In March of 2021, Sarah Baker Hansen conducted a comprehensive 64-restaurant Omaha Pizza Bracket to determine our city’s finest pizza.
I was, to put it mildly, shocked by the results.
I say this not to disparage the winner, Mangia Italiana, which turns out delicious pies (try the Vincent Special, thank me later). Nor is it to criticize the bracket, itself. There was painstaking detail and effort put into this endeavor, and I don’t believe I possess the over-arching restaurant knowledge, design capabilities, or social media patience to pull off this massive undertaking (seriously, hats off to Sarah and her team).
But the results laid bare two truths:
- Omaha has a lot of fantastic pizza spots.
- Its citizens are overlooking some of the best.
I knew these before the bracket launched, but I underestimated the extent of the latter. Time and again I found myself shaking my head as fantastic joints surrendered to inferior competition, often simply because they’re not as established or well known. This post aims to right those wrongs.
Obviously, pizza is highly subjective. Everyone has their favorite styles and toppings, and you might well disagree with some of my places on this list. And that’s OK! I just want to help Omahans get out of their pizza routine and experience some great places I love and they may not have tried yet.
Without further ado…
Virtuoso Pizzeria
- Bracket Result: Lost in round 2 to Oscar’s Pizza & Sports Grill
This NY-style joint often leaves visitors from The Empire State reminiscing of home. Virtuoso Pizzeria‘s hand-tossed, stone-baked pizzas are cut into foldable slices larger than the average human hand.
The crust is thin and light, yet strong enough to hold up to the mountain of toppings heaped on it. Whether you order an entire pizza or pick up some slices through the walk-up window, you know they’ll be finished with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of sprinkling of oregano and grated Pecorino Romano for a final touch of salt and fat.
David Losole is one of Omaha’s pizza titans, and one bite into a Virtuoso slice is all you need to know why.
Dante
- Bracket Result: Lost in round 3 to Copps Pizza Company
Neapolitan-style pizza is a bit different than what most Omahans are used to. Wood-fired ovens typically reach 800-900 degrees, resulting in pizzas with crispy, charred dough, crust bubbles, and “perfect imperfections”—no two pizzas emerge from the oven exactly alike.
These factors make it my personal favorite style of pizza, and no one does it better than Dante.
Dante’s crust is charred on the bottom, yet the top of the pizza remains chewy and buoyant. The bits of char add a nice smoky flavor, and because the pizzas cook in minutes, the toppings don’t dry out the oven; they taste incredibly fresh. The cheese is bubbling when the pizza hits the table, and the brightness of herbs and vegetables and the salt/fat combo of pepperoni and sausage is evident upon first bite.
Plus, if breakfast pizza is your thing, Dante offers several pizzas with sausage, eggs, and other breakfast ingredients during brunch on the weekends.
Mootz
- Bracket Result: Lost in round 1 to Weirdough Pizza Co.
I can give Omahans a bit of a pass for sleeping on Mootz given its recent arrival. Owner Collin Adkisson first started selling pizzas via delivery in the summer of 2020 before launching his food truck last November.
But it’s time to give Mootz its due.
Mootz’s pizzas are unlike any in the city. They feature a stretchy, chewy dough with bubbles and char pockets to add flavor and texture. The fior di latte cheese oozes with a delicate sweetness. While I’ve enjoyed all Mootz’s pizzas, none reach the heights of the Pepperoni, which employs tiny pepperoni discs that curl up into mini bowls during cooking, perfect for holding grease and flavor.
Via Farina
- Bracket Result: Lost in round 2 to Zio’s Pizza
The first thing you notice when you step inside Via Farina is the giant orange oven in the heart of the open kitchen. There’s a reason the restaurant chose to highlight this tangerine beacon; it produces some of the finest Neapolitan-style pies around.
The cooking process—high heat, low cook times—produces puffy, chewy crust and melty blobs of mozzarella. It also adds a hint of smoky flavor, and Via Farina’s varied range of red and white-base pies ensure there’s a good match for your palate.
Backlot Taphouse
- Bracket Result: Lost in round 1 to Sam & Louie’s Pizza
I feel Backlot Taphouse isn’t well-known because most people have no idea what Detroit-style pizza is. But once they taste it, their opinion quickly changes.
Detroit-style pies press high-fat cheeses (Backlot uses Wisconsin brick, Muenster, and mozzarella) to the edge of a rectangular pan. During cooking, the cheese melts to create a crispy caramelization at the pizza’s edge. In addition, the dough has a high water content, which gives it additional chew and greater elasticity. A few minutes in a high-heat convection oven makes it almost like a focaccia bread, airy and with an assortment of bubbles.
There’s no other place to get this style of pizza in Omaha, and Backlot Taphouse is happy to provide the introduction for you.
Frank's Pizza
- Bracket Result: Lost in round 3 to Big Fred’s Pizza
Another NY-style slice factory, Frank’s doesn’t quite reach Virtuoso’s level in my opinion. But that doesn’t mean it’s anything short of delicious.
The crust is solid and crispy, yet pliable enough to fold. Each slice is covered in a hefty blanket of buffalo mozzarella cheese, which complements the acidic, tangy tomato sauce.
And while Frank’s heaps on its toppings, I find these slices are best enjoyed with only one or two, or simply a plain cheese. The lack of clutter allows Frank’s quality ingredients to shine brightest, and shine they do.
Nice Rollz
- Bracket Result: Lost in round 1 to PizzaWest
- It’s not a pizza restaurant.
- It only offers pizza on weekend mornings.
- It only started offering pizza about a month ago.
But, as anyone who’s had Nice Rollz’ breakfast pizza can attest, this pie is so delicious it’s absolutely worthy of inclusion. It’s the best breakfast pizza I’ve ever tasted (sorry, Casey’s).
It starts with a biscuit dough crust, which creates a flaky, buttery base. Then comes a white cheddar cheese, a pleasantly spicy sausage, a perfectly fried egg, and a healthy drizzle of gochujang for a sweet/heat sensation.
At the risk of sounding hyperbolic, I cannot imagine a better breakfast pizza. The biscuit crust is an absolute game changer that must be experienced.
These aren’t the only pizza joints I love in Omaha, but are ones I feel definitely deserve more shine than they receive. If you’re looking to switch up your pizza routine, one of these would be an excellent choice.
If you want a comprehensive list of my favorite pizza spots in Omaha, check out my pizza restaurant rankings. And let me know what your favorite underrated spots are in the comments below, or on Twitter or Instagram.