The Johnston Brief
"Best pizza in Johnston" depends on the night: a family-owned pizzeria pie, an Italian-restaurant calzone, a pizza to go with a steak, or the great Iowa taco pizza on the way home. Here's who's known for what, all along the Merle Hay Road corridor.
Local pizzeria → Pagliai's (family-owned since 1957) · Italian pizza & calzones → Marino's · pizza with a steak dinner → Trostel's Greenbriar · Iowa taco pizza & a quick pie → Casey's.
There's no single best pizza in Johnston: it comes down to the craving. Want a family-owned pizzeria pie? Pagliai's has been at it since 1957. Italian-style with a calzone and pasta on the side? Marino's. A pie to round out a steak dinner? Trostel's Greenbriar. A quick, cheap pizza (or the famous Iowa taco pizza) on the way home? Casey's has several spots around town.
If you didn't grow up here, taco pizza will sound strange and taste amazing: refried-bean sauce, seasoned beef and cheddar baked on the crust, then piled with cold lettuce, tomato and crushed taco chips. It's an Iowa rite of passage, and Casey's is the Johnston spot for it.
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It depends on what you want. For a dedicated local pizzeria, Pagliai's Pizza on Merle Hay Road has been serving family-owned Italian pies since 1957. Marino's Italian Restaurant does pizzas, calzones and pasta, Trostel's Greenbriar puts pizza on its steakhouse menu, and Casey's, the Iowa gas-station chain, has several Johnston locations for a quick pie or a taco pizza.
Yes. Taco pizza is an Iowa institution, a pizza topped with refried-bean sauce, seasoned beef and cheddar, then piled with cold lettuce, tomato and crushed taco chips after baking. In Johnston, Casey's is the go-to for it, and its taco pizza is a local favorite.
Pagliai's Pizza is the sit-down family pick, a longtime local pizzeria. Marino's Italian is another good group option with pizza, pasta and calzones, and Casey's or Domino's handle quick delivery for a party.
Marino's Italian Restaurant (5775 Merle Hay Rd) is the spot for Italian-style pizzas and calzones alongside its pasta menu. Pagliai's Pizza (5312 Merle Hay Rd) is the other family-owned Italian pizzeria in town.
Yes. Casey's has multiple Johnston locations for pickup and delivery, and Domino's delivers across Johnston. Pagliai's and Marino's both offer carryout as well.
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