All Our Favorite Pizzas in Honolulu

Pizza is one of those foods we all love, but not for the same reasons. While there are the crust-conscious, others fixate on the cheese, sauce or toppings, or maybe everything all at once. Then there are those who prefer a certain pizza style—New York, Sicilian, Neopolitan, Detroit and more—and gravitate to only those pies.

Our Frolic and HONOLULU team is with you in appreciation for excellent pizza, and we too have varying opinions. Rather than debate which is the best, we’ve decided to share all of our personal faves.

Photo: Andrea Lee

Little G Café

The flavors are bomb at this pizza spot on the second floor of the 808 Center. Plus, the crust is thin and crispy, the house-made mozzarella is chewy and tasty, and even the tomato sauce is tangy and fresh. My go-to is the cremini mushroom with white truffle cream, but I also like trying special flavors that rotate into the menu. A whole pizza is priced in the $20 to $29 range, while slices, also huge, are around $5. (I’m usually full after two pieces.) Plus, on Sundays, the cheese slice is just $1. It’s the owner’s way of giving back to the pizza-loving community. —Andrea Lee

808 Center 2nd floor, 808 Sheridan St., Ala Moana, (808) 699-9116,  littlegcafe.com, @littlegcafe

Photo: Katrina Valcourt

Pizza Mamo

If the sight of square pizza gives you flashbacks of high school lunches, push past it—this is not the bready pie of yesteryear. Pizza Mamo’s deep-dish, Detroit-style pizzas are fluffy, saucy and crisp around the edges, thanks to a crust of cheesy goodness teetering on the precipice of burnt. You can’t go wrong with pepperoni, but my go-to is the sausage and pesto combo, with Wisconsin brick cheddar, whole-milk mozzarella, Italian sausage, vine-ripened-tomato sauce and pesto. Yes, it’s the most expensive pizza on the menu at $30, but it includes four corner pieces and two soft middles, plus I get two meals out of it. I won’t turn down a thin-crust, Brooklyn-style slice from Mamo, but if I’m in charge of ordering, it’s the Detroit, baby! —Katrina Valcourt

16 N. Hotel St., Chinatown, eatpizzamamo.com, @pizzamamo

Photo: Thomas Obungen

Kaimukī’s Boston Pizza

You can’t have a roundup of favorite pizza in this city and not include Boston’s, especially if you don’t want the latest, hyped-up gourmet pie. What’s to love about Boston: A thin crust with crispy edges that still offers a chew; generous toppings; and an open kitchen where you see your pie being slid out of the oven golden brown and bubbling with mozzarella. Also, ordering a “slice” here amounts to two HUGE slices, which adds to the excitement. This is old-school pizza goodness (no truffle oil or honey drizzles here), and I stand behind that. My fave is the spinach and garlic (sometimes with added mushrooms, as seen above) with an olive oil base. —Diane Seo

Kaimukī’s Boston Pizza, 3506 Wai‘alae Ave., Kaimukī, bostonpizzahi.com, @kaimukisbostonpizza

SEE ALSO: Potluck Go-Tos: Delicious Last-Minute Takeout Dishes for Parties on O‘ahu

Photo: Cody Kawamoto

‘Ili‘ili Cash & Carry

I find myself repeatedly returning to this Mō‘ili‘ili neighborhood pizza joint and bodega for the 18-inch Funghi New York-style pizza. Comforting, yet elevated, the pie is topped with fresh fior di latte (mozzarella cheese made from cow’s milk), thinly sliced pancetta and a savory mix of king oyster and cremini mushrooms—a combination with deep, earthy flavors. All this is balanced by the hot, melty pull of the cheese, crisp, salty bites of pancetta and a thin, crispy crust with just the right amount of chew. —Cody Kawamoto

If I’m going to a party, I head to ‘Ili‘ili. Sad to say, when I do bring one of their pies to a party, I rarely get to eat a slice because opening the box is like putting piranhas in an aquarium. The pizza is as aromatic as it is tasty, no matter which one you order. —Melissa Chang

I like ‘Ili‘ili Cash & Carry Pizza, especially the Funghi or Margherita pizzas. The dough has amazing texture, it’s my personal favorite. The sauce, toppings, and dough combines to make something super delicious. And even though it’s not pizza, the fry dough garlic balls are also AMAZING and a part of every order we make there. —Aaron K. Yoshino

