Best Pizza in Garden Oaks and Oak Forest: 8 Picks by Style

The best pizza in Garden Oaks and Oak Forest is at Pink's Pizza on N Shepherd Dr for hand-tossed slices, d'Alba on Alba Rd for wood-fired pies on a dog-friendly patio, and Pepperoni's on W 43rd St for a classic NY pie with vegan and gluten-free options. For a sit-down pizza night with wine, book Lazy Lane on Wakefield Dr or Plonk! Bistro on W 43rd St. All eight picks below sit inside the two neighborhoods just north of the 610 North Loop in Houston, and each was checked as open on its own official site.

Here's the line to send the group chat: in the GOOF, as locals call Garden Oaks and Oak Forest, you can get a slice, a wood-fired pie with a cocktail picked to match it, and a baked potato pizza within a few minutes' drive of each other.

How do we define Garden Oaks and Oak Forest?

For this guide, Garden Oaks and Oak Forest cover the wedge north of the 610 North Loop and W 34th St, from Yale St west to just past T.C. Jester Blvd, running north a little past W 43rd St.

The Garden Oaks Civic Club places Garden Oaks just north of the North Loop, between Ella Blvd and Yale St. Oak Forest is the larger grid of postwar subdivisions to the west. The pizza streets are N Shepherd Dr, Ella Blvd, W 43rd St, Wakefield Dr and Alba Rd. Pizzerias south of the Loop belong to our best pizza in the Heights guide.

Three things even locals don't know

• Pink's Pizza is named after a car racer. According to Pink's own history, founder Ken Bridge named the chain for his grandfather, Grandpa Pink, who earned the nickname racing cars in the days when drivers raced for each other's pink slips.
• d'Alba pairs every pizza three ways. On the Garden Oaks menu at d'Alba, each wood-fired pie comes with a suggested beer, a suggested wine and a suggested cocktail, so the date-night question of what to drink is already answered.
• Garden Oaks was planned as an affordable suburb. The Garden Oaks Civic Club's history says the neighborhood began in 1937 on 750 acres, built to be beautiful but not expensive.

The quick list

• Best slice: Pink's Pizza (N Shepherd Dr), hand-tossed and sold by the slice.
• Best classic NY pie with vegan and gluten-free options: Pepperoni's (W 43rd St).
• Best wood-fired pizza with a dog: d'Alba (Alba Rd).
• Most creative pizza menu: Lazy Lane (Wakefield Dr).
• Best pizza with a glass of wine: Plonk! Bistro (W 43rd St).
• Best late-night delivery: Domino's (Ella Blvd), typically open until 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
• Other delivery standbys: Marco's Pizza (Ella Blvd) and Pizza Hut (W 43rd St).

How we chose

We picked places inside our boundary that make pizza a real part of the menu, not a kids' afterthought, and that list their Garden Oaks or Oak Forest address on their official website as of November 2026. We grouped them by style so you can match the pizza to the night: a slice on the way home, a wood-fired pie on a patio, a wine-bar dinner, or a box at the door.

We left out places we couldn't confirm as open at a Garden Oaks or Oak Forest address on their own site. Several well-known pizzerias with addresses on N Shepherd Dr sit south of the Loop, in the Heights, and are covered in that guide instead. Hours and prices change, so treat everything below as typical and check each restaurant's site before you go.

Slices and New York-style pies

1. Pink's Pizza (N Shepherd Dr)

Pink's Pizza Garden Oaks/Oak Forest, at 3404 N Shepherd Dr, is the GOOF's go-to for hand-tossed pies and pizza by the slice. Pink's lists typical hours of 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, with a note that hours vary by location.

Order: the Rocko, with Italian sausage, Canadian bacon, portabella mushroom, fire-roasted red bell pepper, red onion and Roma tomato, or the Freshetta, with garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, feta, spinach, bacon, marinated chicken and fresh tomatoes. In a hurry? Cheese slices are on the menu, and you can add toppings.

Why go: Pink's has a specialty list of more than a dozen pies with personality, plus plant-based Daiya cheese and 12-inch gluten-free dough. Read the menu to the end: there's a 50-cent line item called Pizza Insurance.

2. Pepperoni's Oak Forest (W 43rd St)

Pepperoni's Oak Forest, at 1354 W 43rd St, serves New York-style pizza, wings and salads, with vegan and gluten-free options. Founder Ray Salti and his family opened the first Pepperoni's in 1990.

Order: a large New York-style pie for the table, plus wings. If someone in your group eats vegan or gluten-free, this is the easiest pizza order in the neighborhood.

I didn't know that: Pepperoni's says it partners with DiNapoli Brand Tomatoes to grow and harvest the California tomatoes for its sauces, and that its dough uses untreated flour that's never bleached or bromated.

Wood-fired and restaurant pizza

3. d'Alba (Alba Rd)

d'Alba, at 3715 Alba Rd in Garden Oaks, bakes 12-inch pizzas in a wood-fired oven and has an entirely dog-friendly patio. The restaurant is typically open every day: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Thursday, until 11 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday.

Order: the shrimp pizza with applewood-smoked bacon, porcini mushroom, rosemary and thyme, or the pepperoni pie with jalapeño and chile honey. The wild cremini mushroom pizza with porcini ricotta and truffled arugula is the one for a vegetarian at the table. d'Alba notes that gluten-free crust is currently unavailable and customization is limited.

