- The Magnolia State has a plethora of outstanding pizzerias.
New York is known for its pizza. You can step into a pizzeria just about anywhere in the City and order a slice – big, floppy, and gooey with melted cheese designed to eat on the run. Chicago pizza is a different thing altogether. Thick slices of deep-dish pizza topped with massive amounts of pepperoni, sausage, olives, mushrooms, and all other manner of delights. This is a pizza you sit down to eat with a fork and knife. After eating a Chicago pizza, a nap is surely in order.
I recently received an email informing me that a “research team” from a website I choose not to name has determined that Mississippi ranks number one among the least pizza-obsessed states in America. They claim to have used three key factors in determining pizza popularity: analyzing pizzerias per capita, Google search volume, and determining average pizzeria ratings. Mississippi, which they contend is the least pizza-obsessed state in the United States with a pizza obsession score of 7.65.
Among their key findings were that Mississippi has 17.98 pizzerias per 100,000 residents, which is fewer than others on the list, including Arkansas (23.79) and Oklahoma (22.62). Mississippi shows the lowest online interest in pizza nationwide, with only 2.58 pizza-related searches per 100 internet users.
The reason cited for Mississippi’s supposed lack of interest in pizza highlights how regional food preferences shape what people crave.
“With its rich Southern culinary heritage, Mississippi is home to deeply rooted traditions and comfort foods that naturally take center stage,” the report states. “From slow-cooked barbecue to iconic soul food, these beloved local dishes offer flavors that have been passed down for generations. While pizza certainly has a presence, data suggests that Mississippians have a stronger connection to their regional cuisine—showcasing just how beautifully diverse America’s food landscape is.”
One thing the researchers may not have taken into account is that when we do eat pizza (and we eat plenty), we are particular, often choosing a locally-owned and handmade pizza over a mass-produced pie. Mississippi has a plethora of outstanding pizzerias. Indulge us as we sample a few of our favorites around the state.
Leña
This shining jewel in Cleveland’s culinary crown is the brainchild of Marisole Doyle, a native of Mexico. Married to photographer Rory Doyle, Marisol began making bagels during the Covid pandemic, selling them at farmer’s markets in Clarksdale and other Delta locations.
Wanting to do more, Marisol traveled to Napoli, Italy, and studied at the Associazione Cerace Pizza Napoletana before working in Scuola di Pizzaiolo outside Naples. She had worked in the restaurant industry for twenty years, and it was time for her to open a brick-and-mortar establishment to call her own where she makes bagels in the morning and custom pizzas in the evening.
It was named one of the Top 22 Pizzerias in the United States by the New York Times, which included pizzerias from the Pacific Northwest to the Southern tip of California. According to the June 26, 2024, New York Times report, “the pizza at Leña collapses the distance between Naples, Italy, where Marisol Doyle, the restaurant’s chef and co-owner, studied pizza making; the Mississippi Delta, her adopted home; and Sonora, Mexico, where she was born and raised.”
Soulshine Pizza
Chris Sartin started Soulshine Pizza in the late 1990s in a take-out-only spot on Lakeland Drive near the entrance of Castlewoods subdivision. A lover of pizza and rock-and-roll, Chris built his business on making quality pizzas with memorable toppings.
Now with three locations in Mississippi (Ridgeland, Flowood, and Gluckstadt) as well as a couple of locations in Tennessee, Soulshine is a family favorite with pizzas that have names like The Kitchen Sink, The Boss Hawg, The Mississippian, and The CCR.
Tribecca Allie Cafe
These folks know how to do pizza. Rebecca and Damian “Dutch” Oostendorp moved from New York to Sardis and after perfecting their pizza- making skills, they began offering them to the community at their restaurant, Tribecca Allie Cafe. They won second place in the American Pizza Championship with their authentic New York-style pizza, baked in a hand-built wood-fired oven for a perfect charred crust.
The pizza offerings here are authentic recipes from Napoli, with the exception of their signature pizza, Magnolia Rose, topped with, among other things, Mississippi pecans.
Lost Pizza Company
A company started in Indianola by two pizza-loving childhood friends, Brooks Roberts and Preston Lott, Lost Pizza now has ten locations around the state. Their pizza was voted “The Best Pizza in Mississippi” by readers of Mississippi Magazine eight years in a row.
From classics like cheese and pepperoni to specialty pizzas like The Pit Boss, covered in pulled pork and barbeque sauce, each pizza is made to perfection with dough and sauces made from scratch daily. Fans of Lost Pizza Company are fiercely loyal.
Tony’s Brick Oven Pizzeria
While there are many excellent pizzerias along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, one of our favorites is Tony’s. You would be hard-pressed to find another place that serves a Gumbo Pie – pizza with a spice file roux, Gulf shrimp, crawfish, andouille sausage, rustic tomatoes, and okra. That’s one of the reasons Tony’s stands out. Their signature marinara sauce is divine, and they use the freshest ingredients available.
Susan Marquez
