Wood fired pizzas are our specialty!
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Pizza Lupo

4.6
·491k reviews·,

Historic 1860s brick building serving seasonal Neapolitan pizzas & Italian dishes. Known for its sourdough crust and innovative toppings.

Highlights

Highlights

Must-see attractions

Social content

Social

From TikTok & Reddit

Best Time

Wed/Fri 18-21h

Blue hour photography, calmer galleries

CrowdLow
Wood fired pizzas are our specialty!

Pizza Lupo

Highlights

Highlights

Must-see attractions

Historic 1860s brick building serving seasonal Neapolitan pizzas & Italian dishes. Known for its sourdough crust and innovative toppings.

4.6
(491k reviews)

"This place is rated one of the best places to eat pizza in Louisville. Absolutely fantastic!"

TIP

Reservations Recommended

Book in advance to secure a table, as this popular spot often turns away walk-ins.

Ask Staff for Recommendations

Servers like Bonnie are knowledgeable and can guide you to unique menu items for a memorable experience.

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Quick Facts

Open·Closes 10PM

Cuisine

Italian

Price

Mid-range

Phone

(502) 409-8440

Address

1540 Frankfort Ave, Louisville, KY 40206, USA

Insta-Factor

High

Highlights

Discover the most iconic attractions and experiences

Authentic Neapolitan Pizza

Authentic Neapolitan Pizza

Experience wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas with a sourdough crust and unique toppings. Highly praised for their flavor and execution.

TikTokWhich of these 16 restaurants has the best pizza in Louisville?The Best Food In Louisville According to Chef Edward Lee+7
Cozy & Rustic Ambiance

Cozy & Rustic Ambiance

Dine in a historic 1860s brick building with a rustic, chill vibe and warm lighting, perfect for intimate dinners.

Best Pizza in Louisville: Pizza Shops With the Best Slices in TownGoogle Review
Unique Toppings & Flavors

Unique Toppings & Flavors

From Benton's ham and stracciatella to Szechuan Chili Crisp sauce, discover innovative and delicious flavor combinations.

The Best Food In Louisville According to Chef Edward LeeEight Can’t-Miss Restaurants in Louisville, KentuckyGoogle Review
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Insider Tips

from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit

LUPO pizza was a wonderul wxperienxe and has the best rated pizza in Louisville kentucky! #louisvillekentucky #lupopizza #midwest #midwestpizza #placestoeat #placestoeatkentucky #trendy #italianfood
@posiethepom
30 likes • 1.2K views

Reservations Recommended

Book in advance to secure a table, as this popular spot often turns away walk-ins.

Ask Staff for Recommendations

Servers like Bonnie are knowledgeable and can guide you to unique menu items for a memorable experience.

“Sting Like a Bee” pizza from Lupo is hands down one of the best pizzas in Louisville!! You must try it!! #louisvillebites #louisvillefoodie #louisville #louisvilleky #louisvillefood #louisvillekentucky #pizza
@louisvillebites
1.4K likes • 40.4K views
Best Pizza in Louisville – Pizza Lupo Edition I came for the hype and left convinced—Pizza Lupo really is Louisville’s best. • Classic Margherita with that wood-fired char. • Detroit-style cup & char pepperoni tomato pie—crispy edges, loaded flavor. • And a bowl of spaghetti Amatriciana that rivals any red-sauce joint. This Butchertown favorite has been voted best pizza in the city four years r...
@revciancio
9 likes • 500 views

Consider Outdoor Seating

The patio offers a perfect setting with fresh air and string lights, ideal for a relaxed meal.

Beware of Parking

Parking can be tight; arriving early or considering drop-off might be beneficial.

Pizza fiore at Lupo is unreal!! The crust is stuffed with ricotta and it’s topped with burrata. Amazing! #louisvillebites #louisvilleky #louky #louisville #louisvillekentucky #louisvillefoodie #louisvillefood #pizza #pizzalover #pizzatime
@louisvillebites
139 likes • 5.6K views

Tips

from all over the internet

Reservations Recommended

Book in advance to secure a table, as this popular spot often turns away walk-ins.

Ask Staff for Recommendations

Servers like Bonnie are knowledgeable and can guide you to unique menu items for a memorable experience.

Consider Outdoor Seating

The patio offers a perfect setting with fresh air and string lights, ideal for a relaxed meal.

Beware of Parking

Parking can be tight; arriving early or considering drop-off might be beneficial.

