Eats
The best pizza places in Greater Manchester — and there’s a lot of them
Circle or square, we don't care; thin crust or deep dish doesn't matter — it's still probably the best food in the world.
Danny Jones -
9th February 2024 
Another day, another extremely helpful list of the very best of another food staple in Greater Manchester and, in this case, we’re talking about pizza — arguably one of the most highly saturated markets in any city’s culinary scene, let alone one with a reputation as good as ours.
So, yes, you can consider this a public service and, don’t worry about it; you’re welcome and so on.
For us though, we’ve had the very difficult task of not only breaking down some of the best places for a proper good pizza in Manchester city centre but throughout our 10 boroughs as a whole, from the independent restaurants to small, local but reputable chains that have earned their Italian stripes.
Pizza is probably one of the most universally loved foods on the planet and you usually can’t move for places that do them wherever you go, but honing in on very the best takes skill, several spare notches on your ever-loosening belt and potentially several years off your life span. That’s where we come in.
25 of the best pizza places in Manchester and beyond
Are you ready to sauce the best pizza restaurants our region has to offer? Because we have a strong base of knowledge we knead to tell you. On your marks, get set… cheese.
1. Rudy’s – Ancoats, Peter Street, Portland Street, Sale, Chorlton AND Didsbury
Award-winner Rudy’s Neapolitan Pizza has expanded at an alarming rate since first launching its tiny pizzeria in the heart of Ancoats and it’s no surprise since it’s pretty much the first place people mention when someone asks, ‘Where does the best pizza in Manchester?’
With its multi-award-winning recipe of authentic Naples-style pizzas and affordable Italian cocktails, Rudy’s has dominated lists of the best pizzas not just in Manchester but the world over for years now.
The brand now has 24 sites across the UK (with another soon to open in Prestwich), including Greater Manchester locations on Peter Street, Portland Street, Sale, Chorlton and Didsbury. No better place to start this list. Still gutted these lucky sods got a black card and we didn’t though…
2. Honest Crust – Mackie Mayor and Altrincham Market
Second on our list, we have to go Honest Crust because, honestly, we’ve never had so many people tell us this is secretly the best pizza in Greater Manchester every time we even mention the mere combination of carbs, sauce and cheese.
Known for yet more of that classic stonebaked and bubbly crust with those perfect black spots as well as classic ingredients all turned into traditional flavours like the Margherita, Portobello, Amatriciana and more, they’re a favourite amongst the Mackie Mayor food hall and Alty market regulars.
They also have at the Picturedome over in Macclesfield if you ever find yourself over that way and in need of a reliable bite; they just so happen to be ‘r Will’s favourite too, so you can safely say we vouch for them.
@the.manc Will reckons this is the best pizza in Manchester, what do you think? #pizza #manchester #manchesterfood #manchesteruni #foryou #placestovisit #manchesterfood #traveluk ♬ Hanging Lanterns – Kalaido
3. Ciaooo – Ancoats
Nyyyeeeooowww!— taking the number three spot is Ciaooo, an Ancoats favourite and Manc foodie institution at this point, famous for super fresh and seasonal ingredients, some of the prettiest pizzas you’ll find in Manchester, heaps of burrata all over the gaff and some of the best garlic bread in town.
The garlic bread side of things has seriously taken off as of late, especially since they went a bit viral for their spicy ‘Ciaooo (Hot)’ offering with the jalapeno cream base not too long ago, and what we can tell you is that we’ve never had a bad plate of anything here.
Is it the very best pizza place in Greater Manchester? Well, we’ll leave that one for you lot to decide all we know is that if we could happily eat inch after inch of it. Didn’t mean for that to sound so rude…
4. Noi Quattro – Northern Quarter
Once again, we have to reiterate that this list isn’t ranked from best to worst or vice-versa, but we will say that we simply had to put one of the Northern Quarter‘s best pizza places, Noi Quattro, on it and yes, we also struggle to not do the Italian hand gesture every time we say that name.
