The 12 Best Pizza Chain Garlic Breads, Ranked
Pizza chains tend to offer more than just oven-baked pies. Garlic bread, stromboli, and calzones are also often featured on these menus. Even though pizza is typically the main draw for pizza chain customers, the truth is that sometimes an order of delicious garlic bread equally hits the spot. In some cases, garlic bread can be better than the pizza itself.
It's true that pizza and garlic bread share a lot of the same ingredients. Garlic, dough, olive oil, and cheese are usually involved with both of them. Despite the commonalities between garlic bread and pizza, the garlic bread sold by popular pizza chains is not always high-quality.
Some garlic bread is twisted into knots. Other garlic bread dishes are formed in loaves, sticks, or pies, then sliced into wedges. Each of these shapes lends a unique texture to the meal. While the texture is definitely important, what matters most is flavor. We're looking for buttery garlic bread that has a fluffy interior with a subtle outer crispness. The garlic taste should be fresh and assertive and the bread shouldn't be too salty. We have some insight into what you can expect from dishes of this kind sold by popular national pizzerias. Here are the 12 best pizza chain garlic breads, ranked.
12. Papa John's
With more than 5,000 locations scattered around the globe, there's no doubt that Papa John's is one of the largest pizza chains. The company is well-known for its various pizzas, as well as its garlic butter dipping sauce. The Works is a particularly popular choice of pie. It comes with pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, Canadian bacon, onions, peppers, and olives. Papa John's even offers a handful of different styles of crust, allowing you to customize your pizza in many delicious ways.
The chain also sells a few different types of garlic bread. Garlic Knots, Garlic Parmesan Breadsticks, and several versions of a menu item called Cheesesticks are all sold by Papa John's.
While we appreciate some of Papa John's affordable deals now and then, the truth is that we're not too wild about the company's garlic bread. All of the chain's garlic bread products are a little too firm. Things like Papa John's Garlic Parmesan Breadsticks should be lighter, fresher, and fluffier. The garlic butter used for these dishes tastes good, but that won't cut it. It takes more than just garlic butter to make top-tier garlic bread, since the bread's texture is also important. Considering there are so many better options on the market, there's no need to settle for Papa John's mediocre garlic bread products.
11. Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut is undoubtedly one of the most recognizable pizza chains. For some of us, it conjures up fond memories of sitting in cozy red booths, back when the chain had dine-in restaurants all over the country. The company is well-known for its Pan Pizzas, Stuffed Crust pizzas, and batches of crispy chicken wings that are offered by some locations. When you're in the mood for garlic bread, Pizza Hut has options. These offerings include Breadsticks and Cheese Sticks. According to one Reddit thread, some locations of Pizza Hut even sell loaf-shaped slices of garlic bread.
Pizza Hut's Breadsticks and Cheese Sticks are buttery and slightly chewy, which is good. But sometimes, they can taste a little too salty, depending on how much seasoning is used. The company's garlic bread toast loaf slices seem to have a crispier texture, which is greatly appreciated. However, this menu offering appears to be harder to find, compared to the other two options. At the end of the day, Pizza Hut's garlic bread options are decent, but there are definitely better choices out there. If we're going to drop some cash on Pizza Hut, we're far more likely to order a Pan Pizza.
10. Ledo Pizza
Ledo Pizza has been making pizza since the restaurant first opened its doors in 1955. The company makes rectangular pizzas with a flaky crust. Some of its specialty offerings include a Cheeseburger Pizza and Corner Deli Pizza, both made with unique ingredients. There is one major thing about Ledo's Cheesy Garlic Bread that helps distinguish it from some of its other competitors. This is the chain's choice of cheese.
This company's Cheesy Garlic Bread is topped with smoked provolone cheese. The complexity of the cheese adds a pleasant layer of smokiness that really compliments the garlic. Also, Ledo's garlic bread is baked in the form of toast wedges. These are similar to Texas toast in that they are thick, buttery, and crusty. This gives the garlic bread an extra crunchy texture which is balanced by the creaminess of the melted cheese. If you enjoy garlic bread that's crispy and flavorful, you should dig the garlic bread at Ledo's. However, there are still quite a few chains that have better garlic bread to offer.
