The Daily Meal posted their 101 Best Pizzas in America.
I always get excited to see who made the cut. Who is new on the list, who got edged out.
Now don’t get me wrong, I love anything that celebrates pizza. Most lists, however, lack a certain amount of credibility.
The 101 Best Pizzas in America in the past always had authenticity and credibility.
Past years saw pizza nominations come from a“blue-chip, geographically diverse list of pizza panelists — chefs, restaurant critics, bloggers, writers, and other pizza authorities — asking them to vote only for places where they’ve actually eaten.”
This year was a total 180-degree assessment and a complete turnaround on the credibility of the list. Instead of polling the pizza elite, they used an inferior method of listing.
![](http://legendsofpizza.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/figure_with_gavel_1600_clr_5340-1024x1024.png)
Let me tell you a quick story:
I was working as a Social Worker and had to testify in Court as to the progress of one of my clients.
“How is the young man doing?” the judge asked me:
“He’s doing fine your honor” I exclaimed
After my testimony, a school counselor got up and explained the young man was frequently absent from school, had been involved in a number of fights, had numerous curfew violations and was failing all of his classes.
The judge called me back to the bench and chastised me by saying: “Mr. Grande, you have lost all credibility with this court”.
![](http://legendsofpizza.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/legal_trouble_1600_clr_5341-768x1024.png)
So while I certainly respect all the pizzerias on the list,
I am certain they are worthy of a taste, as far as I’m concerned. But the 101 best pizza list has lost a certain amount of credibility in the Court of Pizza or the Pizza Court!
Now that’s my rant, let’s look at some raves!
There were many well-deserving pizzerias that I liked. Most of all I liked the fact that the signature pie of each pizzeria was highlighted.
![](http://legendsofpizza.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/pizza-on-earth-pizza.jpg)
Here are some of my favorites:
#72: Ken’s Artisan Pizza in Portland
#61 Tony Gemignani’s Pizza rock
![](http://legendsofpizza.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/PIZZA-ROCK_2020_1588645063.png)
![](http://legendsofpizza.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/tony-gemignani-pizza-1-1024x660.jpg)
#58 Al Santillo’s Brick Oven Pizza, Elizabeth, NJ
![](http://legendsofpizza.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/santillos.jpg)
#50 John Arena Chris Decker and Sam Faccini of Metro Pizza, Las Vegas, NV
![](http://legendsofpizza.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/metro-logo.png)
#45 Zuppardi’s Apizza, West Haven, CT
![](http://legendsofpizza.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/zuppardis-apizza.4b9c2d01fb1f0dd9f4993620e9e0e6a7.jpg)
#38 L&B Spumoni Gardens, Brooklyn, NY
![](http://legendsofpizza.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/l-and-b-spumoni-garden-pizza.jpg)
#30 Dom Demarco’s Di Fara, Brooklyn, NY
![](http://legendsofpizza.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/difara-logo.png)
#29 Tony’s Pizza Napoletana, San Francisco, CA
![](http://legendsofpizza.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/tony-logo.jpg)
#28 Apizza Scholls, Portland, OR
![](http://legendsofpizza.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/apizza-scholls.jpg)
#16 Modern Apizza, New Haven, CT’
![](http://legendsofpizza.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/modern-apizza.jpg)
#15 Paulie Gee’s, Brooklyn, NY
#14 Pizzeria Bianco, Phoenix, AZ
#11 Smiling with Hope, Reno, NV
![](http://legendsofpizza.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/smiling-with-hope-logo.jpg)
#9 Sally’s Apizza, New Haven, CT
![](http://legendsofpizza.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/lucali-pizza.jpg)
#1 Frank Pepe Pizza Napoletana, New Haven, CT which of course is well deserved.
Missing from the list were some incredible pizzerias such as;
Anthony Mangieri’s Una Pizza Napoletana, New York,
Robert Caporuscio Keste, New York
![](http://legendsofpizza.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/keste-logo_pizza-e-vino-favicon.png)
Jonathan Goldsmiths Spacca Napoli, Chicago
Chef Billy Mano’s Federal Hill Pizza Company, Providence.
![](http://legendsofpizza.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/FedHillPizzaLogo-420@2x.png)
Jay Vogler’s Pizza on Earth, in Vermont.
And not one pizza from the entire State of Hawaii:
![](http://legendsofpizza.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/favortite-pizza-on-oahu.jpg)
I would nominate: Brick Fire Tavern, Honolulu, Authentic Neapolitan Pizza.
Garibaldi’s all in Honolulu, mouth pleasing Sicilian Pizza.
A newcomer: Agostino’s Pizza Truck, and
Of course, Pizza Corner in Kapolei for their signature Poke Pizza.
![](http://legendsofpizza.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/pizza-corner.jpg)
I am hoping the editors of The Daily Meal revert to their previous methodology next year.
Also, I want to give a shout out to Barb and Eric’s Pizza Adventures. They have made a mission of attempting to sample all the pizzas on the 101 Best Pizza List. They are an inspirational couple of pizza fans. You can find them at:
They deserve special praise!
![](http://legendsofpizza.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/barb-and-eric-1024x399.jpg)
And the best part of their site is they created their own individual list of their own pizza ranking! All the best to you Barb and Eric: you are both ultimate pizza fans.
My hope is that you create your own favorite list of pizzerias, if not 101 at least a top 10. And after you created your list you visit and order pizza.
![](http://legendsofpizza.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/check_off_with_pencil_1600_clr_7226-1-1024x896.png)
If you are interested in pizza tools please go to: http://pizzatherapy.com/pizzatols
I would love to see your own list! Please comment below…
![Learn more](https://static.shareasale.com/image/82053/300x250-FYRA_01.gif)