The best pizza crowd in town eats in a basement under a pharmacy, surrounded by walls covered in decades of scribbled names. Yes, you’re invited to add yours.
I can’t imagine a better guestbook.
The dough here takes its sweet time. It gets made from scratch, double-proofed for 24 hours, then hand-rolled and tossed.
No frozen crusts are hiding in the back.
Then there’s the size question. The biggest pie stretches 23 inches and cuts into 16 slices, built to feed 10 to 12 people.
I like how that turns dinner into a group project.
This Utah spot has fed college students, professors, and families for generations. The brick archways and candlelit tables give it a secret clubhouse mood.
So what keeps everyone heading down those stairs year after year?
Head Down The Stairs And Find A Pizza Clubhouse
The front door doesn’t lead up. It leads down, into a basement beneath the University Pharmacy.
That’s the home of The Pie Pizzeria – Underground, a spot people often just call The Pie Underground. For years, a single sign was about the only clue it existed.
Word of mouth handled the rest, and it handled it well.
Once you’re downstairs, the mood shifts fast. Brick archways curve overhead, and the lighting stays dim and warm.
Candles on the tables add a soft glow to every booth. It feels a little like a hideout built by people who really love pizza.
Access is by stairs only, so plan ahead if anyone in your group needs a different option. That detail matters before you show up with a big crew.
The basement setting is a huge part of the fun here. Eating pizza underground just feels a bit sneakier than eating it at street level.
And it’s close to campus, so the energy stays lively. Students, professors, families, and longtime fans all end up sharing the same cozy space below the sidewalk.
Grab A Marker Because These Walls Want Your Autograph
Decades of names, jokes, hearts, and doodles cover nearly every inch of wall space. Nobody gets scolded for it either.
Guests are invited to write on the walls, which turns the whole room into a giant guestbook. Some messages are sweet.
Others are just a name and a date, quietly saying someone was here.
I like how the walls feel like living history. Every layer of ink represents another group that came down for pizza and wanted to leave a mark.
Generations of University of Utah students have passed through this basement. That means some messages may be older than the people reading them today.
Here’s a fun tip for your visit. Bring a pen or marker so you’re ready when inspiration strikes between slices.
Hunting for a clear spot can become its own little game. Good luck finding open space, but it’s worth the search.
Families can make it a tradition, too. Writing your names on a first visit gives you something to look for next time you come back.
Few restaurants let the customers help decorate. Here, the crowd is basically the interior designer, and the results are wonderfully messy.
Patience Is The Secret Ingredient In Every Crust
Twenty-four hours. That’s how long the dough spends getting ready before it ever meets the oven.
The crew makes it from scratch and gives it a double-proofing process. After that, every crust gets hand-rolled and tossed the old-school way.
No frozen crusts show up here. That slow approach is a big reason the place feels like a throwback in the best way.
You also get choices. The traditional crust gives you a heartier base, while the thin crust brings more crunch to the party.
Then there’s the ApocalyptDough. It’s an extremely spicy crust made with ghost peppers, and customers must sign a liability waiver before trying it.
My advice is simple. If you love a sturdy bite, go traditional and load it up with toppings.
If you want something lighter and crisper, thin crust makes sense. Feeling bold?
Let the ApocalyptDough bring some heat to an otherwise classic order.
Gluten-free crusts are also on the menu. These options give gluten-free diners more choices, although the restaurant cannot guarantee that its products are safe for people with wheat allergies because of potential cross-contact.
A crust this patient deserves your attention. Try a bite before you pile on the extras.
Fresh Toppings Pile Up Higher Than Your Willpower
Whole-milk mozzarella gets shredded by hand here. That small detail says a lot about how this kitchen works.
Meats and vegetables are sliced fresh every day. The sauces and dressings, including the ranch, are all made in-house too.
That’s why the pies at The Pie Pizzeria – Underground come out thick, cheesy, and heavily topped. These aren’t pizzas that whisper.
They kind of shout.
Building your own pie is half the fun. Pick your crust, choose your sauce, and start stacking favorites without holding back.
A smart move for groups is to split the work. Let one person choose meats, another choose veggies, and see what happens.
Classic fans can keep it simple with pepperoni. The Italian Special uses thin crust, light cheese, light sauce, fresh basil, and pepperoni for a cleaner bite.
Anyone craving a mountain of toppings has plenty of room to go wild. Just know a single slice can feel like a full meal.
Homemade ranch is worth ordering on the side. Dipping your crust into it might become your new favorite habit, and honestly, that’s fine.
Specialty Pies Travel Far Beyond Plain Pepperoni
Peanut sauce on pizza? That’s exactly what the Thai Pie brings to the table.
It starts with a spicy Thai peanut sauce. Then it gets chicken breast, red onions, carrots, pineapple, mozzarella, and toasted sesame seeds.
