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TulaneLSU's Top 40 pizzas in the United States of America
Posted on 3/29/20 at 4:50 pm
Posted on 3/29/20 at 4:50 pm
Friends,
We have celebrated today the Fifth Sunday of Lent, this holy season where we repent, take note of our lives, and prepare for the Resurrection of our Lord at Easter. It is a 40 day season, to remember the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness, tested and tempted by Satan in every way. Jesus did not fall to temptations of power, wealth, or physical pleasure. Instead, he remained pure and blameless. May we likewise do the same.
Top 40 Pizzas in America 2020
40. Piece (Chicago)
Chicago is said to be a top 50 pizza city in America, but I would argue that it is not. Chicago’s famed pizza restaurants, Malnati’s, Giordano’s, Uno, Pizano’s, and Gino’s, are each terrible in their own way. Its second best pizza, Pequod’s, is a rip off of the old Pizza Hut style. The only way Chicago pizza excels is when it copies other techniques, such as Piece. Its New Haven style is quite good and is one of three pizza places in Chicago I can recommend, the others being Pequod’s and Vito and Nick’s.
39. Pi (St. Louis)
Is it a top 40 pizza? It, like some of my detractors say about me, is borderline. I mainly include it here for geographic diversity and to take another swing at Chicago pizza. Deep dish pizza is not very good overall, and it certainly isn’t good in Chicago. Pi is better than all the previously mentioned, and significantly better than Chicago newcomers like The Art of Pizza. So much bread and stuffing, it is not really pizza but a casserole. I only went because President Obama, a Chicago resident, said it was the best deep dish he ever tried.
38. Mid City Pizza (New Orleans)
I haven’t been since the owner died, but it was my favorite pizza in New Orleans a few months ago. New Orleans has every reason to have a great pizza scene, but it does not. Domenica and Pizza Delicious are often cited as great pizzas in national publications. Domenica is some of the worst pizza I have ever had, worse than gas station pizza. Pizza Delicious is solid, but it does not excel. Of course, New Orleans’ best two pizza joints of all-time, Brooklyn Pizza and Cafe Nino, closed in the last decade. Mid City Pizza is almost an adequate substitute for these two. I hope someone, anyone, can elevate the New Orleans pizza scene. As it is, coastal towns like Mobile, AL and Pensacola, FL have better pizza scenes.
37. Five Points Pizza (Nashville)
When Sbarro’s was a family run pizzeria out of Brooklyn, it made a pie shockingly similar to Five Points Pizza. Five Points will not blow your mind away, but it will take your mind on a vacation to the Lakeside Shopping Center food court to a time when Sbarro’s was king.
36. Lost Pizza (Indianola, MS)
The family’s Mississippi compound received significant wind damage from Hurricane Katrina. Labor shortages, our attention elsewhere, and distance prevented us from attending to it in appropriate fashion. But 2008, we were going up regularly to ensure work was done properly. One of the carpenters recommended this little place, and it has become a family staple since. It’s a little bit of a drive, even from the compound, but the pizza is good, like a better version of Mark Twain pizza.
35. High Point Pizza (Memphis)
The atmosphere here has the feel of a cheap, run down New Jersey strip mall pizza parlor that probably once ran drugs for the Mafia. Its pizza likewise is authentically good. Locals will rave about the BBQ in Memphis, and tourists will tell you to go to Central BBQ. If I’m in Memphis, I’m going to High Point Pizza.
34. Antico Pizza (Atlanta)
When you’re the biggest city in the Southeast, one would expect a better range of restaurants. Atlanta is surprisingly shameful in the ways of restaurants, but Antico helps to salvage an otherwise pathetic pizza environment. This is purely Naples-style and is as good as some of the Naples standards.
33. Sarcone's Bakery (Philadelphia, PA)
Sarcone's is one of the great bakeries, not just in Philadelphia, not just in America, but in the entire world. Anything that is touched by Sarcone's bread rises faster than yeast in Philly when the temperature's about 88. The tomato pie, famed in Philadelphia, is very much like a Sicilian pie with little to no cheese. It amazes me that just a few miles north, in the Trenton region, a tomato pie, as produced by Papa's and DeLorenzo's means something entirely other. Regardless, Sarcone's has Philadelphia's best tomato pie, and it should be on the list to try for any true pizza lover.
