New Yorkers know pizza; how to fold it, how to order it, and how best to approach that first dripping bite. Finding the perfect slice used to be next to impossible at Walt Disney World. (Believe me, when my son with autism was young and lived exclusively on a diet of pizza, French fries, and bagels, finding something that would pass for this staple was beyond nerve-wracking.) Nowadays pizza “pie” abounds. From Magic Kingdom to Disney Springs, the choices continue to magically multiply. Now the chore is where to find the BEST pizza at Walt Disney World!
Where to Find the Best Pizza at Walt Disney World
Tie your napkin around your neck, paisan, and I’ll provide the rest!
The Best Pizza at Disney Springs
- Pizza Ponte
Spicy Salame
When this Maria & Enzo’s group location first opened last year, I had the tastiest slice of my life. Outside of the Big Apple, that is. Since then, depending on how long a pie has been sitting, this pizza can range from fantastic to limp and mushy. Time it right (or simply ask how fresh it is!) and you’ll be contento. My absolute favorite pie in this spot is the thicker, Sicilian pizza with pepperoni. (Called ‘Spicy Salame.’) It reminds of the pepperoni in Fiesole outside of Florence!
- Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill
The new Wolfgang Puck establishment, not to be confused with the former Wolfgang Puck Grand Cafe, features a gleaming wood-burning pizza oven at its entrance. A “pizza beacon” for those strolling by, if you will. Pizza continues to be a signature Puck dish, and with good reason. Fresh, quality ingredients, a designated pizza chef, and right-from-the-oven taste make Wolfgang’s pizza a continued winner.
Although table service is a plenty, I suggest bringing the family and sitting near the pizza oven in the bar area. The kids will love the show!!
- Blaze Fast-Fire’d Pizza
With over 100 locations in the US, Canada, and Guam, this is a pizza you may know well. Though I embrace testing new food horizons while on vacation, there are occasions when you need tried and true. Familiar seems extra attractive when you are dealing with special dietary needs. With house-made gluten-free dough and vegan cheeses, there is something here for everyone.
Fresh salads and oven-fired desserts round out the menu here. And at this Blaze Pizza Orlando location, you have the added bonus of outdoor eating and a birds-eye view of Disney Springs!
The Best Pizza at Epcot
- Via Napoli Ristorante
This Napolitano establishment is Epcot’s ode to pizza. Its product is so authentic, they use imported water to replicate that found in Naples. (Evidently water from Pennsylvania is the closest match this side of the Atlantic!) Their commitment to quality shows in every bite. From their 900 degree wood-burning ovens, to San Marzano tomatoes and hand-made mozzarella, every bite is autentico.
Though you will no doubt be immersed in your Pizze Speciali or huge Pizza Napoletana, take time to admire the décor. Designed by Florentine architects, the Murano glass chandeliers and focal-point ovens (named after Mounts Etna, Vesuvius, and Stromboli) will transport you to the Bel Paese. Occasionally the adjacent walk-up window is open, but it seldom tastes the same. Go in for the FULL experience. Just be prepared for upscale pizza pricing…
The Best Pizza at Magic Kingdom
- Pinocchio Village Haus
Admittedly, through the decades I have never been a huge fan of Pinocchio Village Haus. But if you must do pizza at Magic Kingdom, this is a fanciful spot. The choices of Gourmet Cheese Flatbread, All-Meat Flatbread (Sausage, Pepperoni, Ham, and Bacon), Pepperoni Flatbread, or more traditional Margherita Flatbread are all pretty good. Unless they have been sitting under the heat lamps for awhile.
Perhaps the best feature are the views. Whether you watch the “sailors” float off into “it’s a small world” or sit outside and soak up the Fantasyland merriment, distractions might be the best part of your meal.
The Best Pizza at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
- Pizzafari
Though temporarily closed due to the pandemic, this Quick Service is a family-style staple. For $22.99 (Children $12.99), a family of four can feast on salad (Caprese and Caesar), one puffy-crusted pizza (Pepperoni, Cheese, Pepperoni and Sausage, or Plant-based), a choice of two entrees (Baked Ziti, Meatballs with Marinara, or Creamy Pesto with Chicken), Garlic Knots, Miniature Cannolis, and a choice of one non-alcoholic beverage. For certain, la famiglia will be stuffed when you leave!
The Best Pizza at the Disney Resorts
Disney’s Contemporary Resort
- California Grill
Looking for Signature Dining pizza? THIS is your choice. Perched atop Disney’s Contemporary Resort, everything about this spot is fine. From décor, service to menu, everything about the California Grill is premium. But the floor-to-ceiling window view of Magic Kingdom and fireworks are one-of-a-kind. (You can even pop outside to the balcony if the weather is right!)
The Artisanal Hand-formed Pizzas from the Wood-burning Oven (the house-made pepperoni is also premier) will be a special occasion pleaser. Be sure to book your reservation far in advance, and time your meal according to the fireworks schedule to secure your Happily Ever After.
Disney’s Swan & Dolphin Resort
- Il Mulino
One of the 17 restaurants at Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort, Il Mulino is another New York original. This “casual chic” version of the Greenwich Village original is perfect theme park fine dining. In a beautiful sleek setting, the balance of basic plus elegant is struck. With a wine list to impress.
Artisan pizzas include Margarita, Rustica (with sliced pepperoni), Bosco (Italian sausage and mushroom), and Bianca. Though expensive by most standards ($17-$19), I think you’ll appreciate eating your pizza in style!
Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
- Ale & Compass Restaurant
Though flatbreads are available throughout the day, it’s the Ale & Compass Restaurant sunny-side egg, house-made bacon, ham, provolone, and arugula version that is a standout. “Pizza” for breakfast?? Yes please! (Please be aware that a condensed, pandemic menu may not include this item. But it’s worth asking for!!)
Hollywood Studios
Sadly, there is nothing “marquee” about the pizza choices in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. For goodness sakes, don’t be snookered into even steeping foot in PizzeRizzo. Leave it to that rat to rob this establishment of its only merit- theming. While the former Pizza Planet served the same tasteless, doughy “pizza,” at least the surroundings and arcade games were attractive to kids. Now, a cold and barren PizzeRizzo cafeteria is all that is left. This Quick Service is not even up to puppet standards. Wocka Wocka.
- Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano
IF you must, the Mama Melrose Margarita Flatbread will do. The Kid’s Pizza is also an adequate option. At least here you get table service and red and white checkered tablecloths to eat off of.
Phew. That’s a lot of cheese. But research must be done. And there’s miles and miles to walk off the carbs. As you can see, unlike days of old, there are many, many options available. The four theme parks, Disney Springs, and multiple resorts all have contenders.
Now YOU must decide which establishment offers the best pizza in Walt Disney World. Federico Fellini said “life is a combination of magic and pasta.” I’m sure he meant pizza…
