Skip to content

Top Navigation

Food & Wine Food & Wine
  • Recipes & Cooking
  • Drinks
  • Travel
  • Holidays & Events
  • News
  • F&W Classic
  • Video
  • Kitchen & Home
  • F&W Pro

Profile Menu

Your Profile

Your Profile

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Wine Club
  • Podcast
  • Logout
Login
Subscribe Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Food & Wine

Food & Wine Food & Wine
  • Explore

    Explore

    • F&W Cooks

      Food and Wine presents a new network of food pros delivering the most cookable recipes and delicious ideas online. Read More Next
    • Our 22 Best Crock Pot and Slow-Cooker Recipes

      Looking to amp up your beef stew but unsure where to start? A slow cooker can can take your comfort food to the next level. Read More Next
    • 50 Affordable Wines You Can Always Trust

      We’ve assembled a list of 50 of the world’s most reliable, inexpensive wines – bottles that offer amazing quality for their price year in and year out. Read More Next
  • Recipes & Cooking

    Recipes & Cooking

    See All Recipes & Cooking
    • Chicken Recipes
    • Comfort Food Recipes
    • Breakfast & Brunch Recipes
    • Salad Recipes
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Vegetable Recipes
    • Pasta & Noodle Recipes
    • Chefs
    • Meat & Poultry Recipes
    • Soup Recipes
    • Appetizer Recipes
    • Side Dishes
    • Fruit Recipes
    • Seafood Recipes
    • Special Diets
    • Cooking Techniques
    • Steal This Trick
  • Drinks

    Drinks

    See All Drinks
    • Wine
    • Cocktails & Spirits
    • Coffee Drinks & Recipes
    • Juices
    • Beer & Brews
    • Champagne & Sparkling Wine
    • Tea Recipes & Ideas
  • Travel

    Travel

    See All Travel
    • Wine Regions
    • Restaurants
  • Holidays & Events

    Holidays & Events

    See All Holidays & Events
    • Valentine's Day
    • Halloween
    • Passover
    • Hanukkah
    • Christmas
    • Gifts
    • Super Bowl
    • Easter
    • Thanksgiving
    • New Year's Eve
    • Holiday Entertaining
  • News
  • F&W Classic
  • Video
  • Kitchen & Home
  • F&W Pro

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Profile

Your Profile

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Wine Club
  • Podcast
  • Logout
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Home Chevron Right
  2. Travel Chevron Right
  3. Best Pizza in Unexpected Places

Best Pizza in Unexpected Places

By Food & Wine
Updated August 30, 2017
Skip gallery slides
Save FB Tweet
Credit: Photo © tvol
Some of the country's best pies can be found in cities other than New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. Here, F&W names the best places for pizza in cities you might not expect, including an old auto-repair garage in Kentucky—Additional reporting by Alessandra Bulow
Start Slideshow

1 of 19

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Ann Arbor, MI: Mani Osteria

Credit: Photo courtesy of Mani Osteria

Adam Baru worked under restaurateur Danny Meyer before returning to his hometown to open his first restaurant. Wood-fired ovens turn out pies like the Farmers’ Market, loaded with local vegetables. maniosteria.com

1 of 19

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 19

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Miami: Harry's Pizzeria

Credit: Photo © John Kernick

Chef Michael Schwartz has always been great with a wood-burning oven; now he’s making pizzas in one at his new Design District outpost. His go-to cheese is Trugole, which melts like mozzarella but is more stretchy and gooey. harryspizzeria.com

  • Fennel-and-Sweet-Onion Pizza with Green Olives Recipe

2 of 19

3 of 19

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Detroit: Buddy's Pizza

Credit: Photo courtesy of Buddy's Pizza

This fabled pizzeria specializes in Detroit-style square pies like The Super (with pepperoni, mushrooms, onion, green peppers and ham), and even uses some of the same seasoned pans from when they opened more than 50 years ago. buddyspizza.com

  • Detroit: Soul Food for a Hungry City

3 of 19

Advertisement

4 of 19

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

St. Paul: Punch Pizza

Credit: Photo courtesy of Punch Pizza

Andrew Zimmern, host of Bizarre Foods and an F&W contributing editor, names this “insanely good Neapolitan pizzeria” one of his top five best pizza spots in the country. His favorite salame e funghi pie is topped with salami from a secret source, earthy mushrooms, fresh garlic, Fontina cheese and dried oregano. “Eating it uncut is the way to go,” Zimmern says. punchpizza.com

