Pizza in Philadelphia: The Ultimate Guide
A list of some of the best pies in the city, from classics to newcomers and everything in between.
Pizza at Eeva | Photo by Ted Nghiem
Philly has always had its act together when it comes to pizza.
We’ve got our long history of Italian immigration to thank for that. Our generations-deep bench of pizzaiolos and wood-fired, Neapolitan-style bonafides. We’ve had pizza in this city for as long as there has been pizza anywhere — Philly could always stand proudly alongside the best pizza cities in America when it came to thin crust, New York-style or authentic Italian pies.
But then things got even better here. We went through a weird, out-of-the-blue pizza renaissance whereby our already very good pizza scene got catapulted into excellence thanks to the efforts of a few pizza obsessives who believed that Philadelphians would put up with just about anything — long lines, strange hours, unusual restrictions, limited menus, byzantine ordering policies — in order to get their hands on pies that weren’t just good for Philly, but some of the best in America.
The Pizza in Philadelphia You Must Try First
Pizzeria Beddia | Photo by Ian Shiver
Pizzeria Beddia, Fishtown
What is there to say about Pizzeria Beddia that hasn’t already been said? It was once named the best pizza in America, and it still very well might be. Maybe even better for the fact that you can sit down, have a glass of wine and some excellent appetizers, too. 1313 North Lee Street.
Eeva, Northern Liberties
Take one look at the perfectly spotted, minimalist pies from Eeva, and you’ll see why this naturally leavened, Neapolitan-ish spot has quickly made a name for itself. 310 Master Street.
Stina Pizzeria, South Philly
Go here for the perfect Neapolitan pies with rotating toppings (spicy soppressata, short rib bacon, eggplant and kale, the list goes on) but don’t skip the Turkish pide. The glorious, glorious merguez-stuffed one, especially. 1705 Snyder Avenue.
Sally, Fitler Square
Another big win for Fitler Square is Sally, a small-plates and natural-wine spot with sourdough pizzas and weekend dinner specials that are all the rage. 2229 Spruce Street.
Pizza Jawn, Manayunk
Pizza Jawn went from being a very popular pop-up to being a very popular brick-and-mortar in Manayunk. Their signature sesame-coated crust is actually different from a lot of what you’ll get at other pizza places in the city, and the around-the-block lines have finally died down, so you can actually get your hands on it. 4330 Main Street.
Pizzata Pizzeria, Fitler Square
Davide Lubrano and Vinny Gallagher have worldwide pizza-cooking experience, and they’ve brought all that skill to this Fitler Square spot that has quickly become something of an obsession for pizza-loving Philadelphians (a.k.a. all Philadelphians). 240 South 22nd Street.
Down North Pizza, Strawberry Mansion
Muhammad Abdul’s pizza spot has been much discussed for its mission-driven focus on employing formerly incarcerated people, but the Detroit-style pies, wings, loaded hand-cut fries and milkshakes are worth just as much discussion. 2804 West Lehigh Avenue.
Circles + Squares, Kensington
Daniel Gutter started out as an apprentice to Joe Beddia at the original location of Pizzeria Beddia, then pivoted to pop-ups, and finally went brick-and-mortar in 2019. Since then, he’s expanded to two more locations with slightly different menus. (Find those below.) But the original remains beloved for its square, thick-crust, expensive, delicious Detroit-style pan pizza. 2513 Tulip Street.
Tacconelli’s, Port Richmond
Tacconelli’s has been operating for five generations — since before World War II. What started as a bread bakery working out of a single handmade brick oven became a place for tomato pie in 1946. After 70-odd years, the brick oven finally had to be rebuilt. And today, Tacconelli’s still operates as a small, busy BYOB tomato-pie supplier that’s so popular it’s suggested that you call to reserve your share of the day’s dough in advance. 2604 East Somerset Street.
La Rosa Pizza, South Philly
Another place slinging square pies, La Rosa is one of those neighborhood joints that’s just perfect as-is. Simple, friendly, and operating on what is certainly not the prettiest block of Broad Street, it’s worth checking out both for the traditional thick-crust, cheese-and-pepperoni pies and the excellent pie topped with thin-sliced potato and rosemary. 2106 South Broad Street.
