You don’t need to go to New York or Naples to find an extraordinary wood-fired pizza — sometimes, you just need to find the right strip mall in Central Louisiana. 🍕
Wildwood Pizza on Texas Avenue in Alexandria, LA has been quietly turning out some of the most creative, boldly topped, wood-fired pizza in Louisiana since July 2014, earning a devoted local following and a statewide reputation.
It’s the kind of place that makes you genuinely wonder how a spot this good exists somewhere this unexpected — and then makes you very grateful that it does. 🔥
How Wildwood Pizza Won Alexandria’s Hearts
The story of Wildwood Pizza is really a story about a family that never could stay out of the kitchen for long. 👨👩👧👦
Owner Gary Perkins grew up watching his parents cook, raised on a two-acre family garden that gave him a lifelong appreciation for fresh, quality ingredients — and it was clear from an early age that the restaurant business was his destiny.
He trained under French chef Jean Pierre at POETS in Baton Rouge while attending LSU, went on to co-own the beloved Louie’s Café on Chimes Street, and later ran Spirits Food and Friends in Alexandria for over a decade before selling it in 2005.
Perkins opened Wildwood Pizza alongside his wife Sherry, their two children Vivian and Garrett, and longtime business partner and co-owner Lee Gwinn in 2014— making it a true, family-owned pizza restaurant in every sense of the word.
Before the first pie ever came out of the oven, Perkins and his son Garrett flew to New York City for a 10-day pizza school — absorbing technique, studying dough methodology, and then coming home and making it entirely their own.
That philosophy — fearless toppings, Louisiana-inspired flavors, and an Italian brick oven shipped directly from Italy and fired to a blazing 800 degrees — is what makes every Wildwood pizza taste unlike anything else in the region. 🇮🇹
The oven itself became something of a legend even before the restaurant opened — the assembly instructions arrived entirely in Italian, and the team figured it out anyway.
That scrappy, determined spirit translated directly into the dining room, where Alexandria locals quickly claimed Wildwood as their own, filling booths with families, date nights, and groups of friends who kept returning week after week for a pie that never let them down.
Over a decade in, the Perkins family is still behind the counter, still using the same wood-fired oven, and still packing in a dining room full of regulars who will gladly tell any first-timer exactly what to order. 🙌
Food Highlights 🍕
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The Beast: Red sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni, spicy sausage, red onion, meatball, and bacon — the undisputed most popular pizza on the menu. 🔥
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Mediterranean: Garlic olive oil, mozzarella, roasted red bell pepper, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, caramelized onions, kalamata olives, pepperoncini peppers, and feta. 🫒
- Pesto Chicken: Pesto sauce, Alfredo sauce, fresh mozzarella, chicken, goat cheese, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, and sun-dried tomatoes. 🌿
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Shrimpin’ Ain’t Easy: Fresh mozzarella, spinach, garlic, artichoke hearts, shrimp, and Alfredo sauce. 🦐
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Chicken, Bacon, Bliss: Ranch dressing, fresh mozzarella, chicken, bacon, caramelized onion, and smoked cheddar. 🧀
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Garden District: Garlic olive oil, mozzarella, basil, sliced tomato, minced garlic, spicy sausage, and capers — a beautifully balanced pizza. 🌱
- Porky’s Revenge: BBQ sauce, mozzarella, pulled pork, bacon, red onion, and jalapeños — a smoky, sweet, and spicy Louisiana-style pizza that hits every flavor note at once. 🐷🌶️
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Kickin’ Chicken: One of the most consistently ordered pizzas among regulars, featuring chicken with a satisfying heat-forward profile. 🌶️
Atmosphere ✨
Perkins intentionally designed the vibe to be laid-back and family-friendly, and it shows — tables are filled equally with young families, college students, and long-time regulars who have been coming since week one.
The open kitchen lets you watch your pizza come together in real time, which somehow makes every bite taste even better knowing exactly what went into it.
There’s an easy, neighborhood warmth here that no amount of restaurant design can manufacture — it comes from a family that genuinely loves what they do and a community that loves them back for it. ❤️
Bottom Line
Wildwood Pizza is the kind of place that earns its reputation one perfect, wood-fired slice at a time.
A true family-owned operation with over a decade of loyal regulars, a legendary Italian brick oven, and a menu full of bold, Louisiana-flavored pies — this is Central Louisiana’s best pizza, full stop. Don’t leave without trying The Beast.
Address:
1260 Texas Ave, Suite H, Alexandria, LA 71301
📞 (318) 448-7121
🕗 Open Mon–Sat 11 AM–9 PM | Sun 11 AM–8 PM