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Alan Richman Names Top 25 Pizzas in the U.S.
I always consider New Haven number two to New York. New York and New Haven are head and shoulders above all other places.
Glad that New Haven made the list.
Di Fara Slice Up to $4!
A combination of the two? $4. slices will shorten the lines and the wait.
What percentage of the ingredients in a DiFara's slice come from other countries, particularly ones that use Euros?
The dollar is historically weak and it has weakened in a short time, when the dollar is weak, imports are more expensive. How much of his pizza is comprised of imported ingredients?
I think he is partially passing on the price increase and taking advantage of the high demand/long wait to justify a price increase. That combination plus a general increase in prices ie. inflation has led to a 25% increase.
Pizza Pilgrimage to NYC- where not to miss?
A close to complete list. All that is missing is L & B Spumoni Gardens in Brooklyn.
My personal favorite is DiFara's.
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Marcello's: Satisfying Chicagoans for More Than 60 Years
I found this place on my own in 1983. They had three types of pies. Chicago, NY and extra thin. I liked the thin pie the best. It was sliced into checkerboard type square slices.
This is the best pizza that I have found in Chicago.
Alan Richman Names Top 25 Pizzas in the U.S.
I always consider New Haven number two to New York. New York and New Haven are head and shoulders above all other places.
Glad that New Haven made the list.
Di Fara Slice Up to $4!
A combination of the two? $4. slices will shorten the lines and the wait.
What percentage of the ingredients in a DiFara's slice come from other countries, particularly ones that use Euros?
The dollar is historically weak and it has weakened in a short time, when the dollar is weak, imports are more expensive. How much of his pizza is comprised of imported ingredients?
I think he is partially passing on the price increase and taking advantage of the high demand/long wait to justify a price increase. That combination plus a general increase in prices ie. inflation has led to a 25% increase.
Pizza Pilgrimage to NYC- where not to miss?
A close to complete list. All that is missing is L & B Spumoni Gardens in Brooklyn.
My personal favorite is DiFara's.
Seriously Delicious Giveaway: Zingerman's Gift Certificate
Mazzorella. Great on pizza and good on cheesesteaks.
Is Patsy's (East Harlem) Worth the Trip?
I love pizza at Patsy's. It is great pizza, as good as pizza can be. I took my girlfriend there and had a pizza with my parents there. Everyone loved pizza at Patsy's.
A Slice of Heaven: Chain Pizza
The secret to finding a decent (not great) pizza in remote parts of the country is to go to an Italian restaurant (not a chain) and order a pizza there.
It is not always decent but often it is. If you try three Italian restaurants in a place like El Paso, one is likely to have a decent pizza.
Bertucci's
Agreed. Pizza in Boston has always been either Regina or Santarpio's in East Boston.
Nothing more and nothing less. The search for a good Boston pizza ends at these two.
SliceXSW
I am from Brooklyn, NY (Sheepshead Bay) and spend summers back home. Rounders on W 6th street is the real pizza in Austin.
Those others are wannabees. I have tried them once and will never return. At least not on my own dime.
I tried Saconnes and was not impressed, but I may try them again.
You Can Tell by the Way I Fold My Slice
I tried a whole pie at Lenny's and was not impressed. It is mediocre Brooklyn, which is the highest standard for pizza in the world.
I think they fall short of the standard. I would rather have my favorite neighborhood pizza than go to Bensonhurst and eat at Lenny's.
It tasted kind of stale and the crust had to be chewed too much. Chewing gum is cheaper than pizza. The taste was also mediocre Brooklyn.
DeMarco's
Why did DeMarc's close? Quality control? I never ate there.
Steven Green
Di Fara Pizza Smackdown
One Thing That Di Fara Should Change
I wish he would have someone help him out with non preparation of pizza. Such as have someone take orders for him and keep track of the order that customers are waiting.
Also would it be so bad if someone else cut the finished pizza? Someone else could also answer the phone.
This one may be stepping over the line, but why not have a helper grate the cheese or prepare any of the other ingredients as they are needed? All right, maybe that is too much.
Great pizza, but such a long wait.
Alan Richman Names Top 25 Pizzas in the U.S.
I wanted to set the record straight about Richman's top 25. The following is a link to my full review of Osteria on my Philadelphia best pizza blog, one of the only two pizza joints from Philly to make it on this list. A little hint: I was very disappointed. Happy reading!
http://www.bestphiladelphiapizzablog.blogspot.com/2009/09/osteria-philadelphia-pizza-review.html
Blog Pizza
Alan Richman Names Top 25 Pizzas in the U.S.
I have recently found another pizza place in Providence Rhode Island that will put Alan Richman's 2 Providence best pizzas to shame. It's called Zooma's on Federal Street. I put the whole review on my blog at the following link:
http://www.blog-pizza.blogspot.com/2009/06/zooma-bar-ristorante-best-pizza.html
Blog Pizza
Alan Richman Names Top 25 Pizzas in the U.S.
"This list is very subjective and has been taken way too seriously."
@Paulie: Good point.
The crust Mangieri is making at UPN is, in my opinion, nothing short of spectacular. I do agree with bufala being a little too runny.....still, high quality bufala tastes fantastic....in my opinion. The flavor is the reason I am such a fan.
Alan Richman Names Top 25 Pizzas in the U.S.
I hit UPN last night for the first time in a while. I had forgotten how flavorful his crust is. Although his Bufala Margherita was a bit too soupy for me (especially having to cut it myself), the combination of the flavorful dough and tangy bufala was an awesome combination. Perhaps I'm a bufala fan after all. I also had the Fileti for the fist time and was very impressed. Garlic and raw tomato are typically not my favorite combination on a pie, but it worked for me yesterday. What made it for me most though were the course sea salt cyrstals that I bit into. I've never experienced that on a pie before. I don't think it was applied post oven, so they must have been very big granules to not have melted into the pie. Bottom line is there is no way UPN should be relegated to the last spot on Richman's list. This list is very subjective and has been taken way too seriously.
Ciao,
Paulie Gee
Alan Richman Names Top 25 Pizzas in the U.S.
Come on ... how much talking about this guy ...
HE IS A LIVING CONTRADDICTION....
Less than a year ago he was mouth watering talking of neapolitan pizza he had in Japan ... Now he "destroyes" 300 years of tradition telling that Neapolitan pizza is disgusting ...
He does not like Neapolitan Pizza because of Buffalo Mozzarella and Anchovies ...
HALLO, McFLY? IS ANYONE THERE?
DID ANYONE TELL Mr. "ALAN McFLY" THAT NEAPOLITAN MARGHERITA IS MADE WITH FIOR DI LATTE and NOT WITH BUFFALO MOZZARELLA?
DID ANYONE TELL HIM THAT NONE OF THE THOUSANDS NEAPOLITAN PIZZERIA HAS ANCHOVIES ON THEIR MENU?
No passion behind Pizza in Italy ????
Is this guy KIDDING ME ????
Come on pizza in Napoli is a religion. There is no pizza without Napoli, there is no Napoli without pizza ... One cannot leave without the other ...
Mr. richman, give me a break ...
I honestly cannot take a Mr whatever to come-out with such a stupid article and throw 300 years of tradition and culture in the garbage ...
The funniest of all ????
After all this big article, he includes at least 9 Neapolitan (or better, Neapolitan wanna-be) pizzeria in his list of the 25 ....
IS HE KIDDING ME ???
What's it's point?
Can he be that stupid?
Come on, this article was a joke ...
One last thing.
Does anyone know where Mr. richman buys his "dope"?
That stuff is good, it works .... look how many BS he writes after he smokes it !!!! ah ah ah let's joke about it !!!!
LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL !!!!
Alan Richman Names Top 25 Pizzas in the U.S.
This review by Alan was acceptable but I had some problems with a few of his comments. If anyone is interested, I posted the full write up at:
http://blog-pizza.blogspot.com/2009/05/best-pizza-restaurants-gq.html
Blog Pizza
Alan Richman Names Top 25 Pizzas in the U.S.
tarry lodge is no longer, it is now a batali enterprise. the best in boston is regina
Alan Richman Names Top 25 Pizzas in the U.S.
@plavoie: I am going to be in Indy on the weekend of June 20 for a friends wedding. If I could visit just one pizzeria in Indy, which one would you recommend?
Alan Richman Names Top 25 Pizzas in the U.S.
People never seem to give Indianapolis the attention that it deserves. There seems to be a unique identity of pizza shaping up in this humble Midwest city. Places like Bazbeaux's, Some Guys, and Jockamo's, all have a similar style and delicious taste. The pizza almost feels healthy, not that they are. They are typically thinner crust with lots of gourmet ingredients. After growing up in Boston and living for many years in Chicago, I feel Indy gets over looked.
Pegasus Pizza in Seattle is also pretty good...although for some reason it sucks as a leftover, so be sure you eat it all when it is still hot.
Alan Richman Names Top 25 Pizzas in the U.S.
@dmcavanagh: That's the spirit! I bet your home made pies are the best :)
As serious as this topic is for many of us, I also think the best pizza in the world is the one you are enjoying, particularly when eaten in the company of good friends and family.
Alan Richman Names Top 25 Pizzas in the U.S.
No lists for me. I make my own pies just the way I like them. No argument here, mine are the best!
Alan Richman Names Top 25 Pizzas in the U.S.
Oh, and forgot to mention a new one, too, Firehouse, which uses an all-wood oven and makes neapolitan pizza. I've only had pizza there once, but it was very promising. Very similar to A16.
Alan Richman Names Top 25 Pizzas in the U.S.
I'd really be interested to see the 109 pizza joints he went to. It does appear the NW got snubbed.
imo, you get to a certain level of quality and it becomes a question of palate. But prior to that, there are a lot of relatively objective factors that can be referenced along with traditional standards. There's an established language around pizza and some agreement within styles about what makes a good pizza. It's not just up to one man's opinion.
So it seems right that there should be some diversity unless he just wants to call it "Alan Richman's Favorite Pizzas". But, of course, that doesn't sell magazines like "the best in the USA" does.
We currently have 5 strong contenders in the Portland area: Apizza Scholls, Nostrana, Ken's Artisan, Al Forno Ferruzza, and Tastebud. If you extend down to Salem (45 minutes away), there's also a place that does an excellent New Haven style pie. The place is just called Apizza. All of these places use top quality ingredients and hot ovens. They all use long ferments for their doughs. Two of them have all wood ovens. Two of them make their own cheese (one makes a ricotta for calzones, the other mozzarella). I think three or more make their own salumi/charcuterie. Several of the owners were bread bakers before opening their pizza shops. These are classic pies with slightly varying styles, all falling in the Neapolitan, New York Neapolitan, and New Haven range, probably. But they're all just fricking good.
Admittedly, the offerings get thin after this with rather standard-issue stuff, though at least we have a decent number of places making actual pizza rather than just the chains.
But Portland should be on any pizza lover's radar and I have to wonder if Richman came here at all.
There are still a lot of places I'd like to hit. I was talking to a friend today who called to ask me questions about improving efficiency at Great Lake. Sounds like they really have a product they care about and I'm eager to get back to Chicago to try it. I still haven't hit Bianco. And I'm going to Mozza in July.
But I've been to a lot of the best around the country and Portland holds its own really, really well. I'd be surprised if there is any city in the US, except maybe NY, where the craft of pizza is being renewed as strongly -- ie, places that are only a couple years old as opposed to 100 years old. Is there any place that defines the next generation of honest pizzerias better than Portland? Prove it.
Alan Richman Names Top 25 Pizzas in the U.S.
@Adam Kuban: Yes, exactly. My main point was the first style was not even mentioned.
