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There are fifty intriguing opinions about which state can claim the title of the best pizza. Pizza has long been a staple in American cuisine, and no esteemed dining scene is complete without it. While debates about its origins may continue, what really matters is finding the most outstanding slices worth traveling to enjoy.
The “best pizza” title is, of course, subjective, as personal tastes vary, but this selection of the nation’s standout pizzerias offers something for everyone. From upscale dining locations to cozy, budget-friendly places, these pizzerias are sure to impress. If you’re traveling across the U.S., be sure to visit the pizzerias listed below.
Pinky G’s Pizzeria: Jackson, Wyoming
Renowned for its outstanding quality, Pinky G’s Pizzeria gained fame after featuring on Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.” Every pizza, including the excellently baked crust, stands out. Since it opened in 2011, locals have repeatedly voted it as their preferred pizzeria, marking a significant accomplishment!
While the city offers numerous choices, the ambiance at Pinky G’s is unparalleled. When you go for lunch or an early dinner, don’t miss their slice, salad, and soda combo, often described by patrons as divine. Simply follow the enticing aroma, and you’ll find yourself in the perfect place.
Wells Brothers Italian Restaurant: Racine, Wisconsin
The calzones at this establishment are an exceptional delight. While the thin-crust pizza is the most favored item, the calzones equally merit a try. Although they require a bit more time to prepare than other dishes, loyal customers assert that the wait is unquestionably justified.
These calzones are truly outstanding, stuffed with mozzarella, pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, and the special pizza sauce from Wells Brothers. Good things come to those who wait, so patience at Wells Brothers is well worth it.
Mia Margherita: Bridgeport, West Virginia
Mia Margherita stays true to authentic Italian techniques, offering a slice of Italy in West Virginia. Known for its “carne diavolo” pizza and coal-fired oven, this restaurant is a must-see for hearty lunches or dinners.
As its name suggests, the “meat devil” pizza is packed with Italian sausage, capicola ham, spicy soppressata, banana peppers, sweet onions, mozzarella, and provolone. The ovens use the purest, cleanest coal for firing, ensuring that no emissions or smoke alter the flavor.
Rocco’s: Seattle, Washington
Rocco’s sets the standard for cheesy bread, filled with melted cheese, and their original pizza creations are unmatched in Seattle. Residents agree that Rocco’s offers some of the best pizza in the state.
Savor slices fresh from the oven, adorned with seasonal and unique ingredients. Pair your meal with their extensive selection of beer and beverages for an unparalleled dining experience. Rocco’s pizzas stand out with their delicious crust and smoked bacon toppings.
Melting Pot Pizza: Front Royal, Virginia
As its name suggests, this pizzeria offers a perfect mix of flavors. Their delicious pizzas are perfectly complemented by their famous wings. One bite is all it takes to confirm it as a must-visit dining destination.
Be sure to sample their distinct sauces, “Regular” and “Pizzazz.” The “Pizzazz” sauce provides a mild spicy flair that enhances the flavor. Made with their original dough recipe featuring butter and olive oil, everything is freshly prepared daily.
Folino’s Wood-Fired Pizza: Shelburne, Vermont
A prime location is essential for a restaurant’s success, and Folino’s is a perfect example of this. Positioned next to Fiddleheads Brewery, it offers an ideal combination of pizza and beer – a perfect pairing.
Folino’s menu offers a variety of impressive options, but the Truffle Pig is especially favored. With an olive oil base, a combination of three cheeses, bacon, truffle oil, asparagus, buffalo mozzarella, and prosciutto, this pizza embodies indulgence.
The Pizza Cart: Cedar City, Utah
The Pizza Cart, renowned for their exceptional thin-crust pizza, also offers delicious homemade gelato. This attractive spot is perfect for enjoying their wood-fired, brick oven-cooked pizzas with friends or family.
Their traditional Italian techniques ensure a perfectly baked crust, delivering freshness with every bite. For those watching their carbohydrate consumption, their salads present a great choice, although indulging in pizza now and then is important.
Home Slice Pizza: Austin / Houston, Texas
Fans of garlic bread have something to rejoice about—Home Slice Pizza elevates this classic side dish with their tasty garlic knots. Packed with flavor, they’re a must-try whenever you visit.
The toppings are perfectly balanced, letting the tasty crust stand out. Besides their pizzas, Home Slice also offers antipasti, hot and cold sandwiches, and fresh salads, making it a favorite local spot.
