NEEDHAM, Mass., Oct. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- TripAdvisor^®, the world's largest travel site, today announced the top restaurants and cities for pizza in the U.S., based on millions of reviews and opinions from TripAdvisor diners. The top pizzerias and cities for pizza were determined by taking into account the quality and quantity of reviews and great pizza reviews, with more weight to reviews from the past year.

"Everyone wants to know where to get the best slice and after sinking our teeth into TripAdvisor data, we delivered the top pizzerias and cities for pizza across the country," said Brooke Ferencsik, senior director of communications for TripAdvisor. "A list with a lot of flavor, it's topped by some iconic destinations for pizza along with some surprising tastes in Nashville and Anchorage. The common ingredient in all of these spots is an exceptionally delicious slice." 

Top 10 U.S. Pizza Restaurants

1. Regina Pizzeria – Boston, Massachusetts

Since 1926, guests have been flocking to Boston's "Little Italy" in the North End for a taste of Regina's famous brick-oven, thin-crust pizzas. At this local staple, known as "Boston's original pizzeria," diners wait in line for the spicy sauce, salty cheese and fresh, local ingredients.

• Signature slice: "The Giambotta," topped with pepperoni, Regina sausage, salami, mushrooms, peppers, onions, fresh basil and mozzarella cheese.
• What TripAdvisor diners say: "Perfect chewy, thin crust, lots of fresh mozzarella; the sauce has great fresh tomato flavor. This pizza was very reminiscent of pizza I had in Naples and I haven't found anything like it in the U.S. until now."

2. Bleecker Street Pizza – New York City, New York

Located in the West Village of Manhattan, "BSP" has been serving up its mouthwatering homemade sauce and classic New York foldable, triangle slices for 14 years. This tiny, authentic Tuscan-style pizza joint has recently expanded to offer additional seating for 35-40 pizza lovers.

• Signature slice: "Nonna Maria," an old family recipe with thin Tuscan crust, fresh Grande mozzarella, homemade marinara sauce, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese aged three years from Italy and fresh basil.
• What TripAdvisor diners say: "Both pies were freshly baked. The pizza dough was the perfect balance between crunchy exterior and soft interior; there was just the right amount of sauce; the toppings were excellent."

3. Modern Apizza – New Haven, Connecticut

Founded in 1934, Modern is known for its coal-fired brick oven that serves New Haven-style thin-crust pizza. It's also famous for piling on the toppings, which makes the "Italian Bomb" its most popular pie.

• Signature slice: The Italian Bomb, topped with bacon, sausage, pepperoni, mushroom, onion, pepper and garlic on a mozzarella base; available with red or white sauce.
• What TripAdvisor diners say: "I have been to Modern countless times. Always great. The pizza is thin and has a bit of a char to the crust. The sauce is very savory. My favorite topping is the sausage - perhaps the best I have had."

4. Home Slice Pizza – Austin, Texas

With more than 20 toppings to choose from, this casual pizzeria has been serving homemade New York-style slices since 2006. Guest can dine-in or grab-and-go from the take-out window and eat in the outdoor seating area.

• Signature slice: "Special Slice" of the Day (toppings change daily)
• What TripAdvisor diners say: "When we first walked in, I was in heaven just from the smell! We were able to sit at the counter, which was entertainment itself watching them spin the dough. We split the White Pizza with meatballs. It was beyond good!"

5. Moose's Tooth Pub and Pizzeria – Anchorage, Alaska

Founded in 1996, Moose's Tooth serves creative gourmet hand-tossed, stone-baked pizza. The restaurant also has a brewery onsite featuring Broken Tooth Brewing beer and even a theater section.

• Signature slice: "Amazing Apricot," topped with blackened chicken, cream cheese, apricot sauce, red peppers, carrot threads, green onions, cilantro, mozzarella and provolone.
• What TripAdvisor diners say: "This was the best pizza. What makes the pizza good is the crust. We went with the thick crust and to be honest a basic cheese showed it off. Wish I could keep a pizza warm on the flight home."

6. Juliana's Pizza – Brooklyn, New York

Patsy and Carol Grimaldi sold their famous namesake restaurant under the Brooklyn Bridge years ago, and now they're back with Juliana's, named after Patsy's mother. This Neapolitan-style pizzeria makes pies in a coal-fired oven, producing a crisp and airy crust.

• Signature slice: "Classic Margherita," with DOP San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella and basil.
• What TripAdvisor diners say: "It is the best pizza, or at least tied for the best, I have ever had anywhere. The sauce, the crust, the toppings ... oh my! The four of us ordered a large pepperoni and small margherita and left no crumbs!!"

