TOP 20 BEST PIZZA PLACES IN THE US YOU SHOULD TRY
With so many pizza joints across the country, narrowing down the top 20 best pizza places in the us is no easy feat, almost as difficult as not going back for a second slice.
Luckily, there are experts (like food critics) who are willing to do the heavy lifting by diving into the sea of delicious pizza slices — and they just shared their gems with TODAY Food.
Whether eaten flat, folded, or with a knife and fork (but please don’t do that), here are the 20 best pizza places in the us , according to restaurant experts, with Newsfood247 to find out!
Pizzeria Bianco – Phoenix, Arizona
Los Angeles Times food editor Jenn Harris recently went on a trip to find the perfect pizza, and she didn’t find it in Chicago or New York. Instead, she discovered it in Phoenix. In fact, she loved it so much that she’s trying to rearrange her work schedule to fly back for more.
The winning pizza is the ‘Rosa,’ which is delicately garnished with red onion slices, quality Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, rosemary flakes and local pistachios, Harris told TODAY Food. The combination of ingredients makes for an incredible experience. Chef Chris Bianco’s dough is unmatched, with a signature chewiness and tiger-striped charred spots that almost taste like candy. They give the caramelized dough a whole new flavor profile.
John’s of Bleeker Street – New York City
When asked about her favorite pizza, Bloomberg Pursuits food editor Kate Krader says it depends on the day: “I could give 10 different answers,” she says.
She calls Lucali in Brooklyn, New York, the best pizza experience she’s ever had, and also sings the praises of the clam pie at Sallys Apizza in New Haven, Connecticut. But the place she frequented as a child still holds her heart.
Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria – Chicago
Phil Vettel, a Chicago Tribune food critic, loved the deep-dish pizzeria so much that it became the venue for his wedding rehearsal dinner. Nearly 40 years later, Vettel’s love for pizza—and his wife—is still going strong.
Malnatis’ deep-dish pizza—with its thick, crispy crust, mozzarella like a blanket, tomato puree, not sauce, bright and tangy—offers a satisfying quality that thin-crust pizzas can’t match, he says.
Vettel also points out that of Chicago’s other popular pizzerias, including Uno’s and Ginos East, Malnatis is the only one still owned by the founding family.
Pizzana – Los Angeles
When Esquire food and beverage editor Jeff Gordinier was a kid, the joke was that you couldn’t find good pizza in Los Angeles. Instead, tacos and cheeseburgers were the local favorites. Since then, the food scene has evolved significantly, thanks to chefs like Nancy Silverton, Gordinier says.
Today, my favorite pizza can be found in Brentwood, at Pizzana, where chef Daniele Uditi, who moved from Naples to California, skillfully blends tradition and innovation, Gordinier tells TODAY Food. It’s the kind of place where you promise to eat two bites, but end up eating seven.
Lucali – Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Herald food critic Victoria Pesce Elliott doesn’t shy away from the obvious: A pizza at Lucali can cost as much as $30, and the wait on weekends can be as long as two hours, she told TODAY Food. Still, she loves this Brooklyn, New York, restaurant run by chef Mark Iacono (the original is also one of Krader’s favorites).
This pizzeria has one of the few wood-fired ovens allowed in Miami Beach. The pizzas here are huge—about 22 inches—and baked with a signature charred crust, Elliott says. The thick crust has the perfect combination of chewy and crispy, with plenty of room for air. Her favorite toppings include mushrooms, pepperoni, and big, green basil leaves.
Pupatella – Arlington, Virginia
The nondescript little shop where Pupatella is located might make you think of an American suburb, but once you step inside, everything is Neapolitan, USA TODAY Eats editor Ben Abramson told TODAY Food.
This pizzeria has earned the VPN (Vera Pizza Napoletana) designation—a recognition for meeting the standards of the Authentic Neapolitan Pizza Association—thanks to its authentic Neapolitan pizzas, which are baked in a wood-fired oven imported from Italy.
The Margherita pizza is truly outstanding—with a charred, puffy crust and high-quality ingredients used sparingly, Abramson said. But if they have a burrata pizza special on the board, order it. I call it a Margherita “on steroids,” and it’s definitely worth the trip.
Pizzeria Beddia – Philadelphia
The City of Brotherly Love is known for its cheesesteaks, but it also has great pizza.
It’s my favorite pizza place on the planet, says Andrew Knowlton, editor at large at Bon Appétit. The crust is meticulously made from organic ingredients, topped with crushed New Jersey tomatoes and fresh, aged mozzarella, along with toppings like pickled peppers, grilled onions and house-made sausage, he wrote in his review of the simple eatery—there are just two staff members, no seating and no phones. Although it’s currently closed for renovations, it will reopen in spring 2019.