What Travellers Say

4.6
(491k reviews)

Reviews Summary

Pizza Lupo is highly praised for its authentic Neapolitan wood-fired pizzas, with many hailing it as the best in Louisville. Diners also rave about the cozy, rustic ambiance and friendly staff, particularly mentioning servers like Bonnie. While the food, especially pizzas and appetizers like Butter Beans, receives rave reviews, some guests have noted issues with food temperature and cocktail quality. Reservations are strongly recommended due to its popularity.

"Stop reading this already and just go. It’s been on my list for a while and I wish I would’ve gone sooner. The ambiance is great, with a very rustic and chill vibe. Then there’s the pizza. It’s soooooo good. I got the margherita and added pepperoni and mushroom and it was super tasty. The crust is sourdough, which adds a bit of flavor, and it’s cooked well done, which I enjoyed. I’m salivating just writing this review. Service was friendly and accommodating. I recommend a reservation just in case. I’ll be coming back to this one for the foreseeable future."

Justin Shircliff

"This was easily one of the best pizzas I’ve ever had. My go-to toppings are ham and mushrooms and not only did they have ham, it was Benton’s Country ham! The mushrooms were fresh and you could tell this was made with love.

Our server was so nice and helpful as well. They make their own lemonade and it was delicious, too.

Hands down a must-go place when you’re in town but make a reservation."

Jason Patton

"Great atmosphere, great staff, very nice. The only thing I am going to critique is the pizza. The pizza is dense in the middle. The middle is loaded up with cheese, toppings, and all the flavor. As you make your way to the crust portion, it lacks sauce, cheese, and toppings. The crust itself has a nice wood fired taste to it, however the thicker portion tastes like dough rather than crust. The slice is very floppy and holds no form. Overall 3.75/5 on the pizza. Everything else 10/10."

Alex Hunter

What People Like

Exceptional Neapolitan pizzas
Cozy, rustic ambiance
Friendly and knowledgeable staff

What People Dislike

Inconsistent food temperature
Disappointing cocktails
Reservation and parking challenges

Frequently Asked Questions

Pizza Lupo is renowned for its authentic Neapolitan-style wood-fired pizzas, sourdough crust, and unique toppings.

The Best Food In Louisville According to Chef Edward LeeEight Can’t-Miss Restaurants in Louisville, KentuckyGoogle Review

Yes, reservations are highly recommended as the restaurant is very popular and often turns away walk-in customers.

Google Review

Many guests rave about the pizzas, especially the 'Sting Like a Bee' and the Margherita DOP. The Butter Beans appetizer is also a standout.

TikTokEight Can’t-Miss Restaurants in Louisville, KentuckyGoogle Review+1

Yes, Pizza Lupo offers specific vegan and vegetarian pizzas, including a popular Marinara pizza.

The best restaurants in Louisville, KY for vegan and vegetarian eats.

The restaurant is set in a historic 1860s brick building, offering a cozy, rustic, and relaxed ambiance.

Best Pizza in Louisville: Pizza Shops With the Best Slices in TownGoogle Review

Some reviews suggest that while the food is excellent, the cocktails may be disappointing and could benefit from a menu update.

Google Review

Yes, outdoor seating is available and is described as a perfect setting with fresh air and string lights.

Google Review

Mentioned in

Featured in these publications

Thrillist

Best Pizza in Louisville: Pizza Shops With the Best Slices in Town

Traditional Neapolitan pizza in a historic setting This place is located in an 1860s-era brick building, which already gives it an old-school feel, and vintage movie posters inside go right along with that vibe. But it also feels progressive in the way the interior is set up and arranged. It also doesn't hurt that LUPO's owned by seasoned musicians who also happen to love Italian food -- especially Neapolitan-style pizza.

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1540 Frankfort Ave., pizzalupo.com/, Hours: daily, 5-10 p.m. This spot serves up wood-fired Neapolitan Pizza and has landed at the top of Food & Dining's Best Pizza list multiple times. Pizzas are varied and feature pies including the Puttanesca, with organic milled tomatoes, soleggiati tomatoes, garlic, anchovy, capers, olives, herbs and olive oil, and the Funghi, made with a blend of local roasted mushrooms from Frondosa Farms: elm, blue, shimofuri, chestnut, phoenix oyster, lions mane, shiitake, taleggio, plus mozzarella, buttermilk ricotta, parmigiano reggiano cheeses.

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Invisibly Allergic

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Speaking of incredible Italian food, Pizza Lupo is the other spot that came up repeatedly when I asked friends and family about their top dining spots in Louisville. I’ve always wanted to go here, my husband dines here often without me with friends or coworkers, and I emailed them and learned they do not currently use anything in their kitchen with peanut ingredients at all and they were super friendly and transparent about it. I will continue emailing, as I do with every place, but am thrilled to be able to list them on my blog for now!