It’s also worth noting that not only do their freshly basked pies absolutely slap — the Napoli, vegan Avezzanese with roast potatoes, onions, rosemary and extra virgin olive oil, and signature self-titled flavour being our top three — but their ‘cuoppo’ street-food based side are perfect for sharing.
It was also picked out by Izzy as her favourite pizza place anywhere in Manchester, city centre or otherwise, so it’s just whether you want to take her word for it or not.
5. Nell’s – Kampus and NQ
Nell’s has brought a little slice of the Big Apple here to Manchester — sorry, by ‘little’, we actually mean absolutely MASSIVE.
Coming from the hospitality legends that are behind Common and The Beagle, Nell’s serves up gigantic 22-inch thin-crust pizzas, which you can also buy by the slice but for anyone that can polish a full large pie solo, you have our eternal admiration (we’ve only come close once).
Toppings include the New York classic ‘OG Cheese’, the cult classic ‘Do You Roni Honey?’ with n’duja, pepperoni, chilli honey, and the ‘Burrata’, i.e. British Stracciatella and loads of basil, a.k.a. the lovely Dean from The Manc Audio‘s absolute favourite.
@the.manc Where is your favourite pizza in Manchester? 🍕 #manchester #pizza #nellspizza ♬ DISCO – 金润吉
6. Dokes – Prestwich
Next up is one we feel never gets anywhere near enough love and exposure as it should: it’s Dokes Pizzeria over Prestwich, and if you’ve never tried it before, you need to right that wrong very quickly then thank us later.
Not only is their menu super creative with everything from tandoori chicken pizzas and vegan-friendly options like the ‘Brassicas’ with crispy kale, tender stem broccoli, crispy chilli oil and almonds (truly immense) but they also utilise greens really well, making for colourful plates at very affordable prices too.
They do lots of other very solid scran too including no-nonsense takes on penne and tagliatelle dishes, burgers and a banging Sunday roast, but there’s a reason they have ‘Pizzeria’ hanging above the door.
7. Double Zero – Chorlton
Home to the world’s greatest and hottest) chilli oil, Double Zero is a firm Manc favourite — and it also happens to be our lovely Kris’ too.
The legendary spot makes all its own pizza dough on-site daily, blasting it in a wood-fired pizza oven for just 90 seconds so that the crust is chewy and slightly blackened, but the centre is all floppy and cheesy.
Its Chorlton restaurant is also BYOB, which means less spent on beers and way more cash to spend on actual dough. See what we did there?
8. Crazy Pedro’s – Bridge Street and NQ
Potentially one of the most iconic Manchester pizza places next to Nell’s and Rudy’s, not to mention certainly the most frequented late-night one in the city centre, we’ve stumbled in and out of this place far too many times than we’d like to admit, but we always leave full and satisfied.
With an ever-changing daily menu of specials and some of the craziest pizza creations you could ever imagine — we’re talking fried chicken, waffles and maple syrup, Thai green curry and chippy tea flavour just to name a few — Crazy Pedro‘s is drunk people food for, well, drunk people.
But it isn’t just famous for random pizza combos, the quality is up there with the best of them and people stay for hours to enjoy their 2-4-1 cocktails from 5-9pm. Pizzas are available by the slice for just £3 and full 16-inchers are just £15. You do the math(s), it’s no wonder people pack this place till the early hours.
@the.manc On the hunt for the best pizza in Manchester. Where’s yours? #manchester #manchesterfood #pizza ♬ Slipknot style, evil death metal – 212soundworks
9. Purezza – NQ
We’re giving a shout-out to the wonderful Purezza next as we always appreciate veggie and vegan options, especially when they taste this good.
The sustainable plant-based pizza joint started out down south in Brighton and then London but has quickly become just as popular in Manchester since it first opened back in 2021.
