The Best Pizza in Leeds

The best pizza in Leeds is at Rudy's for Neapolitan, with sites on New Station Street, in Headingley and in Chapel Allerton, Dough Boys at Belgrave Music Hall for slices, and Homeboy in Burley and Roundhay for sourdough and Detroit-style. If you want to drive, Grumpy's at Sunny Bank Mills in Farsley is the family favourite. Leeds takes its pizza more seriously than you might expect, and there are imported ovens to prove it.

Rudy's, New Station Street, Headingley and Chapel Allerton

Rudy's does thin Neapolitan crusts with properly bubbled edges, at 2 New Station Street by the station, in the Arndale Centre on Otley Road in Headingley, and on Stainbeck Lane in Chapel Allerton. Order the Calabrese, or the margherita with buffalo mozzarella, and ask for chilli honey to dip your crusts in. The Marinara is vegan, and there are rotating vegan specials. It is dog-friendly too.

Dough Boys, Belgrave Music Hall

Dough Boys is inside Belgrave Music Hall on Cross Belgrave Street, and sells by the slice or by the pie. Slices start at £4.20, and there is a half-price slice deal at set times. The Salami of Darkness is the order, and the vegan What's the Quack? is the surprise. Use the condiment station: garlic oil, parmesan and hot sauce.

Homeboy Pizza Co, Burley and Roundhay

Homeboy does sourdough and Detroit-style pizza at 309 Burley Road and at 147 Street Lane in Roundhay, where the base is focaccia. Order the Scottie Pipperoni. It was Leeds-List's sourdough pick, and the Detroit-style squares are worth a second visit.

Headingley: Ecco Pizzeria

Ecco, at 93 Otley Road, is a long-standing Neapolitan pizzeria with a wood-fired oven built and shipped over from Tuscany. Keep it simple with the margherita or go for a quattro formaggi. The Athens-style and Bombay-style pizzas are there for the adventurous. Vegan cheese is available on any pizza.

Meanwood and Chapel Allerton

Pizza Loco cooks Neapolitan pizza with San Marzano tomatoes at The Meanwood Tavern, 607 Meanwood Road. The Jean Paul Goatier has the best name in Leeds. Culto, at 97 Stainbeck Road, needs no booking, has an award-winning chef, and does a Diavola Piccante with 'nduja, salami and fresh chillies for people who like to suffer. The Nordica, a white base with prawns and smoked salmon, is the curveball.

In the city centre

• Pizza Pilgrims, 16 Boar Lane. The date-night pick. Raised crusts, and a carbonara pizza with spaghetti on a Pecorino Romano base. Finish at the flamingo pedalo soft-serve machine.
• Franco Manca, 1 Trinity Street. Slow-rise sourdough made on site daily, and a margherita for £9.95.
• Tapped, 51 Boar Lane. Beer in the dough, a house pomodoro sauce and a Ruby Murray pizza with spicy beef keema. Plant-based mozzarella on request.
• Sela Bar, 20 New Briggate. A basement bar doing stone-baked pizza, with a Wednesday deal on a whole pizza and a house pint. Try the Shralloumi, halloumi and mushroom.
• Pizza Punks, 37 Bond Street. Build your own with unlimited toppings, including Irn Bru ham hock and vegan pepperoni. Dangerous for the indecisive.
• LIVIN'Italy, Granary Wharf. The Royal Margy, with anchovies and burrata, or a pistachio pesto pizza.
• Water Lane Boathouse, Canal Wharf. A Stefano Ferrara oven made in Naples, by the water. The Zola and Speck, or the Hot Vegana if you are avoiding cheese.

Kirkstall Road

Pizza Freak, at 372 Kirkstall Road, does New York-style slices and Detroit-style deep pies, made in-house. The Yonkers is the one.

Out of town

Grumpy's, at Sunny Bank Mills in Farsley, is run by sisters Alex and Cassie Rogerson with a wood-fired oven, dough balls and baked feta. Order the Clive. Trattoria Il Forno at 85 Town Street in Horsforth does pizzas from 12 to 20 inches and five calzones, which tells you who it is for: families who are hungry. Wood Fire Dine on Commercial Street in Rothwell, run by Mark Baber, runs a monthly guest pizza and does gluten-free and New York-style bases. Grumpy's also does a vegetarian Bianca if the Clive is not for everyone.

How to pizza in Leeds

For a quick slice, Dough Boys or Pizza Freak. For a sit-down Neapolitan, Rudy's or Ecco. For a date, Pizza Pilgrims. For the kids, Grumpy's or Il Forno. The full list is in the Leeds-List pizza guide, and the Leeds-List cheap eats guide has the slice prices.