32. Pizzeria Toro (Durham, NC)
Toro makes one of the few coal fired pizzas you can find in the South. It’s very good.
31. M’s Fine and Mellow Cafe (Baton Rouge, LA)
I ate here as a teenager back in the late 90s when Mother thought I should tour LSU. It was downtown. The jazz was mellow and the pizza was fantastic. We walked around the city and campus at least 15 miles that day, and were famished. At the time, I had never had pizza taste so good. I do not know if it is open, but if it isn’t, I wish someone would open it.
We have celebrated today the Fifth Sunday of Lent, this holy season where we repent, take note of our lives, and prepare for the Resurrection of our Lord at Easter. It is a 40 day season, to remember the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness, tested and tempted by Satan in every way. Jesus did not fall to temptations of power, wealth, or physical pleasure. Instead, he remained pure and blameless. May we likewise do the same.
Top 40 Pizzas in America 2020
40. Piece (Chicago)
Chicago is said to be a top 50 pizza city in America, but I would argue that it is not. Chicago’s famed pizza restaurants, Malnati’s, Giordano’s, Uno, Pizano’s, and Gino’s, are each terrible in their own way. Its second best pizza, Pequod’s, is a rip off of the old Pizza Hut style. The only way Chicago pizza excels is when it copies other techniques, such as Piece. Its New Haven style is quite good and is one of three pizza places in Chicago I can recommend, the others being Pequod’s and Vito and Nick’s.
39. Pi (St. Louis)
Is it a top 40 pizza? It, like some of my detractors say about me, is borderline. I mainly include it here for geographic diversity and to take another swing at Chicago pizza. Deep dish pizza is not very good overall, and it certainly isn’t good in Chicago. Pi is better than all the previously mentioned, and significantly better than Chicago newcomers like The Art of Pizza. So much bread and stuffing, it is not really pizza but a casserole. I only went because President Obama, a Chicago resident, said it was the best deep dish he ever tried.
38. Mid City Pizza (New Orleans)
I haven’t been since the owner died, but it was my favorite pizza in New Orleans a few months ago. New Orleans has every reason to have a great pizza scene, but it does not. Domenica and Pizza Delicious are often cited as great pizzas in national publications. Domenica is some of the worst pizza I have ever had, worse than gas station pizza. Pizza Delicious is solid, but it does not excel. Of course, New Orleans’ best two pizza joints of all-time, Brooklyn Pizza and Cafe Nino, closed in the last decade. Mid City Pizza is almost an adequate substitute for these two. I hope someone, anyone, can elevate the New Orleans pizza scene. As it is, coastal towns like Mobile, AL and Pensacola, FL have better pizza scenes.
37. Five Points Pizza (Nashville)
When Sbarro’s was a family run pizzeria out of Brooklyn, it made a pie shockingly similar to Five Points Pizza. Five Points will not blow your mind away, but it will take your mind on a vacation to the Lakeside Shopping Center food court to a time when Sbarro’s was king.
36. Lost Pizza (Indianola, MS)
The family’s Mississippi compound received significant wind damage from Hurricane Katrina. Labor shortages, our attention elsewhere, and distance prevented us from attending to it in appropriate fashion. But 2008, we were going up regularly to ensure work was done properly. One of the carpenters recommended this little place, and it has become a family staple since. It’s a little bit of a drive, even from the compound, but the pizza is good, like a better version of Mark Twain pizza.
35. High Point Pizza (Memphis)
The atmosphere here has the feel of a cheap, run down New Jersey strip mall pizza parlor that probably once ran drugs for the Mafia. Its pizza likewise is authentically good. Locals will rave about the BBQ in Memphis, and tourists will tell you to go to Central BBQ. If I’m in Memphis, I’m going to High Point Pizza.
34. Antico Pizza (Atlanta)
When you’re the biggest city in the Southeast, one would expect a better range of restaurants. Atlanta is surprisingly shameful in the ways of restaurants, but Antico helps to salvage an otherwise pathetic pizza environment. This is purely Naples-style and is as good as some of the Naples standards.
33. Sarcone's Bakery (Philadelphia, PA)
Sarcone's is one of the great bakeries, not just in Philadelphia, not just in America, but in the entire world. Anything that is touched by Sarcone's bread rises faster than yeast in Philly when the temperature's about 88. The tomato pie, famed in Philadelphia, is very much like a Sicilian pie with little to no cheese. It amazes me that just a few miles north, in the Trenton region, a tomato pie, as produced by Papa's and DeLorenzo's means something entirely other. Regardless, Sarcone's has Philadelphia's best tomato pie, and it should be on the list to try for any true pizza lover.