9. Blaze Pizza
Even though Blaze Pizza is placed near the bottom of our list, there are still plenty of things that we appreciate about the company. For instance, Blaze Pizza never uses frozen dough. Instead, the company makes its dough from scratch using a simple blend of ingredients. It also whips up its own salad dressings, which helps them to avoid using artificial preservatives. Blaze Pizza also offers some unique pizzas, such as The Veg Out. This pie is made with toppings like roasted broccoli, mushrooms, onions, and gorgonzola. The company also offers a few types of garlic bread.
Blaze Pizza sells a Pesto Garlic Cheesy Bread that comes with mozzarella, oregano, chopped garlic, and a sprinkle of pesto. It also sells a product called Cheesy Bread made with mozzarella, oregano, and olive oil. While the company's Pesto Garlic Cheesy Bread is a welcome and creative addition, the issue here is that there isn't really a pesto-free garlic bread offered. The company's Cheesy Bread isn't made with garlic, according to the menu. We'd like to see a plain garlic bread option on Blaze Pizza's menu.
8. Marco's Pizza
Since opening its doors in 1978, Marco's has expanded. It now has over 1,000 locations. One highlight of Marco's menu is the White Cheezy. This special pizza is made with garlic parmesan sauce, bacon, onions, sliced tomatoes, feta, and Marco's signature three-cheese blend. But this company has plenty of items other than pizza on its menu. These include chicken wings, salads, Italian subs, and Cheezybread. Marco's Cheezybread consists of dough baked with garlic sauce and the chain's three-cheese blend. This dish is sliced into sticks and served with two dipping sauces: pizza sauce and ranch dressing.
While Marco's Cheezybread has a good amount of cheese, the bread's edges can be a bit on the dry side. We think brushing some more garlic sauce along the perimeter of the bread would increase its moistness and flavor. There is no doubt that for garlic bread to achieve true greatness, each bite should be full of buttery goodness. Sometimes, Marco's Cheezybread falls a little short of that along its outer crust.
7. Blackjack Pizza
While most of its locations are concentrated in Colorado, Blackjack Pizza has a few locations in other states. This includes states like Wyoming, Arizona, and Florida. The company has an eclectic menu that offers several unique pizzas. The Sante Fe Chicken pizza is one of these. This pie is made with green chile sauce, grilled chicken, cheddar cheese, red onions, olives, and tomatoes. In addition to pizzas, Blackjack also whips up other tasty dishes like calzones, chicken wings, and salads. Garlic bread lovers will be pleased to know that the restaurant makes a few different varieties of garlic bread.
The restaurant's CheeseBread is made from fresh dough, seasonings, and a generous topping of garlic butter. It's made with both mozzarella and parmesan cheese. The end result is moist, buttery, chewy, and crunchy. Blackjack also makes a deep-dish version of its CheeseBread. This item is a little thicker, featuring a delicious ridge of crispy cheese. The company also makes a more plain version of its garlic bread made without mozzarella cheese. Blackjack's delicious and freshly-made dough elevates the quality of its garlic bread. There are just a few pizza chains that do garlic bread a little better.
6. Domino's
Domino's is another popular pizza chain with an enormous presence. Open since 1960, the company now has more than 14,000 locations in over 85 countries. Domino's makes a wide range of specialty pizzas, like its Philly Cheese Steak pizza. This pie comes topped with ingredients like Philly steak, onions, peppers, mushrooms, provolone, and American cheese. The company also offers menu items like baked pasta, salad, sandwiches, fried chicken, and cake. Of course, Domino's has a few different garlic breads to choose from, as well.
The restaurant chain's Stuffed Cheesy Bread is definitely one of the tastiest dishes of its kind. On Reddit, an alleged Domino's employee said this item was one of their favorites of all time. When employees can still enjoy a dish after eating it so much, you know it has to be extra delicious.
Domino's offers a few types of Cheesy Bread. They are seasoned with garlic, stuffed with mozzarella and cheddar cheese, then baked until melted and crispy. The center of the bread is gooey with cheese, while the top is buttery, crispy, and well-seasoned. This provides some delicious textural variation that's truly mouthwatering. From the tasty blend of cheeses to the buttery crunchiness of the bread, there's no doubt that this is great pizza chain garlic bread.
5. Hungry Howie's
Hungry Howie's is well-known for its affordable pizza. The chain makes simple pies with classic toppings like pepperoni. But it also ventures into more creative territory with items like its Asian Chicken Pizza. This company also makes a variety of different Howie Breads, which are garlic bread-like dishes made with various cheeses and seasoning blends.
