Where to Find the Best Pizza in America

By Kaeli Conforti
November 16, 2017
Pizza fresh from oven
Dmitriy Shironosov/Dreamstime
We asked—you answered. From NYC to Chicago to the West Coast, here's where to treat yourself to a little slice of heaven.

MIDWESTERN PIZZA: CHICAGO-STYLE AND BEYOND

"Pizzeria Uno on Michigan Avenue in Chicago. Birthplace of Chicago-style." —James Michalek

"In Chicago, I head to Lou Malnati's for famous deep dish pizza." —@SheilaS

"Classic Slice in Bay View, WI (Milwaukee)." —Jill Gronowski Czajkowski

"We love the pizza at Dough Trader Pizza in Spearfish, South Dakota. Yummy sourdough crust from start that is 100 years old. It is pizza to die for." —Cheryl Wyckoff Smith

"In Chicago, Eduardo's." —Michelle Buchecker

"Imo's Pizza in St. Louis. Delicious!" —Reesa Lehr

"Pizza Shoppe in Kansas City, near Liberty, Missouri. The crust has the right amount of crunch with great sauce that compliments any toppings." —Mamie Kuhl

"In Chicago, Lou Malnati's, and in Madison, Grampa's Pizzeria." —Sher BonDurant

"Gino's East in Chicago." —Alisha Nicole

"The Art of Pizza in Chicago. Best deep dish in the city, hands down." —Jennifer Hayes

"Alibi in Troy, Michigan." —Denise Martin-Capling

"In Chicago, Pequods Pizza. The caramelized crust is awesome." —Kanya Babu

IS THE NORTHEAST AMERICA'S PIZZA CHAMP?

"Federici's [Family Italian Restaurant] in Freehold, NJ. My parents had their first date there in 1950." —Carol Davison

"Patzeria Perfect Pizza on West 46th Street near Broadway in NYC. It is literally a hole in the wall consisting of a counter and four seats, but the pizza and cheesecake are fabulous! New York Style at its best. We stop there every year during our annual trip to NYC." —Michelle Persinger Caruthers

"Louie and Ernie's, in the Bronx, is my favorite pizza in NYC." —Robert Firpo-Cappiello

"Pepe's in New Haven." —Michele Herrmann

"Lombardi's on Spring Street in Manhattan." —Alex Chan

"Al Capone's in Downtown Boston. Their subs are outta this world also!" —Denise Keats

"Grimaldi's. They have several locations, but the best is in Brooklyn." —Lisa Gordon Liff

"Pizza Land in North Arlington, NJ. Soprano's Pizza." —Ana Rosa

"Benny Tudino's in Hoboken, NJ." —Lori Schmidt Ernest

"Pizza Wagon in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NYC." —Michelle DiGaetano

"Santarpio's Pizza, in East Boston, near the airport." —Mike Buscetto

"Rowayton Pizza in Rowayton, CT! You can sit outside in the summer, it's BYOB and you can smell the salt air. Divine!Kelsey Leigh Williams

"Lobingers in PA." —Kerry McAllister

"Stanziato's in Danbury, Connecticut." —Kristy Anderson Boiano

"Alfredo's Pizza in Bally, PA. Greasy, foldable, and delicious. The best." —Anita Ling Vanzile

"Pizzeria Regina in Boston's North End." —Gina Cali

"Sally's in New Haven." —Kelly Jameson Walker

"American Flatbread in Burlington, VT. Mack's Pizza in Wildwood, NJ." —Rich Brown

"Stone Harbor Pizza in Stone Harbor, NJ." —Marilyn Capolarella Currey

"Pino's Pizza in Cleveland Circle, Boston." —Michael P. Nasser

"Paras Pizza in Sanford, Maine." —Cathy T. Bradbury

SOUTHWESTERN-STYLE PIZZA

"Dion's Pizza in Albuquerque. The salads there are awesome too!" —Thu Doan

"Rome's Pizza in San Antonio, the De Zavala location. Yum. I really miss it (living in Chicago now). Be sure to check out the menu. My favorite pizza is the Tomato Duet. There are other great unique topping combos." —Kim Jones"Oregano's in Gilbert, AZ. So delicious!" —Carrie Collins

