Detroit-Style and Deep-Dish Pizza in Houston: 8 Places to Know
Date Published
Houston has more Detroit-style pizza than most locals realize. Square pies with caramelized cheese crunched into the pan edge, two deep-dish institutions baking thick Chicago pies since the 1970s and 1990s, and a cast-iron spot that bridges both worlds. This guide covers them all: where to find them, what to order, and which spots are worth the drive.
How we chose
Every restaurant on this list was confirmed open via its official website or official social page in October 2026. We looked for spots that make Detroit or deep-dish pizza as a clear specialty, not a rotating menu afterthought. Hours and menus change, so treat this guide as a starting point and check each restaurant’s own site before you go.
Detroit-style means a square or rectangular pan pie, baked in an oiled steel pan with Wisconsin brick cheese spread to the very edge so it caramelizes and crisps against the pan wall. Sauce typically goes on top, not under the cheese. Deep dish is round with tall straight sides, a thick buttery crust, chunky tomato sauce over the top, and layered cheese and fillings inside. It takes 40–45 minutes to bake and eats like a meal, not a snack.
Detroit-style pizza in Houston
Via 313
Houston Heights: 1541 N Shepherd Dr, Ste 1000 · Memorial City: 10201 Katy Fwy, Ste 350 · open daily
Via 313 is the brand that brought genuine Detroit-style pizza to wide Texas attention, launching in Austin before expanding to multiple Houston-area locations starting in 2024. The Heights shop on North Shepherd and the Memorial City location inside the shopping complex off the Katy Freeway are the two covered here. Both serve the same concept: fresh-rolled dough, square pies available in full or half sizes, and the fried-cheese rim around every edge that is the point of the whole thing. Sauce goes on top after the bake. Food Network and Food & Wine have both recognized Via 313 as one of the country’s best Detroit pies.
What to order: The Detroiter (pepperoni cups, red sauce, brick cheese) is the entry point. Ask about the elote pizza if it’s on the current menu.
Gold Tooth Tony’s — Heights
1901 N Shepherd Dr, Ste 4, Houston Heights · open daily, typically 11am–10pm
Gold Tooth Tony’s is Houston-owned and built entirely around Detroit-style pizza. The original shop on North Shepherd in the Heights is a counter-service spot with no frills and a tight menu of square pies: fluffy interior, crispy caramelized cheese along the pan edge, sauce on top. The pies lean creative — Sebastian’s Big Idea includes SPAM, charred pineapple, and furikake; the 181 Heights goes arugula pesto with fennel pollen — but the Houston Chz (brick cheese, red pepper flakes, basil) is the cleanest first look at the style. Three Houston-area locations; this is the original.
What to order: Houston Chz for a first visit; Hunger Force (all-beef meatballs, whipped herb ricotta) when you want something richer.
Gold Tooth Tony’s at Rudyard’s — Montrose
2010 Waugh Dr, Montrose · open daily, typically 11am–11pm
Same pizza, completely different room. Gold Tooth Tony’s Montrose location operates inside Rudyard’s British Pub, one of Houston’s longest-standing dive bars. Rudyard’s is one of Houston’s longest-running dive bars — live music, stiff drinks, walls thick with band stickers. Getting a Detroit-style square pie here, caramelized cheese edges and sauce stripes on top, while a band sets up in the back room, is one of the more genuinely unusual pizza situations in the city. The kitchen stays open until 11pm nightly.
Insider tip: Rudyard’s posts show and music schedules on its own site. If there is a show, the pizza counter is right there.
Sapore Detroit Pizzeria — Katy
23445 Kingsland Blvd, Ste 500, Katy · Mon–Sat 4pm–10pm, closed Sunday
Sapore is a family-run Katy spot that takes the craft seriously: authentic blue-steel pans from Michigan, Wisconsin brick cheese, and a menu named after Detroit neighborhoods and landmarks — Bricktown, Eastern Market, Hockey Town, Joe Louis “Fist,” The Temptations, The Supremes. Owner Christos Batsios cooks seed-oil-free and promotes it on the official site. The menu also covers wings, Italian sandwiches, cannoli, and the newer Houston Round, which nods to the local market.
What to order: Eastern Market or Hockey Town for a classic; the Joe Louis “Fist” if you want something bolder.
Pizaro’s Pizza — Montrose and Memorial
Montrose: 1000 W Gray St, Ste 400 · Memorial: 11177 Katy Fwy, Ste E · closed Mondays
Pizaro’s is the rare Houston pizzeria that takes three styles seriously at once: Neapolitan, Detroit, and New York. For the Detroit side, the kitchen uses genuine blue-steel Detroit pans and spreads cheddar cheese all the way to the edge, yielding a thick, airy interior with a crunchy lacey crust along the side wall. Order a Neapolitan and a Detroit round at the same table to see just how different two pies baked in the same kitchen can be.
Best for: anyone who wants Neapolitan and Detroit on the same visit.
