These California Pizzerias Are 2022's Best, Italian Pizza Experts Say

CALIFORNIA — Where’s the best place to enjoy pizza in California? Tony’s Pizza Napoletana in San Francisco gets the nod, with Tony Gemignani being named Pizza Maker of the Year 2022 and earning the Solania Award.

50 Top Pizza, a pizza evaluation website based in Italy, recently released this year’s list of the 50 best pizza places in the United States.

Tony's was best in California and number two in all of America, with the website raving, "Tony Gemignani takes care of the leavening and chooses only artisan products for the toppings. The pizza is the traditional type but the restaurant, alternatively, offers a pan pizza and a Roman-style pizza, which is proving increasingly popular in the States."

And the final compliment for Tony's, "We suggest you try the traditional pizzas which are very well-executed and just melt in your mouth."

Also making the U.S. top 10 list is Pizzana in Los Angeles. The restaurant earned multiple awards including Pizza of the Year 2022, Latteria Sorrentina Award, and Diavola. The website noted, "The pizzas are in Neapolitan style, the dough melts in your mouth but it also has the perfect crunchy bite to the crust. The San Marzano tomato, imported from Campania, definitely shows the choice of quality that is put into account."

So what should you order at Pizzana? "The pizzas are the classic ones: the margherita and the marinara above all, among others, there are the seasonal ones."

The world’s best pizzerias are selected each year with the help of more than one thousand anonymous inspectors, many of whom visit an enormous number of pizza places across the United States.

When determining whether a pizzeria makes the 50 Top Pizza list, inspectors consider the quality of the dough and the ingredients used for toppings. They also take into account the restaurant’s service, the wine and beverage lists, and the attention and care given to customers.

New York City came out on top this year with nine of the best pizzerias. Portland, Oregon, and San Francisco came in second place with five eateries each.

Here are the California restaurants on the list:

• Tony’s Pizza Napoletana, San Francisco
• Pizzana, Los Angeles
• Doppio Zero, San Francisco
• Flour House, San Luis Obispo
• Pizzeria Mozza, Los Angeles
• A 16, San Francisco
• Del Popolo, San Francisco
• Flour + Water Pizzeria, San Francisco
• Angelina’s Pizzeria Napoletana, Irvine

Una Pizza Napoletana, located on New York City's Lower East Side and owned by Anthony Mangieri, was named the best pizzeria in the United States in this year’s ranking.

In second place this year is Tony’s Pizza Napoletana in San Francisco, and in third place is Ribalta NYC in New York.

Rounding out the top 10 are:

4) Razza Pizza Artigianale - Jersey City, New Jersey
5) ‘O Munaciello - Miami, Florida
6) Spacca Napoli Pizzeria - Chicago, Illinois
7) Song’ E Napule - New York City
8) La Leggenda Pizzeria - Miami, Florida
9) Pizzana - Los Angeles, California
10) Kesté Fulton - New York City

50 Top Pizza also awards numerous special distinctions as part of its annual list. Pizza Maker of the Year went to Tony Gemignani from Tony’s Pizza Napoletana. Best Service went to Ribalta NYC, and Pizza of the Year went to Pizzana in Los Angeles for their Diavola pizza.

The top 15 pizzerias in the United States are also in the running to be named one of the 100 best pizzerias in the world. 50 Top Pizza will announce that list at an event in Naples on Sept. 7.

See the full 50 Top Pizza USA list.