About Wig And Pen Pizza Pub

Our Story

The Iowa City Wig & Pen is inspired by a London club of the same name whose members were either lawyers or journalists. The building is located at 230 The Strand, London and it survived both the Great Fire of London (1666) and the WWII blitz. Started in 1988 by attorney Tom Riley and purchased by Richard Querrey in 1993, the Wig & Pen Pizza Pub has been serving some of the area's best pizza. Recently both Zagat.com and Thrillist.com have mentioned "The Wig" as the best pizza in the state of Iowa. Floods in 1993 and 2008 couldn't knock us down, as the building was completely gutted and rebuilt both times. Today, we offer a family friendly dining experience as well as carryout of our full menu. Press Citizen Readers Choice Awards: BEST PIZZA 2018, 2020, 2022, 2024 & 2025. Little Village Best of the Crandic: BEST PIZZA 2019, 2021.

Our Mission: The love we have for great food runs deep. We exist to bring Iowa City together around a table, a great pie, and the kind of warmth that makes a neighborhood feel like home.

Community First

We've been part of Iowa City's fabric for over three decades — through floods, through change, and through countless shared meals that matter.

Recipes Worth Returning For

Named best pizza in Iowa by Zagat and Thrillist, our signature pies are crafted with care and consistency that keeps our neighbors at the table.

Grateful & Welcoming

First visit or longtime regular — every guest who walks through our door gives us an opportunity we don't take for granted. That gratitude is baked into everything we do.

A Glimpse Inside The Wig

Wig And Pen Pizza Pub - Best Pizza in Iowa City, IA - Baked Pasta Near You image 3 — Scene 1

Person with long red hair sitting in car, looking at phone, with a brown purse on lap and dashboard in background. — Scene 5

A person wearing gloves is sealing a paper bag at a counter in a restaurant or cafe, with stacks of paper bags nearby. — Scene 6

Our Location — Wig And Pen Pizza Pub image 2 — Scene 7

Plate with French fries, grilled cheese sandwich, and meatloaf with gravy; in the background, a salad on a plate, and a bar setting. — Scene 8

A copper cocktail shaker with a lime wedge on the rim and a black straw, placed on a wooden bar counter with a blurred background of a bar or restaurant interior. — Scene 9

Empty dining area in a restaurant with wooden tables and chairs, menu cards, salt and pepper shakers on the tables, and a window with sunlight. — Scene 10

Two pizzas on metal trays, one with pepperoni and the other with cheese and pepper slices, on a wooden table. — Scene 11

A woman is pouring a clear liquid from a metal cocktail shaker into a glass filled with ice, garnished with a lime wedge and a red straw, in a cozy bar or restaurant setting. — Scene 12

A martini glass filled with clear liquid, garnished with green olives on a toothpick, on a wooden surface. — Scene 13

A pizza with toppings including green bell peppers, onions, and possibly sausage on a wooden table. In the background, people are holding drinks, including a glass of dark beer and a cocktail with an orange slice. There are empty plates and utensils on the table. — Scene 14

A woman and a man sitting at a restaurant table with a cheese pizza, glasses of water, and a blue drink with a lemon slice. The woman is cutting her food, and the man is holding a piece of bread. — Scene 15

Neighbors Who Keep Coming Back

"The Wig & Pen isn't just a pizza place — it's part of Iowa City. You can feel the history the moment you walk in. And then the pizza shows up and you forget about everything else."

— Iowa City Neighbor

"Five-time Readers Choice Best Pizza. Zagat. Thrillist. They've earned every single one. The Spicy Hawaiian alone is worth the trip across town."

— Press Citizen Reader

"We've been coming here since the 90s. Through everything this city has been through, The Wig has always been here. That means something. The food is incredible — the community is even better."

— Longtime Wig & Pen Regular