The A-List: Best Pizza in America

Special Feature

Pizza might not be ours, but since it hit this country in the late 19th century with a wave of immigrants from the Boot, Americans have brought it into the fold of our everyday eating just the same. We eat it when we’re alone and too lazy to do anything more than open the freezer, when the game’s on and ordering delivery is a halftime tradition and, especially these days, when going out for a pricey dinner can be replaced with hitting a pizzeria and splitting a large.

New Yorkers think of their hometown as the Naples of America, the bulls-eye of its country’s pizza scene, and they may be right: The Big Apple landed the first stateside pizzeria license back in 1905 and is now home to more pizza joints than any other U.S. city. But in the last century pizza has expanded into every corner of America, embracing new characteristics wherever it migrates and getting elevated to artisan status thanks to reputable chefs taking an increased interest in the humble pie.

Neapolitan-style, cracker-thin crust, bar pizza, coal-fired, pan pizza…the styles are as varied as the toppings, but we managed to narrow it down to 10 favorites based not on categories but on pure deliciousness. To that end, don’t be disappointed that deep dish didn’t come out on top for Chicago—those coma-inducing cheesebombs have been considered tourist relics since the Bears did the Super Bowl Shuffle. The point of this list is to direct you to the best pizza of today. If you want a taste of the past, book a flight to Naples.

  • Best Pizza in New Haven: Modern Apizza

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  • Best Pizza in Providence: Al Forno

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  • Best Pizza in Portland: Ken's Artisan Pizza

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  • Best Pizza in Philadelphia: Tacconelli's

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  • Best Pizza in Los Angeles: Pizzeria Mozza

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  • Best Pizza in New York: Di Fara

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  • Best Pizza in Oakland: Pizzaiolo

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  • Best Pizza in Seattle: Serious Pie

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  • Best Pizza in Phoenix: Pizzeria Bianco

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  • Best Pizza in Chicago: Coal Fire

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About the Author

Heather Shouse is the Senior Food & Drink Correspondent for Time Out Chicago and the Chicago reporter for Food & Wine. Her book Food Trucks: America's Best Kitchens on Wheels comes will be released this fall on Ten Speed Press, and her cookbook with Top Chef Stephanie Izard will be published in spring 2011 by Chronicle Books.

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