Beer , box ramen , and pizza : deliberate them the three staple of the college diet . And if there ’s one common thread across college towns , it ’s the bearing of at least one great pizza pie join , one whose very mention gets educatee and alumni alike salivating .
For our first - ever leaning of America ’s best college pizza blot , we concentre largely on proper college town ( sorry , NYU students , but you ’re very smart and have great pizza pie ) . And while we bed us some Pokey Stix , we strayed forth from the mega - Sir Ernst Boris Chain that campuses love .
Harvard
Pinocchio’s Pizza & Subs
' Noch ’s ( Harvard educatee are busybodied , they do n’t have time for extra syllables ) has been ingurgitate smart kids in its unassuming quoin digs for 50 eld now . Have your order quick ( there will be a line , and the bozo behind the counter tend to glower on indecision ) , though if you want the optimal order , you are getting two Sicilian slice : one tomato basil , one pepperoni make for a all-fired hunky-dory combo . You could also do quite well getting one appetizer gash and one of the fantastical oven - warmed subs , but this is a pizza clause ! Snag a table if you’re able to , hold back for your slice to heat up , gaze at the immense mural of the joint ’s long - nosed namesake and his whale curse , and prepare to marvel what kind of pizza interpersonal chemistry led to crust that ’s so delightfully terse on the outside yet pleasingly doughy within . You ’ve made a wise pick , friend .
University of South Carolina
Village Idiot Pizza
Every weekend , Columbia ’s Five Points neighbourhood is the avatar of your parents ' nightmares when they dropped their kid off at college : it ’s essentially the disorderly party you always dreamed college would be . And at the heart sits the Village Idiot . The tremendous , New York - style slices are great , but if you ’ve got clock time to kill , the specialty pies ( not typically on the slice rack ) are the move . The Freshman Fifteen – double tall mallow , pep , buckets of spread – makes good on its name , while the blackened chicken - jalapeño Rajun Cajun will leave you sweating like a fiend with flying lizard breath . Not that that would halt a curbside make - out session in Five Points . Sorry mammy . The nightmare is as real as the pizza is delicious .
University of Missouri
Shakespeare’s Pizza
This beloved Missouri institution is full of quirks : it keeps a feeding bottle of WD-40 inside the beer electric refrigerator as part of a tenner - long inner joke , and specify you derisory public figure for when your order is called . More importantly , the pizza pie is damn undecomposed . These guys make their own dough from scratch , and buy sticks of pepperoni to slice on - situation into wooden-headed pieces of spicy perfection that puddle grease so in effect that they tender hand towels or else of standard material napkins . ( Pro baksheesh : whatever you ordain , arrange it with pepper cheeseflower ) . And while pizza pie by the slice is the average in place like New York , it ’s a rarified find in mid - Missouri – one that Shakespeare ’s dole out every daylight for lunch . It gets pack during Mizzou game days and weekend night , but the hour - plus expect is worth it . Just make certain you rust before tailgating ; it merit to be savour with a fully coherent roof of the mouth .
Michigan State University
Georgio’s Gourmet Pizza
Bell ’s will always be an foundation on Grand River . Pizza House is great , but it ’s more an Ann Arbor favorite ( a urban center you wo n’t find here , because GO GREEN ) . But EL ’s Hamster Cage parking lot is now the go - to for cracking pizza daytime and nighttime thanks to Georgio ’s , which pops out tremendous slices of touchstone , but gets extra points for stunt pizzas that actually deliver , from a gyroscope fade topped with lamb meat and tzatziki to a baked potato pie with sour cream squiggles and 1st Baron Verulam . There are also Chicago - inspired stuffed slices , of which prickly-seeded spinach is king , though we ’re not gon na begrudge you for evanesce it over for a honking gash of nacho tall mallow Proto-Indo European after 60 minutes . Watch the neophyte 15 hit you before the first half of the semester .
University of Wisconsin
Ian’s Pizza by the Slice
Plenty of pizza spot endeavor to go the whole " we ’re gon na get really weird with our topping " route to fatal results . Ian ’s really commits , and damned if the whole thing does n’t work out stunningly – unless you ’re stuck behind a hopped-up soph vacillating between that one slice top with smoke brisket and tater tot and that other one topped with pepper Jack , chorizo , and chipotle creme . Help the dude out , though , because there ’s really just one move here , and it ’s the at times imitate but never - quite - duplicated mac n ' cheese ( insert obligatory Wisconsin remark here ) . Between the diaphanous carb - on - carb indulgence and the interplay of the creme sauce with the cheddar - mozz blend that keeps everything together on top , it really is the perfect late - night choice . That ’s specially truthful if you hit it with some of that Frank ’s hot sauce that ’s sitting on the counter .
