2 days ago
Highly Opinionated: The Best East Coast-style Pizzas in Austin
Skip to main content Current eater city: Austin
From New Haven 'apizza' and Trenton tomato pies to classic, foldable New York slices, these Austin pizzerias are top-notch Jun 12, 2025, 2:22 PM UTC
I'll preface this by saying: I am not one of those 'everything is better in New York' New Yorkers. Since moving to Austin from Brooklyn a few years ago, I've found many local dishes that beat what I could find in New York (good luck trying to find any decent barbecue or Tex-Mex up north).
But growing up in the suburbs of New Haven, Connecticut, and living in New York for over 15 years did have one major perk: the pizza was incredible. In New Haven, I feasted on ultra-thin pizzas with coal-charred crusts. In New York, the foldable, portable, flawlessly simple New York slice served as my go-to quick and satisfying meal. As a result, my standards for pizza are high and unapologetically East Coast-centric, and I stand by my conviction that the Tri-State area of Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey produces some of the best pizza — not only in the country, but in the entire world . Sadly, my initial search for pizza in Austin left me disappointed.
I'll admit, my standards weren't totally fair. Austin's pizza scene and history are much different and shorter than those where I grew up. But even though a serviceable slice could be found in Austin, I began to fear that finding a memorable example of New York, New Haven, or New Jersey-style pizza was a pie-in-the-sky (excuse the pun) — up until now.
In the last couple of years, Austin's pizza landscape has blown wide open. Artisanal pizzaiolos have raised the bar, launching restaurants, trucks, and food stands that finally give Tri-State transplants something to chew on. Here are the best spots for New Haven, New York, and New Jersey-style pizza in Austin, ranked.
In the small Connecticut city of New Haven, apizza (pronounced 'ah-beets') is a complete lifestyle. Locals take great pride in their coal-fired, thin-crust, deeply charred, and asymmetrically sliced pies. This glorious gold standard of regional pizza specialties is tough to find outside Elm City. But thanks to a Connecticut pizzaiolo in Austin, scoring apizza is possible.
Connecticut native Kelsey Small launched Small's Pizza in 2021 as a pop-up, and later found a temporary home on the grounds of East Austin cafe Mercado Sin Nombre before moving to a pop-up counter at Springdale General in Far East Austin. True to tradition, Small's Pizza only sells whole pies, all of which are asymmetrically sliced, deeply charred, and absolutely irresistible. The smoky crust is perfectly burnished. The sauce is piquant and sprightly. The cheese has just the right amount of pull, and whether you opt for classic toppings like pepperoni or anchovies, a very New Haven choice like sausage and peppers, or one of Small's Pizza of the Week concoctions (the garlic mashed potato is especially unique), you can't go wrong. I have yet to see a white pie topped with clams — the most famous style of New Haven apizzas, at Small's, but if and when they finally make that leap, I'll be there to give it an enthusiastic try.
Pro tip: To get a pie from Small's, call the shop's number, which still uses Kelsey's original 203 New Haven area code, to place your order. Then, pick up your pie at the tiny but efficient counter. Kelsey is planning to relocate in June. Stay up to date by checking the official Instagram page.
What makes a real New York slice? A thin hand-tossed crust; a light spread of tomato sauce; a layer of grated mozzarella (plus optional toppings); and foldability. Most importantly, New York pizza is generally meant to be sold by the slice, which involves a deep level of lore. New Yorkers tend to eat their pizza on the go, so slices must easily fold in half so they can consume them while rushing down the sidewalk or the subway station stairs, and if the cost of a subway fare exceeds the average price of a slice of pizza, New Yorkers might actually start to panic).
With two locations in Central Austin, Allday Pizza is known for its expertly made pizzas with flexible, flavorful crusts, all available by the slice or in whole pie form. In proper New York form, Allday's hefty slices crease perfectly lengthwise down the middle when bent. Still, they are seemingly larger than the typical New York slice (the only exception might be the gigantic versions sold at Koronet near Columbia University, but hey, everything's bigger in Texas). The balance of sauce, cheese, toppings, and crust is spot-on, and even though I'm in South Austin (pssst, Allday, we'd love a location down here!), my New Yorker heart will surely bring me back to Allday Pizza on a regular basis.
The Trenton tomato pie is New Jersey's signature, and yes, Pennsylvanians might try to claim it, too., Anyone who loves the tangy, garlicky, slightly sweet flavor of a good tomato sauce will understand why, but they aren't identical. Both feature a swirl of tomato sauce on top of the pizza cheese, which is the star of the tomato pie show, but where Philly's pie is square-shaped and thick, the Trenton pie is thin, crispy, and circular.
New Jersey takes rightful pride in their sweet, tangy, and juicy homegrown tomatoes, so their claim to the tomato pie feels justified. Such a niche pizza in Austin can be hard to find, but Pedroso's Pizza, located next to Lala's Little Nugget in Crestview, does Trenton tomato pies justice. The crust has just the right level of char and is topped with a smooth tomato sauce with a whisper of sweetness, and a springy, crackly layer of mozzarella. Beyond the tomato pie, Pedroso's also slings New York-style pies and thin, square-shaped 'Grandma' pies, a Long Island invention named for the nonnas who baked their crispy, olive oil-laden pizza crusts on sheet pans. Deft Pies: Chicago is known to take its pizza seriously. Some will assert that deep dish pizza isn't pizza (IMO, it's lasagna with a crust), but tavern-style pizza is the Windy City's underrated gem. Think: ultra-thin, snackable crust, cut into crispy squares meant to eat with a cold beer. The best place to grab one is, appropriately, at a brewery. Deft Pies, located in Old Gregg's Brew Company, makes a stellar version. Chef John Bates, formerly of Interstellar BBQ, turns out pies like the zingy Southside, topped with red sauce, Italian sausage, giardiniera, mozzarella, provolone, and Parmesan. Jet's Pizza: Yes, Jet's is a national chain, and there are other Detroit-style pizza spots in Austin (VIA 313 is a noteworthy Austin-born brand) But ask any Detroiter in Austin, and many will tell you there is no better place to go for pizzas that taste like home. With five locations in Austin, homesick Detroiters and curious pizza lovers can indulge in square-shaped pies with crunchy crusts, abundant stretchy cheese, and an assortment of toppings, including the ever-popular 'roni (pepperoni) cups. See More:
