9 Best Cities for Top Tier Pizza

Over three billion pizzas are sold each year in the United States. The dish is incredibly popular, and for good reason. 

Not only can you save money on groceries by grabbing a pie to span several mealtimes, but there are innumerable variations of the classic dish — many unique to certain cities and states that have loyal locals claiming their pizzas are the best.

For true pizza lovers, these are the nine best cities for high-quality, delicious pizza pie worth traveling to.

Known for their incredible deep-dish pizzas, Chicago is home to dozens of famed pizzerias. The deep dish is so famous that people often have it shipped across the country to enjoy.

When cut, these thick pies resemble multi-layer cakes, and one slice could easily be an entire meal.

A few popular Chicago pizzerias that serve this decadent dish include Giordano’s, Lou Malnati’s, My Pi, and Pequod’s.

New York City is known for its pizza. In fact, America’s first pizzeria, Lombardi’s, has been in operation there since 1905.

Pizza fiends really enjoy an authentic New York slice from Brooklyn Home Slice or Famous Joe’s Pizza. Juliana’s, under the Brooklyn Bridge, is another crowd favorite.

Authentic New York slices are said to be best enjoyed by folding them in half and flicking any excess grease off the end.

New Haven is known for thinner crusts on their pizza, and for shaping them as ovals instead of in the quintessential circle shape. Their pizzas aren’t as cheesy and often have charred spots on their chewy, delicious crusts.

One of the best pizzas in country-wide rankings can be found at Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana.

Other great stops include Zeneli Pizzeria, Modern Apizza, Sally’s Apizza, and Zupardi’s.

Tulsa’s pizzerias outnumber many other types of storefronts, and the city is becoming a bit of a beacon for the dish.

Blending traditional style with New York fermentation practices and local ingredients like Oklahoma flour, restaurants like Andolini’s created what they refer to as “Tulsa-style” pizza.

Other incredible pizza spots in the area include East Village Bohemian Pizzeria, La Roma Pizza, Hideaway, and Mother Road Market.

Gourmet pizza can be found in droves in Peoria, Arizona. Some pizzerias focus on zesty southwestern flavors that pop, while additional spices in the protein combined with fresh tomatoes and peppers bring another level of heat to the layered, bubbling flavors.

You can find delightful, hand-tossed pizzas at Modo Mio Italian Kitchen, Grimaldi’s, Lil Capo, and Ray’s Pizza, among others.

Los Angeles is a mecca for food from every culture and region around the world. So, of course they have some major pizza options to choose from. With all of the diversity across the metropolitan area, it can be difficult to find a favorite.

Top pizza options in Los Angeles include Quarter Sheets, Triple Beam Pizza, Pizzana, and Pijja Palace.

Iowa hails its best pizza slice as the thin-crusted Palace Special at A & A Pagliai’s Pizza in Iowa City. This pizza comes with beef, pepperoni, mushrooms, sausage, and onions on top.

Other must-try pizzerias in Iowa City include Wig & Pen Pizza Pub, Wedge, Maggie’s Farm, and Basta Pizzeria Ristorante.

If you like a good sourdough crust, Denver, Colorado, is the place to get your pizza from. The city is known for its delicious sourdough-based pies and boasts a pretty robust pizza scene.

Try some New York pizza at Fat Sully’s or SliceWorks, or get your Detroit-style fix at Hops & Pie.

Benzina and Kaos Pizzeria offer striking Neapolitan options, or you can grab that Denver sourdough deliciousness at The Greenwich or Redeemer Pizza.

If you’re in the Pacific Northwest, there’s phenomenal pizza to be found and enjoyed in Bellingham, Washington. While the area isn’t known for its own style of pizza,, they do have great deep-dish and wood-fired options to keep your tastebuds happy.

McKay’s Taphouse and Pizzeria is a city favorite, while you can grab some incredible authentic pie at Storia Cucina, Övn Wood Fired Pizza, Zeeks Pizza, and Coconut Kenny’s.

93% of Americans are said to eat pizza at least once a month, so grabbing a hot pie will satisfy almost anyone.

There are so many ways to save money eating out, including purchasing a pizza for a family or group to share from one of the country’s top spots.