  • Andrew Zimmern's Favorite Twin Cities Restaurants

4 of 19

5 of 19

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Portland, OR: Ken's Artisan Pizza

Credit: Photo © Adam Kuban

The wildly popular—and still going strong—bacon-topped pies and Monday Night Pizza events at Ken’s Artisan Bakery prompted supertalented baker Ken Forkish to open a stand-alone spot in 2006. kensartisan.com

  • Jenn Louis's Insider Portland Guide

5 of 19

6 of 19

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Austin: The Backspace

Credit: Photo courtesy of The Backspace

The wood-burning oven heats to 1,000 degrees, producing a super-blistered crust at this spot behind Parkside restaurant. The chefs spent months developing a special dough to stand up to the heat. thebackspace-austin.com

  • Austin Travel

6 of 19

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 19

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Detroit: Supino Pizzeria

Credit: Photo © Hane C. Lee

Located in the beautifully restored public Eastern Market, this cozy checkerboard-floored pizza shop serves terrific pies at long wooden tables with metal stools. The signature Supino pie is topped with roasted garlic, black olives, creamy ricotta, mozzarella and finished with a drizzle of chile oil. supinopizzeria.com

7 of 19

8 of 19

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Minneapolis: Pizzeria Lola

Credit: Photo © Richard Fleischman

“Yes, it’s true, Minnesota has the best pizza in America,” says TV star and chef Andrew Zimmern. “Better than New York City and Chicago put together.” The Minnesota resident might be a bit biased, but his favorite order makes a case for thinking outside those major pizzaiola hubs: The Sunnyside is topped with guanciale and leeks that have been caramelized in the cured pork fat and finished with a hint of cream. A sprinkle of Pecorino Romano cheese and two fresh sunny-side up eggs complete the recipe. pizzerialola.com

  • Andrew Zimmern's Minnesota Food Tour

8 of 19

9 of 19

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

St. Louis: Pastaria

Credit: Photo © Greg Rannells

St. Louis-style pizza is usually characterized by the use of Velveeta-like Provel cheese on crispy, thin-crusted square slices. Here, Gerard Craft, an F&W Best New Chef 2008, serves Neapolitan-style pies and makes toppings such as pepperoni in-house. Craft spent time in Italy before opening the restaurant and incorporates seasonal ingredients, as in one fall pizza topped with caramelized brussels sprouts, mozzarella, creamy béchamel and lardo (a.k.a. pork fat). pastariastl.com

  • Louisville, Kentucky's East Market Street

9 of 19

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 19

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Santa Monica, CA: Stella Rossa

Credit: Photo © Anjali M. Pinto

Mathematician-turned-chef Jeff Mahin tested 30 dough recipes before he settled on his salty, puffy crust. He’s no traditionalist, topping his pies with purple kale, chèvre and fennel. stellarossapizzabar.com

  • Los Angeles Travel

10 of 19

11 of 19

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Yountville, CA: Redd Wood

Credit: Photo © Nick Vasilopoulos

Richard Reddington, who runs the elegant Redd down the street, goes casual at this industrial-chic Napa trattoria. The focus is on salumi, antipasti, well-priced wines and rustic pizzas with crispy, ultra-thin crusts. “It’s a place for an impromptu meal or a reprieve from wine tasting,” says Reddington. redd-wood.com

  • Napa Travel Guide

11 of 19

12 of 19

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Oakland, CA: Pizzaiolo

Credit: Photo © Deborah Sherman

For chef-co-owner Charlie Hallowell, a Chez Panisse alum, seasonality and local ingredients are key—even the flour is milled in Oakland. The menu changes daily but the signature marinara pie is a constant. pizzaiolooakland.com

12 of 19

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 19

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Larkspur, CA: Pizzeria Picco

Credit: Photo © Adam Kuban

Pizzeria Picco’s wood-fired Neopolitan pies, like the margherita with house-pulled mozzarella, are rumored to be super star chef Mario Batali’s favorite. Another draw: the quirky olive-oil-and-sea-salt-topped soft serve ice cream. pizzeriapicco.com

13 of 19

14 of 19

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Portland, OR: Apizza Scholls

Credit: Photo © John Sowell, Roseburg, Ore

Pizzaiolos Brian Spangler, Dan Roberts and Jon Ullrich are so exacting about their craft that they mix their dough by hand daily and won’t let customers put any more than three toppings on the nicely charred pies. The signature Apizza Amore pie is topped with tomato sauce, both fresh and aged mozzarella, pecorino romano, grana padano, extra virgin olive oil, cured pork shoulder and fresh basil. apizzascholls.com

