Daily Meal 101 Best Pizzas

The Daily Meal took on the task of discovering who makes the Best Pizza in America. Certainly no easy mission. As has been discussed on these pages many times, people are passionate about pizza. You won’t find this kind of emotional fervor about sushi, Thai Food or French Cuisine. Certainly all those who enjoy food, have their favorites and if asked are willing to share opinions. But you are going to get very few arguments on the best spring rolls or steak. There may be disagreements, sure…but you will not many folks willing to fight to the death about doughnuts.

Pizza? Well, pizza is a food with a difference. Once you enter this arena of the “best pizza”, there is no turning back. The gauntlet is tossed. And the swords are drawn. (Verbal swords of course.)

Discussions about pizza are another matter altogether. There are few opinions on the planet that evoke as much emotion. Certainly sports teams come to mind. Super Bowls have become a National Pastime. Political debates can bring out the best and the worst of those involved. And discussion about religion…well let’s leave that one alone.

Pizza is in a showground all it’s own. Some argue New York is the home of the best pizza. If you’ve ever discussed pizza with natives of New Haven, the lines are are drawn in the sand. Don’t leave those from the West Coast out. Pizza fans from St. Louis and Detroit have their own favorites. And those from Old Forge, Pennsylvania would have you believe pizza was invented there. The tribes from Chicago have their own passions.

Pizza is a food that has been continually discussed, debated and argued. And that is the beauty of pizza. That is what makes pizza special, unique and wondrous. “Pizza is a magical little disk that makes things happen…” (And yes, I’m quoting myself here…)

 I was honored to be chosen to be a one of the Pizza Expert Panelists. I was very flattered and of course grateful to be part of this elite group. The list of pizzerias was extensive. The voting was totally subjective and asked for my complete biased opinion. This was my type of pizza panel.

Albert Grande, Pizza Ambassador

I was in very good company as a number of my closest pizza pals were also voting on their choices for Best Pizza in America. The other panelists included John Arena, from  Metro Pizza, Mark Bello from Pizza A Casa (PizzaSchool.com),  Tony Muia, A Slice of Brooklyn Bus Tours, Cary & Lillian Steiner Passion-4-Pizza.com, and Scott Wiener Scott’s Pizza Tours, to name but a few.

Very good company indeed. These are pizza professional experts, whose opinion I greatly respect. An honorable bunch of pizza aficionados. There may have been other pizza experts who voted but they chose to remain anonymous. I guess the anonymous voters wanted to avoid a pizza controversy that is inevitable with such discussions!

Pepe’s Calm Pie

Here are the Top 10 Winners:

#10 Tony’s Pizza Napoletana, San Francisco (Margherita) (You can read more about Tony and his new book “The Pizza Bible,” below.

#9 Paulie Gee’s, Brooklyn, N.Y. (Regina)

#8 Totonno’s, Brooklyn, N.Y. (Margherita)

#7 Flour + Water, San Francisco, Calif. Margherita)

#6 Pizzeria Mozza, Los Angeles Calif. (Squash blossoms, Tomato, Burrata Mozzarella, Tomato Sauce)

#5 Sally’s Apizza, New Haven Conn. (Tomato Pie: Tomato Sauce, No Cheese)

#4 Roberta’s, Brooklyn N.Y. (Margherita)

#3 Pizzeria Bianco, Phoenix, AZ (Margherita: Tomato Sauce, Fresh Mozzarella, Basil)

#2 Di Fara, Brooklyn, N.Y. (Classic Round Pie: Mozzarella, Parmesan, Plum Tomato Sauce, Basil, Olive Oil, Sausage, Peppers, Mushroom, Onion)

And number 1 for the Second Year in a Row:

#1 Frank Pepe, New Haven, Conn. (White Clam: Clams, Grated Parmesan, Olive Oil, Garlic, Oregano)

You can find out the rest of the 101 Best Pizzas in America, here.

Pepe’s Famous Clam Pizza

My latest book:
The Pizza Therapy Pizza Book