Pizza can certainly function perfectly well as a standalone meal — after all, it's got dairy, grains, meat, vegetables, all your essential food groups — but plenty of DFW pizzerias have more to offer than just pizza pie. Here are 12 can't-miss pizza sides and desserts, from a beast of an ice cream sundae to fried mozzarella and more.
Bryan Street Tavern isn't necessarily a pizzeria, per se, but you'd be a fool to go there and not order one of the incredibly awesome, ultra-thin and crispy pies -- and the beer-basted chicken wings make the perfect accompaniment. There are several sauce options but the spicy ranch dry rub is a favorite.
Mozzarella sticks are a dime a dozen, but Coal Vines puts a unique twist on the deep-fried favorite by adding prosciutto to them and serving them with a tangy little caper and roasted pepper salad -- a condiment far better than the usual tepid marinara sauce.
Fresh housemade mozzarella is a specialty at this San Antonio export, and they put it to good use in the rollatini (which you may have seen featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives). The creamy cheese is layered up with prosciutto, arugula and truffle shavings before being rolled up and sliced and served with flatbread.
A trip to Bishop Arts' laid-back pizzeria and craft beer destination isn't complete without the Sundae Sack. A chocolate "sack" is filled with a plethora of sweet ingredients including vanilla ice cream, berries, crushed graham crackers, pecans, whipped cream, marshmallow sauce and a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar.
The pizza poppers at this drunk-food staple are worth a try for the sheer novelty factor alone: It's pizza! Stuffed into a mini eggroll-ish casing! They're also a hell of a lot better than the ones found in your grocer's freezer section, especially after a night of boozing on Lower Greenville.
The Caesar salad at this dark, divey Henderson favorite is almost as legendary as the thin-crust pies themselves. There's not particularly extraordinary about it -- it's just the requisite romaine, tangy dressing and croutons -- but it somehow adds up to more than the sum of its parts. Be warned: There's certainly no shortage of garlic, so have breath mints on hand for afterward.
At Neo you may be tempted to eat an entire Metro pie by yourself (and we would not dissuade you), but do not sleep on the Nutella mousse. It's topped off with a thin layer of gooey caramel and walnuts, and somehow manages to be light yet rich at the same time -- mind-blowing. (It's available at both the other Olivella's locations, too.)
Paparazzi has a loyal following in Carrollton, and evidence of the owner's Mediterranean roots are evident all over the menu. Hummus with pizza might not seem like a natural pairing, but the housemade version here is creamy, garlicky and served with toasted pita for dipping. (And come on, it's a lot more healthy than the cheese bread you'd usually get.)
Pizza Lounge is known for its offbeat pies (including a cheeseburger version complete with pickles), and the appetizers follow the same format -- where else can you find sauerkraut balls? Jimmy's sausage is mixed with sauerkraut, rolled into balls, breaded and deep-fried, then served with two sauces for dipping, Russian dressing and a creamy basil version. A great precursor to a pie, or just paired with one of the many beer options.
Garlic bread is garlic bread is garlic bread... right? Well, mostly — at Lakewood standby Scalini's, they offer a few dressed-up versions, including one with slightly spicy jalapeno-pecan pesto. (Yes, you want it.)
Cheese fries with pizza sounds like the dream of teenage boys everywhere, but stay with us: The Tuscan blue cheese fries at this downtown Plano pizzeria are surprisingly refined. Perfectly golden brown French fries are tossed with melty blue cheese chunks and herbs for an admittedly indulgent starter.
Zoli's garlic knots are buttery, greasy, garlicky little carb-bombs that might just find you neglecting your pizza in favor of wolfing down as many as possible. (We hear they're also pretty good dipped in the housemade jalapeno ranch.)
Bryan Street Tavern isn't necessarily a pizzeria, per se, but you'd be a fool to go there and not order one of the incredibly awesome, ultra-thin and crispy pies -- and the beer-basted chicken wings make the perfect accompaniment. There are several sauce options but the spicy ranch dry rub is a favorite.
