Pizza was first introduced to the USA in 1905 in New York City's Little Italy. Since then, pizza has spread far and wide across the land, blossoming into many different and delicious varieties. There are way too many amazing pizzas in our nation for me to declare a definitive best; these are simply five places that I really love.
1. Dewey's Pizza - Cincinnati
Dewey's Pizza is the stuff of dreams. The crust is exactly how the name sounds, hand-tossed and perfectly chewy with just enough crispiness. The staff are always super friendly and you can get any combination of pizzas half-and-half, which is great because there are many awe-inspiring selections to choose from.
3014 Madison Road, Cincinnati, OH 45209
http://www.deweyspizza.com
2. Otto Pizza - Boston
Otto Pizza serves up deliciously creative slices in the Greater Boston area and in Portland, Maine, where it was founded. My personal favorite is the sinfully good Tortellini pizza. The Harvard Square location was a favorite spot of mine when I was working at American Repertory Theater, but it is definitely more of a grab-and-go location. If you're looking for more of a sit-down meal, check out their website for their many other locations.
1432 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138
http://www.ottoportland.com
3. Lou Malnati's Pizzeria - Chicago
Lou Malnati's is a staple when it comes to Chicago-style deep-dish pizza, and has been featured on shows like Throwdown with Bobby Flay and America's Test Kitchen. There's a lot of great pizza to choose from in Chicago, so I made sure to check with my Chicago correspondent and good friend Ben Tyson to confirm that it's the best. If you don't live anywhere nearby and want to give it a try, they ship their pies nationwide!
439 North Wells Street, Chicago, IL 60610
http://www.loumalnatis.com
4. Motorino- New York
Deemed "the city's best pizza" by the New York Times, Motorino is not messing around, especially considering all the stiff competition. The decor is simple but the flavors are bold and complex. I am a big fan of a simple veggie pie, but they are also known for their more adventurous creative fare like the "Brussels Sprout" pizza.
349 East 12th Street, New York, NY 10003
http://www.motorinopizza.com
5. BAR - New Haven
BAR is a trendy restaurant and nightclub nestled in New Haven near the Yale School of Drama. They have great classic pizza selections, as well as inventive flavors like their "White Pie with Mashed Potatoes".
254 Crown Street, New Haven, CT 06511
http://www.barnightclub.com
Dewey's Pizza is the stuff of dreams. The crust is exactly how the name sounds, hand-tossed and perfectly chewy with just enough crispiness. The staff are always super friendly and you can get any combination of pizzas half-and-half, which is great because there are many awe-inspiring selections to choose from.
3014 Madison Road, Cincinnati, OH 45209
http://www.deweyspizza.com
2. Otto Pizza - Boston
Otto Pizza serves up deliciously creative slices in the Greater Boston area and in Portland, Maine, where it was founded. My personal favorite is the sinfully good Tortellini pizza. The Harvard Square location was a favorite spot of mine when I was working at American Repertory Theater, but it is definitely more of a grab-and-go location. If you're looking for more of a sit-down meal, check out their website for their many other locations.
1432 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138
http://www.ottoportland.com
3. Lou Malnati's Pizzeria - Chicago
Lou Malnati's is a staple when it comes to Chicago-style deep-dish pizza, and has been featured on shows like Throwdown with Bobby Flay and America's Test Kitchen. There's a lot of great pizza to choose from in Chicago, so I made sure to check with my Chicago correspondent and good friend Ben Tyson to confirm that it's the best. If you don't live anywhere nearby and want to give it a try, they ship their pies nationwide!
439 North Wells Street, Chicago, IL 60610
http://www.loumalnatis.com
4. Motorino- New York
Deemed "the city's best pizza" by the New York Times, Motorino is not messing around, especially considering all the stiff competition. The decor is simple but the flavors are bold and complex. I am a big fan of a simple veggie pie, but they are also known for their more adventurous creative fare like the "Brussels Sprout" pizza.
349 East 12th Street, New York, NY 10003
http://www.motorinopizza.com
5. BAR - New Haven
BAR is a trendy restaurant and nightclub nestled in New Haven near the Yale School of Drama. They have great classic pizza selections, as well as inventive flavors like their "White Pie with Mashed Potatoes".
254 Crown Street, New Haven, CT 06511
http://www.barnightclub.com