Blackbird Foods won because the people behind it actually know how to make pizza. Founded by former chefs who supplied seitan to NYC restaurants, Blackbird brings real kitchen technique to a category dominated by factory-line products. The pepperoni variety layers Beyond Meat pepperoni over house-made vegan mozzarella on a hand-tossed wheat crust that hits both chewy and crispy in the same bite.
VegNews named Blackbird their #1 frozen vegan pizza. Vegetarian Zen's Vickie Velasquez called it a pizza that "tastes like it came straight from a celebrity pizza chef's kitchen," singling out the crust texture and generous toppings. VegOut Magazine ranked it #2 overall, and Go Dairy Free noted that the BBQ Chick'n variant won PETA's Libby Award for Best Vegan Frozen Food.
The crust is what separates Blackbird from the pack. Most vegan frozen pizzas use a standard par-baked base that turns either soggy or brittle. Blackbird's hand-tossed dough develops actual char spots and a bread-like interior. The pepperoni has a smoky, paprika-forward flavor that holds up after reheating, and the cheese melts enough to pool in spots without turning into the rubber sheet you get from some competitors.
At $8-10 per pizza, you're paying restaurant-adjacent prices for a frozen product. That's the tradeoff for artisan production at small scale.
What It Won't Do
Distribution is Blackbird's biggest weakness. You'll find it at Whole Foods, specialty natural grocers, and online, but not at Walmart, Target, or most Kroger locations. The price runs $8-10 per pizza, making it 30-50% more expensive than Banza or Daiya. And the brand is young enough that product availability can be inconsistent; specific varieties go in and out of stock.
Banza's Plant-Based Cheese Pizza won the value pick because it solves two problems at once: it's a good vegan pizza and it's a nutritionally interesting one. The chickpea-based crust packs more protein and fiber than any wheat or cauliflower competitor, which gives it a structural advantage that goes beyond marketing.
Make It Dairy Free's Larisha Bernard ranked Banza #1 out of 10 brands tested, calling it the "closest to traditional pizza experience" for crust, sauce, cheese, texture, and flavor combined. StudyFinds placed it #3 in their aggregation of nine expert sources. VegNews, VegOut, and Vegetarian Zen all included it in their picks.
At around $6-7 per pizza, Banza costs 30-40% less than Blackbird while being available at Target, Walmart, Kroger, and most mainstream grocers. The chickpea crust is naturally gluten-free, which opens it up to shoppers managing both dairy and gluten restrictions.
The tomato sauce is simple but well-seasoned, with roasted garlic and caramelized onion notes. The dairy-free mozzarella melts adequately, pooling into white patches that approximate the look of a standard frozen cheese pizza.
What It Won't Do
The chickpea crust is divisive. Some people love the nutty, slightly dense texture and the protein boost. Others find it too firm and distinctly "not pizza crust." If you want a traditional wheat-dough experience, Banza will feel off. The cheese is functional but unremarkable; it melts enough to look right but lacks the stretch or browning you get from Blackbird's blend. And as a cheese pizza with minimal toppings, it relies heavily on that crust to carry the meal.
Who Should Buy Which
Blackbird Foods Pepperoni Pizza
Chef-made artisan crust, real pizzeria flavor
- You want the closest thing to pizzeria-quality in a frozen vegan format
- Crust matters to you more than toppings, and you appreciate real bread texture with char spots
- You shop at Whole Foods or natural grocers and don't mind paying $8-10 per pizza
- You're hosting and want a vegan pizza that non-vegans will actually enjoy
- You value chef-driven brands with actual restaurant backgrounds over mass-market food companies
Banza Plant-Based Cheese Pizza
Chickpea crust with extra protein, everyday price
- You want a dependable weekly vegan pizza that won't break the budget at $6-7
- Extra protein and fiber matter to you, or you're managing both dairy and gluten restrictions
- You shop at mainstream grocers (Target, Walmart, Kroger) and need consistent availability
- You're new to vegan frozen pizza and want the safest first pick with broad appeal
- You prefer a simple cheese pizza you can customize with your own toppings at home