Just because they don’t have the animal products that you might think make most pizzas the best, doesn’t mean they don’t pack plenty of punch. The BBQ Bourbon is our go-to but the black truffle is also a strong contender. They even have a hidden little cocktail bar downstairs for when you’re done.
10. PLY – NQ, New Century Hall and Trafford Palazzo
Another no-nonsense pizza entry on this list but one that never disappoints is PLY, one of the Manchester restaurants we spent most of our time at during our uni days because of their regular student discounts and deals throughout the week.
This pizza has been around for as long as we can remember and it’s never let us down yet, so we’re going to go ahead and recommend you try the Ball Park and the Los Pollos. You can also now get slices of their ‘Wild by PLY’ concept menu from New Century where their specials shine.
With Micky’s sandwiches now also in-house, they have also ventured out and popped up at one of the Trafford Centre‘s newest attractions as well. Pizza and bowling? Go on then.
11. Proove – Didsbury
Heading over to West Dids now and the perfectly puffed up and charred pizza crusts that have helped the Sheffield-originated restaurant spring a site not only here in 0161 but in Leeds and Hertford as well.
Serving customers for just over half a decade now, Proove has developed a reputation as one of the best pizza places in Didsbury by delighting locals and tourists alike — it’s no wonder why.
Glance at the menu and you’ll see options like their hearty ‘Ortolana’ with roasted veggies, the spicy sausage-based ‘Diavola’ and their frankly ridiculous stuffed calzone. Cracking desserts too, by the way, and you can even get the pizzas dolce style.
12. American Pies – Central
Now, next on the list is your personal favourite of yours truly, perhaps because the plates are so plentiful that you won’t need to eat again all day after you’ve taken on one of these. I’m talking about deep-dish-central, American Pies.
Conceived by the minds behind Brewski (hence the gargantuan portion sizes), this is the only place you need to go looking for a Chicago-style pizza pie and, for my money, it’s the best there is. Incredible sweet pies too, not that you’ll have any room.
Whether you want the spicy sausage like me or a giant burrito-style take on a calzone that you may need to book a day off after consuming, you will never leave this place still feeling a bit peckish, I promise.
13. Ramona/Firehouse – Ancoats
From one American city to another as we pass the baker’s dozen mark, we have the go-to spot in Manchester city centre for a Detroit-style pizza and a good time: it’s none other than Ramona.
Whether you’re sitting in the sun, getting warm by the fire pits under the tipi or hiding from the rain in the wooden outdoor shelter, there’s nothing that quite warms the cockles like a spicy margarita and one of their legendary ‘Cali Peps’ square slices with chilli hot honey and a big dollop of fresh burrata.
Not unlike the previous entry, Ramona’s pan-pizza bakes are more like big saucy and cheesy cakes than they are traditional pizzas and that’s exactly why we love them. Plus, you get to stay and enjoy all the festivities of Firehouse as the night goes on. Happy days.
14. Homeboys – Salford
Is it Monton? Is it Eccles? We’ll let you lot bicker over that — either way, we don’t think these lot will mind because all you need to know is that, for our money, it’s some of the best pizza you’ll get anywhere in the area and the name is only getting bigger.
Much like a lot of the borough, there’s a very straight-to-the-point feeling about this pizza place. They definitely get creative with a lot of their daily board but the Plain Boy, Salford Sausage Boy, Weeping Italian Boy and so on should tell you everything you need to know. Tried and tested combos done well.
Great to eat in the cosy little shop or takeaway, Salfordians will no doubt tell you this place is proper good and we wholeheartedly agree.
15. Lucky Mama’s – Chorlton
Lucky Mama’s is another hit in the ever-growing foodie hotspot that is Chorlton and maybe it’s because we’ve got a slight obsession with championing square pizza (almost like the Italian version of cutting your butties across versus diagonally) but we definitely find ourselves in the mood for this one a lot.
lf you don’t feel satisfied taking just our word for it, it’s also worth noting that they were also named as one of Britain’s Top Takeaways on the BBC, and they’re busy from noon till night every Wednesday-Sunday. Walk-ins and takeout only, get the Rasta one and just trust us, it works.
