Do we really need an excuse to eat pizza? Of course not. But National Pizza Week provides a perfect opportunity for everyone to indulge in a savory slice or satisfying pie. Here are five great pizzerias in the Birmingham area, all guaranteed to satisfy your cravings for tasty dough and savory toppings.

BETTOLA

Where: 2930 Third Ave. South, Birmingham, 205-731-6499.

Hours: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays, 5 p.m.-9 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays, 5 p.m.-10 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. Closed Sundays and Mondays.

Menu includes: Pizzas, salads, sandwiches, pasta entrees, desserts and more. All the pizzas at Bettola are baked in a wood-fired, Italian pizza oven.

Try this: Margherita Pizza D.O.C., made with San Marzano tomato sauce, Fior Di Latte mozzarella and basil. It’s simple, elegant and a good starting point for folks who are new to Bettola.

Good to know: “The restaurant imports both flour and mozzarella cheese from Italy, and other ingredients are sourced as locally as possible,” Clair McLafferty said in a review for Birmingham magazine. “This blend of Old World and New World firmly roots each dish in Italian tradition, but also gives it flair unique to Birmingham.The result is a pizza with a crust that’s not too thick or too thin, but that comes with a lovely char from the oven. It’s delightful to taste on its own, but is also subtle enough to allow toppings to shine.”

TORTUGAS PIZZA

Where: 2801 Highway 150, Hoover, 205-403-9800; 1304 Second Ave. South, Birmingham, 205-730-9249.

Hoover hours: 3 p.m.-7 p.m. Wednesdays-Thursdays, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. Closed Sundays-Tuesdays.

Birmingham hours: 4 p.m.-8 p.m. Tuesdays, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Wednesdays-Thursdays, 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Fridays, 12 p.m.-7 p.m. Saturdays. Closed Sundays and Mondays.

Menu includes: Pizzas, salads, subs, lasagna, breads and more. Tortugas specializes in deep dish, Chicago stuffed pizzas, but also serves thin crust pizza.

Try this: The Carne Special is a meat lover’s dream, made with pepperoni, bacon, Canadian bacon and Italian sausage.

Good to know: “The two-inch-thick stuffed pizza comes loaded with two types of mozzarella cheese and a choice of fillings — from Italian sausage, pepperoni, Canadian bacon and ground beef to spinach, broccoli, bell peppers and onions — all of which is topped with a paper-thin layer of crust and ladled with a thick, tomato-based sauce,” said Bob Carlton of AL.com. “The outer crust that forms the pie shell is accented with bits of cilantro, parsley, pepper and garlic.”

PIZZA GRACE

Where: Mercantile on Morris, 2212 Morris Ave., Suite 105, Birmingham, 205-644-5221.

Hours: 5 p.m.-9 p.m. Tuesdays, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5 p.m.-9 p.m. Wednesdays-Fridays, 12 p.m.-9 p.m. Saturdays. (“We lovingly make small batches of dough and close when we sell out,” the Pizza Grace website says.) Closed Sundays and Mondays.

Menu includes: Pizzas, bread, salad, dipping sauces and more.

Try this: Cheese pizza made with marinara, provolone, parmesan, Asiago, romano and garlic herb breadcrumbs. With four different cheeses in the mix, it’s filled with luscious flavor.

Good to know: Pizza Grace was among semifinalists for the 2023 James Beard Awards, in the category of best new restaurant, but didn’t make the finals. Also, Southern Living named Pizza Grace as one of the “The South’s Best New Restaurants of 2023.”

CARPENETTI’S PIZZA

Where: 740 Park Ave., Moody, 205-640-6777.

Hours: 11 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays, 4 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Saturdays. Closed Sundays and Mondays.

Menu includes: Pizzas, calzones, rolls, pastas, salads, appetizers and more.

Try this: The White Pizza, made with cheese, garlic and ricotta, should hit the spot. But we also recommend building your own pizza at Carpenetti’s, choosing from toppings that include mushrooms, bell peppers, pepperoni, banana peppers, Italian sausage, black olives and jalapenos.

Good to know: “The small town pizza joint is pretty much inactive on social media and has no website,” said Haley Laurence of AL.com. “But what it lacks in PR it makes up for in word of mouth. It’s gotten a reputation as a must-visit Alabama pizza joint and was named Bama’s Best Pizza by Alabama Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association (AFVGA) and Alabama Farmers Federation Dairy Division. … And why do people love it so much? It’s because it’s old-fashioned New York-style pizza — no frills, no fancy toppings, just good eats.”

CAPELLA PIZZERIA

Where: 4700 U.S. 280 East, Suite 13, Birmingham, 205-438-6108.

Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. daily or “until (we) run out of fresh dough,” the Capella Pizzeria website says.

Menu includes: Pizzas, salads, desserts and more.

Try this: The Diavola pizza will make your mouth water, boasting spicy salami, Calabrian pepper, garlic, fresh mozzarella and San Marzano sauce. Like all pizzas here, it’s cooked on a wood-fired oven. Capella specializes in Italian Neapolitan pizza, with a thin crust crafted from house-made dough.

Good to know: Capella Pizzeria opened in 2022 in Inverness, and another location is in the works in Trussville. AL.com readers were quick to name Capella as one of their favorites in Central Alabama, with one giving the ultimate compliment: “Tastes like Italy!”