32. Pizzeria Toro (Durham, NC)
Toro makes one of the few coal fired pizzas you can find in the South. It’s very good.
31. M’s Fine and Mellow Cafe (Baton Rouge, LA)
I ate here as a teenager back in the late 90s when Mother thought I should tour LSU. It was downtown. The jazz was mellow and the pizza was fantastic. We walked around the city and campus at least 15 miles that day, and were famished. At the time, I had never had pizza taste so good. I do not know if it is open, but if it isn’t, I wish someone would open it.
This post was edited on 5/17/20 at 9:45 am
9
Posted on 3/29/20 at 4:50 pm to TulaneLSU
30. Sky’s Pizza (Pensacola, FL)
This was the family’s traditional pizza stop on the way to east of Destin. It is NY style thin, best with only cheese. I find the garlic knots to be a thing of beauty, the best outside New Jersey in my experience.
29. Ariccia Cucina Italiana (Auburn, AL)
A magical sauce as good as the best in New York. If they could get the wood-fired crust consistent, it could be a top 10 pizza.
28. Apizza Scholls (Portland, OR)
One of the few pizzerias I’ve eaten in west of the Mississippi. It was outstanding, and could survive in New Haven. It would immediately be the best pizzeria in New Orleans if it opened here. It’s reputation as the best pizza on the West Coast, however, is not deserved.
27. Pizzeria Beddia (Philadelphia)
Bon Appetit inexplicably named this pizzeria the best pizza in America five years ago. In no rational world would a writer make this claim. But publicity, not reason or justice or truth, drives most journalists and food critics today. And what a genius plan that was. Here it is, five years later and I’m mentioning it in this ranking. Beddia does have the second best white pie in the region, but it’s red sauce pizza is not particularly great. It would not sniff a top 10 New York ranking, that’s for sure.
26. Varasano’s (Atlanta)
Trenton style pizza is one of the lesser known pizza styles, but also one of the best. If it were more widely practiced, by this point, I imagine it would surpass the Naples style pizza and only be inferior to NY or NJ style. As it is, Varasano’s is the best Trenton style outside of the Trenton region, and is reason enough to eat pizza in the barren wasteland of Atlanta.
25. Graffiti Pizza (Pensacola, FL)
I am forced to the Panhandle at least twice a year for family reunions east of Destin. Last year, Uncle read about this place, so we ordered a pie to go and ate in the car. It was a simple NJ/NY style cheese that was better than its inspiration, Joe’s in Manhattan. The sauce was perfectly acidic, the cheese chewy with garlic exuding in each bite, and the crust kissed by heat in just the right spots for just the right amount of time.
24. Romeo’s (Plainsboro, NJ)
The quintessential New Jersey strip mall pizza parlor, Romeo’s slices are picture perfect.
23. Vace Italian Delicatessen (Washington DC)
Hints at Trenton style without going full tomato pie, Vace’s has my favorite pepperoni pizza in America. I love the old style feel of the place.
22. Denino’s Pizzeria (Staten Island)
Joe & Pat’s gets outsiders’ pizza attention when visiting Staten Island, but a bite of the ricotta pie or margarita will make a convert of anyone.
21. Frank’s Pizza Napoletana (Shreveport, LA)
How did the state’s best pizza end up in a strip mall in Shreveport is a question every pizza maker in New Orleans should ask himself. To my knowledge Frank’s possesses the only Stefano Ferrara oven in Louisiana. Obviously the owner takes pizza making seriously. The sauce and dough are great, and as far as Neapolitan style goes, Frank’s is as good as any in America.
This was the family’s traditional pizza stop on the way to east of Destin. It is NY style thin, best with only cheese. I find the garlic knots to be a thing of beauty, the best outside New Jersey in my experience.
29. Ariccia Cucina Italiana (Auburn, AL)
A magical sauce as good as the best in New York. If they could get the wood-fired crust consistent, it could be a top 10 pizza.
28. Apizza Scholls (Portland, OR)
One of the few pizzerias I’ve eaten in west of the Mississippi. It was outstanding, and could survive in New Haven. It would immediately be the best pizzeria in New Orleans if it opened here. It’s reputation as the best pizza on the West Coast, however, is not deserved.
