Highest-ranked pizza restaurants in Santa Cruz by diners
Highest-ranked pizza restaurants in Santa Cruz by diners
Pizza is one of those universal languages that Americans just get. Even if the styles are vastly different based on the region—like a thin wide slice from New York, a thick square cut with crispy edges from Detroit, or deep cheesy pie in a pan from Chicago—many can agree that the combination of chewy dough, tangy sauce, and gooey cheese is a true American classic.
The growing number of pizza joints is enough proof: more than 73,000 pizza restaurants were logged in the United States in 2023. Yet, with so many options to choose from, how is a pizza connoisseur supposed to know the best place to grab a slice?
There's a lot of competition out there to become the best pizza place in town, especially with people who have a lot of opinions. The aesthetic is always important to consider; maybe customers prefer a classic greasy joint with checkered tablecloths and shakers of Parmesan and red pepper flakes to douse their slice, or perhaps something artisanal with wood-fired pies served with a thoughtfully curated wine menu. Then there's the pizza itself. Is the restaurant using high-quality ingredients? Does the taste make you want to keep eating more and more?
It may seem like a lot of meticulous details, but given that Americans could eat up to 180 slices of pizza in a year, it only makes sense that all of these details are considered when choosing a go-to local spot. Thankfully, there's enough data out there to steer customers in the right direction instead of having to do the research themselves.
Stacker compiled a list of the highest-ranked pizza restaurants in Santa Cruz using data from Yelp. Data is as of March 29, 2024. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself. Only restaurants with at least 25 reviews were considered.
Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not depict the specific restaurants listed or the dishes they serve.
#22. Little Caesar's Pizza
- Rating: 2.5/5 (39 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 233 Ocean St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: pizza, chicken wings
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Pleasure Pizza
- Rating: 2.8/5 (169 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1415 Pacific Ave. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: pizza, beer bar, chicken wings
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Mountain Mike's Pizza
- Rating: 2.8/5 (168 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3715 Portola Drive Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: pizza, chicken wings
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Coasters Bar & Grill
- Rating: 2.9/5 (84 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 115 Cliff St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: american, pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Upper Crust Pizza & Pasta
- Rating: 3.1/5 (87 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2501 Soquel Drive Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Kianti's Pizza & Pasta Bar
- Rating: 3.4/5 (1037 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1100 Pacific Ave. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: pizza, italian, wine bars
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Pleasure Pizza East Side Eatery
- Rating: 3.5/5 (511 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 800 41st Ave. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: pizza, gluten-free, sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Pizza My Heart
- Rating: 3.6/5 (958 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1116 Pacific Ave. Ste B Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Pleasure Pizza
- Rating: 3.7/5 (298 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4000 Portola Drive Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Upper Crust Pizza & Pasta
- Rating: 3.8/5 (455 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2415 Mission St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: pizza, italian
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Woodstock's Pizza Santa Cruz
- Rating: 3.9/5 (1395 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 710 Front St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: pizza, gluten-free, vegetarian
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Pizzeria Avanti
- Rating: 3.9/5 (158 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1711 Mission St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: pizza, salad, chicken wings
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Bantam
- Rating: 4.0/5 (428 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1010 Fair Ave. Ste J Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: pizza, new american
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Crow's Nest Beach Market
- Rating: 4.1/5 (97 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2218 East Cliff Drive Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: gift shops, pizza, sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Engfer Pizza Works
- Rating: 4.1/5 (269 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 537 Seabright Ave. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Tramonti
- Rating: 4.2/5 (965 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 528 Seabright Ave. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: italian, pizza, wine bars
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Lago Di Como Ristorante
- Rating: 4.2/5 (536 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 21490 East Cliff Drive Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: italian, wine bars, pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Pizzeria La Bufala
- Rating: 4.2/5 (164 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 725 Front St. Abbott Square Market Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: pizza, salad, italian
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Bedda Mia
- Rating: 4.3/5 (103 reviews)
- Address: 736 Water St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: italian, pizza, desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Bookie's Pizza
- Rating: 4.3/5 (102 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1315 Water St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: pizza, beer, wine & spirits, desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Namaste Grill & Bar
- Rating: 4.6/5 (76 reviews)
- Address: 303 Beach St. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: pizza, indian, diners
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Mattia Pizza
- Rating: 4.7/5 (25 reviews)
- Address: Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: food trucks, pizza, italian
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Kiersten Hickman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 314 metros.
