It's undeniable. Pizza has chokehold on American cuisine, often sparking heated debates over the best slice, the best toppings, and the best way to eat it. In the Pacific Northwest, choosing pizza for a meal is second nature when it comes to finding fuel for your next big adventure. It's quick, it's delicious, and it packs enough carbs to get you to your next thrill. Some messiness is expected. Here's where to find new your favorite slice in the culinary mecca of Bellevue, Washington.
Mercato Stellina Pizzeria
Mercato Stellina Pizzeria's Tuscan-style pizzas pack tons of flavor in its cozy, intimate restaurant on Bellevue's Old Main Street. Often reviewed as "one of the best pizzas in Seattle," its house-made crust is highly revered. From Margheritas to Prosciutto Di Parma, the smell of their brick-oven pizzas fill the air on Old Main Street and diners can enjoy the charming patio seating.
There are gluten-free alternatives, a selection of house made pastas, wines, beers and cocktails, and some delicious Italian desserts.
Pizza Rec: The "Four Seasons" or "Quattro Stagioni" is four pies in one, with each section representing on season of each year. There's artichokes for spring, tomatoes and roasted red peppers for summer, mushrooms for autumn, and coppa and olives for winter.
Tutta Bella Neapolitan Pizzeria
Tutta Bella Bellevue is where wood-fired pizza shines, handcrafted to blend the food cultures of Naples and the Pacific Northwest. The salads and pastas are also full of flavor and texture, perfect with a glass of Italian soda.
Located in the Crossroads area, this restaurant just reopened with brand new digs. There's a marketplace with a curated selection Italian pantry goods, cookbooks, and kitchen essentials. At the front, there's a cafe serving Italian filled doughnuts, fresh made foccacia, and coffee.
Pizza Rec: The Tutta Bella is topped with milled tomatoes, Italian sausage, mushroom, caramelized onion, fresh mozzarella, and basil.
Carmine's Bellevue
Carmine's Bellevue is a classy establishment. It's the fairytale Italian restaurant with the crystal chandeliers and garden patio, serving some of the best house made pastas, anti-pastas, appetizers, desserts, and, of course, pizzas.
It's usually a celebration when dining with Carmine's, so a bottle of champagne might be in order as you peruse the pizza menu.
Pizza Rec: The pizzas are all phenomenal, and the bruschetta trio in the Antipasti section is a must. You can pick from the black pepper, goat cheese, and tapenade trio, or the avocado, smoked salmon, and creme fraiche trio.
Tavern Hall
Located in The Bellevue Collection, Tavern Hall touts cracker thin pizza, burgers, and beer. WIth over 25 beers on tap, you can catch the big game on their 40 plus screens, or spend hours enjoying a variety of games like shuffleboard and darts.
When it comes to the pizza, it's all about the Chicago-style cracker thin pizza. Pair with brick oven pretzels and fresh salads.
Pizza Rec: The Porchetta and Giardiniera pizza's ingredients list include Bianco DiNapoli tomato sauce, smoked mozzarella, braised porchetta, housemade Chicago-style giardiniera, grated parmesan, red chile flake, and fresh oregano.
Resonate Brewery + Pizzeria
Pizza and beer is the ultimate power couple and Resonate Brewery + Pizzeria is the beerhall pizza joint you've been looking for. It's a seat-your-self type of spot with a large variety of local beers on tap, which you can enjoy as a flight. The pizzas and meatballs are consistently touted for their tastiness and Tuesdays are reserved for trivia nights.
It takes Resonate 72 to 96 hours for the fermentation cycle on their dough - and it is truly a top tier crust. This family-friendly, dog-friendly establishment also serves calzones, salads, wings, and other pizzeria-style foods. They have happy hours, lunch specials, and a rotating specialty pizza of the moment.
Pizza Rec: The Triple Trouble is a pizza with red sauce, sausage, pepperoni, Zoe's salami, crimini mushrooms, mozzarella, parm-reggiano, and peco-romano
Pagliacci Pizza Bellevue
Pagliacci Pizza is a regional pizzeria chain, offering thin-rust pies. There are creative seasonal options for the pizzas and gelatos, like Asparagus Prosciutto and Strawberries & Cream, and there's a decorative Vespa parked out front.
Right in the heart of downtown Bellevue at Bellevue Square, this location is perfect during a day of shopping, or for taking the pizza to enjoy at Meydenbauer Bay Park or Bellevue Downtown Park. Their gluten free pizzas really shine and there's a large vegetarian selection. The art on the Pizza boxes are also fun - it's a Sasquatch!
Local Tip: Definitely get the Pagliacci Sauce.
Address: 10600 Main St, Bellevue, WA 98004 (There are two other Pagliacci locations around town, in northeast Bellevue and Eastgate)
MOD Pizza
The OG of counter-serve, build-your-own, DIY pizza joints, MOD Pizza has its origins here in Bellevue, where it is headquartered. The Bellevue family started MOD in 2008 and this downtown Bellevue location was the second one they opened.
You can choose from a pizza or a salad as you start down the assembly line. You can choose you own dough, which comes in gluten-free and cauliflower, and select from over 30 toppings, or opt for a MOD classic.
Local Tip: Grab a water or drink and take a short walk to the Bellevue Downtown Park and look for a bench to sit at.
Address: 317 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue, WA 98004 (There are two other locations around town, one in Bel-Red, and one at the Shops at Factoria.)
Cascadia Pizza & Brewery
Cascadia Pizza & Brewery is located in the BelRed Arts District, and is just steps away from the BelRed Light Rail Station! Here, it's all about the award-winning wood-fired pizza and the expansive tap house.
Pick from the Neopolitan-inspired, wood fired pizza menu, full of classic and creative toppings and bases such as red sauce, garlic sauce, and barbecue sauce. Grab a beer or cider flight to taste all the local brews while enjoying the art on the walls, or a game on the many TVs.
Pizza Rec: The Northwestern Pizza comes with garlic butter sauce, cheese, prosciutto, pear slices, fresh arugula, and balsamic drizzle.
Address: 1820 130th Ave NE Suite 2, Bellevue, WA 98005
Zeeks Pizza Bellevue
In true Northwest fashion, Zeeks came to life as two computer engineers were on a ski trip. They went full scientific method on creating the perfect pizza recipes for their menu and opened their first shop in the Seattle area. The Bellevue location opened in 2010 and locals praise the homegrown pizza joint as one of the best.
Pick from the menu or get creative with a DIY pizza. Pair it with their collection of draft beers or a beer flight, and enjoy the laid-back ambiance with cool posters for each of their pizzas on the walls. Gluten free crusts and vegan cheese alternatives are available.
Pizza Rec: The Cherry Bomb comes with Mama Lil's Peppers, double Italian sausage, Parmesan, and fresh basil.
Address: 10201 NE 10th St, Bellevue, WA 98004
