Best Pizza in Athens, GA (2026)
Athens has quietly become one of the best pizza towns in Georgia. Between a Detroit-style import from Brooklyn, old-school New York slice joints, and locally born loaded-pie concepts, there's a pizza spot for every craving and every budget. We've eaten our way through all of them, here's the definitive ranking.
Last updated: March 16, 2026
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Emmy Squared is a Detroit-style pizza restaurant on Prince Avenue in Athens, Georgia, expanded from a Brooklyn flagship. The menu features square Detroit pies with crispy cheese edges, including the signature Colony with vodka sauce, fresh mozzarella, pepperoni, and honey, alongside a standout Le Big Matt burger. The combined Detroit-pizza and burger menu sets it apart from classic Italian pizzerias in Athens.
Automatic Pizza is a late-night New York-style slice pizzeria on Prince Avenue in Athens, Georgia. The walk-up slice window moves pepperoni, cheese, and a signature hot-honey pepperoni late into downtown nights. Cash-friendly service and fast turnover make it the default post-bar pizza stop.
Peppino\'s Pizzeria is a classic New York-style pizza restaurant on Whitehall Road in Athens, Georgia. A massive menu covers pies, subs, and Italian-American plates with a reliable delivery program. Over 1,000 Google reviews place it among the most-reviewed pizzerias in the Athens market.
Stoners Pizza Joint is a late-night delivery pizzeria on East Broad Street in downtown Athens, Georgia. The menu covers build-your-own pies and loaded specialty options, including a Mac Attack pizza topped with macaroni and cheese. Late delivery hours cover the windows after most other Athens restaurants close.
Little Italy Pizzeria is a classic Italian-American pizza restaurant on North Lumpkin Street in downtown Athens, Georgia. The menu covers pies, calzones, and family-friendly Italian-American staples. Nearly 1,400 Google reviews holding a 4.4 rating reflect consistency across a decades-long run in downtown Athens.
Killer Crust Pizza Company is an artisan pizza restaurant on the Oconee Connector in Athens, Georgia. The kitchen emphasizes properly fermented hand-tossed dough with signature specialty pies including a honey, pepperoni, and jalapeno Killer Bee. The dough-first approach leans more third-wave pizza than classic New York slice.
Fully Loaded Pizza Kitchen is a specialty pizza restaurant with a full bar on South Milledge Avenue in Athens, Georgia. The menu leans into heavily topped specialty pies alongside NFL Sunday Ticket coverage and a full bar for game-day gatherings. Multiple locations operate across Athens, with this original kitchen carrying the most character.
Johnny\'s New York Style Pizza is a no-frills slice pizzeria on Gaines School Road in Athens, Georgia, near UGA. The menu sticks to classic New York-style slices and pies at a student-friendly price point with late hours. Campus proximity makes it a recurring between-class and post-bar stop for students.
Fully Loaded Pizza Normaltown is the Prince Avenue location of the Athens, Georgia specialty pizza chain. Same loaded specialty pizza and full bar lineup as the South Milledge kitchen in a more relaxed Normaltown setting with patio seating. Weekend afternoons on the patio are a common pizza-and-beer window.
Your Pie Pizza is a fast-casual pizza restaurant on Alps Road in Athens, Georgia, where the chain was founded in 2008. The build-your-own pizza format allows customers to assemble proteins, sauces, and toppings through a line format. Athens remains the home market for the chain alongside a campus-adjacent UGA location.
The Local Take
The Athens pizza scene has a clear hierarchy. Emmy Squared brought legitimate Detroit-style pizza from Brooklyn and instantly became the best pizza in town, the crispy cheese edges and thick, airy crust are in a different league. For classic New York-style, it's a three-way race between Automatic (best late-night slice), Peppino's (most consistent over time), and Little Italy (most reviewed, still delivering). Fully Loaded carved out their own niche with loaded specialty pies and a sports-bar atmosphere that works perfectly for game days. The sleeper on this list is Killer Crust, they take their dough seriously and it shows. And for the trivia lovers: Your Pie, now a national chain, was literally born in Athens in 2008. The whole scene benefits from 40,000 hungry college students who keep the late-night slice windows busy and the delivery drivers employed seven nights a week.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best pizza in Athens, GA?
Emmy Squared Pizza is the best pizza in Athens, GA, bringing Detroit-style pizza with crispy cheese edges from their Brooklyn roots. For New York-style slices, Automatic Pizza and Peppino's Pizzeria are the top choices.
Where can I get late-night pizza in Athens, GA?
Automatic Pizza downtown is the king of late-night slices in Athens, open well past midnight on weekends. Stoner's Pizza Joint also delivers late, and Johnny's New York Style Pizza near campus stays open late during the semester.
What pizza places in Athens deliver?
Stoner's Pizza Joint, Peppino's Pizzeria, Little Italy, and Fully Loaded Pizza all offer delivery in Athens. Most deliver through their own drivers and through third-party apps like DoorDash and Uber Eats.
Is there Detroit-style pizza in Athens, GA?
Yes, Emmy Squared Pizza on Lumpkin Street serves authentic Detroit-style pizza with thick, square pans and signature crispy cheese edges. It's the only dedicated Detroit-style spot in Athens.
Where was Your Pie Pizza founded?
Your Pie was founded in Athens, GA in 2008, near the UGA campus. It has since expanded to locations across the country, but the Athens location on Alps Road remains one of the originals.