Beer pairing
Best beer for pizza
Last updated
In Italy, beer is the standard pizzeria order — more common at the pizza table than wine. The combination of tomato, melted cheese and a charred crust wants something cold, fizzy and not too heavy, which is why pale lager has owned this pairing for generations. Below are the beers from our drinks menu we pour on pizza night, with notes on which pie each one suits.
Quick answer
A cold Italian pale lager is the classic pizza beer — Peroni Nastro Azzurro with a margherita, Birra Moretti or Menabrea with meat-topped pies, and an Italian craft beer with rich white pizzas or aged-cheese toppings.
6 beers to pour
Peroni Nastro Azzurro
Premium pale lager, 5% ABV
Very cold, tall glass.
Larry: “Crisp and dry — Larry's pick with a margherita, where nothing should crowd the tomato and basil.”
Peroni
Pale lager, 4.7% ABV
Ice cold, straight from the bottle or a frosted glass.
Larry: “The default pizza beer across Italy. Clean enough for any slice on the table.”
Birra Moretti
Pale lager, 4.6% ABV
Cold, in the big 66 cl bottle if you can find it.
Larry: “A touch maltier, good with pepperoni or sausage where the toppings bring the spice.”
Menabrea
Lager and amber, 4.8% ABV
Cold, proper glass.
Larry: “A richer lager that stands up to loaded, meat-heavy pies.”
Ichnusa
Sardinian lager, 4.7% ABV
Ice cold.
Larry: “Unfiltered and easy — try it with a white pizza or anything with pecorino.”
Italian Craft Beer
Varies — look for chestnut, grape or citrus brews
Cellar cool, not ice cold, in a glass.
Larry: “Chestnut, grape or citrus brews shine with aged-cheese and salumi-topped pizzas.”
Cooking it tonight? Start with Pizza recipes, then browse Italian beer pairings and the wine side of pizza.
Questions people ask
What beer goes best with pizza?
A cold, crisp pale lager is the classic choice — in Italy, beer is the standard pizzeria drink. Its carbonation and light bitterness cut through cheese and tomato.
What beer goes with pepperoni pizza?
A slightly maltier lager such as Birra Moretti or Menabrea, which has enough body for spicy, fatty toppings.
What beer goes with margherita pizza?
A crisp, dry lager such as Peroni Nastro Azzurro, so the tomato, mozzarella and basil stay in front.
Is beer or wine better with pizza?
Both are traditional. Beer is the everyday pizzeria order in Italy; a fruity, low-tannin red or Lambrusco is the wine answer — see our best wine for pizza page.
Should pizza beer be served in a glass?
Either way is fine. A clean, cold glass shows off the carbonation; straight from the bottle is the pizzeria way.