Verified July 2026 by Nina, a Raleigh mom.Pizza night is the one dinner everyone in my house agrees on, so over the years we have worked our way through most of the Triangle's pizza with kids in tow. This is not a ranked list and not every pizza place in town. It is the spots I would actually text a friend about, with the honest details, where to park, when to go, whether a stroller fits, and what to order. Prices and hours move around, so treat any number here as a ballpark and confirm current rates and schedule before you load up the car.
Raleigh
Trophy Brewing and Pizza
The Morgan Street original is the Trophy you want for pizza and a patio. The wood-fired pies have a blistered, chewy crust and creative toppings that still make sense to a kid, and the grown-ups get a genuinely good local beer list. Note that Trophy has several locations downtown, and the Maywood Avenue spot is the production brewery and taproom, so head to Morgan Street when pizza is the goal.
Best for: all ages, easiest with walkers and up
Address: 827 W Morgan St, Raleigh
Style: wood-fired, creative
Cost: roughly mid-range, around the high teens to low twenties for a large specialty pie (confirm current prices)
Parking: street and nearby lots in the Morgan Street corridor, tight on weekend nights
When to go: early dinner on a weekday or right at opening on weekends, it fills up fast
Mom tip: the patio is the move with restless kids, you get more room and more forgiving noise levels than the indoor bar areaLilly's Pizza
A Five Points institution that has been doing thick, loaded, made-with-good-stuff pizza for decades. The vibe is laid back and a little funky, which works in your favor with kids. It does get packed on weekend evenings, so go in with a plan.
Best for: all ages
Address: 1813 Glenwood Ave, Raleigh (Five Points)
Style: thick crust, generous toppings, lots of veggie and specialty options
Cost: large pies in the high teens to low twenties, slices at lunch (confirm current prices)
Parking: Five Points street parking, plan to walk a block
When to go: lunch or a 5 pm dinner to dodge the weekend wait
Mom tip: if the wait is long, call your order ahead and grab it to go, there is a small park feel to the neighborhood and plenty of nearby green spaceDeMo's Pizzeria and Deli
When you want a giant New York slice and you want it fast, this is the Glenwood South pick. Slices are big, the deli side has sandwiches if someone is anti-pizza, and the whole thing is built for speed.
Best for: all ages, great for a quick refuel
Address: 222 Glenwood Ave, Raleigh
Style: New York slices
Cost: budget-friendly, slices are a few dollars each (confirm current prices)
Seating: limited, this is a takeout-first kind of place
When to go: anytime you need fast, especially a weekday lunch
Mom tip: plan on takeout, the seating is not where this place shines, grab slices and eat somewhere with room to spread outMellow Mushroom
Yes it is a chain, but the Raleigh location earns a spot here for one real reason, the gluten-free program. They use a separate prep area and a dedicated approach for gluten-free pies, which matters a lot if you are feeding a kid with celiac or a real sensitivity. The trippy decor also keeps little ones occupied while you wait.
Best for: all ages, families managing gluten-free
Address: 601 W Peace St, Raleigh (there is also a Brier Creek location off Brier Creek Parkway)
Style: stone-baked, with a strong gluten-free option
Cost: mid-range (confirm current prices)
Mom tip: if gluten-free safety is the reason you are going, call the specific location first and confirm their current prep procedure, policies can change
When to go: standard dinner crowds, nothing unusualDurham
Hutchins Garage
A converted garage on Geer Street that turns out excellent New York-style rounds and grandma-style squares, with Detroit-style usually showing up midweek as a special. It is a full bar with an industrial feel, so it reads more grown-up at night. Go earlier in the day for the most relaxed family window.
Best for: all ages, easier earlier in the day
Address: 402 W Geer St, Durham
Style: New York round and grandma-style square, Detroit-style as a rotating special (confirm the day)
Cost: mid-range (confirm current prices)
Parking: street parking around Geer Street, can be competitive near showtimes at the music hall across the street
When to go: weekend lunch or an early dinner, before the bar energy picks up
Mom tip: the roomy patio is a better bet with a stroller than squeezing insidePop's Backdoor
A longtime Durham pizza spot on Shannon Road with New York-style pies and a real kids' menu, so the picky eaters are covered without a fight. Heads up, this is the Shannon Road location, not a food hall stall.
Best for: all ages, including picky eaters
Address: 3710 Shannon Rd, Durham
Style: New York-style, plus calzones and a few gourmet specialty pies
Cost: mid-range, kids' items are reasonably priced (confirm current prices)
Kids' menu: yes, with cheese pizza, pepperoni, pasta, and chicken fingers
When to go: standard dinner hours
Mom tip: call ahead about seating and current dine-in setup before you build your night around eating there, and lean on the kids' menu, it is the path of least resistanceRandy's Pizza
This is the reliable one. Multiple Durham locations, easy online ordering, consistent New York-style pizza, and it is my go-to when I do not want a sit-down meal and just need dinner handled. Not fancy, just dependable.
