly atmosphere and also, their Sunday Family Meal dinners.
Neopolitan-style pizza is thin, often with charred edges, and served whole. That’s why another fun part of the experience here is that you get to cut your pie with scissors.
One of the major draws for us as a family is the play area, which is perfectly welcome for us parents who’d like to enjoy a meal together while our little one bakes her own play pizza!
Perfect For: Families, Thin Pizza Lovers, Groups
Pop’s Backdoor
Website | 3710 Shannon Rd
We love a good deal and when a pizza joint puts adds something different to the mix, like apples and brie on a thin crust! Pop’s Backdoor seems to get overshadowed by the downtown and SoDu joints because of its South Square location, but Pop’s Backdoor is just as delectable!
Perfect For: Thin Crust Lovers, Adventurous Pizza Eaters.
Randy’s Pizza
Multiple Locations | Website
We’ve mentioned New York-style pizza in Durham a bit already. And this is where you’ll enter the controversial part of this article because we think Randy’s has the best. With locations all across Durham, the slices are huge, crust thin and soft, and cheese ratio on point.
In fact, Randy’s was the pizza we enjoy the day after our wedding in our fancy honeymoon suite. And since then, we’ve made it a tradition to order a large pizza from Randy’s every year on our anniversary and binge Netflix movies, because that’s #romance to us!
Perfect For: Foldable Pizza Slices, Takeout, Multiple Location Lovers
Sofia’s Pizza
Website | 2201 Angier Avenue
With Sofia’s, local pizza has finally made it to East Durham! Owners Jorge and Emily wanted to create a chill neighborhood pizza joint where friends and family could hang out, and that’s exactly what they did! This place offers thin, tender crust with the right amount of crisp.
Sofia’s also receives rave reviews for their incredible cauliflower-based pizza crust, designed for gluten-free pizza lovers!
Perfect For: Quaint Atmosphere, Cheap Local Beers, Thin Crust Lovers
Bonus: Boxcar Bar + Arcade
Website | 621 Foster St
Okay, so Boxcar is technically an arcade, but did you know they actually serve some delicious pizza!? While working through their large selection of arcade games, you can also enjoy a Neapolitan-style pizza here!
With funky seasonal features (like a Pickle pizza!) and accommodating to both vegan and gluten-free diners, Boxcar turns its pizza into a true eating experience!
Perfect For: Gamers, Casual Dates, Families, Outdoor Seaters
Where’s Your Next Pizza Night in Durham?
As you can see, there are so many different types of places to enjoy a slice of pizza in Durham. Whether you seek family-friendly or fancy, we hope you’ve come hungry to order local. Just save some room for dessert or a nice frosty glass of beer because most of these places offer at least one, if not both.
And if you’ve dug into the Durham pizza scene, we’d love to know your favorites. Let us know in the comments and keep the conversation going.
Pizza in Durham Map
Our map offers location of all these places to grab pizza in Durham a la visual. Please select or click on each one for more info including addresses.