University of Florida
Satchel’s Pizza
Though any self - respecting Gator who ’s enjoyed all - you - can - tope liquor pitchers at orb has a special position in their heart for Pizza by the Slice , arguably no Proto-Indo European in the res publica of Florida matches up to what useable at Satchel ’s . First , the post is part pizza eatery and part gonzo relic store , where you could shop for all sorting of bangle while you wait the needed two hours for a table , which might well be in an old VW bus , if you ’re lucky . The pizzas arrive in either mystifying - dish or sparse - Earth’s crust configuration , so whether your parent were organ transplant from the Midwest or transplant from New York , there ’s something for you here . Toppings are all fresh from nearby farm , and it make its own sodium carbonate in - theatre . All part of the reason why Satchel ’s trademark bumper sticker could give Salt Life a serious run for most ubiquitous railroad car ornament in Florida .
University of Oregon
Sy’s New York Pizza
Pegasus Pizza may be higher quality , and Track Town is the iconic speech pizza , but when it ’s late at night and you ’ve been imbibe at Rennie ’s Landing or – God veto – Taylor ’s , you go to Sy ’s New York Pizza . New Yorkers would probably abnegate its authenticity , but we ’re too engaged get punk , luscious , cheesy , oily slices to care ( and frankly , so are they ) . you’re able to tally basically any topping to a slice , so you wo n’t call for to order a whole pizza to fulfill a especial craving . Skip the bready Sicilian style and adhere with the slight insolence , and do n’t forget to add a pile of 25 - centime garlic knots ; those will aid soak up the three Rennie ’s Lemonades you just polish .
Yale
BAR Pizza
New Haven is n’t on the dot injure for great pizzerias , considering it ’s arguably home to the country ’s sound ( oblong ) pie . So what sets BAR apart from darling , coal - burn classics like Frank Pepe , Modern Apizza , and Sally ’s ? It ’s a straightaway - up , strident college night club through and through , complete with rock music shows and steamy dancing company . Oh , and the pizza ? It ’s a young version of the New Haven fashion – the crispy , rhombus - shaped PIE are a touch thinner and cook in a throttle oven ( not the honest-to-god - schooltime ember ) . The move here is the mashed white potato Proto-Indo European with 1st Baron Verulam on top . If it sound like something only a student stoner could love , just know that Momofuku frontman David Chang is a lover . This is New Haven pizza in nightclub form . And in a town full of great pizza , it ’s the ultimate college bar chromosomal mutation of the authoritative pie .
University of Massachusetts
Antonio’s Pizza
Antonio ’s has grown to pass around the erotic love of BBQ steak & bacon pizza to other towns – include neighboring Belchertown , Providence , and even College Station , TX – but the original remains the true classic it was from the bit the door swung open in 1991 . Antonio ’s is placard as an NYC - style pie , but come on : New Yorkers are n’t clamoring for a black noodle avocado pie , or a surf & turf topped with steak and half-pint . Nah , this is Amherst - vogue pizza pie , a magical college pie that ’s as good at 2 post-mortem as it is at 2 am , though at 2 am you’re able to plausibly domiciliate more slices , which is a good matter , because the combinations on whirl are endless . Pray for Sicilian . And do n’t revere the Cancer .
University of California – Santa Cruz
Engfer Pizza Works
The Seabright neighborhood resort ’s contribution to college food staples is two-fold , deal it duplicate as a feeding bottle workshop . The pies are the main attractive feature at this top-notch - chill spot , where grad pupil , undergrads , and local anesthetic find common ground in full-strength Cali - style pizza pie differentiate by a chewy , wood - fired freshness loaded with fresh topping rank from fresh pork sausage to cashews and sun - dry tomatoes . Engfer actually devote you the effect that you ’re eating something goodly … until you hit the nearby beach and agnize your pizza dependence has translate pizza pie shekels to a doughy frame . fortunately , the plaza offers up a workout in the configuration of a front - of - the - house ping - niff board . That ’s physical exertion , correct ?
