Where to find great pizzas in Wisconsin, South Dakota and Iowa

The Midwest has a way of turning pizza into a destination, not just a meal, but a reason to get in the car and chase something warm, nostalgic and a little surprising. Across Iowa, South Dakota and Wisconsin, these five incredible pizzas map out a road trip that swings from crackery Milwaukee squares to smoky Iowa City Neapolitans to whole wheat Ames heft and New York-style slices in the Des Moines metro and Sioux Falls. Each stop carries its own personality: the whole‑wheat crust meant to dip in honey in Ames, the foldable metro slices that feel straight off a Manhattan sidewalk, the wood‑fired Iowa City pies kissed by local produce, the ’90s‑cool Sioux Falls hangout slinging high‑end toppings and the historic Milwaukee tavern that essentially wrote the city’s pizza playbook. Together, they form a trail worth following.

Great Plains Sauce & Dough Co. | Ames, Iowa

Details: 129 Main St., Ames, Iowa, 515-232-4263; facebook.com/greatplainspizza.

Great Plains has been part of Ames’ rhythm for decades. Since it opened in 1979, it has been known for its hearty, old‑school approach to pizza and its unmistakable whole‑wheat crust. Walking in feels like stepping into a place that’s seen generations of students, families and regulars pass through. The menu leans into comfort — thick, chewy dough, generous toppings and a sauce that’s been a local talking point for years. Many people swear by the honey for dipping the crust, a tradition that’s become almost synonymous with the restaurant. It’s the kind of spot where you settle in, take your time and enjoy the feeling of a meal that’s meant to be shared. —Ronna Faaborg, Ames Tribune

More: Five iconic pizza places in the Ames area offer comfort by the slice

Taste of New York | West Des Moines, Iowa

Details: 769 S.E. Alice’s Road, Waukee, 515-987-1585; 7450 Bridgewood Blvd., Suite 215, West Des Moines, 515-223-8669; The Pizza Bar, 1225 Copper Creek Drive, Pleasant Hill, 515-335-8388; tasteofnypizza.com or thepizzabaria.com.

Taste of New York brings classic New York-style pizza to the metro with foldable slices, crisp, chewy crusts and a 550-degree oven that delivers the perfect char. With locations in West Des Moines, Pleasant Hill and Waukee — including a drive-thru at the latter — the restaurant has become one of the metro’s most reliable stops for a quick slice or a whole pie. The style is true to its name: thin, lightly blistered, sturdy enough to fold and topped with balanced sauce and mozzarella. Diners can order slices reheated, just like in New York, or opt for whole pizzas that showcase the shop’s consistency and craft. Taste of New York is on the Des Moines Register’s essential restaurant list. —Susan Stapleton, The Des Moines Register

More: A guide to the pizzas that shaped Des Moines food culture

Maggie’s Farm Wood-Fired Pizza | Iowa City, Iowa

Details: 1308 Melrose Ave., Iowa City, 319-351-4588, maggiesfarmpizza.com.

What started as a family tradition to share a love of farm-fresh produce and the craft of wood-fired pizza has now turned into one of the Iowa City corridor’s top dining destinations. Maggie’s leans into local ingredients, such as mushrooms and house-made basil pesto, to bring a fresh influence on the Italian classic. Maggie’s serves a traditional Neapolitan-style wood-fired pizza, made using Italian “00” flour and baked at a very high heat (around 900 degrees) in a wood-fired oven, yielding a smoky, slightly doughy and authentic Napoli-inspired crust. From seasonal pizza varieties to mainstay classics like classic pepperoni to the soppressata, Maggie’s has big energy. —Jessica Rish, Iowa City Press Citizen

More: Five locally owned Iowa City pizza spots defining the dining scene

Totally Rad Pizza | Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Details: 196 E. Sixth St., Sioux Falls, S.D., 605-789-2014, totallyradpizzasf.com.

It’s pizza, pinball and vinyl spinning with tap beer in one hand and a cheesy slice in the other. Like a Saturday night in the ’90s, Totally Rad Pizza in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is where the cool kids hang out past curfew. Although the pizza joint is new downtown, co-owners Derek Fernholz and Blake Thompson, kitchen virtuoso Beau Vondra, managers Nick Lund and Cole Casper and chef JP Muko are extremely beloved in Sioux Falls, having run Fernson Brewing Co. for over a decade. Now they’re tossing hot pies with high-end ingredients like Ezzo pepperoni, Porcellino Diablo salami, Bianco DiNapoli tomatoes and homemade pickled chiles. Play darts, snuggle up in the photo booth and chill. —Angela George, Argus Leader

More: Here are 5 best pizza places in Sioux Falls that locals love

Caradaro Club | Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Details: 5010 W. Vliet St., Milwaukee, Wisconsin; 414-476-7700; caradaroclubpizza.com. 

Pizza had never been served in Milwaukee until 1945, when Caradaro Club opened its doors. In advertisements, the new tavern touted its “famous Italian delicacy” and became an instant hit. Eighty-one years later, the restaurant is still going strong (albeit in a different location; the original burned in 1978), serving the same recipe that became the foundation for Milwaukee-style pizza: a crackery crust so thin it shatters to the bite, sliced into “junior cut” squares (easier to hold a slice in one hand and a beer in the other) and preferably topped with Milwaukee pizza’s holy trinity of sausage, mushroom and onion (aptly called “The Classic” at Caradaro). The pizzeria oozes with charm: checkered floors, plastic red drinking cups on each table and children’s drawings of fluorescent-colored pizza slices displayed on the walls like fine art. —Rachel Bernhard, Milwaukee Sentinel Journal

More: Yes, Milwaukee-style pizza is real. And it’s fabulous