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Pizza Shackamaxon, Fishtown
This is the joint that took over the space where Pizzeria Beddia used to live. Big shoes? Hell, yes. But a couple of property developers decided to buy the space and staffed the kitchen with veteran New School pizza makers, and now they’re pumping out pies by the slice for the neighbors and keeping the spirit of pizza innovation alive in Philly. (There’s still no phone.) 115 East Girard Avenue.
Osteria, Fairmount
Osteria has had a wild run these past few years — changes in ownership, a brief renovation and re-opening — but at the moment, it’s firmly in the hands of Schulson Collective, and the menu feels … familiar. Very. Look, one of the first truly great pizzas to ever grace this city was at the original Osteria when it opened over a decade ago. And they’re all still available — the Parma, with its prosciutto, fontina and mountain of arugula in the middle, and, of course, the Lombarda with sausage, egg and cheese. 640 North Broad Street.
Santucci’s, multiple locations
Another square pie with a long history in and around Philly. There are people who swear by these places — run by three different branches of the original Santucci family — scattered around the Northeast and points south (where the Original Square branch scored a Best of Philly). They’ll fight you over which one is best. But really, they’ve all got that same low-walled, Philly-not-Detroit squareness and a pillowy dough that you can’t find anywhere else.
Wm. Mulherin’s Sons, Fishtown
The Spicy Jawn has long been a favorite from this Best of Philly winner. It’s smart, thoughtful, different, delicious — everything you want from a pizza made to defy conventions in a town built on them. But we would humbly put forth the Double Margherita (like a normal margherita, but with burrata) as equally good, equally groundbreaking and, frankly, just plain better. Actually, forget humbly. 1355 North Front Street.
Lorenzo & Sons Pizza, South Street
Enormous slices, drippy and cheesy, served from the heart of South Street until midnight. And while there’s nothing fancy about it, these slices are famous for being among the most satisfying drunk foods ever. 305 South Street.
The Best Pizza in South Philadelphia
Rosario’s | Facebook
Rosario’s Pizzeria, Point Breeze
Rosario’s does, among other things, Mexican-style pizzas. Kinda. More accurately, Rosario’s does a kind of Philly-Italian-Mexican fusion which results in things like pizza al pastor with guajillo chili sauce or Choriqueso Pizza, with salsa, chorizo, portobello mushrooms and a mix of mozzarella and Chihuahua cheese. It’s weird but undeniably cool — and also quite delicious. 1501 Wharton Street.
Uncle Oogie’s, South Philly
Phenomenal old-Italian-grandma pies in South Philly. The “Old Italian” is the classic — square, thin-crust, garlic, basil and mozzarella, topped with sweet Italian sausage and peppers on request — but the classic sauce and cheese, the whites, and the gourmet pies are solid, too. Hell, they even do breakfast pizza if that’s your kind of thing. 36 Snyder Avenue.
Pizza Plus, Passyunk
The people of South Philadelphia were delighted to welcome Dan Gutter’s Pizza Plus to the neighborhood just in time for March 2020’s shelter-in-place order. The sibling restaurant to Circles + Squares in Fishtown, this takeout-only spot does pan pies and hand-tossed pies, plus curly fries, buffalo chicken sandwiches, and smash burgers. 1846 South 12th Street.
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Nomad Pizza, Bella Vista
Nomad does fantastic Neapolitan pizzas, blistered by the heat of the wood-fired oven, that are truly worth your time and attention. 611 South 7th Street.
Marra’s, East Passyunk
Marra’s is a full-on Italian restaurant that also happens to bang out some impressive brick-oven pizza on East Passyunk. There’s not many surprises on the menu, but the Marra family has been running this place for 90 years, and you gotta respect that when it comes to slinging pies. 1734 East Passyunk Avenue.
