These days, American pizza comes in many forms, from New York’s thin, floppy, and foldable slices, to Detroit’s thick and fluffy rectangular pan pizzas and Chicago's famous deep dish. But there’s one simple dish that predates them all: tomato pie. And just a handful of restaurants are keeping America's original pizza, and its various heritage styles, alive.

When the first pizzerias started to appear in the Northeastern states, at the beginning of the 20th century, the dish was almost always called ‘tomato pie’ outside of Italian communities – the word ‘pizza’ was considered too obscure for the American public. Even over in Italy, where pizza had been around for a couple of centuries, it was still little known outside of Naples. In this region, tomatoes were more plentiful than dairy cows – so the style of pizzas that made the transatlantic journey (along with the Neopolitan immigrants who set up shop here) were heavy on the sauce and light on cheese.

These days we’re used to pizzas topped with mountains of cheese and scattered with all manner of different toppings, though it wasn’t always this way. The tomato pies that originated in Philadelphia, New Haven in Connecticut, and New York's Utica are all quite different, but the star ingredient is always a wonderfully rich, perfectly balanced tomato gravy. The unique dish retains a loyal following in historic, family-run bakeries and pizzerias across the Northeast, with many still run by the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of the original owners.

In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, tomato pies traditionally consist of a thick and springy focaccia-style base smothered in tomato sauce and, occasionally, a very light dusting of oregano and cheese, comparable to the Sicilian sfincione (which, at its simplest, can be described as focaccia with toppings). The style was popularized by South Philly bakeries like Sarcone's, which has been creating perfect pies since 1918. The joint is now run by fifth-generation owner Louis Sarcone, who bakes enormous rectangular pies in a decades-old brick oven, serving the rustic slices at room temperature and wrapped in paper bags.

Another tomato pie stalwart is Iannelli's Brick Oven Bakery, which opened in Philadelphia in 1910 and is now run by third-generation owner Vincent Iannelli, who crafts the recipe without a hint of cheese. A few years ago, he made the decision to sell the shop’s coveted pies for just 15 days a year, allowing him time to explore new hobbies and business ventures without closing his family's pizzeria. Happily, the bakery has started to ship the pies nationally (they arrive vacuum-sealed, and customers can freeze them to eat later) –  and Vincent also sells the shop’s special-recipe tomato gravy by the jar.

In New Haven, Connecticut, tomato pies (also known as apizza or plain pies) consist of a thin, charred, and chewy crust, topped with tomato sauce and a little bit of grated pecorino cheese. The dish is said to have originated in 1925 at Frank Pepe's Pizzeria, one of the oldest and best-known pizzerias in the US, which is also known for its white clam pizza pies. Owner Frank Pepe started out selling his tomato pies from a pushcart to immigrant factory workers; these days Pepe's has grown into a small family-owned chain, with 16 branches in seven states. Other popular spots serving the New Haven specialty include Sally’s Apizza and Modern Apizza.

Over in Utica, New York, the tomato pies share similarities with the Philadelphia version; a thick, porous dough, topped with tomato sauce and finished with oregano and plenty of grated pecorino. Again, they’re usually baked in a large rectangular pan and served at room temperature in square slices. The most famous pie spot in the city is O'Scugnizzo Pizzeria, which has been open since 1914 and is one of the oldest continuously run family-owned pizza places in the US. Founder Eugeno Burlino, a Neapolitan pastry chef, started out by slinging homemade pie slices on the streets of Utica for a nickel apiece, before opening the now-legendary pizzeria.

Hungry for another slice? Read on to discover America’s best pizza joints, state by state.

Whether you prefer a New York–style slice or a Chicago deep dish, you'll find what you're looking for in America's best pizza places. From takeout joints and hole-in-the-wall spots to restaurants, diners, and cafés that sling the tastiest slices and pies around, we've scoured the reviews to find the most perfect pizza in every state.

Our selections are based on genuine user reviews, awards and accolades, and the first-hand experience of our team. They're also regularly checked and updated.

