MOBILE, Ala. — A neighborhood pizzeria in west Mobile has landed on a national list. DoorDash has named Nino’s Pizza & Italian Restaurant to its 2026 Top Pizza Spots list, making the Hillcrest Road restaurant the only Alabama eatery among the 40 pizzerias recognized nationwide.
The delivery company’s annual roundup is designed to spotlight standout small and medium-sized pizza shops, the kind of independent and locally rooted restaurants that often build loyal followings in their own neighborhoods but rarely make national headlines.
How DoorDash chose the list
DoorDash set its criteria to focus on neighborhood businesses rather than large chains. To qualify for the 2026 list, a restaurant had to meet two requirements:
- Fewer than 10 locations.
- At least 1,000 reviews on DoorDash.
Restaurants that met those thresholds were then ranked by their average customer rating on the platform from September 2025 through September 2026. The result is a list driven by a year’s worth of feedback from the people who actually ordered the food, rather than by a panel of critics.
The review minimum means a restaurant had to be both popular and consistently well-rated to make the cut. A small shop with a handful of glowing reviews would not qualify, and neither would a busy restaurant whose ratings slipped over the course of the year.
With 40 restaurants chosen from across the United States, Nino’s placement puts it in select company and makes it Alabama’s lone representative on this year’s list.
About Nino’s Pizza & Italian Restaurant
Nino’s serves pizza along with other Italian dishes and desserts. The restaurant is at 1222 Hillcrest Road, Suite D, in west Mobile, and offers dine-in, takeout and delivery, including through DoorDash.
The restaurant’s menu centers on New York-style pizza, along with Italian staples such as calzones, pasta, subs, wings and salads, according to its online listings.
Why the recognition matters for local restaurants
For independent restaurants, national lists like DoorDash’s can bring a meaningful boost in attention. A spot on a widely shared roundup can introduce a neighborhood restaurant to new customers, including visitors and newcomers who might otherwise default to a familiar chain.
Recognition based on customer ratings also reflects the day-to-day work behind a restaurant: getting orders right, packaging food so it travels well, keeping delivery times reasonable and maintaining quality over thousands of orders. Those details matter more than ever as delivery has become a major part of how many Americans eat. For a smaller restaurant competing against national pizza chains with large marketing budgets, a strong reputation among delivery customers can be a key advantage.
Mobile’s growing list of food honors
Nino’s joins a series of recent national and statewide nods for restaurants and food businesses along the Alabama Gulf Coast. Earlier this month, Mobile’s historic Admiral Hotel was selected for the 2026 MICHELIN Guide, and Dauphin Island’s Lighthouse Bakery was named home of Alabama’s best cinnamon rolls. Elsewhere in the state, Eufaula’s Thelma’s Kitchen was recently named Alabama’s best fried chicken shop on a national list.
Those honors, along with the steady arrival of new restaurants and the area’s long-running food festivals, reflect a regional dining scene that continues to draw attention well beyond south Alabama.
How to try it
Diners who want to see what earned Nino’s its spot on the list can visit the restaurant at 1222 Hillcrest Road, Suite D, order takeout, or have food delivered through DoorDash. DoorDash’s full 2026 Top Pizza Spots list is available through the company’s website and newsroom.
