The 12 best pizza restaurants in Cape Town

Many locals credit Massimo Orione for introducing Neapolitan-style pizza to Cape Town, and Massimo’s, his laid-back family-friendly pizzeria in leafy Hout Bay, remains one of the best in the city. The pizzas are wood-fired, of course, and produce is king for Massimo, with Parmesan from Italy, locally cured meats and cheese from Cape Town’s finest Italian cheese-maker, Puglia. There are separate menus for both vegans and bambinos.

Oakhurst Farm Park, Main Rd, 7806

If you don’t fancy driving to Hout Bay for Massimo’s, Pizza Shed – with locations in the city centre and Observatory – is your next best bet for a taste of Napoli in the Mother City. The secret to their superb pizzas is the dough, which enjoys a 48-hour rise before being hand-stretched and wood-fired. Just about everything on the menu is good here, but The Truffle with exotic mushrooms and truffle oil is a standout.

Various locations, Cape Town

You can’t miss I Love The Dough: near the bottom of buzzy Kloof Street in a colourful food hall, this bright pink, neon sign-adorned pizza den draws a lively young crowd. Ideal for carb-loading ahead of a night on the town, pair your pizza with a couple of cocktails (don’t leave without trying the ‘Love Jugs’). Their thin-base pizzas are excellent, with a wide range of toppings and choices – and, of course, a pizza joint named after a Biggie song wouldn’t be complete without a DJ spinning tunes in one corner. 

101 Bree St, Cape Town City Centre, Cape Town

In the heart of the city centre, Ciao Pizza is something of a unicorn in the city’s pizza landscape: wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizzas that are 100% Halaal. So while you won’t find any bacon or authentic salami on the menu, it’s a boon for Muslim travellers and locals. There are plenty of vegetarian options, alongside brisket ‘macon’, peppadews and feta. No alcohol is served, but there’s a good choice of mocktails and sparkling juices.

309 Long St, Cape Town City Centre, Cape Town

Yard first found fame as a burger joint dubbed The Dog’s Bollocks, where the chef was (in)famously grumpy and the burgers were amazing. They’ve now branched out into pizza. Happily, the service has improved and the pizza is as good as the burgers. There’s a choice of four styles of hand-stretched bases, and a selection of crowd-pleasing toppings that stick to the tried-and-trusted favourites.

6 Roodehek St, Gardens, 8001

Since 2003, locals have loved this low-key Italian for its wonderful pasta plates, but the pizza is just as good. With generous toppings, Nonna Lina is the kind of place where you’re assured of leftovers for lunch the next day. Of the extensive selection the Cape Seasons is the most inventive, a four-part pizza topped with mushrooms (autumn);  pancetta and asparagus (winter); artichokes, broccoli, and olives (spring); and fior di latte mozzarella, basil, and tomatoes (summer). A perfect option for dinner before a movie at the Labia arthouse cinema nearby.

64 Orange St, Gardens, Cape Town, 8001

While many restaurants on Sea Point’s busy Main Road come and go, this humble pizzeria started by Jack Gasparre and Enrico De Siena is almost part of the furniture. And that’s just how loyal locals love it. While there are a handful of other branches now open across the city, the Sea Point Posticino is the mothership and the best. There’s a wide-ranging menu of thin-crust pizzas but start with the namesake: a Margherita topped with mushrooms, asparagus, olives and artichokes.

323 Main Rd, Sea Point, Cape Town, 8060

Voted South Africa’s best-loved pizzeria in 2022, this family-owned pizzeria in the artsy suburb of Observatory is a sure-fire favourite. A local hangout and the passion project of Italian chef Diego Milesi and his late partner Kiki Bisogno, the love and care that goes into each and every wood-fired pizza at Ferdinando’s is clear. Not sure where to begin exploring the extensive menu? Start with the signature Turbanite, a vegetarian thriller topped with grilled marrows, feta cheese and caramelised onion jam.

205 Lower Main Rd, Observatory, Cape Town, 7925

Look carefully for the signage for Borruso’s above a nondescript alleyway to find this unassuming pizza joint. Appearances can be deceiving: this much-loved haunt attracts hordes of locals with its good-value, thin-base pizzas. It’s wildly popular, and if you’re not there by 7pm you’ll be waiting in the courtyard for a table. The wine list is unadventurous, but there’s no corkage charge, so feel free to bring your own.

2 Mains Ave, Kenilworth, Cape Town, 7708

A dependable local, this time in the suburb of Little Mowbray, with paper tablecloths and a welcome lack of pretension – welcome to Bruegel’s. The preference here is for thin bases, not the puffy Neapolitan-style, with an enormous range of options on offer, each named for a famous artist. The Roselli of anchovies and garlic always hits the spot. Gluten-free bases are available on request.

Little Mowbray, 99 Durban Rd, Mowbray, Cape Town, 7700

Aegir has built a cult following for their creative craft beers, poured in their charming taproom beneath a milkwood forest. The menu runs from brunch to beer-friendly snacks, but their wood-fired pizzas are the perfect pairing with a pint. There’s only a small selection, but enormous care has been taken with each. The Nduja is a standout, made with sausage from a local charcutier. Book in advance to bag a top-deck table with sea and mountain views.

65 Beach Rd, Noordhoek, Cape Town, 7979

Sometimes you just don’t want to go out. You’ve had a long day touring, and the thought of pounding the pavement for a pizza dinner is just too much to bear. While there’s no shortage of takeaways across the city, Butler’s has a 30-year track record of producing excellent (oven-baked, not wood-fired) pizza, delivered quickly. It’s delivery only (they were a ghost kitchen before the term was even coined), but it’s rarely late, and delivery is free (but be sure to tip your ‘butler’).