This fun pizza restaurant, with vintage interiors and arcade games, has been a Mountain Brook favorite since 1964. Customers say the pizzas have the perfect crust, sauce, and stringy, melted mozzarella, and they love that they’re served straight from the oven, bubbling hot. The Meat Lover’s Special (pictured), with pepperoni, ham, and sausage, is hugely popular, and you can build your own pizza too. There's also now a Davenport's in Vestavia Hills.

A pub and pizzeria with a lovely patio, Moose’s Tooth in Anchorage is the destination for unconventional beers and pizzas. You'll find more than 30 options, including vegan and gluten-free, and monthly specials. The Spicy Thai Chicken (with red onions, beansprouts, carrots, cilantro, mozzarella, provolone, and peanut sauce) is a firm favorite, as is the selection of Broken Tooth Beers from the pub's own brewery.

This intimate pizza restaurant is located in a restored 1930s bungalow with an inviting, tree-filled patio, making it the perfect escape from the chaos of the city. Cibo serves ultra-thin, ultra-fresh, Neapolitan-style red or white pizzas with blistered crusts, and has great gluten-free pizza too. The Diavola (with tomato sauce, mozzarella, and spicy salami), followed by a Nutella crêpe, is a winning order.

For thin crust, wood-fired pizzas, big, fresh salads, and dulce de leche gelato, ZAZA in Little Rock is the place. Some of its mouth-watering options include the ZAZA Italian Sausage (homemade Italian sausage, fontina soft Italian cheese, Parmesan, arugula, peppers, caramelized onions, and tomato) and Prosciutto-Arugula (prosciutto, Parmesan, arugula, cherry tomatoes, and a fried egg).

You can get salads and pasta at San Diego's Buona Forchetta, but pizza is the star of the show. The Italian restaurant – which has a sidewalk patio – offers soft, foldable pies with charred crusts that need to be eaten with a knife and fork, as they do in Napoli. The Nicole (with tomato sauce, mozzarella, truffle oil, and prosciutto) and the one-of-a-kind 'pizza in a glass' appetizer are firm favorites. There are a few other locations around San Diego too.

Adored by Denver pizza lovers, locally owned restaurant Joy Hill is a charming spot for a slice. It serves sourdough pizzas topped with locally sourced ingredients such as bison chorizo and homemade mozzarella, plus there's a well-stocked bar including natural, organic wines. Its interiors are low-key and cozy, and there's also a huge rooftop patio you can eat on. 

New Haven is famous for its pizza restaurants, and Zuppardi’s, which dates back to the 1940s and is run by an Italian family, is widely considered the best. The small menu features traditional plain pie (topped with tomato sauce, pecorino, and fresh garlic) and the popular fresh clam (a white pizza with freshly shucked clams, garlic, and spices). You can also design your own pizza. There are two other locations, plus a pizza truck, and you can also buy frozen pizzas to enjoy at home.

This stylish, laidback spot next to Wilmington Brew Works is many people’s favorite pizza restaurant. Customers praise the light, wood-fired pies – and there are more than 30 to choose from, including white pizza, square pizza, and calzones, some of which are named after local neighborhoods. Whatever you go for, order a side of cast iron wings, which are baked in caramelized onions, garlic, and Parmesan.

This swanky pizza restaurant, located in a former 1950s home on Miami River, has gained press attention for being one of the best in the US. Run by couple Klime and Anita Kovaceski, this spot serves a truffled pizza (with fresh tomato, arugula, Parmesan, lemon juice, and truffle oil) that's not to be missed. Other menu highlights include the meatball pizza, buttery garlic rolls, and the huge chicken Parm served on homemade pasta. 

O4W Pizza in downtown Duluth is a homely restaurant serving Jersey-style pies. Everything is freshly made to order, so you can expect to wait up to 20 minutes for your pizza, but you'll be pleased you did. The most famous menu item here is the square, flavor-packed Grandma Pie – with fresh mozzarella, homemade marinara, pecorino, extra-virgin olive oil, oregano, and basil. There's also a branch in South Beach.

