Best Pizza in Rice Village, Houston: 10 Spots by Style

Rice Village delivers every pizza style worth eating, all within a neighborhood small enough to do a proper pizza crawl on foot. If you want Chicago deep dish, Neapolitan charred crust, artisan sourdough, late-night bar pies, or wine-on-tap alongside your flatbread, you’ll find it here. This guide is organized by style so you can match the craving to the spot.

What counts as Rice Village for this guide

Rice Village is the dining and shopping district anchored by Morningside Drive on the west, Kirby Drive on the east, University Boulevard on the north, and Sunset Boulevard on the south. A handful of picks sit on the adjacent blocks just outside that box—Kirby itself, the Morningside corridor, and West Alabama one block north—but nothing farther than a five-minute walk from the village core. Spots in Montrose or the Galleria that share a zip code but require a drive were excluded.

How we chose

Each pizzeria on this list was confirmed as currently open via its own official website or official social media page as of October 2026. We organized by pizza style because Rice Village is unusual in offering genuine variety: you can walk from a 1976 deep-dish house to a Neapolitan wood-fired oven to a cocktail-bar sourdough pie in under twenty minutes. Any place that didn’t publish current hours or appeared closed on its own pages was left off.

Chicago deep dish

Star Pizza

2111 Norfolk St · [starpizza.net](https://www.starpizza.net/)

Star Pizza is where pizza delivery in Houston began. In October 1976, two Chicagoans opened a deep-dish parlor in a green-and-white two-story house on Norfolk Street—what the company describes as the first pizza delivery operation in the city. That same building is still there, still serving, and the deep dish is still the reason to go.

Order the Starburst or the deep-dish Pepperoni Deluxe. The weekday lunch buffet runs 11am–2pm if you want to sample multiple pies without committing to a whole one. Star Pizza also offers hand-tossed and whole-wheat crusts, but the deep dish is the point.

Best for: groups who want the original Houston pizza experience in a casual room.

Neapolitan wood-fired

Coppa Osteria

5210 Morningside Dr · [coppaosteria.com](https://coppaosteria.com)

Coppa Osteria occupies a corner of Morningside with a 5,000-square-foot room and a dedicated “Dough Room” where pasta and pizza dough are made fresh every morning. The Neapolitan pies bake in a wood-fired oven and come out with blistered, leopard-charred crust.

The Carnissima is the one to order: five house-cured meats—sausage, pepperoni, salumi toscano, coppa, prosciutto—on one pie. For something lighter, the Coppa Pepperoni adds goat cheese and caramelized onion. Coppa also makes pizza fritta, the fried-dough street-food version that predates the wood-fired oven.

Insider tip: there’s a walk-up pizza window on the Morningside side of the building. You can grab a slice without a table and keep walking through the village. This is the rare pizzeria where you can eat standing on the sidewalk.

The Gypsy Poet

2512 Times Blvd · [thegypsypoet.us](https://thegypsypoet.us/)

The Gypsy Poet opened its Rice Village location in July 2026. Each 13-inch pie uses a sourdough-fermented crust baked in a wood-fired oven, and every pie is named for a travel destination or cultural moment.

The Dream Catcher (truffle oil, goat cheese, cherry tomatoes, arugula) is the standout. The Pepperoni Madness with hot honey runs close behind. Gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan crusts are available. The room is dinner-focused Tuesday through Sunday.

Best for: a date night or a thoughtful weeknight dinner—this is not a quick-slice spot.

Bollo Woodfired Pizza

2202 W Alabama St · [bollohouston.com](https://www.bollohouston.com/)

Bollo is four blocks from Rice Village on West Alabama, but earns a place here because it’s one of Houston’s most technically correct Neapolitan operations. The 800°F wood-fired oven produces a crust with true leopard spotting—blistered black and cream—and minimal toppings on a thin, foldable base.

Order the Bianco de Bollo (fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, olive oil) or the Classico (Di Napoli tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella). This is a pizza for people who want to taste the crust. Pair a visit here with the rest of Upper Kirby’s restaurants before or after.

Best for: Neapolitan purists.

Artisan sourdough

Luna Pizzeria

3435 Kirby Dr · [lunapizzeria.com](https://lunapizzeria.com/)

Luna sits right on Kirby, the eastern boundary of Rice Village. Its distinctive move: the sourdough crust is sourced from Angela’s Oven, a local Houston bakery, rather than made in-house. The fermentation schedule and the character of the crust are driven by a dedicated bread baker, not a line cook stretched across too many roles.

The Mushroom (baby portobello, shiitake, oyster, button, spinach, rosemary, whipped ricotta) is a study in restraint. The Prosciutto & Arugula (with a lemon vinaigrette drizzle after the bake) is the one for prosciutto fans. Available in personal 9-inch or 16-inch sizes; check the official site for current hours.

Best for: solo lunch or a light dinner with a glass of wine.

Old-school Italian cafe

D’Amico’s Italian Market Cafe

5510 Morningside Dr · [damico-cafe.com](https://damico-cafe.com/)

D’Amico’s has been in Rice Village for about 30 years—one of the oldest restaurants still operating in the neighborhood. It’s a deli-cafe hybrid: an Italian market stocked with imported pasta, olive oil, and tinned fish alongside a restaurant serving fire-roasted thin-crust pizza, handmade sandwiches, and house-made pasta.

The Nash Pizza is the house specialty. Order it, browse the market shelves while you wait, and leave with something for your pantry. The room is casual and the value is strong.

Best for: a neighborhood lunch or an early weeknight dinner when you also want to shop.