The Greek Pie heads in another direction. A white cucumber yogurt sauce sits under gyro meat, fresh tomatoes, red onions, mozzarella, feta, and lemon.
Veggie lovers get their own heavy hitter. The Xtreme Veggie piles on spinach, artichoke hearts, Sicilian spiced tomatoes, red onions, mozzarella, and feta.
The Wiseguy is another favorite worth knowing. It has spinach, cheese, artichoke hearts, basil, and a balsamic vinaigrette.
These creative pies make ordering a fun puzzle. One plain pizza and one wild card is a great way to please a mixed group.
I believe the Thai Pie is the one to try if you’ve never been. It’s different enough to spark conversation at the table.
Still, nobody will judge you for sticking with a classic. Utah pizza fans have room for both tradition and adventure here, often on the same tray.
Plant-Based Eaters Get A Seriously Loaded Menu
Vegan pepperoni, vegan sausage, vegan bacon, seitan chicken, and vegan beef. That’s quite a lineup for a classic college pizza joint.
Follow Your Heart vegan cheese is available too. So plant-based diners can build a pie that’s just as stacked as anyone else’s.
Specialty vegan pizzas take the guesswork out of ordering. Options include the Vegan El Guapo Pie, Vegan Thai Pie, and Vegan Bacon Cheese Beyond Burger Pie.
Gluten-free diners get a strong lineup as well. Specialty pies include the GF Bacon and Berries Pie, GF Supreme Pie, and GF Veggie Xtreme.
Gluten-free cheesy breadsticks are on the menu, too. That’s a nice bonus when the rest of the table orders bread on the side.
Mixed groups often struggle to agree on one restaurant. This place solves that problem without making anyone feel like an afterthought.
One helpful tip is to mention your dietary needs clearly when ordering. That way your pie arrives just how you want it.
The Vegan Thai Pie might be the sleeper pick. It keeps all that peanut-sauce fun while staying fully plant-based, which feels like a win.
Save Room For Pull-A-Parts And Zappis
Not everything here comes shaped like a circle. The menu has a few sidekicks that deserve real attention.
Pull-a-parts are a stuffed cheese bread served with marinara and ranch. They’re perfect for sharing while everyone waits for the main event.
Then there are zappis, which are the restaurant’s take on calzones. Folded, filled, and hearty, they’re great for anyone who wants a meal all to themselves.
Salads join the menu too, including a Cobb and a Vegan Dinner Salad. That gives you a fresher option when the table is mostly crust and cheese.
Dessert has a cheesy twin, sort of. Cinnamon Pull-a-Parts bring a sweet finish to the night.
Here’s a smart way to order for a group. Start with a savory pull-a-part, share a big pizza, then end with the cinnamon version.
Both dipping sauces are made in-house. So dunking your bread into marinara and ranch at the same time feels completely reasonable.
Honestly, the sides could steal the spotlight on some nights. Just don’t fill up before the pizza lands, because you’ll want every bite.
Bring Friends Because The Biggest Pie Is Enormous
Sixteen slices on one pie. The biggest size stretches a full 23 inches across.
It’s meant to feed 10 to 12 people, so it works great for birthdays, team dinners, or study groups. Ordering one feels like a small event.
The smallest option is a 12-inch pie cut into six slices. That’s a good pick for one or two people who want leftovers.
Planning a big group outing? Count your crew before choosing sizes, since these pies can be filling.
Families will find high chairs available. That makes it easier to bring little ones along for a slice of tradition.
Students can make use of the free Wi-Fi too. Studying goes better with pizza, at least in theory.
This Utah favorite has been voted the state’s best pizza in numerous reader polls. It once ranked seventh-best pizza in the country on Citysearch, too.
Those honors help explain the loyal following. Still, the real proof is how many people keep showing up to share one giant pan.
Go hungry with a group, and nobody leaves disappointed. Leftovers might even make tomorrow’s lunch a lot more exciting.
Decades Of Pizza History Live Under This Pharmacy
Pizza has been baking in this basement since 1965. Back then, it went by Bimbo’s in the Cellar.
In 1980, the Palmer family founded The Pie Pizzeria. They still own and operate the business today, which is pretty rare.
That long run has made The Pie Pizzeria – Underground a Salt Lake City landmark. It has been a Utah pizza tradition for more than 40 years.
You’ll find it at 1320 E 200 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84102. It sits just steps from the University of Utah campus.
The location makes it an easy stop for students between classes. It also works well for anyone visiting the campus area for the day.
Hours run from 11 AM to 11 PM Monday through Saturday. Sunday hours are noon to 10 PM.
Curious before you go? Live webcams offer a peek at the dining room.
That’s a fun way to check the mood from home. Then head over, take the stairs down, and become part of the story yourself.
After all, the walls are still waiting for your name.