An illuminated sign advertising "Freewheeler Pizza" at night.

Choose Your Own Pizza Adventure: Free Wheeler Pizza

Food Reviews

Free Wheeler Pizza
150 South 400 East
(801) 322-3733
Sun-Thurs 11:00 a.m.­-9:45 p.m.
Fri-Sat 11:00 a.m.-12:00 a.m.

There’s a good chance you’ve already ordered from Free Wheeler Pizza, since they’ve been a Salt Lake City pizza institution doing takeout and delivery since 1977, long before SLUG was ever published. So let’s skip past the humble exterior and the very friendly service and get to the best part: the insanely large menu.

A cardboard box contains cheese pull-apart stick. Inside there is also a container of a red sauce and a white sauce.
Freewheeler’s iconic Ziggy Sticks, which are classic cheese pull-aparts. Photo: John Barkiple.

Free Wheeler’s offerings include a large array of classic pizza joint appetizers as well as salads, calzones, sandwiches, desserts and beverages, but the real stars are the pies. Custom pizzas come in 12”, 14”, 16” and 18” sizes and can be personalized to a truly mind-blistering degree. House sourdough or whole wheat crusts can be made regular or thin at no extra charge and for “slightly more,” you can get a thick or gluten-free crust (only available in 12”). Prices vary from $1.59 each to $5.57 each for adding your choice of toppings to your custom ‘za.

Free Wheeler has one of the most extensive and diverse toppings lists I’ve ever seen, with nine cheeses, nine possible sauces, 13 meats, 21 veggies, three seafood options and even three types of nuts. So you don’t strain your brains: If you don’t vary your crust, sauce or cheese and choose just three of those toppings, that’s 59,280 different combinations you could enjoy — enough to try one every single day for over 162 years!

At Free Wheeler, classic veggies like onions, mushrooms and peppers rub elbows with more innovative options like eggplant, asparagus and broccoli. Meat options include stalwarts like pepperoni and ham, but also internationally-inspired sausages like linguiça, andouille and bratwurst. Want to get super classy? Try some premium toppings like pine nuts, shrimp or even smoked oysters. And yes, you can get pineapple (don’t come at me!).

A french dip sandwich is paired with a bag of sea salt chips and au jus in a plastic bowl.
The French Dip sandwich, served with chips, a pickle spear and au jus for dipping. Photo: John Barkiple.

With all those choices, my analysis paralysis set in, so I opted to try a few of their signature pies: delicious combinations already curated by Free Wheeler’s pizza experts. The Pepperoni Magnifico (14” for $19.49) riffs on the standard with smoked provolone stuffed between two layers of pepperoni. The smoked cheese compliments the spicy pep, and the crust here deserves special recognition; it’s not too doughy or thick, crispy at the edges and maintains a good chew.

An image of a pizza with a bunch of toppings inside the box.
Free Wheeler Pizza, a Salt Lake City pizza institution doing takeout and delivery since 1977. That’s longer than SLUG has been around! Photo: John Barkiple.

The Chicken Alfredo (14” for $19.49) comes with broccoli, chicken and chopped garlic, all on an alfredo base. I especially appreciated how garlicky it was and how the chicken wasn’t dry or overcooked. Another great option is the Mediterranean (12” for $16.99) — a mix of robust veggies on an olive oil base with feta cheese. This one I sampled on the gluten-free crust, which is crunchy, crispy and thin. The combo of feta, pine nuts and sun-dried tomatoes here was a winner! There are many more signature pizzas I’m curious about and will be looking to sample soon (Cordon Bleu pizza at $20.99 for 14”, I’m looking at you!).

The rest of the menu contains some worthy additions, too. A must-try is their most popular appetizer, the Ziggy Sticks ($8.19), which are classic cheese pull-aparts with a tastier crust than most and no tendency to get soggy from cheese grease. I had to try the French Dip sandwich ($12.99 full or $7.49 for half), served with chips, a pickle spear and au jus for dipping, which really let their house bread shine. The sandwiches are a good size, too, which makes them a screaming deal in this post-inflation world.

Whether you’re stopping by for lunch, being a weeknight hero with delivery, or fueling a whole birthday party like I did, Free Wheeler is Salt Lake’s most enduring choice, precisely because it can be anything you want. From the familiar to the more exotic, or simply for those special combinations you have to have, they have it all. Check out the full menu at freewheelerpizza.com and choose your fate!

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