History
Tavern-style pizza migrated to Indianapolis from St. Louis and Chicago neighborhood bars in the mid-20th century, the format crystallised at Iaria's Italian Restaurant and The Aristocrat Pub by the 1960s. The square cut and cracker crust suited eat-with-one-hand bar dining and a low oven; the Italian sausage on top reflected the central Indiana pork supply, with the canonical version pulled by neighborhood tap houses across the Mass Ave corridor.
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Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold water
- 3/4 cup pizza sauce, well-reduced and tomato-forward
- 8 ounces low-moisture mozzarella, grated
- 4 ounces Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled
- Dried oregano and chili flakes, to finish
Method
- Whisk flour, sugar, salt and yeast in a large bowl.
- Add oil and cold water. Mix to a shaggy dough, then knead 5 minutes until smooth but firm. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or up to overnight for the best cracker crust.
- Preheat the oven to 500 F with a pizza stone or steel on the middle rack.
- Roll the dough as thin as possible, about 1/8 inch, on parchment to a 14-inch round. Dock all over with a fork.
- Spread sauce thin to the edges. Top with mozzarella, then crumbled sausage. Finish with a pinch of dried oregano.
- Slide the parchment onto the hot stone. Bake 8 to 10 minutes until the crust is deep golden and crisp.
- Cool 1 minute, then cut into small squares with a pizza wheel. Finish with chili flakes.
Tip from the editors. Roll the dough thinner than you think is right. The trademark cracker crust comes from a 1/8 inch base, not a 1/4 inch one.
Where to eat indianapolis tavern-style pizza
Indianapolis tavern-style pizza in Indianapolis
Iaria's Italian Restaurant ★ 4.3
Iaria's Italian Restaurant holds the same South College corner in Indianapolis since 1933, off the Mass Ave tourist track, with red-sauce family Italian.
Why locals goSame South College corner since 1933 but blocks off the Mass Ave tourist track. Red sauce, the Italian Indianapolis the chains have missed.
TipTuesday to Saturday dinner only. The bar takes walk-ins Word-of-mouth is the only marketing.
The Aristocrat Pub & Restaurant ★ 4.3
The Aristocrat Pub in South Broad Ripple, Indianapolis since 1933. A cherished neighborhood pub with a wide draft list and the city's longest patio.
DrinkIndiana craft drafts and a pub burger
FoodPub menu
More places near Iaria's Italian Restaurant and The Aristocrat Pub & Restaurant
Not on this list, but close by, nearest first. Every one is in our guide with its address, hours and what to order.
- Goose the Market Sandwich, about 650 m away
- Tinker Street New American, about 1.8 km away
- Tinker Street Wine Bar Wine bar, about 1.8 km away
- Tinker Street Sunday Brunch Brunch, about 1.8 km away
- Greg's Our Place Nightlife, about 1.9 km away
- Centerpoint Brewing Brewery, about 2.6 km away
More cities are in research. Want indianapolis tavern-style pizza covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.