PIZZA WITH A SOUTHERN ACCENT

"DiCarlo's Pizza in Wheeling, WV. Order by the slice or by the tray. Best there is." —Helen Gibbs

"Slice Pizzeria in New Orleans on historic Magazine Street near the boutiques, between the Zoo and Garden District." —@Winny_Churchill

"Vinnie Van Gogo's in Savannah, GA." —Aubrey Hanson

"In Atlanta, it's Antico Pizza or nothing!" —Lauren Hanson Mitchell

"Oklahoma City, Plaza District: Empire Pizza is phenomenal. Everything from standard to exotic local flavor combinations. Great price, just over $3 a slice, and you must try adding the pink sauce!" —Holly Fothergill

"Primanti Bros. in Fort Lauderdale. Family-owned small chain brought their pizza to Florida. They have a 24-hour shop across the street from the beach. Also have heavy duty sandwiches. Grab some of that great pizza and go and eat it in front of the waves." —JoJo Red

THE BEST PIZZA IN THE WEST

"I'd like to say I travel the world for pizza, but Blaze Pizza is great and they are headquartered in Pasadena, California, about three miles from my house!" —Shannon McConnell

"George's in Brookings, South Dakota. Walk up window!" —Ann Shoup

"Gioia in Berkeley, CA." —RuthAnn Yeo

"Boston's North End Pizza Bakery (aka Boston Bob's Pizza) in Kailua, HI. We always went there when I was a kid and Bob would put on whatever music we wanted—he always got a kick out of us asking him to play The Beatles!" —Kaeli Conforti"

Tony's Pizza Napoletana in San Francisco and Gina's Pizza and Pastaria in Corona del Mar, CA." —Julie Hamilton

"Big O To Go in Mission Viejo. Same location, same owners for 30 years, and the best fresh ingredients piled high on every pizza." —Pi Scofield

"Quei Bravi Ragazzi in Encinitas, CA." —Allison Fraiberg

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But in the unlikely event that you’re gung-ho to reenact scenes from Mamma Mia! in the streets of the Eternal City with two or more friends, you’ll want to ask your hotel concierge about getting a permit first. Don’t jump in the Trevi Fountain (or any other fountain in Rome). Last summer, some late-night bathers made the news for jumping into the ornate landmark immortalized in the film Three Coins in the Fountain. But wading into any of Rome’s fountains comes with the risk of a fine. (We prefer to think of this law as "Don't be an idiot.") Don’t eat gelato (or any other delicious Italian treat) at one of Rome’s historical sights. Boo! The slobs who dropped food, dribbled melted ice cream, littered, and in general posed a risk to Rome’s ancient marble and stone treasures have ruined it for the rest of us. We can't say we approve of this law, but do your snacking indoors or away from the historic districts. GERMANY'S STRICT HIGHWAY LAW Don’t run out of gas on the Autobahn. 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Yup, this law is fairly well known because it has been enforced to the chagrin of visiting Americans. Just pretend you’re back in second grade. No gum allowed. You must flush the public toilet. Um... of course we will. UNITED ARAB EMIRATES EXPECTS VISITORS TO OBSERVE THIS RELIGIOUS RULE Don’t eat during Ramadan. It’s a revelation to non-Muslim visitors that they are expected to fast during Ramadan; failing to do so can result in a fine. PORTUGAL: WHAT THEY DON'T KNOW CAN'T HURT THEM Don’t pee in the ocean in Portugal. Psst! We have absolutely no idea how they enforce this law. UNITED KINGDOM'S WACKY LAWS Don’t place a postage stamp with the queen’s likeness upside down. Sure, your inner punk rocker may relish the idea, but if you get caught for playing Johnny Rotten, you may get fined. Don’t hail a cab in London if you have the plague. That's right. And while you’re at it, don’t be asking the cabbie to carry a rabid dog or a corpse either, which are also illegal. We’re pretty sure these oddly specific laws date back to past centuries when the city was notoriously filthy and overcrowded and Londoners (and, presumably, their dogs) were shuffling off this mortal coil at an alarming rate. But, just the same, consider yourself warned. THAILAND LOVES ITS ROYAL FAMILY Don’t insult the king of Thailand or members of the royal family. That includes stepping on Thai baht currency, which bears the king’s image. Even foreigners have done jail time for this offense. DENMARK WANTS TO SEE YOUR FACE Don’t wear a mask. A surprise to many Americans: Leave your Halloween costumes, Yoda heads, and festive-not-festive Guy Fawkes masks at home when visiting Denmark.