Square Pie, Queen Village
Chef Gene Giuffi (ex of Cochon, which used to live in this space) takes a lot of pride in his long-fermented pizza dough. He takes a lot of pride in being able to bring his Brooklyn-style thick-crust pizza to Philly after missing it for years. He takes a lot of pride in being able to do this modern-style dine-in/takeout casual version of a neighborhood pizzeria and in the artisan toppings he throws on his traditional square pies. And you can taste that pride in every Best of Philly-worthy pizza that Square Pie serves. 801 East Passyunk Avenue.
Emmy Squared, Queen Village
This now-national chain started in Williamsburg but has somehow managed to integrate smoothly into Philly’s restaurant scene. Head there for crispy-edged Detroit-style square pies with toppings ranging from classic margherita to the Tony Luke, topped with broccoli rabe, bacon, hot peppers and provolone. 632 South Fifth Street.
Angelo’s Pizzeria, Bella Vista
Beloved (and a Best of Philly winner) in Haddonfield, Angelo’s took over the former Sarcone’s Deli space at 9th and Fitzwater Streets early in 2019. But they brought with them their menu from the original location, and the recipe for that long-fermented, chewy, slightly sour crust that made them famous in the first place. Shoutouts from national publications have made the lines longer (sometime very long), but the quality remains excellent. 736 South 9th Street.
The Best Pizza in Rittenhouse, Midtown Village and Society Hill
Rione | Facebook
Rione, Rittenhouse
Rione scored a Best of Philly because it’s doing pizza in a very classic, Roman style — square pies, tray-baked and served al taglio, by the slice — very well. Chef-owner Francesco Crovetti comes to Philly by way of Rome, so he knows what he’s doing. His menu is local, seasonal and made by hand. 102 South 21st Street.
Barbuzzo, Midtown Village
You gotta be cool with being packed in pretty close to your neighbors at Barbuzzo. But it’s worth it, because the pizzas at this dependable Mediterranean restaurant from Marcie Turney and Val Safran have been drawing crowds for years. Everyone talks about the Uovo with its Brussels sprout leaves, guanciale and truffled egg, but the Maiale — with prosciutto, pancetta, San Marzano tomato sauce and a fistful of arugula — is also a killer option when it’s on the menu. 110 South 13th Street.
Pizzeria Stella, Society Hill
Too often overlooked in the debate over Philly’s modern pizza excellence, Stephen Starr’s entry into the pizza game remains a solid contender, offering beautiful round pies topped with ingredients like wood-roasted sausage, hot pepperoni from Abruzze, smoked mozzarella and truffled burrata, all from a tiled, wood-burning oven in the middle of an open kitchen. 420 South 2nd Street.
Alice Pizza, Center City
It’s pronounced ah-LI-che. It’s very Italian, serves pizza al taglio, and has a bar. The company has over 100 locations in Rome. And now they’ve got one in Philly. 235 15th Street.
Metropolitan Café, Rittenhouse
Metropolitan took a different direction with their revamped Rittenhouse cafe — pizzas made with local flour that’s milled and blended in-house, baked ’til blistered and crisp. Hey, they’re dough people — are we really that surprised? 264 South 19th Street.
Sidecar Bar & Grille, Grad Hospital
Sidecar Bar seems to have jumped onboard the Detroit pizza train. They’ll do red or white bases and then let you pick your own toppings. Pair with classic bar snacks. 2201 Christian Street.
Good Luck Pizza Co., Midtown Village
Marcie Turner and Valerie Safran have long demonstrated they know Italian food via hit restaurant Barbuzzo. Now, with Good Luck Pizza Co., they’ve turned their attention to the trendy, thicker-crust, Grandma-style pies that have recently taken Philadelphia by storm. Particularly notable is their actually excellent gluten-free crust, which is long-fermented for a real-dough flavor and texture. 105 South 13th Street.
The Best Pizza in Fishtown, Kensington, Chinatown and Northern Liberties
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Pizza Brain, Kensington
This crew may not have begun the chef-y, artisanal, anti-traditional pizza movement in Philly, but they certainly put the most recognizable face on it. Here, every pizza has a name (the “Buffy Earnst,” the “Forbes Waggensense”) and is loaded with anything from barbecue sauce or brisket to horseradish and dates. Thing is? The pizzas from Pizza Brain can also be amazing, and the irreverent sense of humor serves them well in a crowded market. 2313 Frankford Avenue.
