America's 15 Best Cities For Pizza

There's no arguing that pizza is one of the most delicious and popular foods in America. But which city serves the absolute best? We set out to investigate, and based on our annual ranking of America's best pizza, we've come to the conclusion that while one city stands apart from the pack, many others aren't far behind.

#15 Robbinsville, N.J.

Believe it or not, the small town of Robbinsville, located just outside Trenton, is one of the best cities in America for pizza. The reason? Two legendary pizzerias: Delorenzos (pictured), which is celebrating its 70th year; and Papa's Tomato Pies, which is America's longest continually operated pizzeria, having opened in 1912.

#14 Portland, Ore.

The Portland dining scene is centered on local and sustainable fare, which also happens to make for some spectacular pizza. Examples can be found at restaurants like Ken's Artisan Pizza (pictured) and Apizza Scholls.

#13 Providence, RI

Providence (and one restaurant in particular, Al Forno (pictured) is the birthplace of a beloved, newer style of pizza: the grilled pizza. It's also home to Providence Coal Fired Pizza, where Mario Batali disciple Richard Allaire is making spectacular and unique pies in a coal-burning oven.

#12 Washington, D.C.

If you think the pizza scene in Washington revolves around nothing more than those comically large "jumbo slices," think again. While those homespun slice joints are actually serving some very good pizza, you can find truly spectacular pizzas at restaurants like 2Amy's, Pete's, Pizzeria Paradiso, and Matchbox. And just outside of town in Darnestown, Maryland, Inferno (pictured) is also serving up some stellar pies.

#11 Boston

Boston's Little Italy is one of America's most renowned, and the Italian Americans who've put down their roots in the city have opened some spectacular pizzerias, including Santarpio's, Galleria Umberto (pictured), Regina Pizzeria, Coppa, and Ernesto's.

#10 Las Vegas

You can find stellar interpretations of just about any food in Vegas, including pizza. We suggest you check out Metro Pizza (whose founders' grandparents worked with New York's legendary Gennaro Lombardi), as well as Pizza Rock (pictured), an outpost of an LA-based mini-chain run by pizza master Tony Gemignani.

#9 Atlanta

Varasano's (pictured) in Atlanta is turning out some spectacular and unique pies; and outside town in Duluth, chef Anthony Spina is creating Trenton-style tomato pies (where the cheese goes down first and is then topped with sauce) and grandma pies cooked in cast-iron pans at O4W that are very impressive.

#8 Austin

In Austin, at The Backspace (pictured), chef Shawn Cirkiel is cooking authentically Neapolitan pies in a wood-fired brick oven that burns at 900 degrees F., and if you're looking for a New York style-slice that's just as good as the real thing, you can find it at Home Slice.

#7 Buffalo, N.Y.

Buffalo is home to a unique style of pizza, with a hefty crust, plenty of cheese and a slightly sweet sauce, and high-quality pepperoni that, as it cooks, curls into a little charred cup. While you're there, the best places to experience this style are Bocce Club (pictured), La Nova, and just outside town at Deniro's in Depew.

#6 Los Angeles

Great food of nearly every persuasion can be found in Los Angeles, and the city is certainly no slouch in the pizza department. Noted restaurants serving spectacular pizza in LA include Pizzeria Mozza, Gjelina, Barone's, Sotto, and 800 Degrees (pictured).

#5 Philadelphia

The dining scene in Philly continues to get better and better, and they have some truly great pizza to show for it, especially at Lorenzo's and Sons, Tacconelli's, Osteria, Beddia, Pizzeria Vetri (pictured), Pizza Brain, and Tony's Place.

#4 San Francisco

The classic Neapolitan style of pizza has taken root in San Francisco in a big way.Flour + Water, Tony's Pizza Napoletana, Una Pizza Napoletana, Del Popolo, and Pizzeria Delfina (pictured) all serve some of the finest examples you'll find outside of Naples.

#3 New Haven

New Haven is a small city, but it's renowned for its unique, slightly oblong style of thin-crust pizza, with a chewy texture and slight char. The best interpretations of this pizza style can be found at Ernie's, Bru Room at BAR, Modern Apizza, Sally's Apizza, and, of course, Frank Pepe (pictured), which was named America's top pizzeria in our ranking. And in West Haven, Mike's Apizza and Zuppardi's are destinations in their own right.

#2 Chicago

While Chicago may be renowned for its signature deep-dish-style pizza, there's also no shortage of traditional thin-crust pizza to be found there, making it a certified double threat. If you're looking for a good representation of true Chicago pizza, we suggest you visit Piece, the original Pizzeria Uno, Lou Malnati's, Gino's East, Pequod's (pictured), Burt's Place, Nellcote, Pizano's, Spacca Napoli, Vito & Nick's, and Coal fire Pizza.

#1 New York City

America's best city for pizza is, and always has been, New York. Not only can you find spot-on versions of just about every pizza style known to man there, every neighborhood is home to a seemingly countless number of corner pizzerias, slinging those classic New York slices that are often copied elsewhere but never perfectly replicated. The city's top pizzerias include Di Fara, Roberta's (pictured), Totonno's, Paulie Gee's, Grimaldi's, and Lucali in Brooklyn; Joe's, Patsy's, Co., Motorino, and Lombardi's in Manhattan; Louie and Ernie's in The Bronx; Amore in Queens; and Denino's on Staten Island. While you don't need to go to New York to find good pizza, there's a higher concentration of truly great pizzerias in New York than in any other American city. Planning a trip anytime soon? Here are America's 20 best cities for food.

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