Unreal spot for a cheeky bit of pasta too, by the way — we know that’s a different list but it’s worth mentioning whilst we’re here. Give it a try.
16. Tre Ciccio – Altrincham and Ramsbottom
Here’s another one that we imagine not as many of you will have ventured to yet — in truth, we’ve only been once but it certainly left an impression — and that’s the traditional Italian restaurant known as Tre Cicci that’s loved by regulars and it’s not hard to see why.
Open since 2016 and now with two locations, one in Altrincham and another over Bury way, you’ll get perfectly thin bases that make for an elegant flop and a menu just big enough that you get options whilst knowing they all deliver.
They cater really well for vegans and veggies but we’re all about the meat at this place, having shared the Salsiccia e friarielli and the award-winning ‘Sud’ with burrata, spicy Calabrian sausage and fragrant basil. So, so good. Desperately in need of another visit.
17. Casa Italia – Didsbury
From one authentic Italian to another, Casa Italia is one of those places we always tell people to try if they’ve never been before but that folk in Didsbury Village consider one of their cornerstones.
Operating as a small trattoria, deli and all-round shop, they only take bookings for groups of more than six and there’s always a very relaxed feeling in the room even when it’s busy. They also have a sister site over in Wilmslow if that happens to be closer to you
Serving up lovely square and thing taverna-style pizzas by the slice, they serve as a lovely light bite and given the set-up, you can always rely on good quality and well-sourced ingredients. We always leave with a little something extra as well because how can you resist looking at those walls of top-tier produce?
18. Dough and Bones – Stockport
Over to Stockport way now — we don’t even want to hear a single person say ‘Cheshire’ — and to the recently rebranded Dough and Bones over in Hazel Grove which we can only describe as fun pizza that you’d be a fool not to enjoy.
Formerly known as Pickle Rick’s Pizza and created by the legends over at Bun and Bones Club, this place takes all the excess of American-style pizza, mashes it together with random pop culture influences from all over the world and whacks it in a proper Italian stone oven. Liked it before, love it now.
The result is kooky creations like Szechuan Don packed with fried pork belly, spring onions, sriracha mayo and more, as well as the classic Pickle Rick keeping the origins alive. Both this and its parent burger site are famed for the out-of-the-box weekly specials and we’re always a sucker for trying them.
19. Cibus – Levenshulme
For number 19 on our list of the best pizza restaurants in and around Manchester, we’re heading to Levenshulme for the increasingly popular restaurant, Cicchetti (small plates) bar and very decent pizza joint that is Cibus on Stockport Road.
Maybe it’s the lovely little conservatory and suntrap terrace out back or the fact that they’re contributing to Levy levelling up as a food destination in the region, but we love this place and quite honestly haven’t been anywhere near enough as we should have yet.
They do a bit of everything these lot and we’ve heard very good things about their tiramisu too, but you’re here for Manc pizza suggestions so we’d say go for whatever the special or the ‘Atutunno’ with pumpkin puree, leeks, gorgonzola and speck — just WOW. Great for kids too.
20. Cuckoo – Prestwich
Cuckoo over in Prestwich has recently expanded, opening a brand-new bar and event space above its already adorable shopfront and terrace, but they’ve also stepped up their pizza game of late in our opinion.
The bustling Bury gem has always been popular amongst locals who know about how lovely it is but more and more we’re finding mates are telling us how they went to spend an afternoon or evening there — and not just check out that now famous ‘wine window‘.
If you’ve never ventured out this way in search of food before, we sincerely recommend you start with this place and so does B.
21. Leopard Pie – Worsley
Rumour had it that this was categorically the best pizza anywhere in Greater Manchester and while we’re not ready to stick our necks out that far just yet, we will admit that these bad boys absolutely purred and we’ll definitely be going back for more.