Five Points Pizza: Nashville, Tennessee
Situated in the lively neighborhood of East Nashville, Five Points Pizza is famous for its delicious stromboli. Filled with Italian cheeses and meats, it’s a must-try for anyone seeking a unique option instead of typical pizza.
To try something different, taste their Habanero Cream Pie. Its distinct and bold flavor receives high praise from customers. Pair it with their fresh salads and dressings, like the tangy lemon vinaigrette, for a complete meal.
Dough Trader Pizza Company: Spearfish, South Dakota
Dough Trader Pizza is renowned for its freshly prepared pizzas and warm atmosphere, making it an excellent spot to enjoy delicious meals with family and friends.
This unique restaurant utilizes a sourdough starter that is 130 years old and has been passed down through generations. They offer innovatively named pizzas like Dances with Goats and King Leonidas, and also have an on-site bakery that makes scones, cookies, cinnamon rolls, and bread.
AJ’s Pizza: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
At AJ’s, ordering a pizza means enjoying a complete experience, not just a takeaway. Their delicious pizzas come with fresh, crispy salads and flavorful wings, making for an unbeatable combination. Trust us, this isn’t your typical franchise pizza; it’s extraordinary on its own.
AJ’s is a popular pizza place in Myrtle Beach, well-loved by locals and visitors alike. The team uses fresh, top-notch ingredients to make sure every pizza is perfectly cooked. You can pick from their special pizza options or create your own for a personalized touch.
Providence Coal-Fired Pizza: Providence, Rhode Island
This pizzeria certainly deserves its reputation, serving pizzas that seem nearly divine. Their coal-fired pizzas have a rustic appearance and a unique, smoky flavor that’s hard to come by anywhere else. If you haven’t been there yet, you’re missing out on an unmatched taste sensation.
Their authentic pizza-making process involves a 900° coal-fired oven, giving their pizzas a unique charred flavor. Don’t miss out on trying the large Bianca pizza—it’s a standout on their menu that’s sure to satisfy your cravings.
Tommy’s Pizza: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Tommy’s Pizza is a popular local establishment, known for its open kitchen and incredibly fresh toppings. Established in 1973 by a Greek immigrant couple, the bustling restaurant is now operated by their sons and continues to captivate guests with its lively atmosphere.
Tommy’s offers a wide array of tasty dishes beyond pizza, featuring enticing aromas and a diverse menu. With choices including chicken wings, stromboli, subs, salads, and gyros, there’s something to satisfy every palate.
Pisano’s Woodfired Pizza: Bend, Oregon
Pisano’s provides authentic Neapolitan pizza. The owner, trained in Naples, Italy, uses traditional pizza-making techniques in Bend to craft a perfect pizza each time.
Pisano’s offers a genuine taste of Naples, featuring pizzas cooked in a wood-fired oven that uses a mix of cherry, apple, oak, and peach wood, creating a crust that is perfectly crispy and tender.
Andolini’s Pizzeria: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Even though pizza is the highlight at Andolini’s, their menu offers a range of other choices. They offer tasty lunch specials, fresh salads, and local beers for a complete dining experience.
The white pizza with spinach and mushrooms at Andolini’s is a favorite among patrons. However, you should experience it firsthand—stop by and give it a taste.
Pizza Crossing: Logan, Ohio
Pizza Crossing elevates breadsticks to an art form by stuffing them with garlic butter and cheese. These breadsticks alone are worth the trip, but there’s much more to enjoy at the location.
The menu features a variety of pizzas, sandwiches, salads, spaghetti, and unique pies like Bacon Chicken Alfredo and Supreme Meat. To complete your dining experience, consider pairing your meal with beer or wine for the perfect match.
Rhombus Guys: Grand Forks, North Dakota
Rhombus Guys offers innovative pizzas with distinctive toppings like chipotle beef and blue cheese cream sauce. The restaurant also has a rooftop dining area, adding to its appeal and making it a popular choice among both locals and visitors.
Be sure to try their gorgonzola pear pizza, a wonderful mix of flavors that showcases their creativity and culinary skill.
Slice: Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina
Slice is a haven for pizza lovers, offering a variety of toppings that span from classic to gourmet options. Their menu ensures there’s something to please every taste.
Slice guarantees a memorable dining experience every time you visit, providing a choice of 18 different pizzas, as well as salads, pasta, and individual pizza slices.
