Myrtle Beach is famous for its seafood and Southern cuisine, with more than 1,700 restaurants on the Grand Strand offering a wide selection of food for all taste buds. But once in a while, especially during a vacation filled with dining out and eating on the run, you just want a pizza. Delivery, carryout or dine in; it doesn't matter as long as it’s a tasty pizza-pie.
Ocean Reef Resort guests are in luck, with three options available within a short distance of the resort so your pie won't get cold en route to your room, or you can even walk to a few of these pizza paradises. Whether you like thin and crispy New York crust or you prefer Chicago-style deep dish, you can find any kind in Myrtle Beach. Here are our five favorites:
Amici's Brick Oven: If you have never experienced the unique crunch of pizza crust baked in a brick oven, you have to try this popular pie. With two locations at Broadway at the Beach, Amici's and Little Amici's serve a variety of Italian classics. But it's the pizza that packs them in, and the lightly charred crust that brings them back for seconds. Choose from a long list of toppings, although true brick oven pizza fans swear they could eat one plain.
Crave the Pie: Located less than 1 mile south of Ocean Reef, this new Italian restaurant is most proud of its pies. The local owners had a huge, marble-slab pizza oven shipped over from Italy and claim it is the only one of its kind in the United States. The proof is in the pizza, of course, and this place has already made some dedicated converts. Although a bit pricy, it's worth the experience of trying this unique pie. Crave also offers an extensive menu of Italian classics and wines.
Mellow Mushroom: This regional chain brings a creative flair to its atmosphere and its pizzas. Located near Broadway at the Beach on 21st Avenue North, the Mellow Mushroom is a 1970s era, hippie-themed pizzeria that also serves a nice selection of salads, sandwiches and starters. But the pizza is the main attraction, and Mellow Mushroom serves up some good ones, like the Kosmic Karma, Magical Mystery Tour, Funky Q Chicken and the Philosopher's Pie. Mellow Mushroom is also famous for its extensive selection of rare microbrews, featuring craft beers from around the world.
New York Pizza: The Big Apple may be hundreds of miles away, but you can get a slice of the big city just a few blocks away from Ocean Reef. Aptly named New York Pizza, this place will make you feel like you’re just steps off the city streets of Manhattan and into a small pizzeria with counter service and stand-up dining. It's one of the few places in Myrtle Beach where you can order by the slice, and the New Yorkers who operate this establishment will make you feel right at home.
UCP Game Zone: Fun is the secret ingredient of this Restaurant Row pizzeria and arcade. Featuring a dining area and sports bar on one side and a game room on the other, Ultimate California Pizza is a great place for friends and families to enjoy great games and even better pie. UCP offers an extensive list of toppings, including fillet, shrimp and anchovies, as well as salads, flat breads and sandwiches. The Game Zone has everything from high-tech video games to old-school carnival games like Skee-Ball and Pop-a-Shot. Purchase a combo pass for the kids to enjoy a slice, drink and game tokens.
Of course, you can always have pizza delivered to the room for a quiet night in your home away from home at Ocean Reef Resort. It's just another slice of the good life during your Myrtle Beach vacation.