Why go: a wood-fired pie, a paired drink and the dog at your feet. Weekday happy hour typically runs 2 to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday. Come back on the weekend for the breakfast pizza in our Garden Oaks and Oak Forest brunch guide, and find more pup-friendly spots in our dog-friendly patios guide.

4. Lazy Lane (Wakefield Dr)

Lazy Lane, at 923 Wakefield Dr in Garden Oaks, has the most inventive pizza list in the neighborhood. Dinner is typically served Tuesday to Saturday from 4 p.m., and happy hour runs 2 to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday to Friday and 3 to 5:30 p.m. on weekends.

Order: the Baked Potato Pizza, with a charred scallion white sauce, red and purple potatoes, bacon, cheddar and chives. Or try the Lamb Kebab Pizza with za'atar, lamb sausage, yogurt sauce, pickled onions and feta. The Meatball Pizza with ricotta and pickled peppers is the crowd-pleaser.

Why go: it's the pizza night you book for a birthday or a date, with cocktails and a wine list to match.

5. Plonk! Bistro (W 43rd St)

Plonk! Bistro and Wine Cellar, at 1214 W 43rd St, is a neighborhood wine bar whose menu includes stone-oven pizzas alongside handmade pasta and charcuterie. It's typically open 4 to 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Order: a stone-oven pizza and a cheese board to share, then let the staff steer you to a glass. The menu changes with the seasons, so check it on the Plonk! site.

Why go: the multi-tiered, dog-friendly back patio. Happy hour typically runs 4 to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday, with half-price small plates from the Taste + Share menu and special pricing on wine by the glass. More in our best wine bars in Houston.

Delivery and late-night

6. Domino's (Ella Blvd)

Domino's at 4226 Ella Blvd is the latest-open pick on this list, typically open until 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday and until midnight on Sunday. It does delivery and carryout. For more after-dark options, see our late-night food in Houston guide.

7. Marco's Pizza (Ella Blvd)

Marco's Pizza at 3440 Ella Blvd, near W 34th St, is the delivery pick for the Garden Oaks side. The chain's menu leans on specialty pies such as the Deluxe, with pepperoni, Italian sausage, mushrooms, green peppers and onions.

8. Pizza Hut (W 43rd St)

Pizza Hut at 1227 W 43rd St sits across the street from Plonk! in Oak Forest and handles delivery and carryout. It's a reliable option for feeding a team after practice.

Save this: the GOOF pizza map

Screenshot this list and you'll never have to ask the neighborhood Facebook group again.

• W 43rd St pizza strip: Plonk! (1214), Pizza Hut (1227) and Pepperoni's (1354) are all within a short stretch of W 43rd St.
• N Shepherd slice stop: Pink's (3404 N Shepherd Dr).
• Garden Oaks dinner pair: d'Alba (3715 Alba Rd) and Lazy Lane (923 Wakefield Dr).
• Ella Blvd delivery: Marco's (3440 Ella Blvd) and Domino's (4226 Ella Blvd).
• Bring the dog: d'Alba or Plonk!
• Vegan or gluten-free in the group: Pepperoni's or Pink's.
• After 11 p.m. on a weekend: Domino's.

Tips before you go

Weeknights are easy. On Friday and Saturday, reserve at Lazy Lane through its website and arrive early at d'Alba, whose site lists reservations for groups. Most of these spots have their own parking lots, but the W 43rd St and N Shepherd Dr strip centers fill up at dinner.

If you're comparing styles across the city, our best pizza in Houston guide covers Neapolitan, Detroit, tavern and New York slices, and our Detroit-style and deep-dish guide is for square-pie fans. Planning a family night? See our kid-friendly restaurants in Houston.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best pizza in Garden Oaks and Oak Forest?

For a slice, go to Pink's Pizza at 3404 N Shepherd Dr. For a wood-fired pie, go to d'Alba at 3715 Alba Rd. For a sit-down pizza dinner with wine, book Lazy Lane at 923 Wakefield Dr or Plonk! Bistro at 1214 W 43rd St.

Where can I get a slice of pizza in Garden Oaks?

Pink's Pizza at 3404 N Shepherd Dr sells pizza by the slice, with cheese slices and add-on toppings on its menu. It's typically open until 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Which pizza places in Garden Oaks and Oak Forest are dog-friendly?

d'Alba on Alba Rd says its entire patio is dog-friendly, and Plonk! Bistro on W 43rd St describes its multi-tiered back patio as dog-friendly. Both serve oven-baked pizza.

Is there gluten-free or vegan pizza in Oak Forest?

Yes. Pepperoni's Oak Forest at 1354 W 43rd St offers vegan and gluten-free options, and Pink's Pizza on N Shepherd Dr offers plant-based Daiya cheese and a 12-inch gluten-free dough. d'Alba says its gluten-free crust is currently unavailable.

What pizza place in Garden Oaks is open late?

Domino's at 4226 Ella Blvd is typically open until 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday and until midnight on Sunday, for delivery or carryout. Check the store page before you order, since hours can change.

Where are Garden Oaks and Oak Forest in Houston?

Garden Oaks and Oak Forest are neighboring residential areas just north of the 610 North Loop, north of the Heights. Garden Oaks lies between Ella Blvd and Yale St, and Oak Forest extends west toward T.C. Jester Blvd.