Brick Fire Tavern’s Neapolitan pizzas are loved for their charred crusts and melty, smoky toppings. Based in Honolulu, the restaurant sources its herbs, vegetables, and pork locally, makes its mozzarella in-house, and imports its cured meats, cheeses, and oils from Italy. A customer favorite is the meaty Mamma Mia, with tomatoes, salami, pancetta, Italian sausage, red onions, hot peppers, mozzarella, and an egg yolk.

Maialina serves wood-fired, Naples-style pizzas and handmade pasta, and has an exclusively Italian wine list. There's a menu of both tomato and cream-based pizzas, including classics (like the Margherita) and more creative options like a tomato-based spicy sausage and potato pizza, and a cream-based smoked salmon pizza with egg and ricotta (pictured).

The merits of deep-dish versus thin crust may cause heated debate, but you can't visit Chicago without trying the city's famous style of pizza. There are lots of joints in the city that hustle for the title of best deep-dish, but Pequod's is a true institution (so much so that it featured in an episode of acclaimed TV drama The Bear). This place is famous for its caramelized cheesy crust, which adds an extra layer of deliciousness. 

Around since 1973, Mother Bear’s Pizza has two restaurants in Bloomington, with one based on campus at Indiana University. You can create your own by choosing a crust (traditional pan, deep-dish, toasted sesame, or gluten-free), a sauce (such as BBQ, vodka, sriracha, or Mother Bear’s award-winning pizza sauce) and toppings (including ghost pepper cheese, shredded pork loin, and Italian sausage). Alternatively, pick a pie from the menu, which includes favorites like the Dixie Two Step, with BBQ sauce, tender chunks of chicken, onions, and Cheddar.

At family-run pizzeria Adrianos Brick Oven in Glenwood you can see the chefs making dough and pizzas going into the wood-fired oven right before your eyes. Pizzas here are thin and crispy – and menu highlights include the Gyro, with tomato, feta, gyro meat, cucumber, kalamata olives, and tzatziki. 

If you’re looking for an old-school pizza restaurant in Kansas, head to Wilson’s Pizza and Grill, a hole-in-the-wall joint serving huge pies loaded with toppings and cheese. The 18th Street Special, with pepperoni, sausage, beef, ham, mushrooms, onions, black olives, green peppers, and mozzarella, comes highly recommended. Hungry for more? The menu also includes Buffalo wings, burgers, and Key lime pie.

This casual neighborhood joint, with the motto 'where family meets food', is where people go for sports games, drinks deals, pizza, and home delivery. Customers love how the pizza crusts are crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, buttery, and topped with Parmesan. If you don’t know what to order, go for the Hot Brown Pizza, which comes loaded with bacon, turkey, tomato, alfredo sauce, mozzarella, and provolone.

Pizza Delicious is a New Orleans staple for New York–style pizza, set up by two college roommates from the Big Apple. The restaurant has a leafy patio area and serves pizza both by the slice and whole. The menu includes a melt-in-your-mouth Margherita and something called the Pizza D Supreme, which comes with Italian sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, roasted peppers, and red onions. There are some great veggie options too, like a pizza topped with roasted cauliflower and balsamic red onions.

Visitors to this Sicilian street food bar in Portland absolutely rave about its slab pizzas. They’re square, two inches thick, and fluffier and breadier than normal pizza. The pepperoni hand slab is covered in layers of sauce, caramelized cheese, and crisp cured meat. Meanwhile, the spicy meat slab comes with red pepper sauce, pepperoni, pepperoncini, mozzarella, provolone, and a blue cheese dip.

Love Margherita pizza? Inferno Pizzeria Napoletana has been named as having the best in the DC area by The Washington Post. It’s a Neapolitan-inspired, wood-fired pizza, with an airy, puffy crust topped with organic crushed tomatoes, mozzarella, olive oil, and basil. You can add on extra toppings if you like, and there are seasonal specials as well, such as a fig and speck ham pizza. 