Mozzarella sticks are a dime a dozen, but Coal Vines puts a unique twist on the deep-fried favorite by adding prosciutto to them and serving them with a tangy little caper and roasted pepper salad -- a condiment far better than the usual tepid marinara sauce.
Fresh housemade mozzarella is a specialty at this San Antonio export, and they put it to good use in the rollatini (which you may have seen featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives). The creamy cheese is layered up with prosciutto, arugula and truffle shavings before being rolled up and sliced and served with flatbread.
A trip to Bishop Arts' laid-back pizzeria and craft beer destination isn't complete without the Sundae Sack. A chocolate "sack" is filled with a plethora of sweet ingredients including vanilla ice cream, berries, crushed graham crackers, pecans, whipped cream, marshmallow sauce and a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar.
The pizza poppers at this drunk-food staple are worth a try for the sheer novelty factor alone: It's pizza! Stuffed into a mini eggroll-ish casing! They're also a hell of a lot better than the ones found in your grocer's freezer section, especially after a night of boozing on Lower Greenville.
The Caesar salad at this dark, divey Henderson favorite is almost as legendary as the thin-crust pies themselves. There's not particularly extraordinary about it -- it's just the requisite romaine, tangy dressing and croutons -- but it somehow adds up to more than the sum of its parts. Be warned: There's certainly no shortage of garlic, so have breath mints on hand for afterward.
At Neo you may be tempted to eat an entire Metro pie by yourself (and we would not dissuade you), but do not sleep on the Nutella mousse. It's topped off with a thin layer of gooey caramel and walnuts, and somehow manages to be light yet rich at the same time -- mind-blowing. (It's available at both the other Olivella's locations, too.)
Paparazzi has a loyal following in Carrollton, and evidence of the owner's Mediterranean roots are evident all over the menu. Hummus with pizza might not seem like a natural pairing, but the housemade version here is creamy, garlicky and served with toasted pita for dipping. (And come on, it's a lot more healthy than the cheese bread you'd usually get.)
Pizza Lounge is known for its offbeat pies (including a cheeseburger version complete with pickles), and the appetizers follow the same format -- where else can you find sauerkraut balls? Jimmy's sausage is mixed with sauerkraut, rolled into balls, breaded and deep-fried, then served with two sauces for dipping, Russian dressing and a creamy basil version. A great precursor to a pie, or just paired with one of the many beer options.
Garlic bread is garlic bread is garlic bread... right? Well, mostly — at Lakewood standby Scalini's, they offer a few dressed-up versions, including one with slightly spicy jalapeno-pecan pesto. (Yes, you want it.)
Cheese fries with pizza sounds like the dream of teenage boys everywhere, but stay with us: The Tuscan blue cheese fries at this downtown Plano pizzeria are surprisingly refined. Perfectly golden brown French fries are tossed with melty blue cheese chunks and herbs for an admittedly indulgent starter.
Zoli's garlic knots are buttery, greasy, garlicky little carb-bombs that might just find you neglecting your pizza in favor of wolfing down as many as possible. (We hear they're also pretty good dipped in the housemade jalapeno ranch.)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/57893317/011823_BrassRam_KathyTran_B41A0114.337.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/61532073/Sausage_and_Peppers_Giorgio_Papa_Joe_Chicken_Parm_Cheesesteak_The_Don_Turkey_and_Cheese.33.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/60241247/sandwich_hag.6.jpeg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/38831346/Olivellas5.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62034345/BryanStreetTavern_1.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62034347/GarrettHall_CoalVines.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62034349/SaraKerens-2432.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62034351/Msivin_Enos.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62034353/greenvilleavepizzacoFB.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56673715/Rodeo_Goat_Hatch_Me_If_You_Can.6.jpeg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67404885/CC_Order_In_30_KOCLD03T206H_Digital_Generic_Still_014.00086990__1_.14.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62034355/Msivin_Louies1.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62034357/Olivellas5.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62034359/paparazzi.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62034361/pizzaloungeFBlogo.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62034363/scalinis.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62034365/urbancrustext.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62034367/GarrettHall_Zolis_6.0.0.jpg)