Brooklyn-Style Pizza and Grandma Pies at Williamsburg Pizza Omaha

A square slice with a thick, crisp-edged base asks for a different kind of attention than a thin New York round. At Williamsburg Pizza in Omaha, both are on the menu, giving a meal the pleasant problem of choosing between a Brooklyn-style pie built for a foldable slice and a Grandma pie with more height, chew and sauce in the picture.

The restaurant brings a Brooklyn-rooted pizzeria sensibility to Omaha without making dinner overly formal. Inside, the room has the familiar visual shorthand of a New York pizza shop: clean, spare surroundings, booths and bench seating, and an operation that comfortably handles a steady stream of pickup and delivery orders.

The round Brooklyn pies are the thin-crust choice. Their crust is crisp and chewy, with enough structure to support the toppings rather than going limp midway through a slice. The result is a sturdy, cheese-forward style of pizza that suits straightforward orders as well as more elaborate combinations.

Grandma pies take a different route. They arrive in a square format with a thicker crust, crisp on the outside and chewy through the center. Those pies tend to put tomato sauce more prominently forward, so ordering one of each style is a sensible way to sample the kitchen’s range rather than merely ordering more pizza.

For a familiar starting point, the Margherita is available as a Brooklyn round, including an XL size. The Bianco Brooklyn, topped with ricotta, moves toward a richer, cheese-centered slice. It is a useful alternative when a red-sauce pie is not the mood of the day.

The Cup & Char Grandma is one of the pies that gives the square format a little theater. Its pepperoni curls upward in the oven, forming small cups with charred edges. Those browned rims bring a concentrated pepperoni flavor and a bit of texture against the thicker crust.

Tartufo has also drawn attention among the specialty-pie choices. Then there is the apple-and-bacon pizza, a combination that sounds a little unconventional until you remember that sweet apple and smoky bacon have long been perfectly comfortable together. Pepperoni can be added to that pie, too.

Customization gives the menu some flexibility, particularly for a table trying to settle competing preferences. A group can keep one pie classic and let another get more adventurous, without turning the order into a lengthy negotiation.

The garlic knots deserve their own place in the order. Rolled into compact spirals that resemble little garlic cinnamon rolls, they have a crisp exterior and a soft, gooey center. They are flavorful enough to stand on their own, but naturally fit the old pizzeria rhythm of tearing one apart while the pizza is still being sorted out.

Meatballs make a heartier side option. They are plump and moist, served under a generous amount of sauce; an order has included five meatballs. It is a simple addition, though a useful one when pizza alone is not quite enough for the table.

The drink list includes Sicilian soda and nonalcoholic ginger beer, both of which are more interesting companions than an automatic soft drink. The ginger beer has the obvious appeal alongside rich cheese and pepperoni, while a Sicilian soda gives a pizza lunch a small old-school flourish.

That mix of classic and unexpected choices runs through the menu. There are easy answers for a plain cheese, Margherita or pepperoni crowd, but ricotta, charred cup pepperoni, apple and bacon keep the selection from reading like a one-note neighborhood pizza list.

Williamsburg Pizza is particularly well suited to takeout. Pies have held up well on the trip home, including after a 35-minute drive, which matters with a crust that is supposed to remain crisp and sturdy. Pickup orders have also been ready around their indicated time.

There are indoor booths for people who want to eat on the spot, along with disposable plates and utensils that keep the format casual. Seating is limited, so the room works best for a small dine-in group rather than a large gathering.

Parking is available free in the shared lot, with ample space commonly noted. For an easy Omaha pizza night, a round Brooklyn pie, a square Grandma pie and an order of knots make a particularly good three-part introduction.