We're open until 3 AM, 365 days a year, so we see what people drink with pizza at every hour. The short answer: pick something with bubbles or acidity. Carbonation and a little tang cut through melted cheese, so every bite tastes as good as the first. Beer is the classic. Sparkling water, root beer, a crisp rosé or a citrusy cocktail all work too.
Below you'll find pairings by pizza style, by drink type, and for big groups. Start with what's on your pie, then pick your drink.
TL;DR
- Bubbles and acidity are the two things to look for. They cut through cheese and refresh your palate.
- Pilsner suits Margherita, an IPA suits meatballs, and a bock or stout suits pepperoni, according to one regional pizza and beer guide.
- No alcohol? Sparkling water with citrus, root beer, iced tea and kombucha all hold up.
- For spicy toppings and wings, go sweet, citrusy or creamy. Skip anything that adds heat.
- Ordering for a group? Mix two or three drinks so everyone has something they like. Order direct at zioals.com for 15% off your first order in the Zio Al's app.
Table of Contents
- The simple rule behind every good pairing
- Pizza drink pairings by topping
- Beer: the classic for a reason
- Wine and sparkling wine with pizza
- Cocktails that work with pizza
- Nonalcoholic drinks for pizza
- What to drink with spicy pizza and wings
- Drinks for a family or group pizza night
- How to build your own pairing
- Order your pizza night direct
- FAQ
- Sources
The simple rule behind every good pairing
Pizza is rich, salty and a little acidic. Melted cheese brings fat. Tomato sauce brings tang. Cured toppings bring salt. A good drink does one of two jobs: it cleans your palate, or it plays against the toppings.
Carbonation does the cleaning. One food writer calls beer the best thing to drink with pizza and names carbonation as the key feature. Bubbles lift the fat off your tongue, so the next bite tastes fresh.
Acidity does the same job in a different way. A tart drink stands up to tomato sauce instead of getting flattened by it. Sweetness is your tool for heat: a little sugar softens chili burn. Bitterness, like a hoppy beer, contrasts with creamy cheese.
Keep those four levers in mind (bubbles, acid, sweetness, bitterness) and you can pair almost anything on the fly.
Pizza drink pairings by topping
Here is a quick reference. It blends published pairing advice with the way our kitchen builds pies. Treat it as a starting point, not a rulebook.
| Pizza | Beer | Wine or sparkling | Nonalcoholic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Margherita | Pilsner | Chianti or a dry rosé | Sparkling water with lemon |
| Beef pepperoni | Bock, stout or crisp pilsner | Zinfandel | Root beer or cold iced tea |
| White pizza | American pale ale | Sparkling rosé or a crisp white | Dry ginger ale with lime |
| Veggie (peppers, onions) | Pale ale | Cabernet Franc | Kombucha |
| Turkey ham and pineapple | Fruity wheat or yeast beer | Prosecco | Lemonade or orange soda |
| Spicy toppings | Lager or shandy | Off-dry sparkling | Sweet iced tea or ginger beer |
The beer, wine and nonalcoholic pairings for Margherita, pepperoni and white pizza come from this expert pairing guide and a beer-science guide. The latter suggests a fruity, slightly sweet yeast beer for Hawaiian-style pizza and an American pale ale for creamy white pizza.
Want ideas for what goes on the pie in the first place? Our kitchen-tested topping combinations show how different toppings change the balance of salt, fat and crunch.
Beer: the classic for a reason
If you only remember one pairing, make it beer. It's cold, bubbly and slightly bitter, which is exactly what a cheesy slice wants.
Matching beer to your pizza
- Pilsner with Margherita. Light, crisp and clean. It doesn't fight the basil and tomato.
- Bock or stout with pepperoni. The caramel sweetness of a darker beer plays well with salty, savory pepperoni. Our pepperoni is beef, and the richer flavor holds up to a darker pour.
- IPA with meatballs. Hops cut through rich, meaty bites.
- Pale ale with white pizza. The hop character offsets a creamy, garlicky base.
If you want a deeper look at the logic behind classic beer and pizza matches, this guide to pairing beverages with food walks through the basics.
A tip from our own late-night crowd: when in doubt, go lighter. A big, bitter beer with a very spicy pie can turn into a battle. A cold lager keeps the peace.
Wine and sparkling wine with pizza
Do Italians drink wine with pizza? Sometimes. Beer is the more common pairing in Italy, but sparkling wine is also traditional in Veneto and Naples, including Prosecco and Gragnano.
A few easy pairings:
- Chianti with cheese pizza. Its tang matches the tomato.
