Columbus, Ga., has a world-champion pizza maker, and diners have noticed. Cerrone's Brick Oven Pizzeria on Veterans Parkway tops our ranking of the city's best pizza spots, with a 4.6-star Google rating from more than 1,100 reviews, ahead of nine other local favorites, from a New York-style family joint to a no-frills walk-up window on Second Avenue.

To build the list, we looked at every Columbus-area restaurant in our Restaurant Scores database whose main business is pizza and that has at least 100 Google reviews. We ranked them by Google star rating as of Oct. 16, 2026, and broke ties by the number of reviews, since a 4.5 from 1,300 people says more than a 4.5 from 150. Together, the 10 spots on the list have 9,438 Google reviews.

For each one, you'll also find the latest Georgia health inspection score, the hours and what diners say to order.

Big national delivery chains didn't make it. Every Domino's, Pizza Hut, Little Caesars, Papa John's and Marco's location in Columbus with a Google rating scored between 3.0 and 4.2 stars, below the local spots that made the list.

10. Ramos Italian Restaurant and Social Event Center: 4.2 stars (118 reviews)

1607 S. Lumpkin Road · (762) 524-7356 · Open daily, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Ramos is part restaurant, part event space on South Lumpkin Road, and along with Pizza Pronto, it's one of two spots on the list open every day of the week, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Google's summary of its reviews says diners like the pizza, the chicken Alfredo and the garlic bread, along with generous portions and good service.

Reviews are more mixed here than anywhere else on the list. One recent diner wrote that the pizza "was still one of the best ones I have tried so far," while others complained that dishes didn't match their menu descriptions. Go for the pizza and the garlic bread, the two things diners mention most.

Latest inspection: 91 (A) on July 29, 2026.

9. Peluso's Italian Restaurant: 4.2 stars (424 reviews)

5600 Milgen Road · (706) 563-9934 · Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; closed Sunday

Peluso's is an old-school Italian restaurant on Milgen Road, the kind of place where, as one reviewer put it, the staff "seemed to be friends with all the customers." Dinners come with soup and salad, and Google notes its value-priced lunch specials.

The pizza draws steady praise. One longtime reviewer wrote that the kitchen makes its own dough and called the combination pizza "very good," with "top quality toppings." Like several spots on this list, Peluso's gets some complaints about slow service, and it closes earlier than most, so call ahead for a to-go order.

Latest inspection: a perfect 100 on April 7, 2026.

8. Mr. Pizza Brick Oven and Tap: 4.2 stars (583 reviews)

3443 Macon Road · (706) 507-0483 · Tuesday through Thursday, 5 to 10 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, 3 to 10 p.m.; closed Monday

Mr. Pizza pairs brick-oven pies with a full bar on Macon Road. Diners describe crispy crusts and fresh toppings, and they also order the pasta, wings and calzones. "The dough was nice, the sauce was good, and all the toppings were properly balanced," one reviewer wrote.

It's a dinner spot first: it doesn't open until 5 p.m. on weekdays. The bar gets its own fans, including one reviewer who claimed it pours "the best whiskey sour in Columbus." Some reviews mention slow service on busy nights.

Latest inspection: a perfect 100 on June 5, 2026.

7. Slice: 4.3 stars (193 reviews)

6516 Kitten Lake Drive, Midland · (706) 221-4286 · Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 8 p.m.; closed Monday

Slice brings New York-style pizza to Midland, with a lunch special that Google's review summary says regulars like. The menu goes beyond pepperoni: reviewers mention a brisket pizza and a cauliflower-crust option, and one wrote that the cauliflower crust was "hands down the best I've ever had."

Slice offers its pies two ways, which one reviewer described as "brick and no brick." The brick version has a darker, crisper crust. That's worth knowing before you order, because a few diners who weren't expecting it complained that their crust was too dark.

Latest inspection: 90 (A) on May 26, 2026.

6. The Cannon Brewpub: 4.3 stars (2,880 reviews)

1041 Broadway · (706) 653-2337

The Cannon is a brewpub first, but Google's own description calls it "known for its wood-fired pizza," and it has more Google reviews than any other spot on this list, nearly 2,900. It brews its own beer in a brick-lined room on Broadway, steps from the RiverWalk, which makes it a natural stop before or after a downtown event.

If you want a pizza and a beer brewed on-site in the same place, this is the spot. It also serves burgers and a full menu for anyone in your group who isn't in a pizza mood.

Latest inspection: 88 (B) on June 9, 2026.

5. Pizza Pronto: 4.4 stars (273 reviews)

4400 Second Ave., Suite 6 · (706) 596-9855 · Open daily, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Pizza Pronto is the most unusual stop on the list: you order through a small window outside, and there's no dining room to sit in. Reviewers call it a "hidden gem" and a "hole in the wall," and they keep coming back for thin-crust pies loaded with toppings.

"This pizza came out quickly, fresh, and very delicious," one reviewer wrote, adding that it "dominates" the big chains. It's also the cheapest spot on the list: Google prices it at $1 to $10 per person, compared with $10 to $20 at most others. Call your order in ahead, reviewers advise, or plan to wait outside.