University of California – Berkeley
Sliver
UC Berkeley and activism go together hand in mitt , so it should come as no surprise that Berkeley ’s top pizza stain has a do - gooder side . Sliverdonates money to charity and raises awareness about human trafficking . But as admirable as that is , its pizza alone draw in students and the community . you could always ordinate a plain ol' cheeseflower Proto-Indo European , but the draw here is the day-to-day changing pizza pie of the day . Recent selection included a roast eggplant - pecorino joint , a summer squash - mozzarella jam , and a cremini mushroom with Bulgarian feta concoction . Oh , and if you ’re afraid of commitment , it ’s just $ 1 to try a third of a slice . That ’s the sliver , in case you had n’t figured it out .
Indiana University
Mother Bear’s Pizza
It ’s a worldwide rule that pizza always tastes well when you run through it in a divey join overcompensate in wood panelling and graffiti – and that ’s something IU students have know since they start patronize Mother Bear ’s Pizza in the early ' 70 . Chicago - style pie reign supreme here , though they ’ve get a downlike consistence than eating those heavy - as - a - brick Proto-Indo European from Illinois . The Divine Swine speciality Proto-Indo European is a favourite , which combines pepperoni , sausage balloon , Hoosier ham , and smoke bacon . Especially broke students know that you’re able to mark a 10 " one - transcend pizza pie for $ 6.95 on Tuesdays if you buy a drink . as luck would have it , Mother Bear ’s does n’t have to worm anyone ’s subdivision with a sea wolf beer leaning that let in regional dearie like Bell ’s and Indiana ’s own 3 Floyds .
Syracuse University
Varsity Pizza
If restaurant could have personality disorders , first team would be like a ' 90s nonparallel killer . It ’s a dining compartment first opened in 1926 that dish orchis sandwiches and omelet Monday through Friday mornings to blear-eyed - eyed pupil . It ’s a place where ' Cuse buff amass for March Madness to drink trashy beer , eat wings , and cower around a few TVs . But it ’s mostly a pizza shop class and it churns out about 200 16 " pies each solar day ( or 300 + on game twenty-four hour period ) . The NY - stylus pizza is serve up out in slices too , with deary like the chicken wing cover up in blue cheese , and Spinacia oleracea and feta . Just know that if you swing by when a secret plan ’s perish on in the Dome , the hard part is not deciding which kind of pizza to order , it ’s finding an empty buttocks .
University of Oklahoma
New York Pizza & Pasta
At 3 am , we ’re not discounting the deliciousness of Pizza Shuttle ’s Frosty Fingers delivered mighty to your room access . But if you ’re on two legs in Campus Corner , get ye to New York , which is on the dot what it sounds like : no - nonsense , floppy , semi - reliable New York - elan pie by the slice . None of the distinctive college pie stunt stuff applies here : the craziest matter on the fare is an alfredo pie – its excess sauce pair perfectly with dripping garlic rolls . There ’s also a antic selection of calzones on pass , in case you ’re still upset about getting grease on your shirt . Do n’t skitter the wing . Maybe skip the prawn scampi … you do n’t need to be playing Russian toothed wheel with your duodenum at this point .
University of Colorado
Cosmo’s PIzza
You will not find the best pizza pie fade of your life story in Boulder . But if it ’s 2 am and you ’re a 21 - year - old CU student with a brawny hunger after a powerful Nox of drinking , Cosmo ’s slices are hard to beat . While plenty of student eat ( and work ! ) there , topical anaesthetic often swing by for a brassy , quick sting . Each slice runs about $ 3 , and is about the size of it of former CU basketball star Chauncey Billups ' leg . Do n’t forget the blue spread , which kick upstairs every bite of pizza pie . There ’s a reason Cosmo began bottle this material and selling it in local supermarket : it ’s got a warmth that lingers without being overpowering , and it operate beautifully with the NY - style thin gall . You candip without judgmentat Cosmo ’s . In fact , it ’s encouraged .
University of Arizona
Rocco’s Little Chicago Pizza
When it comes to college - town pizza , the New York style dominates ( when it comes to college sportsman , not so much ) . Rocco ’s , however , goes Chicago . And it does it three ways : larder deep dish , big - ass thin crust , and stuff – which jams all the toppings in between two level . The latter ’s the best option , especially in the material body of the Great Chicago Fire ( sausage , jalapeños , greenish peppers , onion plant , and sadly , no Tums ) , but regardless of what you get , do n’t skimp on the Italian boeuf sliders . And while this is more sit - down than most of the other by - the - slash places on this list , itdoesoffer takeaway slice of the enormous rich dish . One slice should more than satisfy . But peradventure get two . Especially if mom ’s purchasing .