27. Pizzeria Beddia (Philadelphia)
Bon Appetit inexplicably named this pizzeria the best pizza in America five years ago. In no rational world would a writer make this claim. But publicity, not reason or justice or truth, drives most journalists and food critics today. And what a genius plan that was. Here it is, five years later and I’m mentioning it in this ranking. Beddia does have the second best white pie in the region, but it’s red sauce pizza is not particularly great. It would not sniff a top 10 New York ranking, that’s for sure.
26. Varasano’s (Atlanta)
Trenton style pizza is one of the lesser known pizza styles, but also one of the best. If it were more widely practiced, by this point, I imagine it would surpass the Naples style pizza and only be inferior to NY or NJ style. As it is, Varasano’s is the best Trenton style outside of the Trenton region, and is reason enough to eat pizza in the barren wasteland of Atlanta.
25. Graffiti Pizza (Pensacola, FL)
I am forced to the Panhandle at least twice a year for family reunions east of Destin. Last year, Uncle read about this place, so we ordered a pie to go and ate in the car. It was a simple NJ/NY style cheese that was better than its inspiration, Joe’s in Manhattan. The sauce was perfectly acidic, the cheese chewy with garlic exuding in each bite, and the crust kissed by heat in just the right spots for just the right amount of time.
24. Romeo’s (Plainsboro, NJ)
The quintessential New Jersey strip mall pizza parlor, Romeo’s slices are picture perfect.
23. Vace Italian Delicatessen (Washington DC)
Hints at Trenton style without going full tomato pie, Vace’s has my favorite pepperoni pizza in America. I love the old style feel of the place.
22. Denino’s Pizzeria (Staten Island)
Joe & Pat’s gets outsiders’ pizza attention when visiting Staten Island, but a bite of the ricotta pie or margarita will make a convert of anyone.
21. Frank’s Pizza Napoletana (Shreveport, LA)
How did the state’s best pizza end up in a strip mall in Shreveport is a question every pizza maker in New Orleans should ask himself. To my knowledge Frank’s possesses the only Stefano Ferrara oven in Louisiana. Obviously the owner takes pizza making seriously. The sauce and dough are great, and as far as Neapolitan style goes, Frank’s is as good as any in America.
This post was edited on 12/2/20 at 9:38 pm
Posted on 3/29/20 at 4:50 pm to TulaneLSU
20. Tony’s Napoletana (San Francisco)
Tony’s does what perhaps no other pizzeria in the world does: makes a decent Napolitan, NY, grandma, Detroit, and New Haven pizza. The Neopolitan Margharita was just okay, even though they rave about it and make the false claim that only a certain number are available each day. The real winner here is the New Yorker. It is the best pizza on the West Coast. It is just spicy enough to rouse the nostrils while the sauce is balanced with delightful ricotta. The grandma is good, but really you should get the New Yorker.
19. Joe & Pat’s (Staten Island)
I do not feign to be an expert on NY/NJ style pizza, but one way I distinguish a typical NY slice from a NJ slice is by cheese coverage. To me, NJ places have less cheese, and the cheese does not cover all the sauce. In that sense, Joe & Pat’s falls closer to a New Jersey character than New York. And to me, that makes sense, because Staten Island feels much more like New Jersey than New York to me.
18. Tacconelli's Pizzeria (Philadelphia)
Philadelphia’s best pizza, and home to the best white pie in America. Tourists seem to love the yucky Lorenzo & Sons large slices that are only slightly better than the average 99 cent slice in NY, but locals know Tacconelli’s is where you go when you want to eat real Philadelphia pizza.
17. Patsy’s Tavern (Patterson, NJ)
If you listen to one recommendation of mine, get the sausage pizza here. That cheese extends all the way to the curled crust. Anyone is in for a treat the moment they enter Patsy’s, a quintessential north Jersey neighborhood eatery. The pizza is thin crusted crispy like Dominos thin, but is edged upward to eat like a pan style. It’s a unique crust I haven’t ever seen duplicated.
Patsy's has a great non-pizza menu as well. The chicken Parm, fried calamari, baked ziti and stuffed artichoke are particularly great.The red sauce and atmosphere inside tasted a bit like Mosca’s. The waitress recommended the calamari, which you rarely see on the menu of our Creole Italian restaurants, but is ever present in NY/NJ Italian restaurants. If you haven’t been because you’re afraid of the neighborhood, you are really missing one of north Jersey’s greatest restaurants.