Latest inspection: 83 (B) on March 2, 2026.

4. Mellow Mushroom: 4.4 stars (1,355 reviews)

6100 Veterans Parkway · (706) 322-4602 · Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The Atlanta-born chain's Columbus location is known for its funky, art-filled dining room, stone-baked pies and craft beer. Diners single out the crust above all: "The Mellow Mushroom pizza crust is sooooo good," one wrote. Google's review summary also mentions the wings, the spinach dip, vegan options, and trivia and bingo nights.

It's a strong pick for families with dietary needs. One parent wrote that her daughter, who has celiac disease, eats there because the staff prepares gluten-free pizza separately. Reviewers say the recently redone dining room has big booths that seat six to eight.

Latest inspection: a perfect 100 on Oct. 15, 2026, the most recent inspection of any spot on this list.

3. Your Pie: 4.5 stars (1,159 reviews)

1019 Broadway · (706) 221-6899 · Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Your Pie, another Georgia-born chain, lets you build your own pizza from the dough up, then bakes it in a brick oven while you watch. Uptown diners love the control: "You can customize your pizza, all the way from the dough to the toppings," one reviewer wrote.

It's one of the easiest spots in town for special diets, with vegan cheese and a gluten-free crust, according to Google's review summary. It also serves gelato and local beers, and unlike several spots on this list, it's open on Sundays.

Latest inspection: a perfect 100 on Feb. 25, 2026.

2. Johnny's New York Style Pizza: 4.5 stars (1,323 reviews)

6770 Veterans Parkway, Suite D · (706) 507-5050 · Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; closed Sunday

Johnny's ties Your Pie at 4.5 stars but edges it out with more reviews. The name makes a promise, and a diner from New York City backed it up: "I can say at least the claim of NY style pizza is valid. It's legit."

Beyond the big, foldable slices, regulars order the calzones, the garlic knots and the strombolis. One reviewer called the stromboli and marinara the best they'd had since a favorite pizza place in Eufaula closed. The one recurring complaint is price: a large pie with toppings can run close to $30, according to one review.

Latest inspection: 97 (A) on July 23, 2026.

1. Cerrone's Brick Oven Pizzeria: 4.6 stars (1,130 reviews)

7830 Veterans Parkway, Suite G · (706) 221-2778 · Monday through Thursday, 3 to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 3 to 10 p.m.; closed Sunday

Columbus's top-rated pizza spot is also its most decorated. Owner and chef Leo DiCesaris, a Columbus native, won the non-traditional pizza division at the 2025 International Pizza Challenge in Las Vegas, according to Pizza Today and the Ledger-Enquirer. That October, he won first place in the innovative pizza category at the 2025 Pizza World Cup in Rome, WRBL reported, making him a two-time world champion.

DiCesaris told WRBL he grew up in an Italian family where pizza was "probably my first love." Diners taste the care: one reviewer wrote that the chef took him into the kitchen to show him which cheeses they used. Google's review summary says diners especially like the New York-style, vodka and supreme pizzas, plus the garlic knots and calzones.

Plan ahead: Cerrone's opens at 3 p.m., closes on Sundays and has a small dining room. It also keeps what one reviewer called "an awesome beer and wine list."

Latest inspection: 98 (A) on Jan. 21, 2026.

Worth a try: Taranovas Pizza

4640 Warm Springs Road, Suite B · (706) 243-1448 · Open daily, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Taranovas didn't make the ranking because it has only 74 Google reviews, short of our 100-review cutoff, but its 4.5-star rating would have put it in the top three. It serves something no one else on the list does: Indian-fusion pizza, with toppings like peri peri paneer and chicken tikka, according to Google's review summary. It's also open later than anyone else on this list, until 11 p.m. every day.

Latest inspection: a perfect 100 on June 16, 2026.

Health scores at a glance

All 10 spots passed their latest state inspection. Eight earned an A, including four perfect 100s, and two earned a B.

In Georgia, a score of 90 to 100 is an A, 80 to 89 is a B and 70 to 79 is a C. You can look up any restaurant's full inspection history, including what inspectors found, on our free Restaurant Scores page at columbustimes.com/restaurants.

Before you go

• Sunday pizza: Your Pie, Mellow Mushroom, Pizza Pronto, Slice (from noon), Mr. Pizza (from 3 p.m.), Ramos and Taranovas are open Sundays. Cerrone's, Johnny's and Peluso's are closed.
• Late night: Taranovas is open until 11 p.m. daily. Cerrone's, Johnny's, Mellow Mushroom and Mr. Pizza stay open until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
• Gluten-free or vegan: Your Pie and Mellow Mushroom get the most mentions from diners with dietary needs.
• Cheapest: Pizza Pronto, at $1 to $10 per person by Google's estimate.
• Hours change: We pulled hours from each restaurant's Google listing on Oct. 16, 2026. Call before you go, especially on holidays.

Did we miss your favorite? Tell us in the comments, and tell us what to order.