Brooklyn by Way of Hot Springs: DeLuca’s Pizzeria
Every year I head down to Hot Springs, Arkansas, for the Southern Cruiser Crawl, a weekend of off-roading at the Hot Springs Off-Road Park. The town is known for its thermal baths, Oaklawn racing, and a gangster history that runs all the way back to Al Capone. But ask anybody who’s into pizza, and they’ll tell you the real reason to go is a brick-oven joint on Central Avenue: DeLuca’s Pizzeria.
Our DeLuca’s tradition started in 2025, and it was all my buddy Jake’s idea. He scouted the place out on the One Bite pizza rankings, and when a guy does his homework like that, you follow him to dinner. Besides, Jake is famous for always being right. He’s seldom wrong, and he never lets you forget it. That’s swagger, but he backs it up, and DeLuca’s was no exception. This year we brought our whole off-roading crew along, fully confident that everybody was going to love it.
A Brooklyn Guy in the Ozarks
DeLuca’s is the work of Anthony Valinoti, a Brooklyn native who spent years on Wall Street before trading it all in. A friend told him about Hot Springs, he came for a visit, fell for the place, and never left. In 2013 he opened DeLuca’s on Park Avenue with just six tables. It has since moved to a bigger spot downtown at 833 Central Ave and added a second location in Little Rock.
The pizza is New York style: thin crust, fired in a brick oven, with dough made by hand in-house every day. There’s one size, and it’s big, so bring friends. They only make so much dough each day, and when it’s gone, they’re done. That’s why the hours on their website end with “or until we run out of dough!”
The Barstool Bump
DeLuca’s already had a reputation in Arkansas, and Southern Living put it on its list of the South’s best pizza. Then in early 2023, Dave Portnoy rolled into town for a Barstool One Bite review and gave it an 8.7, which is a seriously high score in One Bite land. He called it “the real deal” while reaching for a second slice. See for yourself:
Award-Winning… Bathroom?
And the hardware doesn’t stop with Portnoy. Some of the best reading in the place is in the bathroom. That’s where DeLuca’s hangs its trophies: three 2025 Arkansas Times Readers Choice Awards for Best Pizza Around Arkansas, Best Burger Around Arkansas, and Best Overall Restaurant in Hot Springs, plus a “Best of 2024” plaque for its burger. Most places put their awards by the front door. DeLuca’s puts them where you’ll actually have time to read them.
The Pies
We went with one of DeLuca’s house pies, and I had them add sausage to one side.
The crusts came out with that leopard-spotted char you only get from a hot brick oven, crisp on the edges with just enough chew. Each one came topped with a sprig of fresh basil right in the middle.
The Pairing
A pie like this calls for a beer from the old country. My pick is an ice-cold Peroni. It’s a crisp, clean Italian lager that cuts right through the cheese and sausage and keeps you reaching for one more slice. Pizza and Peroni is about as classic as it gets.
The Room
The space has an old-school, big-city feel, with exposed brick, tufted red leather booths, a chandelier over an ornate carved bar, and sports memorabilia on the walls. It feels a lot more Brooklyn than Arkansas, which is exactly the point.
And then there are the glamour shots. Framed portraits of the staff hang all over the dining room. At first it’s a little weird. Then you ask about it, hear the story, and it seems perfectly normal. Then you spend 90 minutes eating pizza while all those smiling faces stare back at you, and it gets weird all over again. It’s totally fine, and part of the charm, but it’ll definitely have you asking, “What’s going on here?”
Go Get Some
DeLuca’s Pizzeria
833 Central Ave, Hot Springs, AR 71901 · (501) 609-9002
Thu 11am–8pm · Fri–Sat 11am–9pm · Sun noon–7pm · Closed Mon–Wed (kitchen hours; or until the dough runs out)
Dough reservations recommended, so call ahead.
Little Rock location: 10301 N. Rodney Parham Rd, Breckenridge Village
originaldelucas.com
Right again, Jake. We know, we know. Cheers!
