The Hands

August 4, 2023

Greater Des Moines Partnership

Downtown Des Moines (DSM) has a pizza our hearts, with these 15 ooey-gooey Downtown Des Moines pizza places you NEED to check out! Cracker-thin crust, hand-tossed, Chicago deep dish or Detroit-style pizza, tried-and-true family friendly toppings or adventurous eats (shrimp … on a pizza?!), pizza by-the-slice or pies fit for a feast, your choice of white, red, pesto, BBQ or buffalo sauces — even breakfast pizzas, too! Whatever you’ve got a hankering for, Downtown DSM is your #1 destination for pizza, pizza, pizza.

Think bar pizza, but better (so. much. better!). These Downtown Des Moines pizza spots are perfect for grabbing a bite to eat after a few drinks in the Historic Court District or following an Iowa Cubs, Wolves or Wild game. Cheers, my friend!

214 4th St., Des Moines Get your pizza by the slice here! Open daily at 3 p.m. and open late Friday and Saturday until 3 a.m., stop in to grab-and-go, or order ahead for takeout. There are quite a few specialty pizza flavors to choose from, including “Hot Honey Chicken,” “Lasagna,” “Bianca” (White), “Chicken Parmigiana” and more. VIEW MENU

210 SW 11th St., Ste. 01, Des Moines Find a tasty selection of homemade pies at this Downtown Des Moines pizza joint, with house-made sauce and pizza crust, with high-quality ingredients, too. The thin crust is crunchy with a slight fire-charred flavor, making for a great pairing for the “Buffalo Chicken Ranch” ‘za: grilled chicken, green peppers, onions, bacon and the house buffalo ranch sauce. Another fan favorite is the “Mad Meatza” pizza: pepperoni, capicola, Graziano sausage, bacon and meatballs on a house-made red sauce. If square-cut isn’t your thing, be sure to ask your server for a traditional pizza cut when you order. VIEW MENU

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Pictured: A half Buffalo Chicken Ranch and half sweet Chili Chicken Pizza from Downtown Des Moines' Mad Meatball.

400 SE 6th St., Des Moines This pub-style joint with its Kansas City-themed everything is a great location for pizza in Downtown Des Moines! Watching the big game? Come here. A slice after Des Moines' Downtown Farmers’ Market? Yep, this is the place. Grab a local craft beer and ‘za to fuel up while biking the trails. What are you waiting for?! Some of the more unique specialty pizza flavors include the “French Dip,” “Bang Bang Shrimp,” “Chicken Caesar,” “Shrimp Scampi” and the “Chicken Saltimbocca.” The pizzas come in 10” and 14” sizes, with tons of toppings to build your own. There are vegan and gluten-free pies, too! VIEW MENU

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Pictured: Truman’s Shrimp Scampi pizza.

When we say fancy, we mean good … like, really, really good! These Downtown Des Moines pizza places have classic flavors along with unique topping combinations and classy presentation that make you feel just a little bit extra. Basically, this is where to go for your Instagram-worthy foodie pics.

1003 Locust St., Des Moines Baked in a coal-fired oven, Centro’s pizzas have a slightly charred or slightly blackened crust with perfectly cooked toppings made with garlic and olive oil. You can’t go wrong with any of the 18 on-menu pizza flavors, or customize to suit with the build-your-own option. Try the favorite of chef and owner George Formaro featuring mozzarella, Graziano’s Italian sausage, roasted red pepper, red onion and red sauce. Pro Tip: Eat like a Des Moines pizza-lovin' local and enjoy half-priced Centro pizzas and Peroni beers every Monday from 4 p.m. until close! VIEW MENU

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Pictured: The Margherita pizza from Centro: mozzarella, basil and red sauce. Additionally, the photo shown at the top of the page is the Rosa Grande Pepperoni (Cupping) Pizza.

208 Court Ave., Des Moines Mama Mia! Best known for its tapas and shared plates, RoCA’s flatbread pizza menu is small yet mighty with eight signature flavors of your choosing. The “Steak and Mushroom” flatbread includes a bold flavor combination of tenderloin, mushroom and mozzarella with red onion, chimichurri and white sauce. Vegetarians will love the “Fig and Goat Cheese” flatbread, with red onion and arugula truffle honey. VIEW MENU

For hot, fast and ready-to-go pizza, Downtown Des Moines has several pizza places that are both unique within the region and favorite destinations for local workers over the lunch hour. (Pro Tip: Let’s be honest, you’re going to want more than just one slice!)

801 Grand Ave., Des Moines If you’ve never eaten lunch at Basil’s, you are seriously missing out. What started as a to-die-for soup, salad and pasta joint in Downtown Des Moines' 801 Grand building has now expanded into offering a full selection of pizzas by-the-slice, full pizzas made to order and take-and-bake pizzas, as well. You have got to try the “Honey Garlic Alfredo” pizza. And might we recommend pairing your slice with a side salad or cup of the soup du jour? No regrets. VIEW MENU

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Pictured: Honey Garlic Alfredo pizza at Basil Prosperi in Downtown Des Moines.

223 4th St., Des Moines If you're looking for a staple restaurant serving unique pizza, Des Moines' Downtown Fong's Pizza location is the place to go! Great for lunch, late-night pizza slices and your Saturday morning at Des Moines' Downtown Farmers’ Market breakfast pizza fix. Claim to fame: “The Crab Rangoon” pizza was featured on the Food Network’s “Best Thing I Ever Ate” and the “General Tso’s Chicken” was on Travel Channel’s “Man v. Food.” VIEW MENU

601 Locust St., Des Moines Take a walk on your lunch break to this Downtown Des Moines pizza place with skywalk access. The 10” artisan pizzas are all so delicious and sized just-right for lunch for one. Flavors: fresh mozzarella, pepperoni, Hawaiian, meat supreme, buffalo chicken and chicken pesto. And the best part? Snag yourself a signature La Mie bakery item for a sweet treat as dessert! VIEW MENU

Sometimes you’re looking for what you know and hey, that’s cool, too! These pizza places located in Downtown Des Moines serve up the familiar pies you’ve come to know and love.

300 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway, Des Moines Serving up personal-sized pizzas with six slices, five crust options and 35+ toppings to choose from, or large 14” pizzas plus extras like cheesy bread, salads, desserts, beer, wine and pop — customize to your little heart’s desire at this pizza chain located in Downtown Des Moines! VIEW MENU

401 Grand Ave., Des Moines This Downtown Des Moines pizza place has been a staple for a long time! Open late daily including until 2 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Order online, through the app or by phone and choose from carryout, contact-free carside pickup or delivery options. VIEW MENU

420 Court Ave., Des Moines Open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, stop into Hy-Vee's Downtown Des Moines store for pizza by the slice for lunch or dinner! A selection of full-sized take-and-bake pizzas are also available. LEARN MORE

Plan your visit to Downtown Des Moines (DSM) with these tips for parking and navigation and discover additional restaurants and nightlife, too! And follow @downtownDSMUSA on Instagram for more epic, things-you-just-can’t-miss happening around Downtown.

DSM USA is the regional identifier for Greater Des Moines (DSM). DSM USA is a bold statement to the world: This is a welcoming, diverse and vibrant community with affordable and accessible amenities for residents and businesses. This regional identifier is the result of significant quantitative and qualitative research. The Partnership will champion the DSM USA message, and encourages its Investors, its more than 6,700 Regional Business Members and DSM USA Ambassadors to help share the region's story with One Voice.