Travel Tips

Travel 101: Best Credit Cards for Travelers

Part of being a savvy traveler is making sure you have the right credit card to maximize your travel rewards. Of course, there are a ton of travel credit cards for you to choose from. So, what’s the best piece of plastic for you? Ultimately, it boils down to your travel behaviors—and marrying how you spend money traveling with a credit card’s rewards program. “I always recommend having a redemption goal in mind before you set off to earn points and miles,” says Zach Honig, editor-at-large at The Points Guy. “Those 100,000 Alaska miles you racked up with credit card sign-up bonuses won’t do you much good if you don’t plan to fly Alaska or any of its partners.” If you’re eyeing an airline rewards card, “make sure the miles you’ll earn can get you where you need to go,” Honig says. Likewise, if you’re focused on earning hotel points, “make sure there’s actually a participating property at your intended destination,” Honig advises. International travelers should look for a credit card with no foreign transaction fees, says Bill Hardekopf, a credit expert at LowCards.com. Why? Because some cards charge up to a 3% fee on foreign transactions, which can effectively negate whatever rewards points, dollars, or miles you’d earn using the card. Granted, a travel rewards credit card isn’t right for everyone. For one thing, rewards credit cards typically have higher interest rates than non-rewards cards. Consequently, “you shouldn’t have a rewards card unless you’re going to pay off the balance each month,” Hardekopf says. Also, because some rewards cards have high annual fees (like the Visa Black Card, with its whopping $495 annual fee), having one may not make sense for infrequent travelers. That being said, many consumers can save big bucks with a travel rewards credit card—that is, assuming you remember to redeem your rewards. (A recent Bankrate.com report found that three in 10 credit cardholders have never redeemed their credit card rewards.) Still, it begs the question: what are the best credit cards for travelers? Focusing on credit cards with not only generous rewards but also low fees and convenient redemption options, we spoke to Honig and Hardekopf for their top recommendations. One of these five cards could be a great addition to your wallet. Chase Sapphire Preferred card: If you’re looking for a credit card that earns points that you can transfer to hotel and airline partners with ease, this is the card for you, Honig says. If you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months, you’ll earn a 50,000-point sign-up bonus that will get you two free round-trip domestic flights or multiple nights at a high-end hotel. In addition, the card offers rental car insurance and has no foreign transaction fees. The card, however, has a $95 annual fee after the first year. Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite Mastercard: This rewards card has been around for a while, but it’s still one of the best rewards cards for airline miles, Hardekopf says. The card has a nice sign-up bonus of 40,000 miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 90 days—enough to redeem a $400 credit toward an eligible travel purchase. You earn 2 miles on all purchases (a solid payout compared to other miles rewards cards) and get 5% of your miles back every time you redeem them. The card has no foreign transaction fees, but there is an $89 annual fee after the first year. Citi ThankYou Premier card: You earn 3 points on travel for a range of expenses, including gas, airfare, hotels, cruises, car rental agencies, travel agencies, railways, public transportation, tolls, taxis, and parking. (Translation: there are plenty of opportunities to accrue points with this card.) This is also a great all-around rewards card, says Honig, since you earn 2 points on restaurants and entertainment and 1 point on all other purchases. It has a $95 annual fee after the first year. United MileagePlus Explorer card: If you’re looking for an airline carrier-specific credit card, this one earns top marks, Honig says. Similar to the Barclaycard, you earn 40,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first 90 days. You earn 2 miles per $1 spent on tickets purchased from United and 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases. You also get nice perks, such as priority boarding and one free checked bag for you and a companion traveling on your reservation. The card has a $95 annual fee after the first year but no foreign transaction fees. Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card: LowCards.com rated this card 5 out of 5 stars for several reasons. First, you can get a one-time bonus of 20,000 miles if you spend $1,000 on purchases within the first 3 months. You also earn unlimited 1.25 miles per $1 spent on all purchases. The best part? Redeeming your rewards is a piece of cake. “You can fly any airline, stay at any hotel, anytime,” Hardekopf says. And, unlike the other cards on this list, this card has no annual fee.