16. Totonno’s Pizzeria Napolitano (Coney Island, NY)
Although it’s at the end of the Q line, it is easy to get to, and is part of my Brooklyn pizza pilgrimage. It is the lesser of the three, partly due to the owner’s rudeness. Nonetheless, the pizza is exceptional, even if you have a long wait.
15. Pizza Bruno (Orlando)
If you ever happen to find yourself in possibly the most uncultured American city not named Las Vegas, I recommend eating at Pizza Bruno. The pizza there is reminiscent of Roberta’s in Brooklyn, but will less tattoos.
14. DeSano Pizza Bakery (Los Angeles)
The Capricciosa is the best pizza west of the Mississippi that I’ve had.
13. De Lorenzo's Tomato Pies (Robbinsville, NJ)
The best tomato pie in Jersey. I was able to eat at the original location in Trenton before they moved to a soulless strip mall. Grandfather, who went back for his reunion at Princeton, says the new location serves pizza that is just as good as the old location.
12. Razza (Jersey City, NJ)
The second best crust into which I have sunk my teeth. Fabulous.
11. Zuppardi’s Apizza (New Haven)
These old ladies know how to make the best clam pizza I’ve ever had.
Tony’s does what perhaps no other pizzeria in the world does: makes a decent Napolitan, NY, grandma, Detroit, and New Haven pizza. The Neopolitan Margharita was just okay, even though they rave about it and make the false claim that only a certain number are available each day. The real winner here is the New Yorker. It is the best pizza on the West Coast. It is just spicy enough to rouse the nostrils while the sauce is balanced with delightful ricotta. The grandma is good, but really you should get the New Yorker.
19. Joe & Pat’s (Staten Island)
I do not feign to be an expert on NY/NJ style pizza, but one way I distinguish a typical NY slice from a NJ slice is by cheese coverage. To me, NJ places have less cheese, and the cheese does not cover all the sauce. In that sense, Joe & Pat’s falls closer to a New Jersey character than New York. And to me, that makes sense, because Staten Island feels much more like New Jersey than New York to me.
18. Tacconelli's Pizzeria (Philadelphia)
Philadelphia’s best pizza, and home to the best white pie in America. Tourists seem to love the yucky Lorenzo & Sons large slices that are only slightly better than the average 99 cent slice in NY, but locals know Tacconelli’s is where you go when you want to eat real Philadelphia pizza.
17. Patsy’s Tavern (Patterson, NJ)
If you listen to one recommendation of mine, get the sausage pizza here. That cheese extends all the way to the curled crust. Anyone is in for a treat the moment they enter Patsy’s, a quintessential north Jersey neighborhood eatery. The pizza is thin crusted crispy like Dominos thin, but is edged upward to eat like a pan style. It’s a unique crust I haven’t ever seen duplicated.
Patsy's has a great non-pizza menu as well. The chicken Parm, fried calamari, baked ziti and stuffed artichoke are particularly great.The red sauce and atmosphere inside tasted a bit like Mosca’s. The waitress recommended the calamari, which you rarely see on the menu of our Creole Italian restaurants, but is ever present in NY/NJ Italian restaurants. If you haven’t been because you’re afraid of the neighborhood, you are really missing one of north Jersey’s greatest restaurants.
16. Totonno’s Pizzeria Napolitano (Coney Island, NY)
Although it’s at the end of the Q line, it is easy to get to, and is part of my Brooklyn pizza pilgrimage. It is the lesser of the three, partly due to the owner’s rudeness. Nonetheless, the pizza is exceptional, even if you have a long wait.
15. Pizza Bruno (Orlando)
If you ever happen to find yourself in possibly the most uncultured American city not named Las Vegas, I recommend eating at Pizza Bruno. The pizza there is reminiscent of Roberta’s in Brooklyn, but will less tattoos.
14. DeSano Pizza Bakery (Los Angeles)
The Capricciosa is the best pizza west of the Mississippi that I’ve had.
13. De Lorenzo's Tomato Pies (Robbinsville, NJ)
The best tomato pie in Jersey. I was able to eat at the original location in Trenton before they moved to a soulless strip mall. Grandfather, who went back for his reunion at Princeton, says the new location serves pizza that is just as good as the old location.
