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There’s one certainty in this world, one great unifier, one truth we can uphold above all others: pizza is great. No matter how old you get, the words “pizza party” still inspire excitement and anticipation. If Friday night pizza delivery was the highlight of your childhood, we just have one question: what’s stopping you now? Treat yourself to a few moments of heartfelt bliss and eat a slice (or four) of pizza. To that end, we’ve scoured the country for the 50 best pizza places in the United States. The coasts feature heavily, including the Third Coast, Chicago, with its infamous deep dish. The spots appear in no particular order, so find the closest and have yourself a pizza party.
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Apizza Scholls
Portland, OR
Owner/chef Brian Spangler worships at the temple of pizza to churn out perfect pies.
Frank Pepe’s
New Haven, CT
Try the White Clam Pizza; it’s been named the best pizza in the United States by Daily Meal for two years running.
Emilia’s
Berkley, CA
Tough to order, but worth the hassle for the thin-crust New York-style pies with limited numbers offered each night.
Di Fara
Brooklyn, NY
Open in 1964 and celebrated by everyone from The New York Times to Anthony Bourdain as the best pizza restaurant in America.
Pizza Brain
Philadelphia, PA
Stop in for not just pizza but also to visit the first pizza museum in the country.
Antico-Pizza Napoletana
Atlanta, GA
Woodfired pizzas that are considered the best in Georgia, if not the whole South by Sports Illustrated.
flour + water pizzeria
San Francisco, CA
Order a “Big Slice” from the takeout window for ½ a pizza rolled into a sandwich with dipping sauce.
Al Forno
Providence, RI
If you’re looking for the best-grilled pizza place in the U.S., we recommend visiting Al Forno. This establishment does not accept reservations.
Star Tavern Pizzeria
Orange, NJ
This spot’s known for great thin-crust pizza, plus plenty of Italian staples on the menu.
Good Pie
Las Vegas, NV
The place to visit if you’re not sure what style of pizza is your favorite; they offer four classics
L’industrie Pizzeria
Brooklyn, NY
It’s cash-only here, so hit an ATM before perusing the 30 different pizzas on the menu, including a breakfast pie.
Buddy’s Pizza
Detroit, MI
Put the place where rectangular, thick-crust, sauce-on-top Detroit-style pizza was born on your must-visit list.
Cane Rosso
Austin, Texas
Perfect for the ultimate pizza party, they offer 3-foot-long rectangular pies.
Loui’s
Hazel Park, MI
Eat in to see the Chianti bottles signed by celebrities before digging into the thick-crust, deep-dish pie.
Lovely’s Fifty Fifty
Portland, OR
Lovely’s Fifty Fifty is a pizza restaurant in America specializing in farm-to-table sourdough pizza made from a starter lovingly dubbed “Jake.”
Pizzeria Mozza
Los Angelas, CA
A New York-style pizzeria on the West Coast that stays open until midnight.
La Nova
Buffalo, NY
Try the unique sesame-seed encrusted crust at this pizzeria operating since the 50s.
Zaffiro’s Pizza
Milwaukee, WI
Long considered the best in Milwaukee, they use a paper-thin crispy crust and go heavy on toppings.
Lou Malnati’s
Chicago, IL
Everyone picks a side about the best deep dish in Chicago, but Malnati’s is always a favorite.
Pizzeria Beddia
Philadelphia, PA
Visit the new Fishtown location of the former one-person operation for great pies and natural wine.
Paulie Gee’s
Brooklyn, NY
The gourmet specialty pies will have you craving another slice while you still have one in your hand.
Sally’s
New Haven, CT
A friendly competitor of Pepe’s; try the pies side-by-side before you choose your favorite.
Pequod’s
Chicago, IL
Pan pizza with perfectly caramelized cheese around the edges and shows what’s great about Chicago-style deep-dish.
Pizzana
Los Angeles, CA
People wait for hours for the crispy, herbed-crust Neopolitan-style pizza.
