America's best pizzerias crowned in new rankings as pizza expert gives slice of skepticism

Columbus Day commemorates a famous voyage across the Atlantic, but Americans don't have to travel nearly as far to discover some of the country's best pizza.

The 50 Top Pizza rankings of 2026 highlight restaurants from coast to coast, though what makes a pie worthy of the top spot is still a matter of taste.

New Haven, Connecticut-based food historian and pizza expert Colin Caplan told Fox News Digital that what constitutes the "best" pizza really comes down to personal preference.

AMERICA'S BEST-TASTING PIZZA CHAIN IS AN OLD-SCHOOL FAVORITE, SURVEY FINDS

Ranked lists such as those published by 50 Top Pizza are helpful for expanding palates and introducing people to and dishes to try, he noted, but there's usually some subjectivity at play.

"50 Top Pizza is a very well-respected Italian-based, chef-based site that really goes and finds what they think is the best," he said, but suggested the organization might have a slight bias toward certain pizza styles that align with its , such as Neapolitan.

Ultimately, though, good pizza is all about the love that goes into it.

"If the heart is [in] it, the pizza is going to taste amazing," Caplan said.

These are the top five pizzerias in America for 2026, according to 50 Top Pizza.

Founded in 1996 by Anthony Mangieri, this New York City pizzeria has "a stand-up example of sit-down pizza," according to The New York Times.

Eater NY called the Margherita pie "a miracle of pizza development and evolution unlike any other Neapolitan pie in the world."

Mangieri personally makes each ball of dough by hand, the website says, and he shapes, tops every pizza himself.

This is the fifth year in a row that Una Pizza Napoletana has claimed the top spot in the 50 Top Pizza USA ranking. The restaurant also placed second in the 50 Top Pizza World 2026 ranking.

Operated by chef William (Sang Woo) Joo and his wife and partner, Jennifer So, Pizzeria Sei has been serving Tokyo-style Neapolitan pizzas since 2022.

The crusts are shaped using a crimping technique that, along with a quick baking time at high heat, leads to a unique, varied texture, the website states.

Tied for second place is Tony's Pizza Napoletana, a San Francisco establishment run by 13-time world pizza champion Tony Gemignani.

In addition to Neapolitan, Tony's serves multiple styles of pizza, including Detroit, Sicilian, New York and Romana, among others. The pizzeria also placed fifth in the 2026 50 Top Pizza World ranking.

Chef and owner Dan Richer, a 2011 James Beard Foundation Rising Star Chef semifinalist, opened Razza in 2007.

The pizzeria garnered a three-star review in 2017 from The New York Times, and in 2019 it was given the distinction of Best Pizza in North America by 50 Best.

The restaurant prioritizes fresh, high-quality and focuses on constantly improving their technique.

"Each ingredient is hand-picked, down to the salt that goes on the pizza," according to its website.

Both the bread and butter are made in-house, the flour is milled nearby in Clifton, N.J., and a homegrown yeast culture is added to the crust.

Founded by Donna Baldwin and John Arena, Truly Pizza focuses on using fresh, seasonal ingredients and supporting local farmers.

At the two-story, open-air Dana Point location, guests can enjoy coastal scenery while dining on artisan pizzas — both round and square — ranging from classic cheese to umami mushroom.

The "menu is informed but not bound by tradition, and mindfully curated," the website says.