As a New Jerseyan, I have grown up somewhat a “pizza snob.” Used to New-York style pizza of crispy crust, fresh cheese and homemade red sauce, I expect nothing less than perfection for every slice of ‘za. And I certainly DO NOT consider Domino’s, Papa John’s, Pizza Hut, Little Caesars or any other of those fast food chains as real pizza. And when I came to South Carolina, I was shocked that everybody else was so excited at the mentioning of any of these places! After four years of investigating, speaking my mind and schooling southerners and Midwesterners about what a good pizza is, I have compiled a list of the best real and tasty and closest pizzerias to campus here in Columbia. Here are the rankings from my ~pizza crawl~ in order from favorite to least favorite:
1. Nicky’s Pizzeria
The pizza here is honestly better than sex. The crust is perfectly crispy and the ratio of cheese to tomato sauce is better than anywhere else. Located right in Five Points, a slice (or two) is a great way to end your night DT or make an average dinner 1000 times better. Nicky’s pizza has tons of toppings and sauces like buffalo and ranch, but beware because these can definitely spike the price.
1 Cheese Slice: $2.75 (before tax)
Located: 2123 Greene St, Columbia, SC 29205
2. Dano’s Pizza
Dano’s Pizza is a pretty close second to Nicky’s. It’s the same quality New-York styled pizza and a little cheaper. I highly recommend the Buffalo Chicken pizza (pictured) – it is the absolute best specialty pizza here and the BEST buff chix pizza in the area. Plus, it’s only $.80 more than a cheese slice!
1 Cheese Slice: $1.99 (before tax)
Located: 008 Rosewood Dr, Columbia, SC 29205
3. Za’s on Devine
Slightly fancier, Za’s is a restaurant and makes pizza by the pie, not the slice. However, you can easily order an individual pie. We recommend getting the 14” and just splitting it with a few friends to make it cheaper. Za’s is great because the crust is crispy without it actually being a thin crust. Plus, they recommend what wine you should choose based on the specialty pizza you order! If you’re a toppings person, we recommend choosing from the specialty pies list instead of adding $1 for every topping you want.
8” Cheese Pie: $8 (before tax)
Located: 2930 Devine St, Columbia, SC 29205
4. Old Chicago Pizza and Taproom
Despite the name “Old Chicago,” the pizza here isn’t actually deep-dish. This pizza also comes by the pie and for either a custom or specialty, you get to pick the size and type of crust: Chicago Thick, Tavern Thin or Ale Crust. The thin crust is the best-made crust and comes out really crispy so that there’s room for all of the sauce, cheese and toppings. The pizza was definitely very cheesy and paired well with the red sauce, which is more sweet than acidic.
Individual Tavern Thin Pie: $8.59 (the other crust options are around $1 more) (before tax)
Located: 802 Gervais St #100, Columbia, SC 29201
5. Village Idiot
Village is most famous around USC for having good pizza, good drinks and good vibes. While the pizza itself is just average, the environment and convenient location either DT or by the Mills give this restaurant bonus points. The dough is not as crispy as other places and “regular cheese” always means “extra cheese,” which is perfect for cheese-lovers. Due to its high popularity among students and daily deals, we recommend arriving at least 15 minutes earlier than your ideal time, since there’s almost always a wait for both sit-down and take-out.
1 Cheese Slice: $2.69 (before tax)
Located: 612 Whaley St A, Columbia, SC 29204
2009 Devine St, Columbia, SC 29205
6. The Pizza Joint
The Pizza Joint is farther out – about 15 minutes away from campus – but is a hidden gem! Located out in Forest Acres, most students wouldn’t think to come here, but the pizza is a great price for such a large slice, and there are awesome daily deals, perfect for the college kid budget. With constant happy hour discounts on pizza and alcohol (even on Sunday’s), we recommend trying either a cheese or specialty slice! However, if you’re someone who likes light cheese, we recommend asking for that and for the crust to be “well done.”
1 Cheese Slice: $2.99 (before tax)
Located: 3246 Forest Dr, Columbia, SC 29204
With all of these different options, you’re bound to find a pizza place or even a couple of places that suit your needs!