7. Five Points Pizza – Nashville, Tennessee

This East Nashville location makes large, New York-style dough, made from scratch daily, aged in-house, hand-tossed, and topped with hand-crushed plum tomato sauce and house-shredded mozzarella. Pizzas are baked to order on two-inch bricks in old-school, gas-fired deck ovens.

• Signature slice: "Prosciutto & Basil"
• What TripAdvisor diners say: "It was really low-key and staff were great! It was tasty and crust cooked to perfection. Great choices for everyone, even the picky eaters. Get a big one — it's even great when cold the next day!"

8. Joey's House of Pizza – Nashville, Tennessee

Joey's is an authentic family-owned and operated New York-style pizzeria founded in 1999. With Brooklyn roots and Italian heritage, the staff makes hand-tossed pizza by the slice, from scratch, with fresh ingredients and Sicilian or double stuffed slices.

• Signature slice: "Joey's Specialty Pie," made with meatballs, Italian sausage, chicken, spinach, artichokes, eggplant and fresh tomatoes.
• What TripAdvisor diners say: "The crust is so delicious and the sauce, OMG, it's the bomb. The pepperoni is so flavorful, you will wonder why every pizza place doesn't use the real thing! And the cheese blend melts perfectly with those little bits of fresh, salty, delicious fresh mozzarella will make you salivate just thinking about them!"

9. Andolini's Pizzeria – Tulsa, Oklahoma

The Andolini family began near Naples, Italy, before landing in Oklahoma, where they perfected "Tulsa-style" pizza in a Roto-Flex oven. Guests can enjoy New York-inspired pizzas with imported toppings, house-made mozzarella and a sprawling beer menu.   

• Signature slice: "S.P.Q.R," made from ricotta, garlic, house-made Italian sausage and prosciutto.
• What TripAdvisor diners say: "Tomatoes from Italy, fresh house-made mozzarella and crust baked on stone. We added chicken on one side and Italian sausage on other. Absolutely wonderful."

10. Duetto Pizza and Gelato – Key West, Florida  

This small eatery in the heart of Key West serves thin-crust pizzas in more than 20 varieties at great prices. Guest who want the full taste of Italy can also try 15 homemade gelato flavors.  

• Signature slice: "Meat Lovers" made with Italian sausage, pepperoni, ham, meatballs, Italian mozzarella and provolone cheese.
• What TripAdvisor diners say: "The pizza choices are impressive. Wonderful crust, toppings were flavorful and just the right proportions. Loved every bite."

Top 10 U.S. Pizza Cities (And Where to Go for the Perfect Slice)

1. New York City, New York

• Top-rated pizzeria: Bleecker Street Pizza

2. Chicago, Illinois

• Top-rated pizzeria: Lou Malnati's Pizzeria

3. Las Vegas, Nevada

• Top-rated pizzeria: Pizza Rock

4. San Francisco, California

• Top-rated pizzeria: Tony's Pizza Napoletana

5. Orlando, Florida

• Top-rated pizzeria: Red Oven Pizza Bakery

6. Seattle, Washington

• Top-rated pizzeria: Serious Pie

7. Boston, Massachusetts

• Top-rated pizzeria: Regina Pizzeria

8. San Diego, California

• Top-rated pizzeria: Filippi's Pizza Grotto

9. Atlanta, Georgia

• Top-rated pizzeria: Antico Pizza Napoletana

10. Washington, D.C.

• Top-rated pizzeria: Pi Pizzeria

Methodology
Top 10 Pizza Restaurants in the U.S. is based on the reviews and opinions of TripAdvisor diners, taking into account the quality and quantity of reviews and great pizza reviews, with more weight to reviews received in the past year. Featured restaurants have a minimum of 4.5 out of 5 bubbles, 500 reviews and 15 locations or fewer as of September, 2018.

Top 10 U.S. Cities for Pizza is also based on the quality of pizza restaurant reviews and the quantity of pizza restaurants and their great pizza reviews, with more weight given to reviews in the past year.

About TripAdvisor
TripAdvisor, the world's largest travel site*, enables travelers to unleash the full potential of every trip. With over 661 million reviews and opinions covering the world's largest selection of travel listings worldwide – covering approximately 7.7 million accommodations, airlines, experiences, and restaurants -- TripAdvisor provides travelers with the wisdom of the crowds to help them decide where to stay, how to fly, what to do and where to eat. TripAdvisor also compares prices from more than 200 hotel booking sites so travelers can find the lowest price on the hotel that's right for them. TripAdvisor-branded sites are available in 49 markets, and are home to the world's largest travel community of 456 million average monthly unique visitors**, all looking to get the most out of every trip. TripAdvisor: Know better. Book better. Go better.

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* Source: comScore Media Metrix for TripAdvisor Sites, worldwide, November 2017
** Source: TripAdvisor log files, average monthly unique visitors, Q2 2018

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SOURCE TripAdvisor