Best Pizza in Galveston, TX: 8 Pizzerias by Style

The best pizza in Galveston, TX spans more styles than most beach towns can claim: classic New York hand-tossed, Chicago deep dish, Neapolitan and two old-school joints where the dough gets thrown into the air before it becomes your pie. This guide covers eight currently operating pizzerias on Galveston Island, organized by style, with what to order at each one.

The quick list: 8 verified pizzerias on Galveston Island

• For classic NY-style from longtime island staples: Mario's Ristorante on 61st Street or Gino's on Stewart Road.
• For the deep dish every local knows: Mario's Seawall Italian and Pizzeria and The Joey, a Chicago-style pie built on house-made Italian sausage.
• For watching dough fly: Mama Teresa's Flying Pizza (downtown) or Rosario's Flying Pizza and Pub on the Strand — two independent joints that have been tossing dough in the air for decades.
• For Neapolitan: Grotto Ristorante at the San Luis Resort, the upscale option on the west end.
• For late-night: Rosario's (open until 3am Saturdays) or Papa's Pizza (open until 1am Fridays and Saturdays).
• For delivery to your rental house: Papa's Pizza (island-wide delivery) or Gino's (free delivery on Galveston Island).

How we chose

Everything on this list is within the city of Galveston on Galveston Island — addresses from the 61st Street corridor east to the Strand and Bolivar Ferry terminal, on the barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico. We exclude Jamaica Beach and Bolivar Peninsula. Every restaurant was confirmed open by checking each place's own official website or official social page for current posted hours as of October 2026.

One thing worth knowing: Galveston is the only city in the Houston metro area with two independent pizzerias — Mama Teresa's and Rosario's — whose entire identity is built around tossing dough in the air. Both have been at it for decades (Rosario's since 1978), both are completely unaffiliated, and it's a quirk you won't find anywhere else in the region.

New York-style

Mario's Ristorante, 61st Street

Midtown · 2202 61st St · closed Mondays

Mario's Ristorante on 61st is an Italian kitchen that has been making hand-tossed thin-crust pies on the island for decades. The menu is honest: house-made sauces, NY-style dough, no shortcuts. There is also a takeout-only location at Pirates Beach on the west end of the island (13708 Termini San Luis Pass Rd), open primarily evenings and weekends.

What to order: Classic NY pies, plain or loaded. Go hungry — portions are generous.

Papa's Pizza, Seawall

Midtown · 4400 Seawall Blvd · open daily until midnight (1am Fridays and Saturdays)

Papa's has been making hand-tossed pies for over 50 years, making it one of the oldest pizzerias on this list. The shop claims multiple Best Pizza in Galveston wins and eight consecutive years of Best Delivery on the island. Hours are long and delivery is island-wide.

What to order: The Big Papa Supreme — cheese, sauce, pepperoni, sausage, green pepper, onion, black olives. The Big Dilly, a pickle pizza, divides the island every summer and is worth trying once.

Gino's Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria, Stewart Road

Midtown · 6124 Stewart Rd · call ahead for current hours

Gino's is one of the longest-running Italian kitchens on Galveston Island, still making hand-tossed pies on the same Stewart Road corridor where it has always operated. Free delivery is available; check their site for current hours and delivery area. Full pasta and Italian entrée menu alongside the pizzas.

What to order: Hand-tossed pies with a proper edge. The grilled chicken Parmesan is a standout if you want a full meal.

Russo's New York Pizzeria, West Seawall

West Seawall · 500 Seawall Blvd, Suite 300 · open daily until 10pm weeknights, 11pm weekends

Russo's is a Houston-founded chain with a Galveston seawall location. The dough is made fresh every day after a 24-hour ferment, which gives the crust more character than most beach-adjacent pizza shops. The menu covers NY-style slices, pasta and Italian classics.

What to order: Classic NY slices. The Chicken Parmesan pizza is a consistent order at this location.

Chicago deep dish

Mario's Seawall Italian and Pizzeria

East Seawall · 628 Seawall Blvd · open daily; Wednesday large pizza $9.99 from 3pm

A separate restaurant from Mario's on 61st with no shared ownership, Mario's Seawall is best known for The Joey — a Chicago-style deep dish loaded with house-made Italian sausage, chunky vine-ripened tomatoes and both mozzarella and Romano on a thick crust. It is the single most-mentioned Galveston pizza in island conversations. They also make hand-tossed pies and a Buccaneer pizza built on Gulf shrimp and crawfish, unique to this location. Convenient before or after the Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier, a short walk east on the Seawall.

What to order: The Joey. On Wednesdays, a large pizza is $9.99 (one topping, pickup only) from 3 to 9pm — the best value on the Seawall. The gelato is voted Best in Galveston, so stay for dessert.

