It’s just my opinion, but I’ve come to this conclusion after many delicious pizzas eaten at multiple spots in Gatlinburg. You could name any pizza place in town, and I wouldn’t argue with any of you. Now that I have that out of the way, before you come at me with pitchforks, this is what I’ve concluded.

Full Disclosure: We stayed away from Best Italian Pizzeria in the Elks Plaza for a couple of years due to a bad experience with the service. That couldn’t keep us away forever, as we vowed to make a return when we felt the time was right.

Boy was it ever.

You have to start with their near-perfect appetizer, the signature garlic rolls. They are freshly made daily with a succulent concoction of herbs and spices combined with a slathering of olive oil that forms a nice little wading pool underneath. I know it’s bread, but for $5, you can’t find a cheaper starter for a meal.

Next is the star of the show. Yes, it’s the pizza. You would think a medium pizza isn’t very substantial. Most chain restaurants with pizza do not consider a 16 inch pizza a medium – more like an extra large. But this is Best Italian. They don’t do smalls. And when you get a pizza here, you don’t load it with toppings. Cheese is all you need. And their cheese doesn’t break, either. The best pizza experience is had when it stretches and you have to break it with your fingers. The sauce and crust work well as a true New York style pizza, but the cheese is the champion.

The service certainly did not let us down on this occasion. I would advise anyone who doesn’t get great service but gets delicious food at a Gatlinburg restaurant, to give them another try. Sometimes it’s hard to get good service, and if the food is constantly superior, it shouldn’t keep you away for too long. Unless of course the service always fails. That is very unfortunate, and speaks to issues with leadership.

Our total bill for three was…$25 not counting the tip. Now I want you to think of a place where you can enjoy a nice dinner and get out of there for less. I’m not talking about just Gatlinburg. Anywhere. They are very very few and far between, especially in 2022. So I would argue not only best pizza, but best value for the last meal of the day.

I simply cannot recommend Best Italian Pizzeria in Gatlinburg enough. I can make a case they’re actually the best pizza I’ve ever had, but I’m not ready to go that far. I will say that pizza-lovers would do themselves a huge favor by stopping here during a visit to get a taste of the “best” pizza by my estimation in Gatlinburg.

Thanks for reading! And never stop the dreaming!