Now when you think of food on the Outer Banks your typical thoughts are usually seafood, burgers, surf and turf, but rarely will pizza come to mind. This is quite a mistake in my opinion. The Outer Banks may not be known for pizza since it is typically associated with New York and Chicago, but the OBX is home to some amazing options!
Who doesn't love pizza? Kids love it, adults love it, everyone loves it! With over 20 pizza options located between Corolla and Nags Head it's hard to choose which one to go to. Here is a list of my favorite places, located in each town:
Cosmos Pizzeria - Corolla
Cosmos Pizza in Corolla is one of my favorite options on the entire Outer Banks. From the food to the ambiance, it will always be a great experience. Cosmos has mastered the New York style. They offer a full bar and many unique and excellent craft beers, along with your domestic favorites. Casual family dining and kid-friendly atmosphere with an outside patio and snack-bar. Cosmos remains true to its old-world family recipes, making its dough from scratch every day. They also started a catering operation in 2015, featuring a unique mobile, wood-fired oven crafting artisan pizza on-site along with everything needed for that special event. Fun fact: my wife and I used Cosmos to cater our wedding and it was a huge hit! It turned out amazing and was just like at the restaurant, not to mention how great the mobile wood-fired oven looked.
Pizzazz - Duck
Pizzazz Pizza was founded in 1986 in the small coastal village of Duck, North Carolina. All their dough and sauces are made fresh from scratch every day. Pizzazz is the perfect location for a big group or a group with kids. Their lunch buffet has over 4 different pizzas for everyone to choose from. If you're looking for something different, they have specialty pizzas including; 3 Cheese & Chicken White, Bacon Cheeseburger, and Barbecue Chicken.
Southern Shores Pizza - Southern Shores
In 2015, the Corolla Pizza family was excited to announce the opening of its second location in Southern Shores! At Southern Shores Pizza, you will find the same great menu from Corolla Pizza, but with the option to also dine in! Beer and wine are now available, as well as an expanded salad and appetizer menu. Southern Shores Pizza is my favorite option in this area. Their crust is thin and their sauce is delicious!
Barefoot Bernie's - Kitty Hawk
Now Barefoot Bernie's is hands down the standout on this list and that is because they aren't a "pizza place". They're a tropical grill and bar with an all-around amazing menu. But since there aren't dedicated options located in Kitty Hawk (aside from Papa Johns) I wanted to take a moment to recognize my favorite option in Kitty Hawk. Barefoot Bernie's can definitely compete with the others on this list. Their ingredients are fresh, their crust is great, and so is their sauce. If you find yourself in the Kitty Hawk area and don't feel like traveling anywhere else for pizza, then make sure to stop in at Barefoot Bernie's and get your pizza fix here!
Max's Italian Restaurant - Kill Devil Hills
Previously known as Max's Stone Oven pizza, they are a local family owned Authentic New York Style Stone oven Pizzeria and Italian restaurant. All their food is carefully prepared from scratch using only the freshest, all-natural ingredients that are sourced both locally and imported. They make their dough fresh daily using only "King Arthur" never bleached and never bromated flour, and only "Stanislaus" vine-ripe tomatoes from California (that get harvested only at the pick of the season and go right from the field to the can in less than three hours. Their dough, sauce, and marinara are vegan friendly. Max's is probably my favorite pizza on the beach. They have the best tasting sauce, the perfect texture crust, and their crust is nice and thin. I highly recommend the Margherita, which has fresh globs of mozzarella, fresh basil, and that delicious house-made sauce cooked in a stone oven!
Nags Head Pizza Company - Nags Head
Nags Head Pizza Company is the child of four partners with diverse backgrounds with two things in common: a love of pizza & calling the Outer Banks home. Starting out, the four of them knew the direction they wanted to go: healthy, fresh, high quality, DIFFERENT. Not wanting to delve down the classic New York style, Lewis created a crust and sauce that is thin, crunchy, and a great canvas for Grande cheese & homemade toppings. Nags Head Pizza Company hit their goal 100%. They are a healthy option, fresh, high quality, and different. They cater to all kinds of dietary restrictions such as soy, corn, and peanut allergies, intolerance of gluten, and even vegans! Yes, you read that correctly vegan pizza. Before you start rolling your eyes and muttering how vegans are ruining food, their vegan option is excellent and if you were served it without knowing then you would never know. BUT they do offer "normal" non-vegan options as well. One of the things that Nags Head Pizza Company does and does very well actually has nothing to do with their pizza. They have amazing customer service. They care about their customers and it shows. One little way they do this is by writing inspirational messages on the inside of your box. Delicious pizza and a smile.
Now, this list just scratches the tip of pizza options on the Outer Banks. There are a lot of great options that didn't make my list. While this may not be everyone's "Best Pizza on the OBX", this is a list of my favorites in each town. At the end of the day, taste is subjective and everyone likes a different style. With that said I think we can all agree on one thing... Pizza is amazing!
In your opinion, who has the best pizza on the Outer Banks?