University of Montana
Bridge PIzza
So many of the spots on this list are notable for tardy - night slices . The Bridge ? Not so much . It closes at 10:30 , making it more a pregame spot than a last - second holdover preventative . But the Bridge has something most joints do n’t : pizza happy time of day , wherein the hours of 3 - 5pm ( beer o’clock , if ever it existed ) get you a slice of foodie pieanda beer for $ 3-$3.50 . think Missoula ’s one of thenation ’s most underrated beer cities , it does n’t take an political economy major to image out that a slice of fancy pizza – think walnut and Gorgonzola or prosciutto and pineapple chutney … or just cheese – and a craft beer is a cracking wad . The wing and sandwiches are dandy too , if you ’re rich ( by college banner , $ 8 is like getting caviarandsteak ) . But if you ’re a Monte on a budget , this is where you’re able to get fed without sacrificing lineament .
University of Iowa
A & A Pagliai’s Pizza
Pronounced " polly - eyes , " in case you were thrown by all those vowel , the Pagliai sept came to Iowa via Florence and bug out a pizza pie - making tradition the likes of which Iowa had never seen . Indeed , several ex - employee and siblings have gone on to propagate the Pagliai name in other towns , but the Iowa City mothership ’s been in the family since 1962 . The welcoming booth and vernal kids prepping your pie behind the retort by all odds give the place a throwback vibe , but you wo n’t have much time to admire the atmosphere when you ’re dig into a Palace Special , layer with pepperoni , blimp , beef cattle , and mushroom and can to champagne , cheesy happiness in one of the 1,000 - degree brick oven .
Notre Dame
Rocco’s Original Pizza
A South Bend custom rivaled only by a sure gild football squad , Rocco ’s is a family - run founding that has had Notre Dame draw since the rootage . The patriarch of the Calabrian phratry that run it worked in the Notre Dame cafeteria before launch the eating place with his married woman in 1951 . The recipes remain unaltered – if you ’re in need of a booze - soaking , cheese - laden pepperoni slice , this smirch has you cover , but even the most fervid carnivore might be surprise by the veggie combo , fragrant with St. Basil the Great and garlic along with a light sprinkling of cheeseflower . You ’ll find like you ’re hanging out at your football game - loving Italian grandma ’s house , which , on some level , you kind of are .
Duke, University of North Carolina, North Carolina State
Pie Pushers
rivalry dominate the Triangle between Durham , Chapel Hill , and Raleigh , but Pie Pushers practices something that even the most contentious military force can get behind : pizza diplomatic negotiations . This mobile truck comes rolling into the best bars and events between campuses , so at any given time , it ’s within walking length of Duke , UNC , or NCS . fragile - crust pie irritation fluff and crust , and they ’re unco loud , considering the radical - wise element on offerings like the roasted chicken & pesto State of Nirvana . Do n’t skimp on the ironic - rubbed extension . Consider Pie Pushers a savoury cousin to your preferent meth ointment truck . Just do n’t be surprised if the measure you ’re in empties the minute it round the nook .
University of Kentucky
Pies & Pints
pie & Pints – currently making a manoeuvre for concatenation dominance – is n’t your average beer - and - pizza pie join . For one , it ’s less " power hour " and more specialism beer bar , pouring up fantastic craft option and Belgian essentials the like of which you ’d ordinarily have to meditate abroad to find in Wildcat country ( do n’t occupy , there’sa ready to hand guide to all the styleson offering , in case you thing " gueze " is a fancy word of honor for " BAND - AID " ) . The pies , too , deliver on the exoticism , with chewy crust play innkeeper to everything from shrimp & Thai groom to a pizza take on the Cubano . Of course , fancy toppings are nothing if there ’s not a solid base . Luckily , unmingled ol' cheese does the trick too , and when it ’s plot daytime , you ’d be hard - weight-lift to receive a just beer / pizza pie / football combo . Lee Breslouer , Matt Lynch , Meredith Heil , Matt Meltzer , andChristina Stiehlcontributed to this story .
Varsity, Syracuse, NY|Shira Stoll/Thrillist
Sonya Highfield/Thrillist
Courtesy of Shakespeare’s Pizza
Lacey Muszynski/Thrillist
Walter Williams/Thrillist
Grant Condon/Thrillist
Shira Stoll/Thrillist
Lee Breslouer/Thrillist
Flickr/Alan Light (edited)
Pies & Pints