Bufalina – Austin, Texas
Knowlton, who recently moved to Austin with his family, now enjoys weekly pizza at the restaurant, which specializes in Neapolitan-style pizzas that he calls “the norm.”
The classics are always the best bet, but there are a few unique ones, too: a harissa version with eggplant and salsa verde pushes the boundaries of pizza a bit, he tells TODAY Food. But maybe what is the real reason I love Bufalina so much? The smart, personalized, and mostly low-key wine selections by owner Steven Dilley. My rule is one bottle of wine per pizza. At least that’s the deal I made with my family.
Rubirosa – New York City
Tomato or vodka? That’s the question when it comes to sauces at Rubirosa.
If you can’t decide, there’s a tie-dye option with vodka sauce, regular tomato sauce, and pesto all in one, says Hillary Reinsberg, editor-in-chief of The Infatuation. The cracker-thin crust is essentially Staten Island-style, but the restaurant is located in Manhattan’s Little Italy. “[Rubirosa] has a great vibe that makes you want to stay there all night,” Reinsberg says. The restaurant’s main menu only offers whole pizzas, but you can order by the slice during Pizza Hour (4-5 p.m. daily).
Parziale’s Bakery – Boston
According to the Parziales “About” page, Joe and Anna were the first to bring pizza to New England. The Parziales family moved to Boston from Naples, Italy, in 1907 and opened a bakery that is still owned and operated by the family today. I love their tomato-filled pies—Sicilian-style rectangular pizzas that are periodically pulled from the oven, says Eater food critic Robert Sietsema. These square, thick, flavorful slices are often snatched away by passersby at various temperatures, but they are not reheated, proving that pizza is just bread with a twist.
Amar Pizza – Best pizza places in the us
Hamtramck, Mich. (Population: 27,834)
The idea to use Bangladeshi ingredients at Amar Pizza came from a practical need. “We’re in an area where there are a lot of pizzerias that have been around for 20 to 30 years,” says Khurshed Ahmed, owner of Amar. “We needed to create something unique to differentiate ourselves.” One of the best pizza places in the us made with a dried fish paste based on the spices Ahmed used to eat at home as a child.
The mostly takeout restaurant has been in Hamtramck since 2010, long enough for its Bangladeshi pizzas—you should also try the Naga chili version—to become popular in the area, and with good reason. There’s also a second location in Troy, owned by Ahmed’s brother, Albor Alam. BRETT ANDERSON
Bird Pizzeria
Charlotte, N.C.
The artisan pizza boom in America was fueled by small Neapolitan pies baked in wood-fired ovens. Kerrel Thompson is one pizzaiolo who has responded to the growing demand for quality by trying to perfect a different kind of pizza. In Mr. Thompson’s case, it’s New York-style, reminiscent of what he ate growing up in Cleveland. At Bird, the restaurant run by Mr. Thompson and his wife, Nkem, the pizzas are sized for sharing, with a golden-brown, caramelized crust and available with seasonal toppings like dandelion pesto and local mushrooms.
The Thompsons have found an enthusiastic following for Bird’s pizza: Since opening in December 2021, the restaurant has grown from a pop-up to a delivery business and (starting next month) a sit-down restaurant. BRETT ANDERSON..
Bungalow by Middle Brow
Chicago
The overlapping skills required to make beer and make dough have prompted more and more brewers to try their hand at pizza. This brewery-in-a-restaurant is an inspiring example. The crust is flavorful and flavorful, with a firm bottom, and the Neapolitan-style pizzas are consistently impressive, whether topped with minimal toppings (order at least one with tomato sauce and yuzu oil) or a German potato salad, just to name a few of the many specials. On Tuesdays, the kitchen serves Chicago’s version of a square-cut pub pizza (pictured above). The dish pairs well with beer and, yes, wine, which Middle Brow began producing from Michigan grapes in 2019. BRETT ANDERSON
City House
Nashville
Can pizza be Southern? How about Italian food? The answer is yes, at least when you eat it at City House. The restaurant, opened by chef Tandy Wilson in 2007, pioneered the pizzeria as an Italian-American trattoria. At the same time, it showcases how Southern ingredients and recipes can blend with Italian cuisine. If tomatoes are in season in Tennessee — like they are now — keep an eye out for pizzas inspired by Tandy’s mother’s favorite tomato sandwich (above), or a pizza that features juicy peaches that ripen at the same time. The kitchen is also good at making fresh pasta and other dishes with Italian influences. BRETT ANDERSON..
Hapa Pizza
Beaverton, Oregon
It’s often said that Portland, Oregon, is the best pizza city in America. While opinions may differ, there’s no denying that there are some great pizzas here (including those made by Sarah Minnick at Lovelys Fifty Fifty). But just a few miles west in Beaverton, Aaron Truong and his wife and co-owner, Natalie, are adding to the culinary scene. Starting out as a stand at a farmers’ market with just a Gozney Roccbox oven on the table, Hapa found a permanent home last year.