12. Razza (Jersey City, NJ)
The second best crust into which I have sunk my teeth. Fabulous.
11. Zuppardi’s Apizza (New Haven)
These old ladies know how to make the best clam pizza I’ve ever had.
This post was edited on 12/2/20 at 9:38 pm
Posted on 3/29/20 at 4:50 pm to TulaneLSU
10. Patsy’s (Manhattan UES original location)
Don’t bother trying all the other Patsy’s in town. This is the original. This was the inspiration for the Godfather movie. This is the original coal oven. Beautiful pizza, served in the restaurant, which I recommend. It is also sold by the slice at the walk up window.
9. L&B Spumoni Gardens (Brooklyn)
A pizza pilgrimage to Brooklyn is incomplete without a trip to L&B Spumoni Gardens. The Q line runs by some of the best pizzerias in the world: Di Fara, Totono’s and L&B. You should certainly make a stop at each. L&B is the only of the three that serves a great grandma style and is my recommendation. Sitting on one of their plastic benches out front on a pretty day is hard to beat.
8. Prince Street Pizza (Manhattan)
L&B Spumoni Gardens was my undisputed thick, grandma style pizza champion, until I had my first spicy pepperoni rectangle at Prince St. It was much lighter than its appearance suggests. Those pepperoni were cups of endless joy.
7. Frank Pepe (New Haven)
As most of you know, Uncle studied law at Yale. On my tour of Northeastern schools, Uncle decided we would visit his past in New Haven. Our first stop was not the university but Uncle’s favorite restaurant not in New Orleans: Frank Pepe. Uncle still talks about Pepe’s as though it’s the Holy Grail of pizzas. I enjoyed my pizza there, and it was better than any pizza I’ve tasted in New Orleans, even Dino’s.
6. Rubirosa (Manhattan)
Rubirosa and Princes Street herald the rebirth of good Italian food in Little Italy. The restaurant can come off a little pretentious for a pizza place, but the pizza quality is unparalleled. I will go on record saying Rubirosa has the best crust of any pizza in the world.
5. Di Fara (Brooklyn)
By the slice ($5) or by the pie, either way, once you’re finished with either, you’ll want more. Dom is hardly there anymore, but his son usually works the small counter space now. The quality, despite what most locals say, is actually better when Dom Jr. is in the kitchen. I usually grab just a slice before heading to the Walgreens down the street for a Coke Zero.
4. Sally’s Apizza (New Haven)
After New York and New Jersey, New Haven is America’s great pizza location. There is a precipitous drop once you get out of this small region. When touring Yale, we visited Sally’s and got a pizza to go. I loved that they wrapped the box in string, like Italian bakeries such as Brocato’s do with their baked goods. Sally’s is crispy thin style, similar to Patsy’s, but its sauce is much better.
3. Roberta’s (Brooklyn)
The people working and eating there had more tattoos than I have words. Tattoos are unsightly blemishes on a canvas whose beauty comes naturally. Why would anyone in his or her right mind get a tattoo? The delicious sauce, one of the best in America, in large quantities may cause delirium it's so good. The wood fired crust solidifies its top three spot.
2. John’s of Bleecker Street (Manhattan)
Some say the classic slice of NY is from nearby Joe’s or Bleecker Street Pizza. They’re wrong. John’s of Bleecker Street has the classic NY style down. And unlike the workers at these other two parlors, everyone at John’s will welcome you like family. You cannot get it by the slice, but a pizza lover could never eat just one slice of John’s.
1. Lucali (Brooklyn)
Is it worth the wait? Yes. It is America’s best pizza.
Friends, thank you for reading.
Faith, Hope, and Love,
TulaneLSU
Don’t bother trying all the other Patsy’s in town. This is the original. This was the inspiration for the Godfather movie. This is the original coal oven. Beautiful pizza, served in the restaurant, which I recommend. It is also sold by the slice at the walk up window.
9. L&B Spumoni Gardens (Brooklyn)
A pizza pilgrimage to Brooklyn is incomplete without a trip to L&B Spumoni Gardens. The Q line runs by some of the best pizzerias in the world: Di Fara, Totono’s and L&B. You should certainly make a stop at each. L&B is the only of the three that serves a great grandma style and is my recommendation. Sitting on one of their plastic benches out front on a pretty day is hard to beat.