A pizza parlor with history, Galleria Umberto has been operating at Hanover Street since 1974, and is still family-run. It has an unassuming exterior and interior, but the food speaks for itself. Favorites include the meat and cheese-stuffed arancini, the greasy Sicilian squares, the pizzettes (small pieces), the panzerotti (savory turnovers), and the calzone. Be prepared to line up – and to need napkins. It’s also cash-only.

Consistently good, New York–style, soft and thin pizza is what you get at Supino Pizzeria in Detroit. It has eight red sauce and five white sauce options, plenty of appetizers (including meatballs), and two desserts: cannoli and panna cotta. One of this cozy restaurant's most popular pizzas is the Supino, with roasted garlic, black olives, chili oil, ricotta, and mozzarella, and there are regular specials available.

Young Joni is a hip restaurant from James Beard Award–winning chef Ann Kim, with a menu of signature wood-fired pizzas showcasing innovative flavors. One of the most popular is the Korean BBQ, with beef short ribs, mozzarella, scallions, arugula, and sesame soy chili vinaigrette. Another favorite is the Basque (pictured), with chorizo, mozzarella, goats' cheese, piquillo peppers, red onions, olives, and preserved lemon. There's a hidden back bar that's accessed via an alleyway at the side of the restaurant; when the red light is on, the bar is open.

TriBecca Allie Cafe receives outstanding reviews for its wood-fired pizzas, and operates on a fast-casual basis, with no table service (but limited seating indoors and outside on the patio), and the option for takeout. There's a menu of eight signature pizzas, or you can create your own. Calzones, stromboli, and flatbreads are also available, alongside daily specials and desserts.

This cozy, candlelit pizzeria, dating back to 1928, serves a large menu of wood-fired pizzas using ingredients from local sustainable farms. Pizzeoli favorites include the Lumberjack Snack pizza, with mozzarella, bacon, pepperoni, and sweet peppers, and the Butterbird, with homemade Bourbon butter BBQ sauce, chicken, smoked gouda, and smoked mozzarella.

There's a wide menu at Biga Pizza in Missoula, including gluten-free pizza, seasonal specials, and calzones – and if you’re indecisive, you can go half and half with toppings. Standout pizzas include the Caramelized Goat (with caramelized onions, goats' cheese, thyme, mozzarella, and garlic oil), and the Pompeii (with spinach, ricotta, roasted red bell peppers, garlic, olive oil, and mozzarella).

This gem of a pizza parlor in Omaha has a huge number of fans, who head here for consistently good sourdough pizzas at reasonable prices. Available in two sizes (for one or big enough to share), its delicious menu options include the Buffalo Chicken with gouda, grilled chicken, and Buffalo sauce, and the Spinach Feta with spinach, feta, onions, sesame seeds, and olive oil. It’s counter service–only, and has seats if you want to dine in. There's also a sister restaurant on South 60th.

DOPO specializes in artisan pizzas and Italian-inspired cocktails. Top menu picks include the Cherrypicker with mozzarella, burrata, sautéed cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and balsamic glaze, and the Fig + Pig, a white pizza with mozzarella, crumbly Italian asiago cheese, fig preserve, prosciutto, balsamic glaze, arugula, shaved Parmesan, and a poached egg. There's also a happy hour, with reduced-price Margaritas and glasses of wine.

This riverside restaurant in the historic town of Tilton has been called not only the best in the state, but the best in New England. It serves thick-crust pizza with an endless number of toppings. You can build your own, or choose from the extensive menu of specialties. Whatever you go for, they’re all said to be fresh and flavorful – and customers love how generous the restaurant is with the cheese. The salads here get rave reviews too. 

At low-key spot Pizza Den, you can choose from four signature pies – the Classic Pie (with a choice of toppings including baby kale, chicken, sausage, and ricotta), the Brooklyn Pie (fresh mozzarella, tomato sauce, olive oil, and basil), the Sauceless Pie (mozzarella cheese, ricotta, goats' cheese, olive oil, basil, and garlic), and the Tomato Pie (tomato sauce, garlic, olive oil, and fresh basil). There's also a selection of 'trending now' pizzas, such as the Buffalo Soldier, which comes topped with grilled chicken, buffalo sauce, and house-made blue cheese.

