For the best pizza in Albany, NY, start with Sovrana on North Lake Avenue for an old-school neighborhood slice shop and DeFazio's, which has a small Albany outpost on Livingston Avenue and its original wood-fired pizzeria in Troy. Just outside the city, Pizza by Plu in Guilderland makes Detroit-style pan pizza on a pre-order basis, Romo's in Glenmont and its sister restaurant Anthony's by Romo's in Voorheesville are reader favorites, and Kay's Pizza on Burden Lake is a seasonal tradition. Below is what sets each one apart and how to actually get a pie, since a few of these do not work like a typical pizzeria.
Best pizza in Albany NY: quick comparison
| Pizzeria | Location | Style | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sovrana | 63 North Lake Ave, Albany | Neighborhood pizza shop, deli and bakery | Closed Sundays |
| DeFazio's Albany | 75 Livingston Ave, Albany | Wood-fired | Inside the ADCo cocktail bar space |
| DeFazio's (original) | 266 4th St, Troy | Wood-fired | Family pizzeria next to its import shop since 1989 |
| Pizza by Plu | 1810 Western Ave, Guilderland | Detroit-style pan pizza | Weekly pre-orders open Sunday at noon |
| Romo's Pizza | 365 Feura Bush Rd, Glenmont | From-scratch dough, Grande mozzarella | Closed Mondays |
| Anthony's by Romo's | 112 Maple Ave, Voorheesville | New Haven style | Closed Mondays; full restaurant with bars and a deck |
| Kay's Pizza | 10 Walsh Lane, Averill Park | Family recipe since 1958 | Seasonal, roughly April to mid-October |
Pizza in the city of Albany
Sovrana
Sovrana is a combination pizza shop, deli and bakery on North Lake Avenue. Its website lists past honors including Best Pizza from Metroland in 1996 and 2006 and Best Pizza in the Capital Region from the Times Union in 1998, so it has been a neighborhood standby for decades. Pickup, delivery and catering are available.
- Address: 63 North Lake Avenue, Albany; (518) 465-0961
- Hours on its site: Monday to Thursday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday noon to 9 p.m., closed Sunday
- Best for: a quick slice or a pie for the table, plus pastries from the bakery case
DeFazio's Pizzeria Albany
The DeFazio family's Troy pizzeria has an Albany location at 75 Livingston Avenue, inside the ADCo cocktail bar, according to the family's website. It serves the same wood-fired style as the original, in a smaller setting near downtown. If you are already in downtown Albany, this is the most convenient way to try DeFazio's without driving to Troy.
Worth the drive: the Capital Region favorites
DeFazio's Wood-Fired Pizzeria, Troy
The DeFazio story starts in 1951, when Anthony DeFazio took over a small grocery on Troy's Fourth Street and he and his wife Josephine began selling homemade sauces and sausages. In the 1960s the store became DeFazio's Import Shop, specializing in Italian products. In March 1989, Anthony and his son Rocco restored the run-down building next door at 266 Fourth Street and opened DeFazio's Wood-Fired Pizzeria, which Rocco runs. The family also operates DeFazio's at 216, a larger sit-down restaurant at 216 4th Street (no takeout), according to its website.
- Address: pizzeria and import store at 264 and 266 4th Street, Troy
- Best for: the original wood-fired pie, plus a stop at the import shop next door
Pizza by Plu, Guilderland
Pizza by Plu is the one-man Detroit-style operation that won the Times Union Readers' Poll for Best Pizza in 2025, before it even had a storefront. Owner Brian Plutchok started testing dough at home in 2020, sold pies through weekly pickup slots, and moved into a brick-and-mortar kitchen in Guilderland on January 1, 2026, according to an interview with The Dishing. His pizzas use a high-hydration, cold-fermented dough, Grande mozzarella pushed to the edge of the pan for a caramelized crust, and stripes of red sauce made from DOP San Marzano tomatoes.
