The Best Pizza In Indiana, Hands Down

Trying to pinpoint the best pizza places in every state is no easy task. In Indiana, Diavola is pleasing fans with its brick-oven-fired pizzas, and a menu featuring date-pleasing appetizers like calamari, garlic cheese bread, and wings, plus plenty of beer, wine, and cocktails to wash it all down. Italian-born chef and co-owner Dennis Gurnell draws diners from near and far with his Neapolitan-meets-New-American cooking.

The hand-stretched pies, fashioned into 13-inch rounds, can be customized to preference, with gluten-free crusts and vegan cheese available to suit dietary needs. Customers have called Diavola the best pizza in Indianapolis on TripAdvisor, with one person writing, "This place excels at pizza with a perfect thin crust on the bottom and crusty outside." Burrata can be plopped onto orders for an additional $3, but many people feel the recipes need no improvement — such as the well-traveled Redditor who lived in Italy for years and noted that, "Diavola is as close as I've seen in the U.S." In addition to classic margherita and rosso pies, the eponymous Diavola delights with expertly crafted pomodoro sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni, basil, peppadew pepper, and olive oil. Other pizzas showcase bold toppings like shrimp, grilled chicken, braised pork belly, and sweet corn.

On Google, not only do Diavola customers enthusiastically proclaim things like, "This spot is a total vibe," but they also rave about the service, food, and desserts. Some even say it's a destination, swearing it's the best they've tried in the country and extolling its authenticity. "The crust was so perfect, slightly chewy like perfectly risen yeast with a slight crunch to the crust. No soggy dough over here," wrote another happy visitor and Google reviewer, who added "I will travel the 1.5 hours [it] takes to eat this pizza, it's that good."

Owners Dennis Gurnell and Lori Welch attribute their success to using fresh, quality ingredients, and carefully selected pantry items like all-natural Caputo blended flour and imported Sinatra-brand plum tomatoes from Naples, which are handpicked and packed in fresh tomato puree. Gurnell slides his assembled pies into a custom Italian-made Marra Forni oven, which perfectly chars pies in a minute and a half. Diavola's diners can watch all this pizza-making from their seats. Some restaurants are truly worth traveling for, and it would seem that Diavola's is one of those must-visits while in the area.