Best for: all ages, especially a stay-home pizza night
Address: several Durham locations, including Hope Valley Road, Guess Road at Northgate, and South Miami Boulevard (check the location nearest you)
Style: New York-style
Cost: budget to mid-range (confirm current prices)
When to go: any night you want takeout or delivery without thinking hard about it
Mom tip: because there are several locations, double-check which one you are ordering from so pickup does not send you across townCary
Faulisi Caffè and Enoteca
The downtown Cary spot many of us still think of as Pizzeria Faulisi has shifted toward a caffè and enoteca format, and the hours now lean daytime and limited rather than full dinner service. The wood-fired Neapolitan pizza that built its reputation is the draw, simple and well made, but the model has changed, so this is a check-before-you-go situation rather than a guaranteed family dinner.
Best for: older kids and a calmer, food-first outing
Address: 215 E Chatham St, Ste 101, Cary
Style: wood-fired Neapolitan
Cost: mid-range (confirm current prices)
Heads up: hours appear limited and daytime-leaning, confirm the current schedule and whether pizza is being served before you go
Stroller note: it is a small space, tight with a stroller, easier with kids who can sit at a table
Mom tip: call the day you want to go, the format and hours here have been in fluxChapel Hill and Carrboro
Italian Pizzeria III (IP3)
A Franklin Street classic that has been feeding Chapel Hill since 1980. Fresh-dough pizza, a full Italian menu, and the kind of unpretentious college-town energy that absorbs a noisy table just fine. One clarification, this is the single Franklin Street location, not a chain with a Cary outpost, so do not go hunting for an IP3 in Cary.
Best for: all ages
Address: 508 W Franklin St, Chapel Hill
Style: classic fresh-dough pizza, plus a full Italian menu
Cost: budget to mid-range (confirm current prices)
Parking: Franklin Street parking is its own adventure, use a deck and plan to walk
When to go: lunch or early dinner, especially around UNC event days when downtown gets slammed
Mom tip: the broader Italian menu means a kid who is not feeling pizza can still get fed, which is not always true at slice shopsAmante Gourmet Pizza
Now operating out of its Carrboro location, Amante does solid build-your-own pizza with a long list of toppings, which is quietly great with kids who want to control exactly what lands on their slice. The previous Chapel Hill Falconbridge Road location has closed, so head to Carrboro.
Best for: all ages, especially particular eaters
Address: 300 E Main St, Carrboro
Style: build-your-own and specialty pizzas
Cost: mid-range (confirm current prices)
When to go: standard hours, generally open late for a slice shop
Mom tip: the build-your-own setup turns dinner into a small project for kids, hand them the toppings list and let them feel in chargeHow to pick the right spot
A few simple ways to narrow it down:
Need it fast and cheap: DeMo's in Raleigh or Randy's in Durham, both are built for speed and takeout.
Want a real sit-down with good beer: Trophy on Morgan Street or Hutchins Garage in Durham, go early before the bar crowd arrives.
Feeding a picky eater or a kids' menu is non-negotiable: Pop's Backdoor or Italian Pizzeria III, both give you options beyond a plain cheese slice.
Managing gluten-free: Mellow Mushroom, and call the location to confirm current prep procedures first.
Want the best pure pizza and the kids can sit still: Faulisi in Cary or Pizzeria-style Neapolitan, just confirm hours, since the format there has shifted.A low-stress pizza night strategy
After a lot of trial and error, here is the system that actually works for us:
Order ahead. Most of these places take online or phone orders. Having the pizza ready when you walk in is the single biggest stress reducer with hungry kids.
Go early. A 5 pm weekday dinner means shorter waits, faster service, and a calmer room before the bar energy ramps up.
Order one safe pie and one adventurous one. Everyone gets something they will eat, and you still get to try the place's specialty.
Pair it with a park. Grab takeout and eat at a nearby park or greenway, it turns dinner into an outing and burns off some energy before bed.Frequently asked questions
Which Triangle pizza spot is best with toddlers?
Look for fast service, an easy exit, and forgiving noise levels. A quick-slice place like DeMo's in Raleigh or a takeout order from Randy's in Durham is often less stressful than a sit-down restaurant with toddlers. If you want to sit down, go right at opening or around 5 pm, and aim for patio seating where you have more room and noise matters less.
Where can we find gluten-free pizza for a kid with celiac?
Mellow Mushroom in Raleigh runs a dedicated gluten-free program with a separate prep approach, which is why it is on this list despite being a chain. Because cross-contact procedures and policies can change, call the specific location before you go and confirm how they currently handle gluten-free orders. Under-promise to your kid until you have that confirmation in hand.
Which places have a real kids' menu versus just plain cheese pizza?
Pop's Backdoor in Durham has a dedicated kids' section with pizza, pasta, and chicken fingers, and Italian Pizzeria III in Chapel Hill has a full Italian menu so a kid who is over pizza can still get a meal. Slice-focused shops like DeMo's are more about a quick, affordable slice than a structured kids' menu.
Are these pizza places good for a stroller?
It varies a lot. The patios at Trophy on Morgan Street and Hutchins Garage in Durham give you the most room to park a stroller. Smaller spots like Faulisi in Cary are tight, and you will have an easier time with kids who can sit at a table. When in doubt, call ahead and ask about space and whether they have high chairs.
Do any of these have outdoor seating?
Yes. Trophy on Morgan Street and Hutchins Garage in Durham both have notable patios that work well for families. Outdoor space tends to be the most family-forgiving option at any of these spots, so ask for it when you arrive.
