The best pizza in Birmingham
Bennetts Hill has two Neapolitan pizzerias within a few doors of each other, Grand Central has two more above the trains, and the Quarter does it square. Where to eat pizza in Birmingham, and what to order.
By Only Birmingham Editorial
For pizza in Birmingham, start on Bennetts Hill, B2, where Rudy's at number 9-10 and Franco Manca at number 19 make Neapolitan pizza a few doors apart. Grand Central above the station has two more, and the Quarter does it square at Saint Paul's Market. Here is where to go, and what you get at each.
Rudy's, Bennetts Hill, Brindleyplace and Harborne
Rudy's came down from Manchester and now has three Birmingham pizzerias: 9-10 Bennetts Hill in town, 6 Oozells Square at Brindleyplace, and 77 High Street in Harborne. It is the most serious about the rules. The pizzas are made to the standards of the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, the body founded in Naples in 1984 to certify the real thing. On Bennetts Hill the dough is made fresh every day with 00 Caputo flour and fermented for up to 24 hours, then baked fast and hot for a soft middle and a blistered crust. Order the Margherita, with San Marzano tomatoes, fior di latte and Grana Padano, and judge the rest of the menu by it.
Each site has its own advantages. Brindleyplace has a covered terrace and tables out on the square in good weather, and dogs are welcome. Harborne is the neighbourhood option on the High Street, handy before or after a drink in the village. Bennetts Hill does a party package for groups of ten or more. All three are open from late morning to 9pm or 10pm. The dough is vegan; there is no gluten-free base, so take note if that matters.
Franco Manca, 19 Bennetts Hill
A few doors down, Franco Manca makes Neapolitan sourdough pizza by hand in an open kitchen. The reason to go at lunchtime is the deal: on weekdays from noon to 4pm, a sourdough pizza and a soft drink costs £12.50, or £15 for two courses with a drink. It is open from 11.30am every day, until 10.30pm on Friday and Saturday. If you work in the business district, this is the lunch to know.
Pizza Pilgrims, Grand Central
Pizza Pilgrims chose Grand Central, above New Street Station, for its first Birmingham pizzeria, which makes it the best pizza before a train. The menu covers the classics plus a few house favourites: Double Pepperoni & Hot Honey, the Amalfi Coast, a Carbonara and The 8-Cheese. Finish with the Nutella Pizza Ring or a scoop of gelato for £3. It is useful for groups: there are halal pepperoni and mozzarella at no extra cost, gluten-free bases, and feasting menus for eight or more from £25 a head. Walk-ins are welcome and so are dogs. It opens at 11.30am on weekdays, closing at 9pm Monday to Thursday and 10pm on Friday and Saturday.
@pizza, Grand Central
In the same building, @pizza at Unit 33 is the quick option. Pick a base, sauce and cheese, add your toppings, and a rectangular pizza comes out of the oven in about 90 seconds. Harden's reviewers rate it as a top local pizza pit stop. It is not a sit-down evening, but it is a very good ten minutes.
Corner Shop Pizza, Saint Paul's Market
For something other than Neapolitan, go to the Quarter. Corner Shop Pizza is one of the eight kitchens at Saint Paul's Market on Mary Ann Street, off Saint Paul's Square, and it does Detroit-style pizza, the square kind, with a range of toppings and sides. It is the pizza in this city that looks least like the others, and the one to order if your group has already done Naples twice this month. Order from the QR code on your table, and add a burger from Original Patty Men or bao from Tiger Bites Pig for whoever at the table refuses pizza. The market opens Wednesday to Sunday from noon and is cashless.
A note on Digbeth
Digbeth lost a pizza oven this summer. Baked in Brick fired its Digbeth restaurant oven for the last time in early August 2026, after eight years. The business carries on with bakehouse cafes in Sutton Coldfield, Wylde Green, Digbeth and the Quarter, and still brings a mobile pizza oven to events, so look out for it at festivals.
Know before you go
Bennetts Hill is the easiest pizza night in town, with two good options a few doors apart, so if one has a queue, walk on. Grand Central is the pick before a train. And for the full Neapolitan argument, start with the Margherita at Rudy's and the sourdough at Franco Manca, then decide for yourself.
