Pizza in the Merrimack Valley: A Local Roundup

Ask ten people in southern New Hampshire where to get the best pizza and you will get ten answers, most of them a small family shop a few minutes from home. That is the point. The Merrimack Valley, from Concord down through Manchester and Nashua, is full of independent pizza places that have been feeding the same neighborhoods for years, sometimes decades. This roundup covers the best pizza in Manchester NH and the surrounding valley towns from our directory, with notes on what each shop is known for.

We have not ranked them. Pizza loyalty is personal, and these shops do different things well. Use this as a starting list, then make up your own mind.

A quick word on New England pizza styles

If you grew up outside New England, a few local terms are worth knowing before you order.

Greek-style pizza

Greek pizza is a style common in New England and parts of eastern New York. In the classic version, the dough is proofed and baked in a shallow oiled metal pan rather than stretched to order and baked on the oven floor. The result is a crust that is spongy, airy and light, a little like focaccia but thinner, and slightly oily from the pan. Restaurants that serve it are often called a pizza house or a house of pizza. The style traces back to a restaurant called Pizza House in New London, Connecticut, in 1955.

Not every shop that calls itself Greek-style follows the same method, so the best way to learn the differences is to try a few.

Thin crust and old style

Thin crust and "old style" pies sit at the other end of the spectrum: a flatter, crisper crust with less bread and more char. Several shops in the valley specialize in it.

Roast beef and pizza

Southern New Hampshire shares a food culture with the North Shore of Massachusetts, where the roast beef sandwich, thinly sliced, often rare, and piled on an onion roll, has been a specialty since the early 1950s. It is common to find roast beef and pizza shops side by side on the same menu here.

Manchester

Manchester is the largest city in the state and has more pizza than anywhere else in the valley. Two independent shops stand out for doing a specific style.

Grand Slam Pizza

Grand Slam Pizza is on South Mammoth Road (Route 28A) on the south side of Manchester. It describes its pizza as Greek style, hand stretched daily, and says its dough is made fresh every day. It is family owned and operated, and it says its cooks bring decades of combined restaurant experience from some of Manchester's best-known kitchens. The menu goes well beyond pizza, with calzones, subs, burgers, pasta, seafood and dinners, and it offers pickup and delivery. If you want to start with the local Greek-style tradition, start here.

Venice Old Style Pizza

Venice Old Style Pizza is at 610 Front Street in Manchester. As the name suggests, it focuses on old style, thin crust pizza, alongside calzones, salads, subs and pasta. It offers takeout and delivery. If you prefer a crisper, thinner crust to a pan pie, it is a good counterpoint to Grand Slam, and trying both is the fastest way to find out which style you like.

Merrimack

Billy's Famous Pizza

Billy's Famous Pizza is in the Skyline Mall at 380 Daniel Webster Highway in Merrimack. It was established in 1998, and a new family took ownership in early 2020. The shop says its goal is to serve the best food possible with fresh homemade ingredients, and it is family run. It does takeout and dine-in and caters business meetings, holiday parties and birthdays. Merrimack sits between Manchester and Nashua, so it is an easy stop either way on the Daniel Webster Highway.

Nashua

Christopher's Subs and Pizza

Christopher's Subs and Pizza is at 264 Main Dunstable Road in Nashua. It was established in 1977, which makes it one of the longer-running shops on this list. The menu covers pizza, hot and cold subs, salads and sides, and it offers online ordering. A shop that has lasted nearly half a century in the same city has clearly built a loyal following, and it is a natural first stop for pizza in Nashua.

Concord

Chief's Place Pizza and Restaurant

Chief's Place Pizza and Restaurant is at 348 Village Street in Concord. The menu is broad: pizza and calzones, grill items, soups and salads, dinners, seafood, subs and wraps, clubs, omelettes, a kids menu and lunch specials. It offers dine-in and pickup. With that range, it works as well for a family dinner as for a quick slice, and it is the natural end point for a valley pizza crawl that starts in the south.

Derry

Blue House Roast Beef and Pizza

Blue House Roast Beef and Pizza is at 21 Birch Street in Derry. It is the roast beef and pizza combination in its local form: specialty pizzas and calzones next to hot roast beef, steak tips and chicken kabobs, plus subs, wraps, dinners and salads. It offers dine-in, takeout and delivery, and catering for social events. Its dessert list includes local favorites such as whoopie pies and fried dough.

How to plan a pizza crawl

The Merrimack Valley is compact enough that you can taste several shops in a day without much driving, as long as you split slices or order small.

A south-to-north route

Start in Nashua with Christopher's, then head north on the Daniel Webster Highway to Billy's in Merrimack. Continue into Manchester for a Greek-style pie at Grand Slam and a thin crust at Venice. Finish in Concord at Chief's Place. Derry sits east of I-93, so Blue House pairs best with a Manchester stop or a trip on Route 102.

Tips

• Call ahead or check online for hours. Many small pizza shops close one or two days a week, and hours change seasonally.
• Order a plain cheese pie at each stop if you want a fair comparison. Toppings can hide a lot.
• Bring a cooler bag if you are taking leftovers home. Most of these pies reheat well.
• Ask about specials. Many shops run lunch specials and coupons that do not appear on third-party apps.

Pizza with kids

Most of these are casual, family-friendly spots where takeout is the norm. For a sit-down meal with a broader menu, a shop like Chief's Place, with its kids menu and full dinners, gives everyone something to order.

Why local pizza shops matter

Several of the shops on this list describe themselves as family owned or family run. Ordering directly from the shop, by phone or through its own website, usually means more of your money stays with the business than when you order through a third-party app. It also tends to get you the full menu and any in-house specials.

Frequently asked questions

What is Greek-style pizza?

It is a New England style where the dough is usually proofed and baked in a shallow oiled pan, giving a light, airy, slightly oily crust. Shops that serve it are often called a pizza house or house of pizza.

Where can I find the best pizza in Manchester NH?

It depends on the style you like. For Greek-style, try Grand Slam Pizza. For old style thin crust, try Venice Old Style Pizza. Both are independent Manchester shops.

What is a roast beef and pizza shop?

It is a local shop that pairs pizza with hot roast beef sandwiches, a combination common in southern New Hampshire and the North Shore of Massachusetts. Blue House in Derry is one example.

Which shop on this list has been around the longest?

Christopher's Subs and Pizza in Nashua, which was established in 1977.

Sources

• Greek pizza, Wikipedia (style, pan method, New England, origin): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_pizza
• Roast beef sandwich, Wikipedia (North Shore specialty since the early 1950s): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roast_beef_sandwich
• Grand Slam Pizza: https://www.grandslampizza-manchester.com/
• Venice Old Style Pizza: https://www.venicepizzanh.com/
• Billy's Famous Pizza: https://www.billysfamouspizza.net/
• Christopher's Subs and Pizza: https://christophers-nashua.com/
• Chief's Place: https://chiefspizzarestaurant.com/
• Blue House Roast Beef and Pizza: https://www.bluehousederry.com/