Deep-dish pizza in Houston
Star Pizza — Houston
Upper Kirby: 2111 Norfolk St · Washington Ave area: 77 Harvard St · open daily
Two Chicagoans opened Star Pizza in 1976 in a two-story bungalow on Norfolk Street because they could not find proper deep dish in Houston. That original bungalow is still there. A second location followed in 1988 on Harvard Street near Washington Avenue. Star Pizza has since grown to three Houston locations, including a newer Cinco Ranch outpost. The pies take around 45 minutes to bake, they come in 10, 12, and 14-inch pans, and the silver pan that arrives at the table is heavier than it looks. Deep dish is the reason to come: layered fillings, chunky tomato sauce over the top, tall straight sides that hold the whole thing together. Both locations run a lunch pizza buffet on weekdays.
What to order: Deep-dish pizza with your choice of toppings. A 10-inch is more food than it looks.
Fuzzy’s Pizza — Katy
613 S Mason Rd, Katy · Tue–Sat 11am–9pm, Sun 11am–7pm, closed Monday
Fuzzy’s has been in Katy since 1995. The specialty is Chicago stuffed crust: a full pie baked inside two layers of crust, denser and richer than a standard deep dish and nothing like any hand-tossed option on the menu. If you are driving in from west Houston or Sugar Land and want deep dish without fighting Montrose traffic, Fuzzy’s is the stop.
What to order: The stuffed crust pizza. Call ahead for larger pies — they take time.
Cast iron pizza
Betelgeuse Betelgeuse — Washington Ave and Montrose
Washington Ave: 2101 Washington Ave · Montrose: 4500 Montrose Blvd · open daily
Betelgeuse calls itself “cast iron pizza and cocktails,” not Detroit-style, but baking at 615 degrees in a cast-iron pan produces a crispy crust with cupped pepperoni that sits closer to the Detroit end of the spectrum than anything else you will find late at night. Two locations, open until 2am nightly at Washington Ave, vegan dough available, gluten-free crust on large pies. The pizza and cocktail list are designed to go together: this is a bar that also makes good pan pizza.
What to order: The Pickle (bacon and ranch) or Supernova.
Save this: a pan-pizza route
Use a rideshare or a designated driver between stops on both routes.
Inner loop Detroit afternoon (Heights to Montrose)
- Start at Via 313 on North Shepherd for a half-pan of the Detroiter.
- Head a few blocks north to Gold Tooth Tony’s Heights for the Houston Chz.
- End at Gold Tooth Tony’s at Rudyard’s in Montrose — check the show schedule before you go.
Deep-dish evening (Washington Ave and Montrose)
- Start at Betelgeuse on Washington Ave for a cast-iron pie and a cocktail.
- Drive or rideshare to Star Pizza on Norfolk for a full deep-dish pan — call ahead or order online so it is ready when you arrive.
More Houston food guides
For the full pizza picture, the best pizza in Houston guide covers Neapolitan, New York, and tavern-style slices. For everything else in these neighborhoods: best restaurants in the Heights, best restaurants in Montrose, and best restaurants in EaDo and the East End. If you are out in Katy for Sapore or Fuzzy’s, the best restaurants in Katy guide covers the rest of the area.
Last verified: October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What is Detroit-style pizza?
Detroit-style pizza is a square or rectangular pan pizza baked in a thick, oiled steel pan. Wisconsin brick cheese is spread all the way to the edge of the pan, so it caramelizes and crisps against the side wall during baking. Tomato sauce is typically added in stripes on top of the cheese after the bake, rather than under it.
Where can I find Detroit-style pizza in Houston?
Houston has several dedicated Detroit-style spots: Via 313 has multiple Houston-area locations including Heights (1541 N Shepherd Dr), Memorial City (10201 Katy Fwy), and Webster; Gold Tooth Tony's has three locations (Heights, Montrose inside Rudyard's pub, and Bellaire); Sapore Detroit Pizzeria is in Katy; and Pizaro's Pizza (Montrose and Memorial) serves Detroit style alongside Neapolitan and New York pies. Check each restaurant's site before visiting for current hours.
Is there Chicago deep-dish pizza in Houston?
Yes. Star Pizza (original at 2111 Norfolk St in Upper Kirby and a second at 77 Harvard St near Washington Ave, with a newer Cinco Ranch location) has been making Chicago-style deep dish since 1976, when two Chicagoans opened the original bungalow on Norfolk. Fuzzy's Pizza in Katy has served Chicago stuffed crust since 1995.
What is the difference between Detroit-style pizza and deep-dish pizza?
Detroit-style is square or rectangular, baked in an oiled steel pan, with cheese spread to the edge so it caramelizes, and sauce on top. Deep dish is round with tall straight sides, a thick buttery crust, and chunky tomato sauce over layered cheese and toppings inside. Detroit pies bake in 12–18 minutes; deep dish typically takes 40–45 minutes.
How long does deep-dish pizza take to bake?
Chicago-style deep-dish pizza typically takes 40–45 minutes to bake because of the thick crust and layered fillings. Star Pizza in Houston offers online ordering so you can time your arrival. For large orders at Fuzzy's Pizza in Katy, calling ahead is recommended.
Does Gold Tooth Tony's have multiple Houston locations?
Yes. Gold Tooth Tony's Detroit Pizza has three Houston-area locations as of October 2026: the original at 1901 N Shepherd Dr in the Heights, a second inside Rudyard's British Pub at 2010 Waugh Dr in Montrose, and a third at 5225 Bellaire Blvd in Bellaire. Each location is open daily; hours vary slightly by location, so check goldtoothtonys.com before going.