  • Portland Travel

14 of 19

15 of 19

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Portland, OR: Oven and Shaker

Credit: Photo © John Valls

Pizza and cocktails get equal thought at this serious pizza bar. The Neapolitan-style pies pair with cocktails in three categories: Fresh, Dry and Strong. ovenandshaker.com

15 of 19

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 19

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Louisville, KY: Garage Bar

Credit: Photo courtesy of Garage Bar

Chef Michael Paley, owner of local favorite Proof on Main, serves Italian-meets-Southern pizzas—like Margherita topped with country ham—inside a renovated auto-repair garage. garageonmarket.com

  • How to Make Perfect Pizza Margherita

16 of 19

17 of 19

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Asheville: Cucina24

Credit: Photo © Jennifer Altman

Southern Italy meets the Deep South at Brian Canipelli’s restaurant. On the menu: handmade pizzas alongside Southern dishes like chicken-fried grouper and collard greens with bacon. cucina24restaurant.com

  • Why Food Lovers are Loving Asheville

17 of 19

18 of 19

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Port Chester, NY: Tarry Lodge

Credit: Photo courtesy of Tarry Lodge

Superstar chef Mario Batali usually opens his famous restaurants in major cities, but this terrific enoteca-pizzeria is located in a quiet suburb about 50 minutes outside New York City. Unexpected toppings include meatballs with jalapeños and Fontina cheese, and burrata with pancetta and chile oil, as well as luxe combinations like the guanciale pie with black truffles and an oozing egg. tarrylodge.com

  • Wine Pairings for Pizza Toppings

18 of 19

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

19 of 19

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Washington, D.C.: 2Amys Neapolitan Pizzeria

Credit: Photo © tvol

2Amys follows the strict standards of VPN, the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, like using “00” flour, milled to an extremely fine grain for it's delicious dough. The signature Two Amys pie is topped with plum tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella. 2amyspizza.com

  • Washington, DC Travel

19 of 19

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Food & Wine

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook
Trending Videos
Advertisement
Skip slide summaries

Everything in This Slideshow

Advertisement

View All

1 of 19 Ann Arbor, MI: Mani Osteria
2 of 19 Miami: Harry's Pizzeria
3 of 19 Detroit: Buddy's Pizza
4 of 19 St. Paul: Punch Pizza
5 of 19 Portland, OR: Ken's Artisan Pizza
6 of 19 Austin: The Backspace
7 of 19 Detroit: Supino Pizzeria
8 of 19 Minneapolis: Pizzeria Lola
9 of 19 St. Louis: Pastaria
10 of 19 Santa Monica, CA: Stella Rossa
11 of 19 Yountville, CA: Redd Wood
12 of 19 Oakland, CA: Pizzaiolo
13 of 19 Larkspur, CA: Pizzeria Picco
14 of 19 Portland, OR: Apizza Scholls
15 of 19 Portland, OR: Oven and Shaker
16 of 19 Louisville, KY: Garage Bar
17 of 19 Asheville: Cucina24
18 of 19 Port Chester, NY: Tarry Lodge
19 of 19 Washington, D.C.: 2Amys Neapolitan Pizzeria

Share options

Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Login

Food & Wine

Magazines & More

Learn More

  • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
  • Books from Food & Wine
  • Contact Us
  • Media Kit
  • Content Licensing

Connect

Follow Us
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Other Meredith Sites

Other Meredith Sites

  • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
  • Better Homes & Gardens this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
  • Cooking Light this link opens in a new tab
  • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
  • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
  • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
  • Entertainment Weekly this link opens in a new tab
  • Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
  • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
  • Martha Stewart this link opens in a new tab
  • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
  • More this link opens in a new tab
  • MyRecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
  • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
  • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
  • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
  • Parents this link opens in a new tab
  • People this link opens in a new tab
  • People en Español this link opens in a new tab
  • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab
  • Real Simple this link opens in a new tab
  • Ser Padres this link opens in a new tab
  • Shape this link opens in a new tab
  • Siempre Mujer this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living this link opens in a new tab
  • SwearBy this link opens in a new tab
  • Travel & Leisure this link opens in a new tab
Food & Wine is part of the Meredith Corporation Allrecipes Food Group. © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
© Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.foodandwine.com

View image

Best Pizza in Unexpected Places
this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.