‘Ili‘ili’s Choke Pepperoni is my go-to for a quick slice. With generous pepperoni that glisten with pools of spiced oil, it’s a heavenly experience from first bite to last. And I’m always surprised how the crust—chewy, airy and yeasty—is my favorite part. After all the pepperoni is devoured and tomato sauce licked clean, I’m already thinking about my next visit. —Gregg Hoshida

2065 S. Beretania St., Mō‘ili‘ili, (808) 367-0606, @iliili_cash_carry

Photo: Darlene Dela Cruz

J. Dolan’s

J. Dolan’s Downtown has been my go-to for satisfying and sentimental pizza for years. I usually order a custom pie—half topped with spinach, garlic and ricotta, and the other with the signature Giacomo combo of sausage, pepperoni, salami and black olives. The crackly, rustic crust reminds me of an unforgettable pizza I had in New Jersey a decade ago. Every bite of pizza at J. Dolan’s is worth savoring for the flavor and memories. —Darlene Dela Cruz

Many have tried to compete for my affection, but even after 15-plus years, no other pie has managed to lure me away from the Giacomo. Equal parts chewy and crunchy, the crust is thin but not too thin, supportive but not trying to steal the spotlight from the mouthwatering medley of salty goodness it holds. Herbed sausage crumbles and paper-thin slices of pepperoni and salami, crisped and slightly curled up around the edges, come dotted with slivers of briny black olive. I recommend washing it all down with my other J. Dolan go-to, an icy cold Smithwick’s—the pub is one of the few spots on the island where you can get the Ireland-brewed red ale. —Brie Thalmann

Multiple locations, jdolans.com, @jdolanshnl

Big Kahuna’s Pizza

Every now and then, when a craving strikes for deep-dish pizza with a crazy combination of toppings, I head to Big Kahuna for the Sumo Special pizza. Tucked away at Airport Trade Center on Pai‘ea Street, I’ve been making the pilgrimage here since a friend introduced me to it in high school. The Sumo Special is a monster of a pie, with pepperoni, ham, Italian sausage, bacon, Portuguese sausage, kalua pork, onions, fresh mushrooms, chopped tomatoes and black olives. For me, it’s the kalua pig and Portuguese sausage that add just the right savory sweetness to make it a truly unique slice. —Aaron K. Yoshino

I love the option for 7-inch personal pan pizzas to satisfy individual tastes for my family of four, and with its crisp crust, we never have any leftover crust on our plates. I usually opt for the white pizza with sliced tomatoes, ricotta and basil, or the spinach, garlic and tomato pizza, but I’ve been eyeing the grilled eggplant pizza and plan to try on my next visit. —Christine Labrador

550 Pai‘ea St., (808) 833-5588, bigkahunaspizzahawaii.com, @bigkahunaspizza

Photo: Melissa Chang

Fatto a Mano

It depends on my mood, but at the moment, I’m wanting Fatto a Mano when I go to the Wednesday Hawai‘i Farm Bureau market at Blaisdell. James Orlando pulls and tosses his pizzas to order, and I love the way his crust is both airy and chewy. My go-to is the Pepperoni Playboy, but his mushroom pizza is a great choice too. —Melissa Chang

@fattoamanohi

SEE ALSO: Your Guide to Farmers Markets on O‘ahu

Photo: Grant Shindo

Brick Fire Tavern

I remember trying the OG Funghi here when it first opened in Kaimukī and thinking it’s as Neopolitan pizza should be, with a crisp, yet chewy, crust, house-made mozzarella and fresh, quality toppings (in this case, mushroom crema and a delicious mushroom medley). The pies are baked in a large wood-fired oven that’s visible from the dining room, adding a theatrical element. Another distinction: The pizza has been certified as Vera Pizza Napoletana, the only one on O‘ahu. —Diane Seo

3447 Wai‘alae Ave., Kaimukī, (808) 379-2430, brickfiretavern.com, @brickfiretavern

Brick Oven Pizza

I’d be able to pick a Brick Oven Pizza Super Pizza blindfolded because of its aroma. This classic originated in Kaua‘i, where I’m from, but there’s also a Brick Oven location in Kapolei. It was the first pizza I had as a kid, and it became a weekend treat after sweaty yard work. It’s remained the center of my pizza universe. The hearty and hand-braided crust is loaded with pepperoni, salami, shredded smoked ham, ground beef, crumbled Italian sausage, Portuguese sausage, olives, mushrooms, green onions, bell peppers, the softest mozzarella, and a rich red sauce. It’s old-school pizza at its best. —James Nakamura

889 Kamakilo Blvd., Kapolei, (808) 674-8561, brickovenpizzahawaii.com, @brickovenpizza_oahu