Italian Experts Name the Best Pizzeria in the U.S.

According to “pizza inspectors” from Italy-based 50 Top Pizza, Una Pizza Napoletana in New York is America’s best pizzeria.
Tony’s Pizza Napoletana in San Francisco took second place, followed by Ribalta NYC in third.

When it comes to naming the country’s best pizzerias, every well-traveled, die-hard American pizza fanatic has strong opinions. But what do experts from pizza’s motherland think? We’ve just found out, thanks to the online guide, 50 Top Pizza, based in Italy.

Over the past year, 50 Top Pizza has dispatched Italian pizzaioli—dubbed “pizza inspectors”—to hundreds of U.S. pizza shops to secretly taste, scrutinize and rank their fare. The experts’ top choice for 2022: Anthony Mangieri’s Una Pizza Napoletana in New York’s Lower East Side.

Tony’s Pizza Napoletana in San Francisco took second place, while another New York pizzeria—Ribalta NYC—came in third.

In 50 Top Pizza’s list for 2021, the order of the top two pizzerias was reversed: Tony’s Pizza Napoletana took the No. 1 spot last year, while Una Pizza Napoletana was ranked No. 3. Ribalta NYC was ranked No. 4.

“I feel very grateful and humbled,” Mangieri told FineDiningLovers.com. “There are many other great places out there working hard and trying to push boundaries, so it’s a real honor. This inspires us to keep learning and growing every day to keep getting better.”

Mangieri noted that his dough is a key differentiation point for Una Pizza Napoletana. “The dough is naturally leavened and never refrigerated, and because I’ve been making the dough for 25 years, I’m continuously pushing hydration levels and trying new flour mixes. I also am constantly trying to source better and better ingredients.”

50 Top Pizza’s inspectors put the most emphasis on dough quality and raw ingredients, while also taking customer service into account.

Tony Gemignani of Tony’s Pizza Napoletana won 50 Top Pizza’s Solania Award for Pizza Maker of the Year. Ribalta NYC received the Goeldlin Award for Best Service

New York City ended up with the highest number of pizzerias—a total of nine—on the list, while San Francisco and Portland, Oregon, each had five. The list, Scott Wiener of Scott’s Pizza Tours told the New York Post, “is particularly heavy in the Neapolitan category. The style took off here [in New York] before it did so in any other American city.”

Una Pizza Napoletana – New York
Tony’s Pizza Napoletana – San Francisco
Ribalta NYC – New York
Razza Pizza Artigianale – Jersey City
O’ Munaciello – Miami
Spacca Napoli Pizzeria – Chicago
Song’ E Napule – New York
La Leggenda Pizzeria – Miami
Pizzana – Los Angeles
Kesté Fulton – New York
Ken’s Artisan Pizza – Portland, OR
Pizzeria Bianco – Phoenix
Jay’s Artisan Pizzeria – Kenmore, NY
Ops – New York
Doppio Zero – San Francisco
Lovely’s Fifty Fifty – Portland
Partenope Ristorante – Dallas
Apizza Scholls – Portland
Flour House – San Luis Obispo, CA
Forcella – New York
Pizzeria Mozza – Los Angeles
Roberta’s – New York
Pizzeria Beddia – Philadelphia
Mission Pizza Napoletana – Winston-Salem, N.C.
Inferno Pizzeria Napoletana – Darnestown, MD
A 16 – San Francisco
San Matteo – Pizzeria e Cucina – New York
Brick Fire Tavern – Honolulu
Del Popolo – San Francisco
Pasquale Jones – New York
Forno Rosso – Chicago
Il Forno – San Antonio, TX
Pasquale’s Pizzeria – South Kingstown, RI
Stanzione 87 – Miami
Coals Artisan Pizza – Louisville, KY
Flour + Water Pizzeria – San Francisco
Robert’s Pizza and Dough Company – Chicago
Pomo – Scottsdale, AZ
Bufalina Due – Austin, TX
Nostrana – Portland, OR
Basil & Barley Pizzeria Napoletana – Colorado Springs, CO
Angelina’s Pizzeria Napoletana – Irvine, CA
Scottie’s Pizza Parlor – Portland, OR
Cart-Driver RiNo – Denver
Bricco Coal Fired Pizza – Haddon Township, NJ
Roostica Wood-Fire Pizzeria – Key West, FL
Diavola – Indianapolis
Spark Pizza – Redmond, WA
Fabrica Pizza – Tampa, FL
Craft 64 – Scottsdale, AZ