Craving pizza? These 6 Middle GA restaurants serve the ‘Best of the Best,’ locals say

Whether cooked over a wood-burning stove or hand-tossed and served up “Macon-style,” these Middle Georgia pizzerias each have their own unique draws.

All have built strong local followings in the Macon and Warner Robins areas. Two have been Middle Georgia fixtures for decades. One has been open less than a year.

The six restaurants earned top awards in the Telegraph’s 2021 Best of the Best contest in which customers can vote for their favorite businesses, including for best pizza place.

The Best of the Best winners are the top scorers in each category based on votes cast on macon.com.

Here are the winners in the Macon-Bibb area in the best pizza place category:

• Ingleside Village Pizza — A local favorite for nearly 30 years, Ingleside Village Pizza once again took the No. 1 spot for best pizza. Located at 2395 Ingleside Ave., this independently owned and operated restaurant features “Macon-style” pizza — hand-tossed crust of medium thickness with a generous sprinkling of fresh toppings. The restaurant makes its pizza dough daily and offers a large selection of imported beer. Ingleside Village Pizza has won multiple Best of the Best and other awards. Owner Tina Dickson says her regular customers keep her in business. She first opened in 1992 in a building she leased across Ingleside Avenue from the current store, which opened in early 2009, according to Telegraph archives. Pizza can be ordered by the slice or by a medium or large pie. The Ultimate Village pizza includes pepperoni, sausage, ham, mushrooms, onions, green peppers, green and black olives, fresh garlic and extra cheese.
• JAG’s Pizzeria and Pub — Nestled in Mercer Village at 1635 Montpelier Ave., this restaurant known for its huge quarter-of a-pizza-sized, single slices won runner-up. The restaurant also features craft beer and cocktails. Macon business owners Richie Jones, Brian Adams and Ryan Griffin, who have their hands in multiple local restaurants, purchased the former Sauced pizza place in the same spot in late 2019 and reopened in early 2020 as JAG’s. Looking for something unique? Try the Piedmont Pulled Pork pizza that features sweet and smoky BBQ sauce, Piedmont Brewery and Kitchen pulled pork, onions, green peppers and mozzarella cheese.
• Romo’s Pizza — Open for less than a year, this restaurant known for its Neapolitan pizza cooked over a wood-burning stove earned an honorable mention. Neapolitan pizza derives its name from Naples, Italy, with the Margherita with its tomato, basil and mozzarella toppings probably the best known pizza of that style. The restaurant is named after the youngest son of Natasha and Carl Phillips, who also own the Fountain of Juice eatery next door. The Italian-themed restaurant, which honors Natasha Phillips’ family heritage, is located at 4123 Forsyth Road in the Prado shopping center. The restaurant is also known to offer specialty dishes — such as seafood lasagna or Chicken Marsala over spaghetti — that aren’t on the regular menu but posted on Facebook when available. The restaurant also offers beer and cocktails.

Warner Robins area

Here are the winners in the Warner Robins area in the best pizza place category:

• My Father’s Pizza — “Built with perseverance, persistence and prayer,” this well-established family owned and operated restaurant took the top spot as the best pizza place. The popular pizza parlor has been in operation for more than 25 years. They’re known for daily deals of pizza slices with a salad and a drink as well as the huge Chicago-style, deep-dish pizza that can feed a small army. They also serve gourmet pizzas like the Rajun Cajun, which features garlic butter, green peppers, onions, tomatoes, Louisiana style cajun shrimp, mozzarella and provolone cheese. Located at 2507 Moody Road, the restaurant also serves subs, wings, salads, spaghetti and more.
• 2 Guys & A Pie Pizzeria — Known for New York style pizza, this pizza spot won runner up. Among their top sellers are the Brooklyn Bomber pizza with pepperoni, meatballs, ricotta and fresh parsley and the 3-Amigos Taco Burger of beef, lettuce, tomato and ranch drizzle with a picante base. Pizza comes by the pie or by the slice. This local favorite is also known for their garlic rolls served up hot and drizzled in olive oil and chopped garlic. The restaurant is located at 402 Ga. 247, Suite 2000, in the The Landing Pointe shopping center in Bonaire
• Mellow Mushroom — This locally owned and operated franchise restaurant in Warner Robins earned an honorable mention among readers for best pizza place. Founded in 1974 in Atlanta, Mellow Mushroom offers “fresh, stone-baked pizzas to order in an eclectic, art-filled and family-friendly environment,” according to its website. Popular with locals, the restaurant offers a plethora of toppings to build your own pizza as well as a host of specialty pizzas. The House Special comes with a mellow red sauce base and toppings of mozzarella, pepperoni, sausage, ground beef, ham, apple wood smoked bacon, mushrooms, black olives, roma tomatoes, green peppers, onions and extra mozzarella. The restaurant is located at 710 Lake Joy Road. The restaurant also serves cocktails.