Where to Find the Best Pizza in the U.S.
Delicious pies to please your taste buds!
Whether you’re a die-hard foodie or think mac and cheese is gourmet, there’s one thing we can allll agree on. Pizza. Is. Amazing. And while “the best pizza” is a matter of personal taste, there are definitely some cities that are known for their delicious pizza-making traditions.
Ready to grab a mouthwatering slice? Leave the skinny jeans at home and indulge in a slice or two (or three, we’re not counting!) in one of these cities.
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Chicago, IL
Chicago is always an amazing destination, but that goes double when you’re pizza-hunting!
The Windy City has its own, distinctive style of pizza: deep-dish pizza. Featuring a thick crust and robust tomato sauce, it’s completely different from the traditional New York-style pizza, but just as beloved.
As its name implies, the pizza is baked in a deep dish instead of the traditional pizza pan. And the resulting thick crust comes out more like a pastry, with a buttery, flaky texture that resembles a pie or cake.
Adding to the pizza’s uniqueness, the ingredients are assembled upside-down. The tomato sauce is spread over the cheese and other toppings.
Pizza Pro Tip: Have we mentioned the monstrous portion size? Between the crust and hefty helpings of toppings, one or two slices is more than most Chicagoans can handle!
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Detroit, MI
For a city known for its cars, Detroit makes an incredibly tasty pizza!
The hallmark of Detroit-style pizza is its shape. Instead of a circular pizza, you’ll get a rectangle cut into delicious, thick, squares.
Thickness-wise, the crust is somewhere in between Chicago deep-dish and New York-style thin pizza. But the texture is all its own. Typically cooked in a cast iron pan, the exterior of the crust is crispy, almost caramelized, while the interior remains light and airy.
Pizza Pro Tip: If you’re a cheese lover, Detroit-style pizza is perfect for you. There’s no “lip” on the crust, so the cheese goes edge-to-edge.
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New York City, NY
New York City might be the city for food lovers… but is there anything more iconic than NY pizza?
The Big Apple has long been known for having the best pizza in the country, which local pizza makers attribute to the high quality of the city’s tap water they mix in with the dough.
A traditional NY-style pizza features a crisp crust and pliable center, with surprisingly simple ingredients. A classic slice is made with just 3 items: a thin crust, a slightly sweet sauce made from crushed tomatoes, and exactly the right amount of cheese.
Pizza Pro Tip: Grab an oversized slice on the go and enjoy it like the locals do, folded in half so the piping-hot cheese won’t burn the roof of your mouth.
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San Francisco, CA
The City by the Bay is a foodie paradise, offering locals and visitors almost any cuisine imaginable. So it doesn’t surprise us at all that it’s also home to some of the best pizza in the country.
However, if we have to think of just one food that San Fran is known for, we’d have to choose its famous sourdough. And so do local pizza makers!
That’s right, instead of your usual crust, your pizza’s crust will be made using a sourdough starter. The mouthwatering result is a slightly tangy, chewy crust that you won’t find anywhere else.
Pizza Pro Tip: Choose pizza toppings that reflect California cuisine: avocados, goat cheese, arugula, figs, and other fresh, local ingredients are on the menu!
Ready to treat your taste buds to the best pizza in the U.S.? Then make sure you grab a slice next time you’re in one of these cities!
And to make sure your travel budget is going where it needs to go (delicious pizza!), save money by shipping your bags to your final destination with LugLess. For less than the cost of the average checked bag, we’ll make sure your stuff gets where it needs to be. Leaving your hands—and wallet—free for pizza!