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LEO Weekly

The Best Food In Louisville According to Chef Edward Lee

It’s easy to miss this hidden gem, tucked away on a dark street you may once have only visited to retrieve your impounded car. But as soon as you walk into this cozy nugget of a diner and feel the warmth of the wood-fired oven and take in the friendliness of the young staff, your car woes will melt away. The Neoplitan style pizzas here are all superb, but the one I can’t stop thinking about is the Porcellino with its thin streaks of Benton’s ham and random spoonfuls of melty stracciatella atop a fresh milled tomato sauce.

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wayward | a travel and style blog

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I feel like it should only take a few words to convince you to give Pizza Lupo a try (that’s all that it took to get me in the door!): sourdough, wood-fired, Neapolitan-style pizza. There’s something almost primal about the call of a tangy, naturally fermented dough cooked by fire until it blisters, and Pizza Lupo executes its pies beautifully. The pizza menu is short and sweet; for a mix of sweet, spicy, and savory, try the Sting Like a Bee.

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American Eats

10 Absolutely Delicious Italian Restaurants in Louisville

Voted the Best Pizza in 2021, Pizza Lupo is located in a quaint old home that hides the deliciousness cooking up inside here. When you are looking for the best Italian restaurants in Louisville with a casual vibe, but unmistakably top-notch pizza, come to Pizza Lupo’s walk-up counter. Be prepared to be awed by the gorgeous food they bring out to your table.

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Let's Go Louisville

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Started by members of the indie rock band Murder by Death, Pizza Lupo opened its doors in the heart of the Butchertown Neighborhood. The 1860s building is a tad tucked away on a side street that connects Frankfort Ave and Story Ave. Parking may be a little tight (there is a satellite parking lot), but trust me this is a little slice of heaven.

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AppyHour

Best Pizza Spots in Louisville, KY 2021

Built into an 1860 brick building, Pizza LUPO sits in the Butchertown neighborhood. They are family-owned by husband and wife, Adam Turla and Sara Balliet, with the executive chef being Sarah’s brother, Max Balliet. Max spent years working in the restaurant industry before opening his own taco food truck in 2011.

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6AM - LOUtoday

The best restaurants in Louisville, KY for vegan and vegetarian eats.

Pizza Lupo, 1540 Frankfort Ave. | In addition to vegetarian pies like the Margherita DOP, topped with imported buffalo milk mozzarella, Lupo has a pie specifically designed to be vegan. The Marinara ditches cheese in favor of two kinds of tomatoes and local garlic — all on Louisville’s best crust.

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My Colorful Wanderings

The Best Pizza in Louisville, Kentucky Ranked

During the pandemic was the first time we ever got to have Pizza Lupo and we have to say that it was pretty incredible. What we love most is the creativity in their ingredients, and how Pizza Lupo aspires to bring the flavors of Italy to life. Our favorite pizza is the Pizza Fiore.

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Cozymeal

Louisville Restaurants| Top 31 in 2025

A brother and sister team, Adam Turla and Sarah Balliet opened Lupo to fulfill Adam’s teenage dreams of owning his own Neapolitan restaurant. Open only in the evening, Lupo is one of the best Louisville restaurants for wood-fired pizzas and Italian small plates today.

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enjoytravel.com

The 7 Best Pizzas In Louisville

Lupo’s pizza are masters are crust making, the dough has enough chew and char making each bite better than the next!. One of their signature pizzas is sting like a bee, it’s topped with soppressata salami and drenched in a sweet and spicy local honey, yum!

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1540 Frankfort Ave, Louisville, KY 40206Phone: (502) 409-8440 Visit Website. A post shared by LUPO (@pizzalupo). Pizza LUPO is a Neapolitan pizzeria, eatery, and wine bar overlooking the lovely Louisville Champions Park in Butchertown.

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This place serves classic Neapolitan pizza in a historic location. It’s housed in an 1860s brick building with an old-school ambiance. However, the interior puts forth forward-thinking.

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Lupo’s wood-fired, leopard-spotted pies with their quality toppings are a go-to for me whenever I have pizza in mind. After all, “Pizza” is the restaurant’s first name.

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- Rating: 4.5/5 (287 reviews)- Price level: $$- Address: 1540 Frankfort Ave. Louisville, Kentucky - Categories: Pizza, Italian, Tapas/Small Plates- Read more on Yelp

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Pizza Lupo’s Neapolitan 1540 Frankfort Ave.The Neapolitan Classic Pizza comes with San Marzano tomatoes, basil, oregano, olive oil & sea salt.

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