Pizzeria Milano, pictured in the background, is located near Gartenschau in Kaiserslautern, Germany. (Heather Benit/Stars and Stripes)
If you’re one of the many pizza-loving Americans based in Kaiserslautern, Germany, cravings for a crispy crust topped with tasty tomato sauce and heaps of melted mozzarella can lead to bitter disappointment.
It’s hard to find a good pie in K-town. Crusts are often cardboard-like, sauce is sparse and sometimes the cheese is questionable.
In our pursuit to find the best pizza restaurants, we asked readers and Stars and Stripes staff members about their favorites. Although no local pizzas quite compare to New York-style or Chicago deep-dish, here are five of the top options.
Pizzeria Milano in Kaiserslautern is a favorite among Americans because of its portion sizes and prices. A 40 centimeter Margherita pizza is 11.40 euros. (Heather Benit/Stars and Stripes)
Pizzeria Milano in Kaiserslautern has outdoor seating in the summer. Pizzas can be picked up but there is no delivery. (Heather Benit/Stars and Stripes)
Top pick: Pizzeria Milano
Pizzeria Milano is a top pick because it offers American-sized portions for a reasonable price. A large pizza is affordable and enough for a full meal plus leftovers. A 40 centimeter Margherita pizza, for example, costs 11.40 euros.
The pizza is cooked in a wood-fire stove and has lots of cheese. It’s a popular choice for large groups and people dining in. Its location near Gartenschau, known as the Dinosaur Park, and outdoor summer seating make it worth a visit.
Pick-up service is easy and English-friendly; there’s no option for delivery.
The Margherita pizza at Villa Italiano, near Kleber Kaserne in Kaiserslautern, Germany, is topped with fresh basil and oregano. (Heather Benit/Stars and Stripes)
The Spinaci with spinach, garlic and parmesan at Villa Italiano in Kaiserslautern, Germany, tastes fresh and delicious. (Heather Benit/Stars and Stripes)
The homemade tiramisu at Villa Italiano in Kaiserslautern, Germany, is worth the splurge. (Heather Benit/Stars and Stripes)
Top two for takeout: Villa Italiano and Pizzeria Venezia
Villa Italiano: Cooked in a wood stove with crispy crust.
Villa Italiano serves Italian-style pizza made with fresh ingredients cooked in a wood stove. Its crusts are crispy and the pizza is flavored with garlic goodness. All pies are 33 centimeters.
The Margherita costs 9 euros and is topped with fresh oregano and basil. The spinaci, with spinach, garlic and fresh Parmesan, is original and tastes homemade. For a splurge, order the tiramisu for 5.50 euros.
Although Villa Italiano is a favorite for delivery, this restaurant near the Volkspark and Kleber Kaserne has a dine-in option.
The seafood marinara at Pizzeria Venezia in Kaiserslautern, Germany. (Erik Slavin/Stars and Stripes)
Pizzeria Venezia: Try the spicy veggie; skip the Margherita.
Pizzeria Venezia is a family-run pizzeria and ice cream parlor on Eisenbahnstrasse near the main train station. For 13.40 euros, Venezia makes a delicious large vegetarian pizza with peppers and onions.
It has a little kick that stands out from other bland vegetarian pizzas. For nonvegetarians, the seafood marinara pie for 11.60 euros is worthy of delivery, though it could have been crispier. Venezia’s large Margherita is an average cheese pizza for 8.90 euros.
The pizzeria offers only takeout and delivery, but the friendly staff lets diners eat at their ice cream parlor next door.
Flammkuchen with slices of smoked salmon and green onions is one of three varieties of the thin-crusted pizzalike dish with creme fraiche available to order at the Seewooghutte, a kiosk with outdoor seating in Ramstein-Miesenbach, Germany. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes)
Top two for setting: Seewooghutte and Glockencafe
Seewooghutte: Flammkuchen with a lake view.
The Seewooghutte in Ramstein-Miesenbach is located at the Seewoog recreation area, a park with hiking and biking trails near Ramstein Air Base. Seewooghutte’s outdoor seating overlooks the water and is open year-round.
The kiosk serves brick-oven pizzas and flammkuchen for 8 euros. Try the flammkuchen with smoked salmon and green onions. Read full review.
Diners pack into the nonsmoking section of Glockencafe on a Monday, which is pizza night at the restaurant. (Phillip Walter Wellman/Stars and Stripes)
Glockencafe: Pizza night with locals.
Glockencafe, a 42-year-old restaurant and bar on a residential street in Kaiserslautern, is packed with pizza-loving regulars on Mondays, when thin pizzas with homemade tomato sauce cost just 8 euros.
While the pizza and original sauce are fine, they are not as memorable as Glockencafe’s ambiance. The place has a bohemian vibe, loud music and welcoming local charm. Read full review.
What’s your favorite pizza place in Kaiserslautern? Send us a message at K-Town Now and let us know.
Stars and Stripes reporters Jennifer H. Svan and Phillip Walter Wellman contributed to this report.
