Tucked away in an unassuming strip mall on Electric Road in Salem, Virginia, Papa's Pizza is truly a diamond of an Italian restaurant and one of the best kept secrets of the City of Salem. After having been selected as number 4 of the Top 50 most prolific Elites of 2025, a year when I also was awarded the Yelp Triad Squad Photographer of the Year Award at the Yelpies 2025 Award Ceremony, an event that honored the highest-performing Yelp Elites, and where last year I was awarded the Yelp Triad Squad Yelper of the Year Award, I decided that this year, as an All-Star Yelp Elite, I not only wanted to be the first to discover new restaurants and bring them to the attention of the public, but also to uncover those found in hidden paths that for one reason or another have not reached the public in its totality. And Papa's Pizza in Salem, Virginia is the perfect example. This family-owned and operated Italian Restaurant, located in Ridgewood Farms Shopping Center is one of those rare gems of the City of Salem, Virginia. For some time now, on my way from Roanoke to Salem, Virginia on Electric Road, I would ride by this "Pizzeria Italiana" in my Lexus wondering how its cuisine would be. Then today, while I was driving, took the turn that lead me to the Pizza shop. As I arrived, a beautiful blue sky with white clouds framed the building where the restaurant was located, almost like warning me that I was up to something good. Inside, the place was clean in a relaxed environment, with the dining room in the shape of Virginia and containing both tables and booths, behind a low was that led you through the ordering line. They had a couple of tvs with videos showing some of the items on the menu. And the main decoration items were framed American and Italian flags next to two pizza paddles with Best of Virginia Winner and Readers Choice Award. Behind the ordering counter, a friendly young gentleman greeted and welcomed me and provided me with a menu. I ordered a House Salad with balsamic vinaigrette dressing and a 10" Personal Supreme Pizza. And l had a softdrink to drink. I went and sat at a table and the order taker / server first brought me the salad and then the pizza to my table. The salad was so fresh and delicious. You have to see it to believe it. I invite you to view my photographs accompanying this review to get a better sense of the place and the quality of their food. And the pizza, the pizza was amazing! From the perfect crust cooked to perfection, to the fresh ingredients placed in generous amounts, to the splendid tasting pizza sauce and cheese. I then went to their dessert refrigerated display case and ordered a slice of their Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake. The perfect dessert for the Grand Finale of an extraordinary dining experience. read more

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Definitely my favorite pizza spot in Roanoke , the food is delicious, staff is great, the pizza is fantastic

We tried papa's pizza the other night via DoorDash and it was delicious! We got a large pepperoni pizza and a personal margarita (the best yet) - so so flavorful. Happy we decided to try them out - delicious pizza. read more

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This place was kind of hidden in a random strip mall that didn't seem to suggest much. They offer a grandma pizza, a flat square with a crisped crust, which among other things convinced me to give them a shot. One bite of that pizza and I was sold. It's rare that you get a pizza where the three basic components shine equally, but there the sauce was heavily dolloped and carried some interesting spice notes, the cheese blend tasted like something you'd find up north with a zingy flavor mix, and the crust was indeed delightfully browned and was light enough to encourage me to devour a square or two more than I intended. Nonetheless, it'll last a solid three meals when combined with a salad. Their only salad of interest to me was a delightful fruit and nut mixture, containing almost every nut known to man. The place was not busy for dine-in on a weekday but several other people getting takeout passed by. Their more conventional round pizzas may be just as good, though that would be a high bar to reach. read more

Papa's Pizza - large 16" Grandma with jalapeños and mushrooms - Pizza Near Me - Salem, Virginia

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We haven't been here in a year and I'm kicking myself for that. The service was excellent and the food was as well. We got the supreme calzone and pizza and both were delicious. He preferred the calzone while I preferred the pizza. They used more veggies the previous visits so I guess I was missing that. The only criticism I have was the condiments on the table with the cheese and pepper shakers were oily and need a deep cleaning on the outside. Both bottles on the table were bad. Everything else was wonderful. It was nice to have a good calzone. It was better than the first time but I do prefer mine with more veggies. read more

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Great food! Fresh, delicious , ready as promised... Will order again! Good amount for the price.

We ordered a supreme stromboli and a supreme pizza. Both of which were delicious and generously full of sausage, ham, pepperoni, onions and peppers. We excluded mushrooms and olives on the pizza. The server delivered the food in a timely fashion (they were busy)! The restaurant was clean and welcoming and the staff was friendly and seemed to enjoy their jobs. We've been here twice, passing through to Blacksburg and will definitely be back again. read more

Papa's Pizza - Supreme pizza and meat lover's stromboli. - Pizza Near Me - Salem, Virginia

Absolutely delicious! After seeing a TikTok (@hungryasianrke) about this place, I knew I had to try it and boy, I'm sure glad that I did. Some of the best freaking pizza that I've ever had. The hubs and I had the Meat Lovers pizza and it was loaded with meat and cheese. Service was very fast and friendly, while the ambiance was welcoming and relaxing. We will be returning on our next trip to Salem. read more

Papa's Pizza - Meat Lovers Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Salem, Virginia

I ordered and pizza was ready really fast. It was delicious. It was right next door to our hotel and we had pizza the next night also.