Creative woodstone oven

Hungry’s

2356 Rice Blvd · [hungryscafe.com](https://hungryscafe.com/)

Hungry’s has been a Rice Village institution for decades, and its pizza program runs through a wood-fired oven on thin-crust pies with eclectic toppings. The Hot Honey Pepperoni (crushed red pepper, parmesan, mozzarella, basil pesto marinara, hot honey drizzle) is where to start if you’re undecided. The Harvest Pizza (eggplant, ginger-glazed brussels sprouts, roasted red bell pepper) is the vegetarian move. Cauliflower crust is available for an upcharge.

Hungry’s also serves salads, pastas, burgers, and international entrées, which makes it the most practical call when your group isn’t entirely sold on pizza.

Best for: groups, long midday lunches, and anyone who wants options beyond pizza at the same table.

Wine-bar flatbread

Sixty Vines

2540 University Blvd · [sixtyvines.com](https://www.sixtyvines.com/)

Sixty Vines pours 60 wines by the glass on tap—sourced direct from wine country, never bottled—and uses wood-fired flatbreads as the food program. The Fig & Prosciutto Pizza and the Mushroom Pizza are the most satisfying food choices for serious eaters. The Margherita is an honest baseline. Prices are typically $14–$20 per pie; check the current menu before you go.

The wine is the point here. The two-story room at University and Kirby has a greenhouse patio and is well-suited to a business lunch or a double date when the company matters as much as the food.

Best for: a wine-forward lunch or early dinner at the corner of University and Kirby.

Late-night bar pizza

Lee’s

5117 Kelvin Dr, Suite 200 · Instagram / social: @leeshtx

Lee’s is a cocktail bar first. The pizza program—six 10-inch pies served Wednesday through Sunday evenings—was created by chef Seth Siegel-Gardner, who built the James Beard–nominated The Pass & Provisions. The dough is made with prosecco, which gives the crust a fine-bubbled texture that sits between New York and Neapolitan.

Order the Pesto Saltimbocca or the Margherita alongside a cocktail from a serious list. This is one of the few places in Rice Village to get considered pizza after 10pm.

Best for: late dinner Wednesday through Sunday, especially as a final stop on a village evening.

Every-occasion takeout

La Fresca Pizza

6603 Kirby Dr, Suite B · [lafrescapizza.com](https://lafrescapizza.com/)

La Fresca is a local two-location chain at the southern edge of the Rice Village area on Kirby at West University Place. The pies are thin-crust gourmet, oven-baked, and priced around $16–$17 (check the current menu). The Mediterranean (chicken, olives, feta) and the Pesto Pizza are reliable. Open daily 11am–9pm; check the official site before you go.

No reservations, no concept, no wait for a 900° oven to come to temperature. Solid pizza at a fair price.

Best for: takeout, a quick solo lunch, or a first stop on a neighborhood crawl.

Save this: a Rice Village pizza crawl

Rice Village is small enough to walk between spots in 20 minutes. Here’s a three-stop route that covers three very different styles in one afternoon or evening.

1. Start at D’Amico’s on Morningside Drive for a slice at lunch and a look around the Italian market.
2. Walk south to Coppa Osteria for a pizza fritta or a quick slice at the walk-up window on Morningside.
3. Finish at Lee’s on Kelvin Drive for a 10-inch prosecco-dough pie and a cocktail. Wednesdays and Thursdays are quieter; weekends fill up early.

All three are walkable from each other through the village core. Never drive between stops after drinking.

More food in Rice Village

For everything else in the neighborhood—sushi, Thai, brunch, sandwiches—see the full best restaurants in Rice Village guide. For a date night out in Houston, the guide covers all neighborhoods. The Rice Village and West U area page has parking, transit, and neighborhood context. For cocktail bars near Rice Village, the city-wide list includes the closest options.

Last verified: October 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best pizza in Rice Village, Houston?

Rice Village has 10 verified pizzerias covering every major style. For Chicago deep dish, Star Pizza at 2111 Norfolk Street has been serving the original since 1976. For Neapolitan wood-fired, Coppa Osteria on Morningside Drive and The Gypsy Poet on Times Boulevard are the strongest choices. For late-night bar pizza, Lee’s on Kelvin Drive serves 10-inch prosecco-dough pies Wednesday through Sunday.

Is there Neapolitan pizza in Rice Village?

Yes. Three options are within or just adjacent to Rice Village. Coppa Osteria at 5210 Morningside Drive bakes in a wood-fired oven and has a walk-up pizza window on the street. The Gypsy Poet at 2512 Times Boulevard uses sourdough-fermented 13-inch crusts baked in a wood-fired oven. Bollo Woodfired Pizza on West Alabama (four blocks away) fires at 800°F for authentic leopard-char crust.

Does Rice Village have late-night pizza?

Lee’s on Kelvin Drive serves pizza Wednesday through Sunday evenings. The kitchen makes 10-inch pies with a prosecco-based dough, created by the chef behind The Pass & Provisions. It is one of the few places in the neighborhood to get serious pizza after 10pm.

How old is Star Pizza in Rice Village?

Star Pizza opened in October 1976 on Norfolk Street. The company describes it as bringing pizza delivery to Houston, making it one of the city’s oldest continuously operating pizza restaurants. The original building is still in use today.

Which Rice Village pizzeria has a walk-up window?

Coppa Osteria at 5210 Morningside Drive has a street-side walk-up pizza window where you can get a slice without sitting down at a table. It faces the Morningside sidewalk.

Does The Gypsy Poet have a location in Rice Village?

Yes. The Gypsy Poet has a Rice Village location at 2512 Times Boulevard in Houston. The pies are 13-inch sourdough-fermented crusts baked in a wood-fired oven, with every pie named for a travel destination or cultural moment. The Heights location on Studewood Street is the original studio.