- Address: 1810 Western Ave, Guilderland (Albany mailing address), per its Toast ordering page
- How to order: ordering for the whole week opens Sunday at noon through Toast. You choose a pickup day and time and collect at the storefront. This is not a walk-in pizzeria, so plan ahead.
- Also: "Pasta by Plu" family meals were added on Mondays in 2026.
Romo's Pizza, Glenmont
Anthony Berghela opened Romo's in November 2009, and the business moved three times within Glenmont Plaza as it grew. It now runs a full sit-down restaurant alongside takeout. Romo's says its pizzas are made from scratch with fresh daily dough, a homemade sauce and 100 percent Grande cheese, and many other items, from meatballs to dressings, are made in house.
- Address: 365 Feura Bush Road, Glenmont; 518-449-5871
- Hours on its site: closed Mondays; takeout from 11 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon on Sunday, with dine-in starting later in the day
Anthony's by Romo's, Voorheesville
Anthony's is Romo's sister restaurant, opened in January 2025 in the former Smith's Tavern building on Maple Avenue, which was fully renovated starting in 2022. Its signature is New Haven-style pizza, and the menu also includes burgers, pasta with house-made sauces and Italian desserts. The building has two floors, indoor and outdoor bars, and a deck and patio.
- Address: 112 Maple Ave, Voorheesville; (518) 641-1702
- Hours on its site: Tuesday to Thursday 4 to 9 p.m., Friday 4 to 10 p.m., Saturday noon to 9 p.m., Sunday noon to 8 p.m., closed Monday
- Groups: parties of seven or more are asked to call ahead.
Kay's Pizza, Averill Park
Kay's sits on Burden Lake in Averill Park, east of the Hudson. Kay and Vic Campagna bought the building in 1958 and began serving pizza from a family recipe, and later owners kept the recipes when they took over. It is a seasonal restaurant, open from early April until mid-October, with a full bar.
- Address: 10 Walsh Lane, Averill Park, NY 12018; (518) 674-5413
- Seating: no reservations. It is first come, first served, and your party is seated only once everyone has arrived.
- Payment: Visa, Mastercard and Discover are accepted.
- Gluten-free: gluten-free dough is available from an outside supplier, but the kitchen is not gluten-free.
- Timing: because of the season, check the website for the closing date each fall.
Which Albany pizza is right for you?
- Wood-fired crust: DeFazio's in Albany or Troy.
- Thick, crispy-edged pan pizza: Pizza by Plu, if you can plan your order a few days ahead.
- Old-school neighborhood shop: Sovrana.
- A night out with drinks: Anthony's by Romo's or Kay's in season.
- Feeding a family on a weeknight: Romo's, which handles both dine-in and takeout.
Tips for ordering pizza around Albany
- Check open days. Several of these pizzerias close one day a week (often Monday), and Pizzeria Michelina keeps a short schedule.
- Order early on weekends. Friday and Saturday evenings are the busiest times, and pre-order operations like Pizza by Plu open ordering on a set weekly schedule.
- Use the pizzeria's own ordering link when it has one. Menus, prices and hours on third-party delivery apps are not always current.
- Ask about gluten-free. Kay's offers gluten-free dough but warns that its kitchen is not a gluten-free environment; check cross-contact practices at any shop if you have celiac disease.
Frequently asked questions
What pizza won the Times Union readers' poll?
Pizza by Plu won the Times Union Readers' Poll for Best Pizza in 2025, according to The Dishing's interview with its owner. The poll is run every year, so check the newspaper's current results for the latest winners.
Is there wood-fired pizza in downtown Albany?
Yes. DeFazio's has an Albany location at 75 Livingston Avenue and an original pizzeria in Troy.
Which pizzerias are open year-round?
Most of the places in this guide operate year-round; Kay's Pizza is seasonal, and its current opening and closing dates should be checked before visiting.
Sources for this guide include the DeFazio family history, The Dishing's interview with Pizza by Plu's owner, and Kay's Pizza. Hours and ordering rules change often, so confirm with each pizzeria before you go.