11 Best Local Pizza Places Around Puget Sound

SEATTLE, WA - Pizza is definitely not native to the Pacific Northwest. Pizza was born in Italy and perfected in New York and (yes, seriously) Connecticut. Pizza is just a round piece of bread with tangy tomato sauce and gooey cheese, but that's actually pretty hard to do well.

There are plenty of chain and local places to just grab pizza in Western Washington, but don't you want the best? Feb. 9 is National Pizza Day, so check out these killer local pizza joints to really celebrate the day.

11) Pagliacci, multiple locations - In a pinch, this local chain is pretty great. The dough cooks up nice and bubbly, and the sauce and cheese ratio is good. You can also get massive upgrades from fennel sausage to Mama Lil's Peppers. Check out the seasonal pies, too.

10) Old School Pizzeria, Olympia - This is "New York Style" pizza for real (they even have a poster of the Twin Towers inside). Next time you're in Olympia, stop in at this fun, inexpensive place. Relax in the vinyl, sparkly booths with a pitcher of Manny's, a large pie, and a poster of Hulk Hogan looking on.

9) Sodo Pizza, Seattle - Perhaps the most elusive good pizza in the region. It's consistent and New York-style, but Sodo is only open 10 a.m - 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. It's torture for anyone who loves pizza and doesn't work in Sodo during the day.

8) Village Pizza, Anacortes - Charming Anacortes is also home to one of the better pizza places in the state. This restaurant serves no-frills cheese-and-sauce pies (and of course all the standard toppings) in the downtown area. Check it out next time you're headed to the San Juan Islands.

7) Vince's Italian, Burien - Another classic spot. This is related to Pizzeria Pulcinella (elsewhere on this list) and serves great pizza in addition to other Italian classics like gnocchi, calamari, and an excellent Italian sub.

6) Nappoli Pizzeria Ristorante, Seattle - This family-owned spot in South Park is like stepping into some anonymous Brooklyn neighborhood. It's nearly impossible not to eat a whole pizza by yourself here. If you like pepperoni and a cold Peroni, this is your spot.

5) Pizzeria Pulcinella, Seattle - This place gets marks for its wonderful wood-fired pizza and its location along the southwest shore of Lake Washington. Valentine's Day is coming up, and this is the perfect place to impress a first date.

4) Olympia Pizza, Seattle - There are numerous "Olympia" pizza places in Seattle. The one we're referring to is on Capitol Hill along 15th Avenue (although the ones in Queen Anne and Wallingford are fine). This place offers comfortable booths and pizzas that could be described as Greek-style. That is, the crust is near deep-dish thick, and the toppings are stuffed under a molten layer of mozzarella. You will be taking leftovers home.

3) Proletariat, White Center - A unique, family-friendly pizza spot in White Center that is consistently good and unique. The crust is somewhere between New York and Chicago, with a fluffy round edge and a flat, crispy bottom. The topping choices are wide, from vegan sausage to real sausage.

2) Windy City Pie, Seattle - This deep dish pizza might be the best on Earth let alone Seattle or Chicago. You will dream of this pizza after you taste it. Plus, it's attached to Holy Mountain, one of the better beer spots in Seattle.

1) Italian Family Pizza, Seattle - Why is Italian Family No. 1? Because this is pizza. Italian family serves enormous, gigantic, delicious pizza. The owners are from Philadelphia and they have brought an East Coast pizza attitude to the Pacific Northwest. If you want "real" pizza, the dictionary definition, this is the place to get it.

Honorable mentions: Flying Squirrel, Brooklyn Bros. (Everett), Bar del Corso, Mioposto Pizzeria, Delancey, Ridge Pizza, Sizzle Pie.

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