Albuquerque mom-and-pop establishment Richie B’s Pizza is said to have the best foldable New York–style pizza around. There are six options to choose from, including the Pepperoni & Pineapple and the Cattlemen’s Special (which comes with sirloin steak, mushrooms, roasted red peppers, garlic, and onions). You can order by the slice, get a standard 18-inch pizza, or build your own huge 24-inch pizza. It's also the home of the 'monster slice', which is available topped with cheese, and is claimed to be the largest slice of pie you'll ever see.

This New York institution was opened by Aj Pappalardo, the son of the founder of the iconic Joe & Pat's restaurant in Staten Island. It's home to the trademarked Tie Dye pizza, with pesto swirled on top of a tomato, mozzarella, and vodka base. There are nine pizzas on the main menu, or you can build your own. Customers love the traditional vintage interior of the small restaurant, plus there's seating available outside on the patio too.

This Neapolitan-style pizza place has two restaurants in Charlotte: one in Dilworth, and one in Providence Commons. Inizio serves traditional red sauce pizzas, including the Diavola with spicy salami, Calabrian peppers, tomato sauce, mozzarella, and pecorino, as well as a list of specials such as the Pistachio, with rosemary, sea salt, ricotta, mozzarella, garlic, and pistachio pesto. You can also order salads, cannoli, and ice cream.

A charming pizzeria and coffee bar in Downtown Bismarck, Fireflour Pizza has an amazing ambience and a lovely outdoor patio. Menu highlights include the Umbrio (with cream, mozzarella, scallions, red onions, and fennel sausage), and the Iowa (with tomato sauce, mozzarella, arugula, and prosciutto).

If you love spicy pizza, Paulie Gee’s in Columbus is the spot for you. There's a wide menu featuring super-crispy pizza squares, whole pizzas, and vegan versions. Spice fans should try the Hellboy, with tomatoes, hot salami, mozzarella, Parmesan, and honey, or the Hot Pit Brisket, with mozzarella, beef brisket, pickled red onions, and barbecue sauce.

This casual pizza joint in Oklahoma City is loved for its huge dining room and patio, amazing pizza, and reasonable prices. We love the pizza names – try the Fat Tony with ricotta, Italian sausage, and red onions, and the Joezilla with roasted chicken, red bell peppers, red onions, and BBQ sriracha drizzle. There are two additional locations to try in Nichols Hill and Tulsa.

An independent pizza and ice cream business run by Sarah Minnick, Lovely’s Fifty Fifty uses produce exclusively from Oregon farms. The pizzas here come topped with fresh greens, foraged flowers, wild mushrooms, and distinctive vegetables. Check out the Rainbow Chard pizza with crushed tomatoes, fermented chilies, carrots, olives, and capers. 

Philly's Pizza Beddia frequently appears in lists of the best pizza places in the country. In fact, it was once declared that it sells the 'best pizza in America' by Bon Appetit magazine. At this unassuming-looking spot, its all about simple, classic ingredients, executed to perfection. There are five pizzas on the menu, plus regular specials such as corn pizza (pictured). 

Opened in 1980, riverfront restaurant Al Forno is a Providence staple. Grilled pizzas are the specialty here – the restaurant pioneered this unique way of cooking them – but there's also a wide menu of other options, including clams al forno, baked pastas, and desserts like fresh fruit tarts.

What customers love about EVO Pizzeria is how you can customize your wood-fired pizza. There's a menu filled with tempting options, which also includes regularly changing specials, but you can also design your own pie by choosing a base (options include red sauce, basil pesto, and tomato garlic cream) and toppings (including speck ham, roasted oyster mushrooms, and house ricotta). You can also choose to add dips like blue cheese or garlic aioli for extra sauciness.