Now unfortunately i have moved states away but... these stars need to go up lol. I found out about this place in 2020 when I was doing DoorDash during covid because a customer had ordered it. Let's just say a few days later I ended up buying/trying some baked ziti & some baked Sketi a few days after that while I was also on the clock so I could have my own lunch. I ended up becoming a regular dasher and customer at this place lol and became almost a daily regular. me.. I always got the same thing every time. so once I stopped dashing I would just walk in and the owner already knew what I wanted. if I could make y'all's baked ziti at home as good as ya'll make it in your restaurant I'd be a magician. My regular order was ALWAYS a baked ziti because it's my favorite from here and some garlic bread.. *sometimes I'd buy an extra garlic bread* read more

Food has always been great here. I always order to go but the salads, pizza and garlic knots are all good.

Only thing I didn't care for was the crest as it seemed to be used the same day it was made or maybe the night before.

One of the best pizza places in Roanoke. Wings are also good but a little too greasy.

Food came out quickly and was very good! Service was great!! It was a great option for a quick lunch!

Great spot to hang with some friends or have a nice date night. I tired their Gluten Free Cauliflower Crust pizza. Man oh man I really loved pizza as a kid and since I've been a celiac it's hard to find some that's good and safe. What was amazing about the pie was that first bite where your mouth is bombarded by the pizza juice and your taste buds explode in wow. Well that was what I got here. Man it was good no pretty great. I can't believe I ate the whole thang. Yummy. Trust me that pizza gods are pleased with your work! Loved it and I'll be back for sure when I'm I. Town again. read more

Papa's Pizza - Gluten free cauliflower crust supreme pizza. - Pizza Near Me - Salem, Virginia

Overnight stay for work. Tired. Didn't wanna go out but chose to pick up a pizza. Best pizza I've had in quite a while, and we make pizzas at home! The dough is on point and the sauce *chef's kiss* I noticed there were wine bottles and beer. You won't be disappointed. read more

Their pizza is great. Thin crust. Back several times. Great service, they are quick. Could they do curbside? My walkers aren't great. Could I pay online and get someone to drop it to my car out front? Love this pizza. read more

I was in town visiting family and we craving pizza. I read the reviews and decided to try Papa's Pizza. We ordered a large pizza with onions and mushrooms. The toppings were plentiful and the sauce was delicious. The crust was just the right thickness and chewy. We all enjoyed the pizza and will definitely return. This place was a great find. read more

Another top 3 New York style pizza and hot and cold subs that are pretty dan gone good Good service Fair pricing read more

Authentic NY pizza and foods. The gnocchi bowl soup in a bread bowl is awesome. Try the 2 slice lunch special.

Buen servicio , buena actitud y la mejor pizza que eh provado vallan sin dudarlo, ................

Excellent pizza, highly recommend! And... the best personal service you can imagine!!!! read more

Food: I have gone on 3 separate occasions now. I have tried the calzone, the pizza, and the ravioli. The calzone was surprisingly delicious, I usually don't like them because I feel they have too much bread, but they seem to use foccacia so it's delicious and huge. The pizza was just ok, I'd rather have Bobby's if I'm going fancy. The butternut squash ravioli was so good- but it is very sweet honestly I would order it as a dessert! Service: they have signs at the front that say something like, be nice or go away, and complaints were due yesterday. And that's pretty much the vibe you get from service in general. They're a bit... standoffish, not interested in talking, not very happy. And once you sit down you won't hear from them again. Ambiance: honestly meh. I mean it's no place you'd want to take a first date to or go for a nice night out. Its not waiter service it's more like Order and sit wherever. And the interior looks a bit old. Price wise, I think it's a little expensive for the quality and location, and lack of service, but I might order take out in the future read more

This place is always clean, well lit, & the people are always friendly. Food is made to order & is hot! If you're looking for a great place to have fantastic subs, pizza, salads, or calzones this is the place to check out read more

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Outstanding Pizza! I haven't had pizza this good since I was living outside Boston. It's a hidden gem. I'll be back whenever I'm in town!

