This New York-style pizza place on Harrison Avenue is a gem — a no-frills, traditional Italian joint for calzones, paninis, lasagna, and cheesecake. The family-friendly menu is available for dine-in, takeout, or local, in-house delivery for dinner during the week and lunch and dinner on weekends.

One of the first pizza shops in the greater New Orleans area, Tower of Pizza has been in operation since 1965. It’s an old school, no-frills pizza parlor that also serves spaghetti and housemade meatballs, and where you can watch your pizza being made through a window. Order the pepperoni pizza — the pepperoni is cooked under the cheese, so it doesn’t get too greasy.

Giant pizza is the shtick at Fat Boy’s in Metairie, but diners can expect more than just quantity at this family-oriented pizza place. Owners Gabe and Karen Corchiani were inspired by the huge pies at Pizza Bar in Miami and desire for a go-to spot to take their kids after games and practices. A large pizza measures 30 inches across (a small is 16 inches across) and toppings are among the more straightforward, sticking to kid-friendly options like pepperoni, bbq chicken, and veggie. There’s now a second location in the French Quarter on St. Peter’s Street.

Bayou St. John’s wonderful Mayhew Bakery added pizza to its offerings during the onset of the pandemic, rounding out the king cakes, scones, bread, and sandwiches from former Brennan’s baker Kelly Mayhew. So far, varieties have included French bread pizza, Detroit-style, round, NY-style pies, and most recently Sicilian — and they’re all delicious.

Classic American thin crust, traditional toppings, and beer reign at this laid-back, cozy hipster joint tucked under Banks Street’s leafy oaks. Indoor and outdoor seating. Carnivores will appreciate the five meat topping Meat Monster Pie while those looking for something bold and different might consider the barbecue and sriracha topped “Drizzle.”

Paladar, a neighborhood favorite for refined Italian specialties and delicate fresh pasta also serves a short menu of delightful pies — a classic Margherita; mascarpone and wild arugula over spicy red sauce; lamb sausage with roasted pepper, pine nut, and tzatziki; and our favorite, the roasted mushroom with leek and fontina. They’re small and not inexpensive, but high quality.

Founded by two New Yorkers, Mike Friedman and Greg Augarten, who pined for the authentic thin slice experience, this hip, industrial-chic Bywater pizzeria is considered by many to be New Orleans’s best. Cheese, pepperoni, and Margherita are always on the menu at Pizza Delicious; otherwise specials rotate. A small selection of worthy housemade pastas offer carb competition.

Located just across from the ferry landing in Algiers Point, this family-friendly pizza spot and adults-only lounge (separated by parlor doors) slings pizzas with cracker crisp thin crust with toppings that expand beyond the conventional (white truffle oil and fontina sauce lace the mushroom pizza, for example). Also, be sure to check out the ping, a ground-meat stuffed green olive that is fried until it is crisp. There's a rotating daiquiri selection as well at Tavolino, which the restaurant appropriately refers to as the “ferry companion.”

It can be easy to forget about this petite French-inspired eatery tucked on Maple but Ciro’s offers a warm, casual intimacy that feels distinctly apart from the more industrial chic spots on this list. A neighborhood destination for French plates and pizza, this Riverbend favorite is still cash only, so take note.

While Slice probably won’t win any awards for authenticity or points for cheapness, its thinner crust pizzas are a solid, accessible bet on the Avenue. The menu offers up a wide variety of toppings, including Louisiana-inspired combos like the Muffuletta Pizza or the Sportsmen’s Paradise.

Oak Oven’s drag strip location may seem an unlikely candidate for authentic Napoletana pizza, yet the menu was derived from experiences training under Michelin-starred Italian chefs. Call in your order for pickup or dine-in for a taste of Sicily in Harahan.

Casual, buddy-friendly Midway is hearty, stick to your gut pie in the true sense of the word (it’s a challenge to eat more than two slices). A fairly extensive and creative menu draws from both traditional Italian toppings as well as definitively American primal urges like barbecue sauce, roasted chicken, and meatballs.

Theo’s, home of a crust that verges on cracker, has a menu that draws inspiration from a pretty wide American field, including buffalo chicken, “Mexican” flavors, hamburger, and barbecue sauce. Theo’s also wins points for compiling one the most extensive vegetarian combo menus of any pizzeria on this list, and for having grape and orange Fanta.

A quarter of a century old, Mo’s is the Westbank’s go-to destination for pizza, a friendly, neighborhood joint that calls regulars by name and satisfies with massive pies — the small is 16 inches. It’s chewy and soft with a slightly sweeter sauce; it’s particularly popular with the kiddos.