Of this category, we highly recommend the Stuffed Howie Bread. This item is filled with mozzarella and cheddar cheese, then topped with a layer of butter, herbs, and parmesan. The texture of the bread is buttery with a subtle crispiness, but it's the seasoning that really puts it over the top. Garlicky and flavorful, Stuffed Howie Bread is magnificently tasty. When you pick up a fresh slice, you're bound to witness a drool-worthy cheese pull. We also really appreciate the fact that you can stuff Howie Bread with other ingredients like bacon, jalapeños, and pepperoni.
4. Pieology
When you want to customize a pizza, Pieology is a solid choice. The chain has four different types of crusts to choose from, as well as a handful of different sauces. These include classic red sauce, ranch, three-cheese alfredo, barbecue sauce, pesto, and a spicy Buffalo sauce. When it comes to garlic bread, the company's Ooey Gooey Garlic Cheese Bread really hits the spot.
Succulent and fluffy, Pieology's Ooey Gooey Garlic Cheese Bread is made with a thick crust, herb butter, as well as both mozzarella and parmesan cheese. The menu gives you the choice of ordering it with or without garlic. This item has a generous amount of cheese and we like that it's not too crispy. True to its name, this garlic bread maintains its gooeyness. This gives the garlic bread an exceptionally creamy, buttery bite. This helps to nudge the pie ahead of some other pizza chains. If you're ever at Pieology and in the mood for some garlic bread, you should definitely give this a shot.
3. Mellow Mushroom
With its groovy aesthetic and unique menu, Mellow Mushroom is one of the most inventive pizza chains. Most of the company's locations are scattered across the Southeast, but if you're somewhere nearby, it's definitely worth a visit. The restaurant offers a tempting menu filled with tasty treats, like creative pizzas, hoagies, and craft beer. It also has a handful of different appetizers, such as its Garlic Cheese Bread.
This menu item consists of French bread, luscious garlic butter, gooey mozzarella cheese, and Italian seasoning. Mellow Mushroom's Cheesy Garlic Bread is simple, but delicious. The bread is crunchy on the outside, fluffy on the inside. We also like that the cheese is tastefully portioned. A lot of other pizza chains drown their garlic bread in so much cheese that it's almost indistinguishable from the pizza. This isn't the case with Mellow Mushroom. It's definitely cheesy, but it compliments the garlic bread, rather than overwhelming it. If you're looking for some delicious garlic bread from a pizza chain, Mellow Mushroom is a safe bet.
2. Uno
Uno is famous for its deep-dish pizza, which the restaurant chain has been making since 1943. But the pizza company's menu also includes plenty of other items. Uno also sells pasta, burgers, sandwiches, and salads. When it comes to appetizers, there are lots of tasty dishes to choose from. These include fried mozzarella sticks, spinach artichoke dip, and garlic bread. Trying the last of these items is highly recommended.
Uno's Cheesy Garlic Bread is made with pizza dough, garlic, and three different cheeses. It's served with a tangy marinara sauce for dipping. The garlic bread at Uno is so delicious that one customer described it as "an absolute must" on Yelp. We'd definitely recommend hooking yourself up with an order of Cheesy Garlic Bread, even if you're really there for the pizza. Uno's high-quality dough, zesty garlic, and three-cheese blend make it some of the best garlic bread you can score at a pizza chain.
1. Jet's Pizza
Jet's Pizza is one of the best pizza chains in the country. Its Detroit-style pan pizzas have a buttery, airy crust that knocks most of its major pizza chain competitors out of the water. Fluffy on the inside and crunchy on the bottom, the cheese on Jet's pan pizzas are baked into a crust that fuses to all of its golden edges. Its pizza is gloriously delicious. The company's Deep Dish Bread is equally magnificent.
This chain's Deep Dish Bread is made with fresh dough, garlic butter, romano cheese, and mozzarella. Because it's baked similarly to the chain's pizza, this menu item has the same golden, cheesy crust. The garlic and butter are applied with perfect balance. The cheese is ample and gooey, yet also a bit crispy. When it comes to pizza chains, Jet's Deep Dish Bread delivers just about everything you could ask for in your garlic bread. The restaurant's marinara is also ideal for dipping, with its tasty balance of tang, sweetness, and herbaceousness.