Indianapolis, INPizza

King Dough treats its naturally leavened crust as the main event, baking it in a wood-fired oven until chewy, lightly sour, and touched with smoke. The Holy Cross room opens through garage doors onto a trellised patio, giving the pizzeria an easy indoor-outdoor rhythm. Thoughtful combinations such as ricotta, basil, caramelized onions, and black pepper reward ordering beyond plain cheese, though the dough keeps every pie grounded.

Diavola pairs a swank but relaxed dining room with wood-fired 13-inch pizzas sized for sharing. Start with creamy burrata and a quartino of wine, then move to the Pera Pesto, layered with pesto, fresh mozzarella, pear, bacon, and gorgonzola. The polished SoBro setting makes the meal feel suited to a date, but the concise menu and shareable pies keep the experience easy rather than formal.

Bazbeaux helped introduce Indianapolis to gourmet pizza with crisp, sturdy crusts built to carry generous toppings. White, wheat, and gluten-free bases support combinations featuring house-made chorizo, lump crab, capicola, pesto, and other departures from standard parlor fare. The Mass Ave room remains a lively place to experiment: choose a specialty pie or build one from the long ingredient list, then share across the table.

Napolese turns seasonal ingredients into delicate, bubble-crusted pies from its stone hearth. The menu moves from margherita to the sausage-and-mushroom Hamaker's Corner, while Elliott's Pie layers potatoes, pancetta, and gorgonzola. The Meridian-Kessler room gives the food a grown-up setting without losing pizza's casual ease. Order two contrasting pies so the table gets both the crust's restraint and the kitchen's changing produce.

Futuro specializes in square Detroit style pizza with a thick, chewy crust and crisp cheese edges. The deep pies carry generous toppings across an airy interior, while a thin tavern style option brings crackly contrast and party-cut pieces. The compact Cruse Street room keeps attention on those two distinct approaches to pizza.