- Sparkling rosé with white pizza. Bubbles plus a little fruit keep creamy sauces from feeling heavy.
- Zinfandel with pepperoni. Bold fruit meets salty, spiced meat.
- Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Franc with peppers and onions. The savory, slightly green notes line up.
These matches come from the same expert round-up. If you're unsure, sparkling wine is the safest bet. It works with almost every topping and never feels too heavy.
Heavy red wines can taste harsh next to very savory toppings, so for a loaded pie, pick a lighter red or go sparkling.
Cocktails that work with pizza
Pizza night doesn't have to mean beer only. The best cocktails for pizza borrow the same tools: citrus, bitterness and fizz.
One cocktail pairing guide suggests these matches:
- Negroni with Margherita. Bitter, sweet and herbal, like a grown-up version of tomato and basil.
- Paloma with pepperoni. Grapefruit, lime, salt and soda cut through spicy, greasy toppings.
- Michelada with spicy pepperoni. Beer, lime, hot sauce and salt in one glass.
- Aperol Spritz with white pizza. Light, bitter-orange and bubbly.
- Margarita with a sweet-and-savory pie. The lime and salt balance the sweetness.
- Shandy with Buffalo chicken. Lemonade and beer soothe the heat.
A Paloma is the one we'd hand a friend first. It's refreshing, easy to make at home, and it works with just about any meaty pie.
If you're drinking alcohol, do it responsibly and only if you're of legal drinking age. Never drive after drinking. If you're ordering late, let us bring dinner to you with delivery.
Nonalcoholic drinks for pizza
Plenty of people skip alcohol, and plenty of the best pizza drinks are alcohol-free. Pizzerias see it too: Pizza Today's 2025 trends report found that artisanal sodas and lemonades scored 8 out of 10 or higher on sales with pizza orders from 17% of surveyed operators. Zero-proof cocktails and beers got that score from 12%.
Sparkling water and citrus
Sparkling water with a squeeze of lemon or lime is the simplest palate reset. Bon Appétit calls a mineral-rich Mexican brand, Agua de Piedra, great with cheesy pizza and easy to pair with almost anything.
Root beer, cola and lemonade
Soda is the pizza drink most of us grew up with. One expert quoted in the North Jersey guide says root beer's sweet, earthy fizz and hint of vanilla goes well with tomato and cheese. The same guide describes milk as a thick, creamy counterweight to acidic tomato or spicy pepperoni. Cola, lemon-lime soda and orange soda are also listed as top pairings for pizza.
Iced tea, ginger beer and kombucha
Sweet iced tea is a Texas default for a reason. It calms spice and refreshes. Ginger beer brings its own gentle heat and fizz, and a nonalcoholic pairing guide suggests it for spicy food. Dry ginger ale with lime suits creamy dishes like white pizza.
Kombucha is an underrated option. Chowhound's guide compares its tang to a Chianti and says it works with pizza dough made from scratch.
A quick zero-proof spritz
Fill a glass with ice, add soda water, a squeeze of citrus and a few dashes of bitters. It's bright, bubbly and takes 30 seconds.
What to drink with spicy pizza and wings
Heat changes the rules. Our wings come in 10 sauces, and you can get them traditional, boneless or breaded. When the sauce gets hot, your drink should cool things down instead of adding fire.
What helps:
- Sweetness. Sweet tea, lemonade and ginger beer all take the edge off.
- Creaminess. Milk is the oldest trick in the book.
- Citrus. A lime-forward drink refreshes without piling on spice.
- Cold lager. Light beer is far kinder to chili heat than a bitter IPA.
What doesn't: strong alcohol, which can make chili burn feel more intense. If you're not sure how hot you want to go, our guide to picking a wing sauce heat level will help you choose before you choose your drink.
Drinks for a family or group pizza night
Pairing for one person is easy. Pairing for eight is a different job. A few rules make it painless.
Offer three options, not ten. One bubbly choice (sparkling water or soda), one sweet choice (lemonade or tea), and one for adults (beer or sparkling wine). That covers most tables.
Think by the pitcher. Iced tea, lemonade and a citrus sparkling water punch are cheap, big-batch drinks. Add ice at the last minute so the fizz lasts.
Match the crowd's spice tolerance. If the table is split between mild and spicy pies, make sure at least one drink is sweet or creamy.
Keep kids' cups simple. Milk, lemonade and root beer are reliable winners. Save the bitter and tart drinks for adults.
