Pizza is good even when it’s bad, but why go for meh when you can have a pie that wows? With garden-fresh vegetables, house-made toppings, and perfectly crisp crusts, San Antonio’s best pizzerias will make you forget about the chains. Lift your finger off the speed dial and pay these seven eateries a visit. It’s time you got a slice of the good life.

Big Lou’s Pizzeria
This no-frills pizzeria may be known for gargantuan 42-inch pies, but its warm customer service and commitment to quality is what keeps guests coming back. Less voracious appetites can order pizzas in six other sizes, topped with all the classics like mushrooms, sausage, and anchovies. The house barbecue sauce-drizzled pizza packs a huge punch, even if you get it as a small.

Dough Pizzeria Napoletana
Dough isn’t just a great pizza joint, it’s also one of the most essential restaurants in San Antonio. The reason is clear even before you have a slice. Starters like truffle burrata, all-beef meatballs, and locally sourced salads are all the real deal, but save some room for the signature Andrew’s pizza, a perfectly blistered crust topped with bacon and onion jam, baby arugula, smoked mozzarella, and tomato sauce.

Freetail Brewing Co.
Freetail does things its own way, something that applies as much to the pizza as to its creative beers. Embrace the maverick spirit by ordering pizza carbonara loaded with Alfredo sauce, spinach, roasted asparagus, bacon, and chicken breast or a pie smothered with the brewpub’s signature mac ’n’ cheese. Then use the handy pairing guide to select the perfect drink.

Il Forno
Chef Michael Sohocki’s pizzeria keeps to the same high standards as its fine dining counterpoint, Restaurant Gwendolyn. Everything from the mozzarella to the sausage is made from scratch, and the vegetables are bought from area farmers markets to ensure peak flavor. The simple pies may showcase the freshness of the ingredients best, but don’t overlook some of the more innovative creations like the pistachio with calabrese salami, ricotta, orange, and pesto.

Southtown Pizzeria
With its rough stone bar, wooden rafters, and rustic furniture, Southtown Pizzeria brings a little Old World charm to the funky neighborhood. Try the Margherita with crushed San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and a whole basil leaf on every slice or the Southtown with double pepperoni, jalapeños, and pineapple. Both are available in either a chewy hand-tossed crust or a cracker-like thin crust.

Stella Public House
This Southtown favorite calls its approach “farm to pizza,” working with area growers to create unexpected specials like a recent course for a Karbach beer dinner. Topped with apple and grapefruit-marinated smoked pork tenderloin, cilantro, and avocado, this special was not the kind of pie you'll ever find at Domino’s.

Trilogy Pizza
Why settle for just one pizza style when you can have three? At Trilogy (get it?), you can choose from traditional New York style, Chicago deep dish, or California wheat crust pies, all fired in an authentic brick oven. The toppings similarly run the gamut from old school to new. Stick with classics like Italian sausage and pepperoni, or go off script with the San Antonio Special with beef, onion, tomatoes, jalapeños, and Mexican spices.