True to its name—a term for people of mixed race who are of Asian or Pacific Islander descent—the restaurant blends a variety of culinary traditions. The pizzas retain the Neapolitan pizza identity with their charred, chewy crusts, but also feature vibrant Asian flavors, such as pho pizza or Thai green curry. Truong has the ability to create a variety of flavors on pizzas without making them too complex or overwhelming. BRIAN GALLAGHER
In Bocca al Lupo
Juneau, Alaska
Lupo, as locals call it, consists of a small deli, a kitchen, and a comfortable dining room for 50 people, housed in a downtown building that dates back to 1914. More than half the time, it’s either a heavy rain or a light rain in Alaska’s forested coastal capital city. Sitting at the bar, where you can watch the pizzas rise and caramelize in the wood-fired oven, is a great way to dry off. Chef Beau Schooler, who has received multiple James Beard awards, makes pizzas with Pacific Northwest dough,Caputo Brothers Creamery cheese from Pennsylvania and classic toppings like fennel sausage, bacon, pepperoni and mushrooms. Look out for specialty pizzas, like halibut and asparagus, depending on the seafood and produce that fishermen and farmers bring in. And if you’re lucky, you might see Harold, the parking lot’s resident crow, perched near the entrance.
Leña Pizza & Bagel
Cleveland, Mississippi
Leña’s Pizza bridges the gap between Naples, Italy, where chef and co-owner Marisol Doyle learned to make pizza; the Mississippi Delta, her adopted home; and Sonora, Mexico, where she was born and raised. The menu includes pies you might find at a modern Neapolitan pizzeria. Like margherita and pepperoni (called pepperrory, after Doyle’s husband and business partner, Rory).
But there are also pies that highlight seasonal ingredients and Doyle’s Mexican heritage. Including pizza al pastor (pineapple on the side) and the Sonoran. Which replaces tomato sauce with refried beans and is topped with house-made roasted jalapeño salsa. Leña’s is reminiscent of many urban trattorias. Except it’s located in a storefront on a narrow main street called Cotton Row. BRETT ANDERSON
The Lincoln Winebar
Mount Vernon, Iowa
The scene inside Lincoln is so familiar—chalkboard menus, natural wines, 30-somethings chatting about their favorite podcasts. That a visitor could easily forget he or she is in a small town outside Cedar Rapids. But you won’t forget for long. There are so many Iowa flavors in the wood-fired pizzas: morel mushrooms and asparagus in the spring and summer, Iowa pepperoni and spicy honey year-round.
The chives come from the old pumpkin farm where owner Jesse Sauerbrie’s father lived. Sauerbrie, who learned his restaurant trade at Red Lobster, loves Lincoln’s ability to broaden his customers’ horizons. Pizza is a great way to get people to try new things, he says. BRETT ANDERSON
Little Donnas
It’s no surprise that Robbie Tutlewski decided to put soft-shell crab on pizza. Little Donnas—which made The New York Times’ list of coolest places to eat in 2023—is located in Baltimore, where crab is practically a mandatory menu item. Soft-shell crabs are perfect for this type of preparation. They’re pan-fried, sliced, and spread onto a baked white pizza, where their rich juices soak into the cheese. This seasonal special is just one example of how Tutlewski channels his lifelong experience into his pizzeria.
He learned how to make Neapolitan-style pizza while working at the famed Pizzeria Bianco (see below). But Little Donnas’ crust is cracker-thin, a nod to the pub-style pizzas from his native Indiana. Housed in the former space of a beloved local pub, the restaurant has a naturally cozy feel: Mr. Tutlewski lives upstairs with his family. And the non-pizza portion of the menu includes dishes inspired by his Yugoslavian grandmother’s cuisine. BRETT ANDERSON..
Pizzeria Sei
Los Angeles
William Joo, who immigrated from Korea as a teenager. Draws inspiration from the neo-Napoli pizza scene in Tokyo to create his Los Angeles-style pizzas. Which are aged for two days and garnished with produce from the Santa Monica Farmers Market. The menu includes a gorgeous Neapolitan pizza and a white pie that’s simply topped with a thick layer of cream and mozzarella fior di latte. Garnished with salted lemon and generous amounts of olive oil. But the fun part of Sei lies in the specials and unique pizzas that come and go. Which might include beef tongue, squash blossoms, or yuzu. TEJAL RAO
In conclusion, the “best pizza places in the US” are as diverse as the country itself, offering a mix of classic and innovative styles. From New York’s iconic thin crust to Chicago’s deep dish and Detroit’s square pies, each region brings its own flair to this beloved dish. Whether you’re seeking traditional Italian flavors or unique, modern twists. The US is home to an unparalleled pizza culture, ensuring there’s a perfect slice for every taste.
See more at: Newsfood247