8. Prince Street Pizza (Manhattan)
L&B Spumoni Gardens was my undisputed thick, grandma style pizza champion, until I had my first spicy pepperoni rectangle at Prince St. It was much lighter than its appearance suggests. Those pepperoni were cups of endless joy.
7. Frank Pepe (New Haven)
As most of you know, Uncle studied law at Yale. On my tour of Northeastern schools, Uncle decided we would visit his past in New Haven. Our first stop was not the university but Uncle’s favorite restaurant not in New Orleans: Frank Pepe. Uncle still talks about Pepe’s as though it’s the Holy Grail of pizzas. I enjoyed my pizza there, and it was better than any pizza I’ve tasted in New Orleans, even Dino’s.
6. Rubirosa (Manhattan)
Rubirosa and Princes Street herald the rebirth of good Italian food in Little Italy. The restaurant can come off a little pretentious for a pizza place, but the pizza quality is unparalleled. I will go on record saying Rubirosa has the best crust of any pizza in the world.
5. Di Fara (Brooklyn)
By the slice ($5) or by the pie, either way, once you’re finished with either, you’ll want more. Dom is hardly there anymore, but his son usually works the small counter space now. The quality, despite what most locals say, is actually better when Dom Jr. is in the kitchen. I usually grab just a slice before heading to the Walgreens down the street for a Coke Zero.
4. Sally’s Apizza (New Haven)
After New York and New Jersey, New Haven is America’s great pizza location. There is a precipitous drop once you get out of this small region. When touring Yale, we visited Sally’s and got a pizza to go. I loved that they wrapped the box in string, like Italian bakeries such as Brocato’s do with their baked goods. Sally’s is crispy thin style, similar to Patsy’s, but its sauce is much better.
3. Roberta’s (Brooklyn)
The people working and eating there had more tattoos than I have words. Tattoos are unsightly blemishes on a canvas whose beauty comes naturally. Why would anyone in his or her right mind get a tattoo? The delicious sauce, one of the best in America, in large quantities may cause delirium it's so good. The wood fired crust solidifies its top three spot.
2. John’s of Bleecker Street (Manhattan)
Some say the classic slice of NY is from nearby Joe’s or Bleecker Street Pizza. They’re wrong. John’s of Bleecker Street has the classic NY style down. And unlike the workers at these other two parlors, everyone at John’s will welcome you like family. You cannot get it by the slice, but a pizza lover could never eat just one slice of John’s.
1. Lucali (Brooklyn)
Is it worth the wait? Yes. It is America’s best pizza.
Friends, thank you for reading.
Faith, Hope, and Love,
TulaneLSU
This post was edited on 3/29/20 at 4:53 pm
Posted on 3/29/20 at 4:56 pm to TulaneLSU
Posted on 3/29/20 at 5:16 pm to TulaneLSU
You haven’t had RC’s pizza here in Houston (north burbs). It will change your life.
Nice write up though.
Nice write up though.
Posted on 3/29/20 at 5:18 pm to TulaneLSU
Solid list
Rubirosa, Prince St. and Roberta’s are all great. Surprised to see Lombardi’s didn’t crack your top 10.
Next time you’re in nyc go on Bert James NOLITA pizza tour.
Rubirosa, Prince St. and Roberta’s are all great. Surprised to see Lombardi’s didn’t crack your top 10.
Next time you’re in nyc go on Bert James NOLITA pizza tour.
Posted on 3/29/20 at 5:24 pm to TulaneLSU
Friend,
How did you visit each of these locations with your extreme consternation of bridges?
Best,
4lsu2
How did you visit each of these locations with your extreme consternation of bridges?
Best,
4lsu2
Posted on 3/29/20 at 5:28 pm to TulaneLSU
GOAT
Posted on 3/29/20 at 5:30 pm to 4LSU2
Friend,
Flying allows me to travel quite extensively when pandemics are not raging. Smaller bridges in cities like New Haven are quite tricky because you often don't realize you're on a bridge until you've already started crossing it. I often have to go several miles out of the way to avoid a bridge or get a ferry across. New York's five boroughs, thankfully, are connected by tunnels, which do not give me the fits as do bridges.
I still prefer the safety and comfort of New Orleans even with its lack of good pizza to New York and New Haven. I did not enjoy Grimaldi's or Lombardi's. Next time I'm in New York, I will set up an impromptu TulaneLSU's pizza tours and invite Bert James to buy a ticket.