First time trying this place since moving to Roanoke. Being stingy with the stars cause I've only been here once and tried one thing. Lasagna was pretty darn good if I do say so myself. Ate two meals out of one serving. There was plenty of food. Everything so far seems homemade. Looking forward to trying their pizza and some other dinner plates. I did not eat in but the restaurant looked clean. Not a lot of people eating so I didn't get a feel of what it could look like busy. Overall I liked it and would go back again. read more

Great food and good service. I have enjoyed everything I've ever tried. It's a happening place on Friday nights.

The pizza crust is decent, but nothing that makes it a must have pizza. The center of the pizza was soggy and did not hold the toppings. The salad was okay, but not overly impressive. read more

Very good pizza, we've only ordered takeout but quite good. Maybe next time we'll try something else. Prices good too.

I placed a take out order for a Margarita pizza and this is what I got. Barely any basil and a smidge of cheese I mean come on. It was basically just a thick layer of tomato sauce with a sprinkle of basil and mozzarella. Also the toppings including the sauce slid right off as soon as I picked up a slice. The man at the counter was nice so that was a plus but this was a nasty pizza didn't even touch it after trying one bite. read more

Papa's Pizza - medium 14"margherita - Pizza Near Me - Salem, Virginia

What a hidden gem! The best Italian food in the area. I had delicious baked spaghetti that surpassed all expectations...plentiful, delicious, with no acid taste. The homemade garlic rolls are exceptional. My wife loved her portobello ravioli in a pink sauce done to perfection. The owner is both personable and talented. For a Thursday night, there were a lot happy customers in the dining room and a steady stream of equally happy take out customers. If you're in the mood for exceptional Italian food, check out Papa's Pizza. Wherever you are in the Roanoke valley, it's worth the trip. read more

Tried this place for the first time after hearing raves about the pizza. Wanted to try something different so we had the ziti and the lasagna. Both came with a great fresh salad and, I think, homemade dressings. Garlic rolls are divine. Loved both our entrees- healthy portions, lots of cheese and delicious marinara. Server was great and owner checked in repeatedly to see how we were enjoying the experience. Price is super reasonable and the place is really clean. Going back soon to try some of the pizzas I saw- definitely excited about eventually trying everything on the menu. read more

Food is always good. Some dishes are better than others, I truly enjoy the seasonal menu items. Butternut squash ravioli is fabulous!

Excellent pizza. We ordered Vinnys Grandmas pizza. Superb topping of tomatoes, red pepper, basil in an olive oil soak with a garlic finish, perfect counter to the creamy fresh mozzarella and sweet balsamic glaze. The crust was light, with chew and crisp, that soaked the flavor just enough. For more traditional American style those pizzas also looked amazing. 5/5 will come again and would recommend to any pizza lover or foodie. read more

Papa's Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Salem, Virginia

We ordered a medium supreme pizza without black olives and mushrooms, and it was delicious--even after the time it took to have it delivered by Uber Eats, it was still fantastic. I do feel like the price is a little steep but I think you're paying higher mark ups when you order through something like Uber Eats or Door Dash. Anyway, great pizza! The toppings tasted good, and it had a fantastic crust. Honestly, very similar to New York Pizza's "the works." We'll definitely order here again soon and next time we'll go pick it up ourselves. Congrats on the new restaurant and I hope you're very successful! Keep up the good work read more

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Great , delicious fresh toppings, lots of cheese! Place is warm, booths and tables. Staff is very friendly. Fast service! This is our favorite pizza place now! Price is very reasonable! read more

Papa's Pizza - Papa's Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Salem, Virginia

Great little place that needs community support while they try to restaff. That being said, on site staff was awesome. Efficient, helpful, friendly. Patio dining and takeout only. Spaghetti was great, but vegetarians be forewarned, it is served with a meat sauce unless you ask for otherwise. Staff was totally helpful with this issue. Lasagna was delicious. Plenty of cheese and meat. Loaded with sauce. Broccoli was delicious, as were the side salads. Good value. read more

Very tasty pizza. Ordered through Yelp/GrubHub and delivery was speedy. Order included paper plates and disposable utensils--something most people forget about. Pizza was medium size, delivered warm not hot (perfect to eat right away), crust was cooked to perfection, there was very slight sogginess in the middle (but kind of expect that with delivery) . The pizza had a great presentation and it smelled as good as it looked and tasted fantastic. read more

Papa's Pizza - Supreme Pizza delivered - Pizza Near Me - Salem, Virginia

Ok, so. First of all, I ordered delivery through a service. I was nervous because I had some what I thought were ridiculous requests, but they went above and beyond. They did everything I asked and more. And that's not even to mention how good the food was! The food, by the way, was absolutely delicious. 10/10 wound recommend to anyone! read more

Thanks Papa's! Great Meat Lovers pizza and salad and very friendly service was just the stop we needed on our road trip overnight in Salem. We highly recommend! read more