Plan for the food, too. A crisp salad pairs with pizza as much as a drink does, so see our salad pairing ideas. Hosting a bigger event? Our pizza party ideas cover menus, setup and games. Watching the game? Our game day pizza tips explain how to keep pies hot and when to order.
If you're feeding a crowd with different dietary needs, we make pork-free pizza with beef pepperoni, turkey ham and beef bacon. Zabiha halal is available upon request. Read our guide on what halal means for pizza if you want to know what to ask. You can also see how beef pepperoni differs in taste and texture, which matters when you choose a drink.
If you're cooking at home first, a basic Margherita pizza recipe pairs perfectly with the pilsner or sparkling water ideas above.
How to build your own pairing
When the chart doesn't cover your pie, run through four questions.
- Is it rich? Pick bubbles or acid.
- Is it spicy? Pick sweet, creamy or citrusy.
- Is it tomato-forward? Pick something tangy that can hold its own.
- Is it loaded with savory toppings? Go lighter and fizzier, not heavier.
That last point catches people out. A big pizza with several toppings is already a lot of flavor. A huge red or a very bitter beer can add to the pile. Something crisp keeps it balanced.
Temperature matters as well. A cold drink with a hot slice is half the pleasure. If your pie sits a while before you eat, check our tips on keeping pizza hot and safe.
Our take on pizza and drinks
We make our dough fresh in-house every day and build pizzas to order, and that shapes how we think about drinks. A fresh, chewy crust with a good bake doesn't need a complicated pairing. It needs something cold, bright and bubbly.
We're open until 3 AM, 365 days a year, so a lot of our guests order after a long shift, a game, a study session or a night out. At that hour, most people want comfort, not a sommelier. A cold soda, a sparkling water with lemon or a crisp lager does the job.
Our menu is pork-free, with beef pepperoni, turkey ham and beef bacon. That's a plus for pairing: beef pepperoni has a deep, savory flavor that works well with root beer, iced tea or a darker beer. Zabiha halal is available upon request, so tell us when you order.
Our wings come in 10 sauces, so we always say: choose the sauce first, then the drink. Sweet and citrusy drinks calm the heat. Cold and fizzy drinks refresh it.
Zio Al's Team
Order your pizza night direct
Pick your drink, then let us handle the food. Zio Al's makes pizza, pasta, wings, subs and salads, with dine-in, pickup, delivery and catering. Our kitchen stays open until 3 AM every day of the year, holidays included.
Order direct at zioals.com or in the Zio Al's app. You skip third-party delivery app markups, and the app takes 15% off your first order. Don't settle for less, crave more.
FAQ
What is the best drink to have with pizza?
Beer is the classic answer, and one pairing guide calls it the best thing to drink with pizza because of its carbonation. If you don't drink alcohol, sparkling water with lemon, root beer or iced tea are strong picks. Choose whichever is cold and fizzy.
What liquor goes best with pizza?
Cocktails with citrus, bitterness and soda work best. A Paloma pairs well with pepperoni, an Aperol Spritz suits white pizza, and a Negroni matches Margherita, according to a cocktail pairing guide. Keep the drink light on spirits if the pizza is spicy.
Do Italians drink wine with pizza?
Sometimes. Beer is more common in Italy, but sparkling wine such as Prosecco is traditional in places like Veneto and Naples. Wine is more common in modern pizzerias than in casual spots.
What should I drink with spicy wings and pizza?
Go sweet, citrusy or creamy. Sweet tea, lemonade, ginger beer and milk all calm heat. Avoid strong alcohol, which can make spice feel hotter.
What drinks work for a big group?
Offer one bubbly drink, one sweet drink and one adult option. Pitchers of iced tea or lemonade keep costs down and make serving easy. Add milk or root beer for kids.
Sources
- Experts share how to pair different pizzas with beer, wine and more (NorthJersey.com)
- What to Drink with Pizza (Food52)
- The Science Behind Why Beer Is The Perfect Drink Pairing for Pizza (Tasting Table)
- 2025 Beverage Trends for Restaurants and Pizzerias (Pizza Today)
- Agua de Piedra Is the It Girl of Sparkling Water (Bon Appétit)
- Beverage and Cuisine Pairing (Coca-Cola Lens)
- Non-Alcoholic Drink Pairings to Match Any Meal Course (The Gourmet Host)
- 5 Nonalcoholic Drinks That Pair Well With Italian Food (Chowhound)
- What Drink Goes With Pizza? Cocktails, Beer and Soda (Cocktail Builder)
- Pairing Beverages with Food: A Guide for Alcohol Servers
- Pizza Margherita Recipe (Homecooked)