Thanks for the link to the styles. I was unaware of the Old Forge and Ohio Valley Style.
I grew up in and around Washington DC and am quite familiar with the "jumbo style" large slices, which I first noticed in the Adams Morgan neighborhood. However, in Baltimore, places like Anthony's in Hampden have been selling "Jumbo Style", as in mondo huge slices nearly comical in size, before DC was offering big slices.
Alan Richman Names Top 25 Pizzas in the U.S.
@Pizzablogger: There are way more than 7 pizza styles in the U.S. See: A List of U.S. Regional Pizza Styles
Alan Richman Names Top 25 Pizzas in the U.S.
Look, anyone here who made a top 25 list would most likely get shot up by all of us looking to put holes in the rankings.
I don't get too upset by the rankings....they are the opinion of one person and it is difficult, at best, to compare one style of pizza versus another style, among other things. What irks me is the beginning of the article.
Richman mentions there are 7 types of pizza which are American (3 of which I would argue are not even pizza):
1. Neopolitan imitators (UPN, 2 Amys, etc)
2. Deep Dish
3. Stuffed Deep Dish
4. Sicilian
5. Thin crusted, also known as "Roman, tavern, or bar pizza"
6. Grilled Pizza
7. American Pie....a relatively recent style he attributes to Chris Bianco
I am not the definitive expert on pizza, but last time I checked the first commercial pizzas ever made in the US, which like his American Pie category were influenced by Italy but were a style all their own, are not even mentioned as a style of pizza.
Mr. Richman, I appreciate your journey and bringing to my attention some places I was unaware of, but the bricks which have been licked by the coal fueled flames in the ovens at Lombardi's, Totonno's, Patsy's and John's of Bleeker, among others, certainly bore witness to America's first style of pizza......and your failure to even mention the style which set the course of American pizza making is inexcusable.....regardless as to whether or not they deserve a ranking in the top 25 list. I'm sorry sir, but you are a balloon head.
Alan Richman Names Top 25 Pizzas in the U.S.
Alan forgot to even mention midwest tavern style pizza...Chicago's true signature pie. This list is garbage.
http://chibbqking.blogspot.com/search/label/tavern%20style%20pizza
Alan Richman Names Top 25 Pizzas in the U.S.
@Pizzablogger Thanks for the suggestion. I will be sure to check it out. This time though I have a real yearning for lobster bisque and Obryckis doesn't have it on their menu. Concerning parking, it's never a problem at The Inner Harbor. The Sheraton parking lot never seems to be full unless there's an Orioles game and they have a bridge that connects right to Harborplace. Whenever we were on family roadtrips, we'd hop off 95 and hit the Phillips takeout stand in Harborplace for some lobster bisque. Sadly they stopped serving it about ten years ago. As far as Philly goes, we are stopping there tonight for that city's true culinary treasure. No, not the cheesesteak. A Roast Pork Italian at Tony Luke's. If you don't believe me, just ask The Slicemeister:
BTW, I am always looking for a stop and pop.
Ciao,
Paulie Gee
Alan Richman Names Top 25 Pizzas in the U.S.
how did Difara not make it onto this list?
Alan Richman Names Top 25 Pizzas in the U.S.
God damn, there are some crazy mother------- out there.the comments about LA pizza are absolutely,certifiably nuts! There's no justifying the snub to Mozza..If some of the toppings are disturbing to anyone's pizza code, then stick to the marghuerita and sausage...the crust has never been anything less than drool inducing when I've been there. Also, pontificating that Antica sucks is equally absurd and deserving of a libel suit. Order the margherita with sausage, ask for it well done and you will be transported to a pizza paradise. Lastly, my first visit to Tomato Pie was fairly positive.The crust was too thick and doughy but still rather tasty. Get a grip, people and cultivate your minds and tastebuds before sharing such inanities with the public. Oh well, the internet is anonymous so what can be expected. Alan Richman, though, is also deeply in need of some pizza enlightenment!
Alan Richman Names Top 25 Pizzas in the U.S.