Bleecker Street Pizza: New York City, New York
Bleecker Street Pizza combines exceptional flavors with the traditional New York grab-and-go style. It’s no wonder this spot has attracted a loyal fanbase, including some famous visitors.
Greg, the owner, is proud to provide top-notch pizzas. Try the Nonna Maria to experience a perfect blend of mozzarella, basil, and sauce—it’s a delight for your palate.
Café Rio: Ruidoso, New Mexico
The Kitchen Sink Pizza at Café Rio is a delightful surprise, boasting an impressive variety of toppings that will please any meat lover, despite its humble name.
This pizza is a treat for the senses, with toppings such as Canadian bacon, jalapenos, and even anchovies. It’s a must-try for anyone seeking a hearty and fulfilling meal.
Manco & Manco Pizza: Ocean City, New Jersey
Manco & Manco offers simple yet delicious pizza slices on the Jersey Shore boardwalk. Their pizzas, with thin, slightly charred crusts and abundant toppings, have become a staple in Ocean City.
Pair your slice with a cold Pennsylvania Dutch Birch Beer for the ultimate boardwalk treat.
Tilton House of Pizza: Tilton, New Hampshire
Tilton House of Pizza is a welcoming spot with a friendly staff and a menu that offers something for everyone. Their Greek pizza, generously topped with feta cheese, is outstanding.
Their loaded potato pizza with pulled pork also comes highly recommended, offering a unique twist on traditional pizza.
Pizza Rock: Las Vegas, Nevada
Pizza Rock is a gem in Las Vegas, featuring a stylish setting and gourmet pizzas that always make a lasting impact.
Sample their tuna salad with pancetta and arugula, or opt for one of their creative pies. The friendly staff ensures every visit is memorable.
Orsi’s Italian Bakery & Pizzeria: Omaha, Nebraska
In contrast to regular pizzerias, the pizza dough at this place is baked in a celebrated bakery known for its outstanding bread, resulting in a strong Sicilian crust. These square pizzas are airy and soft, with edges that are crisp to perfection.
You can buy fresh pizza dough, bulk sausage, and high-quality red sauce to create a delicious pizza at home. Isn’t that handy? It’s surprising that more places don’t offer this option!
Biga Pizza: Missoula, Montana
Biga Pizza is renowned in Montana for emphasizing quality. Their pizzas feature hand-tossed sourdough crusts that are brushed with garlic and olive oil, offering a consistently delightful experience from the first bite to the last.
The much-loved Quattro Formaggio (four cheese) is a popular choice for many—after all, who doesn’t love cheese? They use fresh, locally sourced ingredients to craft unique specials that satisfy all tastes, featuring toppings such as mushrooms, peppers, pepperoni, and anchovies.
Pagliai’s Pizza & Pasta: Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Pagliai’s Pizza is famous for its tasty sausage toppings. Missing out on Pagliai’s when in Cape Girardeau is almost unthinkable, as this pizza is the exact opposite of generic, mass-produced options.
They provide wheat and gluten-free crusts to meet various taste preferences. Don’t miss out on trying their Chicago spicy sausage pizza, and pair it with a selection from their wide craft beer menu for a satisfying dining experience.
Tony’s Brick Oven Pizzeria: Gulfport, Mississippi
Tony’s Brick Oven Pizzeria is known for its distinctive seafood pizzas, cooked to perfection in a brick oven. These pizzas are a culinary experience you should try at least once in your lifetime.
Tony’s has built a loyal customer base due to its unique flavor options and reasonable prices. Their commitment to providing quality in every dish sets them apart from the rest.
Pagliai’s Pizza: Mankato, Minnesota
Pagliai’s Pizza in Minnesota is well-known for its outstanding trio: high-quality meats, generous cheese, and a classic, welcoming atmosphere.
This iconic location has been a beloved choice in Mankato for numerous years. Every component of their pizzas—crust, sauce, cheese, and toppings—is exceptional. Their deep-dish pizzas featuring a golden-brown, buttery, and soft crust are a must-try.
BJay’s Pizza and Coneys: Bay City, Michigan
At first glance, BJay’s pizzas may appear to be a luxury indulgence, but they are surprisingly wallet-friendly. Despite this affordability, the quality is not sacrificed, as they offer plentiful toppings.
It’s no wonder that BJay’s is a favorite spot in Bay City. Their pizzas, packed with cheese and top-notch ingredients, provide an unforgettable dining experience.