Flying pizza — the Galveston toss

Mama Teresa's Flying Pizza and Italian Restaurant

Downtown/Midtown · 416 21st St · closed Mondays; dinner only Tue–Fri; 11am onward Sat and Sun

Mama Teresa's has been tossing the dough in plain view of the dining room for decades. No reservations, no delivery, no shortcuts. A regular neighborhood crowd keeps the place full, and the menu covers pasta and Italian classics alongside the pies. Cash is preferred.

What to order: The Supreme. Sit where you can see the open kitchen if you want the show. Call ahead on slow weeknights — the kitchen can close earlier than posted.

Rosario's Flying Pizza and Pub

Strand Historic District · 2121 The Strand · open daily; until 2am Fridays, 3am Saturdays

Rosario's opened on the Strand in 1978 and is still the best late-night option in the historic district, staying open until 2am Fridays and 3am Saturdays. Veteran-owned, no-frills, with beer and well drinks on the pub side. A natural stop on an evening through the Galveston Strand Historic District.

What to order: The Supreme or Meat Pizza. Wings and oversized mozzarella sticks round out the late-night menu.

Neapolitan

Grotto Ristorante, San Luis Resort

West Seawall · 5222 Seawall Blvd, inside The San Luis Resort · closed Tuesdays; dinner from 4pm

Grotto is the upscale Neapolitan option in Galveston, inside the San Luis Resort at the west end of the seawall. Traditional thin-crust pies, Italian-sourced toppings. If you are heading to Moody Gardens on the west end, Grotto is about five minutes away and a natural dinner stop. Happy hour runs Monday through Friday from 4 to 6:30pm.

What to order: Margherita (Roma tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil) to taste the crust, or the Spicy Italian (chorizo, hot capicola, nduja sausage, pepperoncini) if you want heat.

Save this: two Galveston pizza routes

Use a rideshare or walk where the Seawall and Strand allow. Never drive between stops after drinking.

East-to-west Seawall (afternoon to evening):

1. Start at Mario's Seawall (628 Seawall Blvd) for The Joey. Go on Wednesday for the $9.99 deal (pickup only).
2. Continue west to Papa's Pizza (4400 Seawall Blvd) for a NY-style comparison, or skip if you are full.
3. End at Grotto (5222 Seawall, San Luis Resort) for Neapolitan pizza and a sunset happy-hour drink.

Strand evening into late night:

1. Mama Teresa's (416 21st St) for dinner — watch the dough fly and order the Supreme.
2. Late night, Rosario's (2121 The Strand) stays open until 2am Friday and 3am Saturday.

Quick checklist before you go

• Confirm current hours on each restaurant's own site before you leave. Seasonal changes happen.
• Gino's delivers free on Galveston Island — useful if you are renting a beach house.
• Mario's Seawall runs a $9.99 large pizza deal (one topping, pickup only) on Wednesdays from 3 to 9pm.
• For a full day on the island, see the Galveston day trip guide.
• More Galveston food: best brunch in Galveston and best Mexican restaurants in Galveston.

Last verified: October 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best pizza in Galveston TX?

The most locally famous pizza in Galveston is The Joey at Mario's Seawall Italian and Pizzeria (628 Seawall Blvd), a Chicago-style deep dish with house-made Italian sausage that has become an island staple. For classic NY-style, Mario's Ristorante (2202 61st St) and Gino's Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria (6124 Stewart Rd) are two of the longest-running spots on the island.

Is there deep-dish pizza in Galveston?

Yes. Mario's Seawall Italian and Pizzeria at 628 Seawall Blvd serves Chicago-style deep dish. Their signature pie, The Joey, is loaded with house-made Italian sausage, chunky vine-ripened tomatoes, mozzarella and Romano on a thick crust. On Wednesdays, a large pizza is $9.99 (one topping, pickup only) from 3 to 9pm.

What is flying pizza in Galveston?

Two Galveston pizzerias, Mama Teresa's Flying Pizza (416 21st St) and Rosario's Flying Pizza and Pub (2121 The Strand), toss their dough in the air in full view of the dining room. Both have been doing it for decades (Rosario's since 1978) and are completely unaffiliated. It is an old-school Italian-American toss-and-spin tradition that persists at both restaurants.

Which Galveston pizza places are open late?

Rosario's Flying Pizza and Pub at 2121 The Strand is open until 2am Fridays and 3am Saturdays, making it the best late-night option in the historic district. Papa's Pizza at 4400 Seawall Blvd is open until midnight most nights and until 1am Fridays and Saturdays.

Does Galveston have Neapolitan pizza?

Yes. Grotto Ristorante at the San Luis Resort (5222 Seawall Blvd) serves Neapolitan-style pizza. It is open for dinner only, closed Tuesdays, and offers happy hour Monday through Friday from 4 to 6:30pm.

Which pizza restaurant in Galveston delivers?

Papa's Pizza (4400 Seawall Blvd) offers island-wide delivery. Gino's Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria (6124 Stewart Rd) offers free delivery. Check each restaurant's official site for current delivery hours, area and minimum orders.