Paulie, I'm hitting the Campari a little too hard tonight I guess....for some reason I thought you mentioned you were going to Philly for crabcakes? :)
If you plan on being in the Inner Harbor area of Baltimore, you might want to skip Phillips if you are interested in seeing more of an old school Baltimore crab house. Obrykci's, which is about 1/2 mile from Phillips may be a good choice as it is not to far away. It's somewhat unusual by foregoing the Old Bay seasoning in favor of cracked black pepper, but the crab cakes here are definitely better than Phillips. There are a few more places I would recommend, but they would require more driving and parking headaches than Phillips....and it sounds like you may be looking for a stop and pop. Wherever you go, enjoy!
Alan Richman Names Top 25 Pizzas in the U.S.
@ Paulie Gee: There is another place in Baltimore you may wanna check out, I just haven't given it an "official" visit (whatever the heck that means) yet.
Now, as a Marylander, the thought that you would not get crab cakes here is blasphemy. Crab cakes and whole, steamed crabs IS Maryland. Philly is for cheese steaks, pretzels and Toccanelli's :)
Alan Richman Names Top 25 Pizzas in the U.S.
While I've devoted many hundreds of hours studying, baking, and consuming bread, it remains a humble food. Let's remember that most bread, at its simplest, involves only four ingredients, but, being a humble, simple food, it allows the baker's talent to shine through. With so few ingredients, a gorgeous loaf is produced through knowledge, experience, and serious talent. The bread is either decent or amazing.
Le Pain Quotidien's pain a l'ancienne is probably some of the best bread in the city. It's beautiful, with a glossy, cracked and golden crust that shatters when you take a bite. It's a beautiful thing because of its simplicity and because of its price: at under four dollars, it's one of the best meals you can find -- if you like eating plain bread, that is, which I do.
Virtually anyone can buy bread at this quality, in the city, for the same cost as, say, a supermarket loaf of Pepperidge Farms, or for less money than my fallback, Bread Alone. Even Wonderbread doesn't cost a whole lot less.
Bear with me, I'm getting to my point.
Bread is humble, bread is beautiful, bread is plentiful, and above all, it's cheap. Quality often bears no relation to price.
Patsy's uptown, my personal holy grail of pizza, puts out amazing pizza at half the price of Co., and while it's delicious, it's also a simple, utilitarian, no-bullshit, confident slice.
While I respect that Lahey and pizzaiolas across the city and the country are pushing pizza in somewhat non-traditional directions, I'd like to point to two things once again:
Real confidence in bread baking means creating complex flavors and textures with simple ingredients. Be confident: show off your experience, knowledge, and talent, and please, don't put truffles on a pizza to justify its ridiculous cost.
Don't try to glorify a utilitarian food that's all the more beautiful because it is and always will simple and humble.
Alan Richman Names Top 25 Pizzas in the U.S.
Interesting to see Bob & Timmy's on the list. It's a grilled pizza joint. There are actually a lot of in the Providence area who don't even know about it. It's not nearly as well known here as places like Casserta (overrated) and Al Forno. It's located in Federal Hill (Providence's little Italy), but off of a main street and barely visible to traffic. A worker there said to me that they enjoy having just a small following of frequent customers. Al Forno and Bob & Timmy's are both great. Al Forno is an upscale and quite expensive restaurant. Bob & Timmy's is a small sit-down pizzeria. However, I frequent the Pizza Gourmet more often because it's a slice/takeout joint - and there's nowhere else you can grab just a slice of grilled.
Alan Richman Names Top 25 Pizzas in the U.S.
Wow, eatup, doesn't sound like Co. at all... I have been there about 5 times and always has been great. Crust is thinner than UPN. Always has char.
Sounds like you have a chip on your shoulder, maybe sour grapes...
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I found this place on my own in 1983. They had three types of pies. Chicago, NY and extra thin. I liked the thin pie the best. It was sliced into checkerboard type square slices.
This is the best pizza that I have found in Chicago.