Regina Pizzeria: Boston, Massachusetts
Since 1926, Regina Pizzeria has been a mainstay in Boston’s North End, called “Little Italy,” famous for its exceptional brick-oven pizzas and legendary reputation.
Bostonians are passionate about food, and Regina Pizzeria is a perfect example of this enthusiasm. Once you try it, fast-food pizzas just won’t satisfy anymore.
Joe Benny’s Focacceria: Maryland
Having meatballs on pizza might seem unusual, but Joe Benny’s demonstrates that they go together wonderfully. Their appetizer of meatballs, made from a blend of beef and pork and served with tasty garlic bread, makes a memorable impact.
Joe Benny’s, renowned for its innovative creations.
Seacoast Pizza and Pasta: Wells, Maine
Seacoast Pizza offers an impressive variety of pizzas, with many options available by the slice, including delicious Sicilian-style selections. They also make custom pizzas according to your order.
There are options for everyone’s taste, from New York-style to filling Sicilian varieties. In addition to pizza, their menu includes pasta dishes, salads, calzones, and spinach rolls, all available in cozy indoor or outdoor settings.
Wildwood Pizza: Alexandria, Louisiana
Wildwood Pizza sets itself apart by utilizing top-notch ingredients that elevate the taste of their toppings. Their standout pizza, “The Beast,” lives up to its name with an enticing combination of red sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni, spicy sausage, meatball, red onion, and bacon.
If you prefer something lighter, their salads are also outstanding. For those who enjoy being inventive, you can design your own pizza creation.
Fatkat’s Pizzeria: Georgetown, Kentucky
True to their name, Fatkat’s offers pizzas, wings, and subs that are packed with toppings, guaranteeing a satisfying and hearty meal.
Favorite options include the Cowboy pizza and Sweet Red dressing. The friendly and welcoming staff make dining here a delightful experience.
Ziggys Pizza: East Wichita, Kansas
Ziggys took a bold step by adding mac and cheese to pizza—an unexpected yet flavorful pairing. It’s definitely worth a try!
The lively, modern setting complements their creative menu. If you don’t prefer mac and cheese, there are numerous other tasty pizza choices to explore.
Need Pizzeria: Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Need Pizzeria offers large pizzas with a variety of enticing toppings and sauces. They are also known for their generous portions, which adds to the allure of their whole menu, including salads, desserts, and pizzas.
The diverse range of toppings and sauces provides customers with a rich taste experience. What sets them apart is their inclusiveness, catering to various dietary needs and allergies, ensuring everyone can find something they like.
Mother Bear’s Pizza: Bloomington, Indiana
The pizzas at Mother Bear’s are unmatched when it comes to their crust. Situated in a lively college town, this place is famous for its homemade sesame crust, which is a favorite among both students and faculty.
Mother Bear’s pizzas are famous for their unique crust and have won multiple awards, including being named the best pizza in Bloomington by the local community.
Indiana Daily Student
Whenever you’re in the mood for pizza, Mother Bear’s always satisfies.
Pequods Pizza: Chicago, Illinois
Pequods is recognized as the premier spot for deep-dish pizza in a city renowned for this traditional dish. Numerous Chicago locals regard it as the finest in the area.
The crust achieves a perfect combination of “yeasty” and “biscuity,” providing a light and crispy texture that sets it apart from the heavier, greasier varieties found elsewhere. On weekends, expect to wait hours—it’s that tasty!
MOD Pizza: Idaho
MOD Pizza offers a unique experience by allowing customers to customize their own pizzas at an affordable cost. Although there may be long lines, the quick service ensures a speedy turnover.
Each visit guarantees delicious dishes, and their “no name cake”—a dessert filled with cream—is a must-have to end your meal on a sweet note.
Outrigger Pizza Company: Kihei, Hawaii
Outrigger Pizza Company embodies the spirit of Hawaii with its quick, affordable, and delicious individual pizzas. Perfect for a meal after surfing, this spot is a favored option for wood-fired delights.
The friendly environment, freshly made toppings, and hospitable staff provide a memorable dining experience. Customize your order to create a pizza that is distinctly yours.
Antico Pizza Napoletana: Atlanta, Georgia
Antico Pizza Napoletana follows authentic Italian traditions, baking their pizzas in a 900-degree oven to create a perfectly thin, Neapolitan-style crust.
Using premium ingredients like Mozzarella di Bufala and San Marzano tomatoes, they offer both white and red pizzas. The Margherita and lasagna pizzas are especially favored by customers.
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