Pizzeria Bianco
Phoenix, AZ
Considered one of the country’s best pizza joints for the past 20 years, serving pies from a wood-burning stove.
Pizzicletta
Flagstaff, AZ
The naturally-leavened and aged dough cooks in a 1,000-degree woodfired oven for crave-able Neopolitan-style pizza.
Razza Pizza Artigianale
Jersey City, NJ
This pizza restaurant utilizes naturally-leavened dough with local ingredients to create what the New York Times considers the best New York pizza.
Pizzeria Locale
Boulder, CO
Casual and inexpensive, they offer thin-crust pies with unexpected local ingredients like creme Fraiche and corn, or ricotta and chilies.
Scarr’s
New York, NY
Nothing more than a takeout window in a dive bar, stop in for a great, classic New York slice.
Slim & Husky’s Pizza Beeria
Nashville, TN
A hip-hop/pizza mashup pizza restaurant featuring signature and build-your-own options on the menu.
Pizzeria Vetri
Philadelphia, PA
Try out the super-thin-crust pizzas with creative toppings alongside tempting Italian classics on the menu.
Spacca Napoli
Chicago, IL
They’re known for their gluten-free cauliflower crusts, on which you can get any of their 20 specialty pizzas.
Santarpio’s
Boston, MA
This neighborhood joint features cheap pitchers of beer, and cracker-thin crispy crust pizza, loaded with toppings.
Colony Grill
Stamford, CT
Be sure to order the signature pie, the hot oil pizza made with oil infused with poblano peppers.
Piece
Chicago, IL
If you’re looking for the best pizza restaurants in the United States, this Piece in Chicago offers New Haven-style pies, with plenty of sauce but no mozzarella.
Serious Pie
Seattle, WA
Hand-tossed oval-shaped pies achieve the perfect crispy/chewy balance, with classic toppings.
Pizza Delicious
New Orleans, LA
This is the best place to get a slice of New York-style pizza in the Big Easy, perfect crust with hand-crushed tomatoes in the sauce.
Totonno’s
Brooklyn, NY
They make amazing thin-crust pizza, with homemade mozzarella and sweet sauce.
Tribute Pizza
San Diego, CA
It’s the place to try all the best pies in the world. Tribute’s specialty pizzas imitate other famous pizzeria’s styles.
Pizza Rock
Las Vegas, NV
Get the best in Vegas, an authentic New York, bigger-than-your-head, fold it in half slice.
Emmy Squared
Nashville, TN
They have locations in both New York and Nashville that serve puffy Detroit-style pizza.
EVO
Charleston, SC
The menu has a long list of inventive specialty pizzas that use farm-to-table gourmet ingredients.
Vito & Nick’s
Chicago, IL
Around the 1950s, serving not Chicago-style but cracker-thin crust pizzas with spicy red sauce.
Zoli’s
Dallas, TX
Opened by the owner of Cane Rosso for a real New York-style slice in Texas, and be sure to order the garlic knots.
Pizza Shackamaxon
Philadelphia, PA
This pizza joint took over when Beddia moved, serving up huge slices piled with toppings and great tomato pie.
Pizzeria Bebu
Chicago, IL
Exceptional in Chicago, it’s a contemporary restaurant serving thin-crust pizza in a bright, airy atmosphere.
Ken’s Artisan Pizza
Portland, OR
A crowded restaurant that serves just eight different pies, but it’s well worth the wait for the crispy/chewy crust and authentic Italian toppings.
O4W Pizza
Duluth, GA
Order the Grandma Pie; it’s considered the best pizza in Georgia.
Circles and Squares
Philadelphia, PA
Made-to-order pies in Philadelphia, each topped with freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese as it comes out of the oven.
Settelbello
Salt Lake City, UT
Imported ingredients cook for less than a minute in the 1000-degree oven for authentic Naples-style pizza.
Featured Image Credit: Ivan Torres on Unsplash