The Best Pizza In Burlington, VT: Pizzeria Ida

Square Pie

A Traditional Pie

Close-up of a delicious slice of a saquare pie

Yeah, yeah, I know that proclaiming I have found the best of anything, much less the best pizza, is going to create a stir. But this weekend I tried Pizzeria Ida in Burlington, Vermont's Old North End neighborhood (662 Riverside Ave), and I must say it is definitely one of the best pizza I have ever tasted, anywhere. I'm a native New Yorker who has eaten more than her fair share of pizza around the world, so that is a monumental declaration. The crusts and ingredients are seriously out of this world. That said, if you want a nice, quiet ambiance and obsequious service, this is not the place for you; but, if you are looking for a great taste experience, read on.

I need to be upfront and let you know that Pizzeria Ida is a bit like the pizza parlor equivalent of the Soup Nazi (for those who remember the famous Seinfeld episode); no substitutions are offered and nothing beyond what is on the (limited) menu will be served (although they do allow red pepper flakes). There are traditional (round, thin crust) pies and square pies that are sorta-kinda reminiscent of of the Sicilian pizzas of my youth but unimaginably better, and neither can be ordered by the slice. If you are hoping for flat-bread, greasy NY, fancy-schmancy, Chicago, or New Haven, CT-style pizzas, you will be disappointed. The pies here are unlike any I've had elsewhere, and yet are still utterly legit pizzas.

Pizzeria Ida menu from 7 February 2025

The menu changes daily and there are wines available for purchase. On the night we went, there were 3 red options, only sold by the bottle: 2 Italian Borolos and 1 French (Pinot, I think), each at $100+ per bottle. The traditional pies are round and have a perfectly crispy crust. The tomato sauce is deliciously super-fresh, and the proportion of sauce to crust to cheese & toppings is perfect. The pies are LARGE (and expensive, as you can see above), but those big slices do not sag due to the crisp of the crust. The square pies are thick-crusted with crispy edges (and bottom) and the same sublime balance of dough to sauce to cheese to toppings found on the traditional pies.

The vibe is casual and the music is (loud-ish) classic rock with a Grateful Dead bent. There are no reservations, and not many tables, and the first time I tried to go there (before closing time), they had run out of pies and so we were out of luck. Plan accordingly.

Even though I was stuffed, I still had a hard time stopping as I wasn't ready for the flavor party to end. With 4 of us sharing one traditional and one square pie (along with salad and dessert), there was a good amount brought home. It's been a few days now, and I am still dreaming about the meal and wondering when I'll go back.

Obviously, if you are looking for customizable (normal) pizzas, or pizza by the slice, or a place which also sells the typical pizza-adjacent items (garlic knots, caesar salad, etc), Pizzeria Ida isn't the place to go. But if you want a full-on possibly life-changing pizza experience, I highly recommend trying Pizzeria Ida. Let me know what you think if you do!