Find Local Pizza in Erie, Pennsylvania

Erie is a city on the south shore of Lake Erie known for fantastic shopping, beautiful parks, and informative museums. The residents love to get outside and stroll through the waterfront Presque Isle State Park, spend a rainy day at the Maritime Museum, and find great deals at the local mall. The numerous tourists that visit each year also enjoy these activities.

Erie is the largest city in Northwestern Pennsylvania, with a rich history of Italian immigrants. The immigration of Italians to Erie started in 1864 with Raffaele Bracaccini, who liked the beauty of the countryside and Lake Erie itself. By 1938, Erie had the third-largest number of Italian immigrants. The Italian immigrants became an integral part of Erie’s culture without abandoning their own culture. This influx of immigration also brought their delectable cuisine. Although it started ages ago, the city’s pizza culture is still apparent now.

The population of Erie prefers casual dining and old-fashioned pizzerias. Delivery and takeout of Italian food are standard, as are food trucks. The city also celebrates the annual Erie Food Truck Festival, with a few trucks selling only pizza.

Erie is Known for New York-style Pizza

Erie is often written off as a transient city, but the distinction has its benefits. As a result, the city is home to tons of different pizza styles. With all this choice, it’s the New York-style pizza that wins out. It’s the dominant style for its traditional toppings, versatility, and overall tastiness. An authentic New York-style pizza is tossed by hand into a thin, foldable crust. The edges of the pizza should form an identifiable crust that is airy and chewy. The water for the dough should come from New York ideally for the unique composition of minerals that some experts can taste in the crust. The traditional topping of a NY pizza is a thin coat of tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. Other toppings, like pepperoni, are generally available, but sometimes simple is best. The pies are large, as are the slices, so when you order one, make sure you’re pretty hungry.

Best Delivery Pizza in Erie

Gino & Joe’s NY Style Pizza serves New York-style slices, along with Sicilian pizza, subs, and more. The wood-fired pizza options include BBQ Chicken Finger Pizza with crispy chicken marinated in BBQ sauce. While this pizzeria is primarily geared towards delivery, there are plenty of seats inside for those who want to stay and eat. This cozy spot on Lake Road is a favorite pizza destination for locals and tourists in Erie. Gino & Joe’s NY Style Pizza is also a dream come true for Sicilian pizza lovers thanks to its famous Sicilian thick crust pizza, which has just the right amount of fluffiness. You can also have a gluten-free pizza made to order. At Gino & Joe’s, there’s plenty of other Italian specialties like stromboli and calzones filled with sliced steak and classic cheese. There are also amazing beverage options to complement your pizza. Wings and a salad also pair well with one of their delicious pizzas.

Best Takeout Pizza in Erie

If you like hand-stretched fresh dough pizza with soft crust charred gently in a wood-burning oven, head to Virgil’s Plate. They serve classic New York pizza with a soft and chewy crust with flavorful sauce and fresh toppings. Customers can choose from healthy toppings like spinach, green peppers, and black olives. Virgil’s Plate’s menu is also famous for Roman-style round pizza, a neighborhood favorite thanks to piles of anchovies, pepperoni, and mushrooms. You should also try one of their square-cut specialty options, like the BLT or Margherita.

If you’d like to try making Virgil’s square pizza yourself, order one of their Fresh Pizza Kits. They come in regular and gluten-free and with everything you need to make this treat at home.

Virgil’s plate also serves calzones and bread pan pie, their take on Detroit-style pizza. The menu here is pizza-centric, but you can get beverages and a house salad to complete your takeout meal.

Best Pizza Near Erie

Waterford

Waterford is a borough in Erie County best known for being home to the legendary Fort LeBoeuf Museum. Waterford Pizza & More has some pretty delicious pizza, and they even let you design your own. Waterford Pizza & More’s specialty is Chicago deep-dish pizza available in both meat and veggie options. The Meat Deep Dish Pizza is topped with bacon, ham, pepperoni, and sausage, while the Roasted Veggie Deep Dish Pizza has zucchini, tomato, peppers, onion, and mushrooms.

Girard

Girard, southwest of Erie, is the location of Hometown Pizzeria, a hidden gem that serves delicious Italian-inspired dishes like calzones, salads, and pizza. Their pizzas are especially popular with fresh toppings, and the sauce is made in-house. They have tasty specials like the Hometown Supreme Pizza topped with pepperoni, ham, bacon, and a selection of veggies. The prices are fair, and the service is top-notch.

Fairview

Fairview, just 10 miles from Erie, is one of the original 16 townships in Erie County. It is a suburb of Erie and is one of the best places to live in Pennsylvania. Sabo’s Pizza attracts pizza lovers from across Pennsylvania, serving truly delicious New York-style pizza. The dough is handmade daily, and the pizza combinations will make your mouth water. Sabo’s menu also features salads, calzones, wings, and subs.