We’ve always been a fan of leopard print within in measure and, jokes aside, this is exactly what Leopard Pie over in the quaint Salford village of Worsley does: gives you a classic wood-fired Neapolitan pizza with a little bit of extra flare.
We’re not sure how they do it — the three-day dough definitely plays a big part — but it does taste different from most other pizzas we’ve had over the past year or so. The garlic bread is intense, the portobello white is great and we had a lot of fun changing our spots with the create-your-own pie.
22. Corner Slice – Failsworth
More square pan pizzas please and corner slices, specifically, if you could. Oh, there’s a place just for that? Wonderful news! Now who fancies giving us a lift to Failsworth?
Yes, Corner Slice are another dynamite Detroit-style pizza spot and they’ve probably been popping up on your Insta and TikTok intermittently over the past couple of years or so. Why? Well, because it’s pretty mint, that’s why.
Proud ‘Detroit Pizza Peddlers’, the guys who run this shop know all about the specific joy of the corner piece straight out of a hot tray, not unlike the crispy and slightly burnt edges of a lasagne. Pretty decently priced for how filling they are, try whatever ingenious concoction they’ve got on that month.
23. Mano a Bocca – Sale
As we come towards the end of our list, we giving props to one of the best family restaurants you’ll find in the borough of Trafford, not to mention some of the nicest staff you’ll probably ever be served by.
Sale‘s dining scene is getting bigger and bigger every year and although they do have a Rudy’s on their doorstep now too, one place that has been helping build that foodie culture for a while now is Mano a Bocca and we fell in love with it the moment we ever stepped foot in their lovely open dining room.
Specialising in Romana pizza, we don’t have a particular item on the menu that we’d spotlight; we like pretty much all of it but it’s the wholesome feeling we get when we walk in here that beckons us to return and we’re sure it’ll have the same effect on you.
24. Italiana Fifty Five – Great Northern Warehouse, Castlefield and Didsbury
The penultimate stop on our list is one of our favourite chains in Greater Manchester and hasn’t shortchanged us in all the times we’ve been there. It might not be known as Cibo anymore but Italiana Fifty Five is still one of the most reliable places in the region when you want a good pizza.
Always tasty and affordable, the fresh-faced Italian eatery always has regular crowds no matter which of its three local venues you go to and that should tell you enough on its own.
With something for everyone on their menu, it’s great for lunch, a la carte or an early dinner and the formaggio e pistachio would have to be our pick of the bunch.
25. I Knead Pizza – Reddish
Lastly, we’re heading back towards Stockport for what we like to call another more solid, no-nonsense pizza place that doesn’t bother with too many frills but instead simply serves up undeniably satisfying food without fail every time we order it.
I Knead Pizza is available in Reddish, delivery only in Manchester, as well as for catering special events, and all we’ll say is that we’ve never had anything below a very good pizza from here — not even slipping towards run-of-the-mill-average even once.
It’s starred on our Takeaway Champions before and this particular Stopfordian has ordered it more times than he can count when venturing back in the direction of SK. No notes from, just proper good award-winning pizza that will please any hungry Manc. Hands up who remembers the glory days?
Read more:
- The very best and booziest bottomless brunches in Manchester city centre
- Where to find the best pie places in Greater Manchester
- The Didsbury Dozen: the definitive list of boozers on this legendary pub crawl
That’s it, we’re stuffed and we can’t even think about any more carbs. However, it goes without saying that there are plenty more pizza gaffs in and around Greater Manchester that could have made it on here but we had to find a stopping point somewhere.
Before we go, we’d like to give honourable mentions to the likes of Voodoo Rays, Slice Culture and Matt and Phreds; Dough161 in The Salisbury never fails and neither do long-standing staples like Salvi’s and Croma — you’re all wonderful we could go on forever and, oh, would you look at that? Hungry again.
Brb, off to get a slice of ‘za and, luckily, Manchester has some of the best pizza places in the UK as you should well and truly know by now.
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Featured Images — The Manc Group
