There are many great pizza places in OKC—check out my list on top Slices, Pies & Flatbreads—but each is so unique that it’s hard to call one better than the other. Upper Crust is where we go if we just want classic, crispy, tasty pizza in a laid-back yet slightly upscale atmosphere. Whether you order straight off the menu or go for a build-your-own option, you’re guaranteed to end up with a wood fired masterpiece.

The other great thing about Upper Crust is that they offer a pretty extensive menu, so if you’re not in the mood for pizza (god forbid) you could always go for one of their top-notch salads, charcuterie boards, homemade spaghetti or even grilled cheese. They source many of their products locally and make both their dough and mozzarella fresh in-house daily. That’s commitment I can get behind. Below, some of my favorite dishes at Upper Crust!

MENU PIZZAS

I typically go for build-your-own pizzas (I like me some toppings), but if I order straight off the menu at Upper Crust you can guarantee it’s either the Psycho Shroom (pictured above) or the Margherita. The aforementioned creation includes pie sauce, fontina, mushroom mix, chives, truffle oil and grana; the truffle oil sets the tone for this glorious creation, and the mushrooms never fail to be juicy and plump. If you like mushrooms then this pizza is a must-order!

Then there’s the true classic—the Margherita. In addition to EVOO, pie sauce, tomatoes, basil and fresh mozzarella, the folks at Upper Crust kick things up a notch with their absolutely incredible garlic chips. This crack-like substance is exactly what it sounds like: sliced garlic cloves baked until crispy. I add these chips to any pizza I order, guaranteed.

SALADS

You’re not going to find salads straight from the bag at Upper Crust—their greens are the real deal. I’m majorly obsessed with their Oregano Garlic Vinaigrette and will usually order a little Caesar salad (pictured above) with this instead of the Caesar dressing. Another great vegetarian salad option is the Farmer’s Market Salad with boston bibb, arugula, fuji apples, candied walnuts, gorgonzola and white balsamic vinaigrette.

BUILD-YOUR-OWN-PIZZAS

Upper Crust is a build-your-own pizza lover’s dream—they offer eight options each in the sauce, cheese and meat categories as well as 17 veggie toppings. You can choose between a 7” (pictured above) or 12” pizza, and they even have gluten free crust, too. Rather than going into a lot of detail, I’m just going to hit you with some of my favorites creations.

#1. Pie sauce, cheese blend, caramelized onions, garlic chips and calabrese peppers.

#2. Pesto, fresh mozzarella, red onions, kalamata olives and sundried tomatoes.

#3. Ricotta sauce, fresh mozzarella, mushroom mix, caramelized onions, spinach and garlic chips.

#4. BBQ Sauce, cheese blend, red onions, red bell peppers, fried jalapenos and pepperoncini.

P.S. — they have some of the best ranch in town! I usually order a side with spicier pizzas for dipping.

STARTERS

Garlic Cheese Bread. Please look at the incredible garlic cheese bread in the photo above and say, honestly, if you could resist it. It’s impossible! It’s served with their jazzed-up pie sauce and is truly one of the best things you’ll ever put in your mouth.

Fried Mozzarella. As mentioned, Upper Crust makes their mozzarella in-house daily, and these fried little mozzarella triangles are the real deal. Gooey as all hell with a crust that’s obviously hand-breaded….you seriously can’t go wrong.

CHARCUTERIE

Build-Your-Own Charcuterie Boards. While you could just order Upper Crust's Classic Hummus starter served with warm pita bread, I highly suggest skipping that basic bitch route and incorporating the hummus in a build-your-own charcuterie board. The price will depend upon what you add to your board; meats are $4 each, cheeses are $3 and additional items, like fig jam and the aforementioned hummus, are $2. My favorite combo is Stilton + Mozzarella + Hummus + Roasted Red Peppers (pictured above, and if you order at least three items then the board will come with crostinis, mustard and apples). I love these boards as heavy appetizers or even as kinda-light dinners.

NON-PIZZA

Grilled Cheese. If you're one of those people who "doesn't like too much cheese" on their grilled cheeses, then skip this one. However, if you could eat a wheel of sweet cheese like it's going out of style, then have at it. This decadent sandwich features Tillamook cheddar and havarti between two pieces of sourdough and is served with creamy house-made tomato basil soup. You'd swear you were a kid again when eating this dish. 13/10 would recommend.

BRUNCH

Avocado Toast. So the avocado toast at Upper Crust is literally the exact same as that at Neighborhood JAM, but it includes the addition of pie sauce. Now, I understand if marinara sauce with avocado sounds like a strange combination, but the end result isn't as weird as it sounds. Upper Crust puts just enough pie sauce on the bread to kind of soak through the pores, but not enough that it's actually overwhelming. I think it's definitely worth trying, but they also have killer brunch pizzas if you're into that sort of thing.

Hangover Pie. Upper Crust offers several brunch pizzas, including the Hangover Pie (pictured below). This little beauty comes with pie sauce, cheese blend, fresh mozzarella, bacon, hatch green chilies, fried jalapeños, chives and sunny-side up eggs; just order it without bacon for a vegetarian version. Word to the wise that it’s pretty spicy! Pairs well with a side of ranch.

Margherita Pizza and Psycho Shroom photos courtesy of Hal Smith Restaurants.