Think Baltimore’s food scene is just about crab cakes? Clay Davis might have something to say about that.
Here are just some of our favorite pizzerias offering delivery and contact-free delivery in Baltimore:
After a visit to Joe Squared, you’ll be left wondering why there isn’t more sourdough pizza in the world. Baked in a coal-fired oven, their thin square pizzas hit all the right angles and parts of your soul. Their slightly charred and subtly complex crust doesn’t need to be fancified, but it’s also the perfect canvas for their innumerable combos.
Hard to pick a fave, but we’re partial to the Coalhouse, topped with roasted garlic cream, tomatoes, and eggplant, plus fresh mozz. Or, for the indecisive, there’s the Flag, trisected to include three of Joe2‘s greatest hits.
Matthew’s Pizzeria
For more than 75 years, Matthew’s has served up some of Baltimore’s most talked about pizza. Lately, they’ve been topping more and more of them with jumbo lump crab. There’s about ¼ lb of the locally sourced sweet meat on every Crab Pie, built upon their trademark rich, thick, and buttery dough.
Verde
Canton’s Verde draws inspiration from Italy’s traditional trattorias while constantly evolving the Neapolitan pie. Among their smash hits: Sausage with pistachio pesto (Pistacchio e Salsiccia) and smoked buffalo mozzarella with pancetta and eggs (Pancetta e Oliva).
There’s tasty pizza on the menu – both round and flatbread style – but you’ll want a little bit of everything. An ambitious table would do well to sample a bit of their calamari, blackened Waldorf salad, and world-class cannolis. If no one else is around around, you could order all of those yourself for one memorable meal and a lifetime of our admiration.
Zella’s reflects the eclectic spirit of West Baltimore with a wide-ranging menu that seamlessly blends old-school and new-age. They’ve got the portobello mushroom and roasted eggplant pizzas that you’d expect from a place like this, but they also dish out the St. Magnus’ Meat Classic – pepperoni, bacon, ham, and Italian sausage – for the carnivores.
Johnny Rad’s Pizzeria Tavern
The skeeball machines are on hiatus, but Johnny Rad’s still has tasty takeout to fuel your at-home amusement.
Can’t decide between Indian and Italian? Why choose? Bella fires dosas and richly spiced kabobs of all types in the tandoor with a full roster of pizzeria staples in the oven rotation. What truly sets them apart, however, is the merger of the cuisines.
“Fusion” is sometimes the f-word of the restaurant world; a turnoff that can stop an enjoyable meal in its tracks. Not the case here – their palak paneer and butter chicken pizzas will win you over.
Pizza John’s
Not to be confused with you-know-who, Pizza John’s is known for cafeteria nostalgia in the confines of its Spanish Colonial setup. The plastic and steam trays are a no-go at the moment, but Pizza John’s is still open for takeout. The food may or may not be for you, but you oughta try it at least once.
Giovanna’s serves up solid pies and daily specials worthy of a spot in your dinner rotation. Last Thursday, a generous cut of lasagna, anchored by their bright house-made marinara, was their entrée du jour.
Isabella’s
At Isabella’s in Little Italy, the crust is puffy, like a Neapolitan. But, the hefty layers of cheese will quickly remind you that this is Baltimore, Maryland, USA. It’s saluted by many as one of Charm City’s finest.
Family owned and operated, this Odenton fave nails the beloved old-school Italian red sauce dishes. They’ve got a brilliant approach to the pepperoni pie too; the outer circle of ‘roni slices overlaps the outer crust.
Paulie Gee’s
One of Brooklyn’s best arrived in Hampden in 2016, and they’re still open for takeout. Make sure you get the perfectly-christened Stinger Bell with Mike’s Hot Honey, smoked mozzarella, lemon, olive oil, and fresh basil.
Not just a cute name – they bake in “the world’s most portable brick oven,” which gets the job done in about 80 seconds. TinyBrickOven is still shy of its first birthday, but it’s gradually building buzz for its charred crust, original vegan sausage, and creamy gelato.
Gil’s Pizzas
If extra cheese is a thing, why aren’t there lots of pizzerias offering double dough? Chew on that while you enjoy Gil’s ~$2 upgrade for extra thick crust, still available for takeout.
The arrival of Piazza 27 halted the long-running revolving door of tenants at 900 Cathedral St. Tons of solid choices to be had on their expansive menu, but you might want to make their giant strombolis your first priority. They’re latticed like a streusel and every gap is filled with clouds of ricotta and/or strings of mozz.
Since 2014, Brendali has served up homestyle Italian pies and entrees in Federal Hill with cannolis, tiramisu, and other delectable desserts to close out the meal in style. Can’t decide on a dessert? Order ’em all and wrap ’em up right for days of deliciousness.
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