Based in an old Tastee Freez diner brought to Spearfish in the 1950s (and remodeled by the current owner in 2011), Dough Trader Pizza has a great atmosphere, whether you choose to dine in or enjoy your sourdough pizza outside by the patio fire, and you can order takeout too. Menu favorites include the Scarborough Fair (pictured), with marinara, sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, and cheese, and the Dear Lucille, which comes topped with alfredo sauce, sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, and cheese.

A small Tennessee chain that also has locations in Georgia and California, Slim & Husky’s made history in 2021 for being the first Black-owned business on Nashville’s historic Broadway. Pizza names here are hip-hop inspired – and customers are big fans of the California Love, a crisp, rectangular pizza covered in spinach and basil pesto, cheese, artichokes, sliced tomatoes, red onions, and shrimp. An order isn't complete without a few of the restaurant's tasty caramel pecan cinnamon rolls.

Home Slice serves crisp New York–style pizza in a hip (yet cozy) setting. You can order from a daily selection of pies by the slice, build your own pizza, or choose from the menu. Favorites include the White Clam pizza, which comes with chopped clams, extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, oregano, and pecorino, and the New York classic: pepperoni and mushrooms. There are three Austin locations, and a spot recently opened in Houston too. 

Nomad East customers compliment the restaurant’s vibe and beautiful outdoor patio, and say the brick-oven baked pizza is the best in Utah. This spot specializes in creative thin and crispy pizzas, as well as a range of sharing plates. A popular choice is the Brocc Johnson (pictured right) with garlic cream, mozzarella, Cheddar, broccolini, bacon, and breadcrumbs.

This Neapolitan pizza restaurant in Burlington is the place to go for light, puffy-crust pizzas topped with locally sourced ingredients. A favorite is the Mais, which comes topped with fire-roasted sweetcorn, crème fraîche, speck ham, mozzarella, basil, and Parmesan – and you should check out the Antipasti alla Verità appetizer with house-made mozzarella, prosciutto, artichoke hearts, and olives too. On Wednesdays it's 'buy one, get one free' on Margherita pizzas (in case you needed another excuse to visit!).

This family-run, Neapolitan-style pizza joint was set up by a couple who fell in love with Naples when stationed there while serving in the Navy. The wood-fired pizza at Pizzeria Bella Vista is loved by regulars, who rate the classic Margherita and the Salsiccia Picante, which comes topped with tomatoes, mozzarella, gorgonzola, red onions, sausage, and chilis. 

Loved by Guy Fieri from Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, Pizzeria Credo is a no-brainer for wood-fired pizza in Washington state. Meat lovers should order the Con Carne, which comes topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella, sausage, pepperoni, and chorizo. There are some delicious vegetarian options too, and an extensive menu of salads, pastas, wine, and cocktails.

This friendly restaurant, located in a cute house in the South Hills, bakes Neapolitan-style pizzas in a stone hearth oven. Pizza highlights include the Fig Jam & Rosemary, the Spinach & Feta, and the Spicy Shrimp & Sausage (which also comes with roasted tomatoes and goats' cheese). The restaurant also offers half-baked pizzas you can finish off at home.

This charming restaurant, with outdoor seating, is many people’s favorite spot for authentic Neapolitan pizza in Wisconsin. The dough is naturally fermented and cooked for 70-90 seconds at 900°F in a wood-fired oven, so it gets that perfect chewy, charred crust. The restaurant serves up regular specials alongside its usual pizza menu, including the Ilario with roasted Italian sausage, mushrooms, tomato, mozzarella, and basil. 

Described as a hidden gem, Racca’s Pizzeria Napoletana has a huge menu of non-traditional options and gluten-free pizzas – and you can build your own too. Customers adore the Lazio (with sweet Italian sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, red onions, tomato sauce, mozzarella, basil, and extra-virgin olive oil), which is so loaded with toppings, you have to eat it with a knife and fork.

Now check out the most adorable small-town restaurant in every state