Yours,
TulaneLSU
Flying allows me to travel quite extensively when pandemics are not raging. Smaller bridges in cities like New Haven are quite tricky because you often don't realize you're on a bridge until you've already started crossing it. I often have to go several miles out of the way to avoid a bridge or get a ferry across. New York's five boroughs, thankfully, are connected by tunnels, which do not give me the fits as do bridges.
I still prefer the safety and comfort of New Orleans even with its lack of good pizza to New York and New Haven. I did not enjoy Grimaldi's or Lombardi's. Next time I'm in New York, I will set up an impromptu TulaneLSU's pizza tours and invite Bert James to buy a ticket.
Yours,
TulaneLSU
This post was edited on 3/29/20 at 5:34 pm
Posted on 3/29/20 at 5:33 pm to TulaneLSU
I thought #1 would be Domino’s
Posted on 3/29/20 at 5:34 pm to TulaneLSU
St. Louis thin crust, without the use of yeast, which keeps the dough from rising, has a special place in my heart.
Posted on 3/29/20 at 5:34 pm to TulaneLSU
One bite, everybody knows the rules
Posted on 3/29/20 at 5:53 pm to BlastOff
One place from Chicago and it's wrong and 40? Not a fan
Posted on 3/29/20 at 5:54 pm to TulaneLSU
quote:
Its New Haven style is quite good and is one of three pizza places in Chicago I can recommend, the others being Pequod’s and Vito and Nick’s
Guess you can’t expect an outsider to know all places, but surprised you couldn’t “recommend“ Phil’s Pizza or Art of Pizza.
ETA: Actually, I’m not surprised. Other than tourists, who the hell claims Gino’s and Pizano’s is “famed?”
This post was edited on 3/29/20 at 5:57 pm
Posted on 3/29/20 at 5:57 pm to hoopsgalore
Misguided Friend,
Please read #39. It is not meant to be an insult, only truth, when I say Chicago is not a pizza city even though it has many places that serve pizza. Indianola, Mississippi (pop. 9,000) has better pizza than Chicago. I diligently do my best to be fair and just. Although I love New Orleans with an unbridled passion, I also told the truth about New Orleans' pizzas. It sometimes is painful to speak and accept truth, but the truth is what makes this world good.
Yours,
TulaneLSU
Please read #39. It is not meant to be an insult, only truth, when I say Chicago is not a pizza city even though it has many places that serve pizza. Indianola, Mississippi (pop. 9,000) has better pizza than Chicago. I diligently do my best to be fair and just. Although I love New Orleans with an unbridled passion, I also told the truth about New Orleans' pizzas. It sometimes is painful to speak and accept truth, but the truth is what makes this world good.
Yours,
TulaneLSU
This post was edited on 3/29/20 at 6:01 pm
Posted on 3/29/20 at 6:01 pm to TulaneLSU
I’m not claiming Chicago is a pizza city, but your recommendations are limited and, honestly, seems as though you haven’t ventured outside of River North, which is littered with tourists. Also, I’m guessing you read about Vito + Nick’s because of Guy Fieri.
If you want to “recommend” pizza places, there are options outside of the mini-chains that you read about on every website. Piece is fine, but you ignore Art of Pizza, Phil’s, Home Team, Coalfire, etc.
If you want to “recommend” pizza places, there are options outside of the mini-chains that you read about on every website. Piece is fine, but you ignore Art of Pizza, Phil’s, Home Team, Coalfire, etc.
This post was edited on 3/29/20 at 6:04 pm
Posted on 3/29/20 at 6:13 pm to hoopsgalore
quote:
Coalfire
Pepperoni with whipped ricotta
Posted on 3/29/20 at 6:30 pm to TulaneLSU
solid list
the best pizza I’ve ever had though was at a hole in the wall joint in Santa Rosa FL that has since closed called Capo’s. It was everything a pizza could possibly be
the best pizza I’ve ever had though was at a hole in the wall joint in Santa Rosa FL that has since closed called Capo’s. It was everything a pizza could possibly be
Posted on 3/29/20 at 6:32 pm to HoustonGumbeauxGuy
quote:
RC’s pizza here in Houston (north burbs)
I do Crust usually. Solid slice when they do not get in a rush. Can you compare the two?
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