Hook & Master, Kensington
Hook & Master’s concept is, admittedly, a bit all over the place. They do tiki cocktails, seafood-driven small plates and three types of pizza: Chicago pan-style, Brooklyn-style and tavern-style. Somehow, though, they’re all quite good. 1361 2nd Street.
Del Rossi’s, Spring Garden
Every neighborhood pizza place in Philly should serve cheesesteaks, and Del Rossi’s does them well. But the highlight is still the pizzas, which they offer with classic toppings in round and square Brooklyn-styles. 538 North 4th Street.
Spuntino Wood Fired Pizzeria, Northern Liberties
Spuntino hasn’t been around long enough to really be called a classic, but it’s certainly putting out pizzas in a classic style. We’re talking red and white Neapolitan pies, done in a wood-fired brick oven, and topped with very Italian ingredients — everything from Sicilian tuna and red onion to anchovies, olives, and capers or prosciutto, arugula and fresh buffalo mozzarella. 701 North 2nd Street.
Wood Street Pizza, Chinatown
Wood Street is everything a neighborhood pizza joint should be: a friendly, very delicious pizza spot with a focus on making everything from scratch. Oh, and they have cheesesteaks. 325 North 12th Street.
The Best Pizza in University City and West Philly
Pitruco | Facebook
Enjay’s Pizza, University City, at Smokey Joe’s
Okay, so this place was born from a collaboration between the guys from Pitruco (mentioned below), and the crew from 80-year-old UCity bar Smokey Joe’s. It’s basically a half-secret, extra, non-wheeled version of Pitruco’s best pies, plus burgers, garlic knots and some sandwiches. 210 South 40th Street.
Dock Street Brewery, West Philly
Try the Flammenkuche with creme fraiche, gruyere, caramelized onion, bacon and fresh herbs — or the Mellow Yellow that uses spicy brown mustard as a sauce. 701 South 50th Street.
Pizza Plus West, West Philly
Dan Gutter’s latest outpost has the largest menu yet: Smoked wings, chicken nuggets and burgers round out the pizza-focused spot. Gutter’s beloved pan-style pies are on the menu, as are thinner, hand-tossed pies, which also happen to be delicious. 4814 Spruce Street.
Clarkville, University City
Nearly the perfect neighborhood restaurant, this family-friendly shop overlooking Clark Park does creative, original pizzas for those who’d never dream of serving their kids Papa John’s. Seriously: The potato pizza is awesome, the Danger Pie has some real heat, and the Honey Pie with shaved Brussels sprouts, onion, bacon, cheese, and sriracha-spiked honey is wildly original. 4301 Baltimore Avenue.
Pitruco, mobile and University City
It was impressive enough that the crew from Pitruco was able to make excellent wood-oven pizzas from a food truck. But now they also serve out of Franklin’s Table, Penn’s food hall in University City. 3401 Walnut Street.
The Best Pizza in Fairmount, Brewerytown and Northwest Philly
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Earth Bread + Brewery, Mount Airy
Flatbreads are what they serve here. But really, what are flatbreads but long, thin-crust pizzas? These are done in a wood-fired oven — and in variations mostly recognizable as pizza. But the best ones are wilder, like the Nashville Hot Chicken topped with fried chicken, brown-sugar hot sauce, fontina, pickles and a swirl of buttermilk ranch dressing. 7136 Germantown Avenue.
Pizzeria Vetri, Fairmount, Rittenhouse and King of Prussia
Yeah, the rotolo will always be the star here. But it should be said that the pizzas — all of them creative, considered, grounded in Italian tradition and ingredients — are also very solid. Not the thing you want if you’re looking for some quick, in-and-out neighborhood pie that’s all grease and drippy cheese. But if you’re after a nice tuna pizza or some prosciutto crudo pizza with buffalo mozz and parmigiana, some roasted potatoes, meatballs on the side, and a beer or a glass of wine to go with it, Pizzeria Vetri might be your jam. 1939 Callowhill Street; 1615 Chancellor Street; 640 West DeKalb Pike.
The Best Pizza in the Philly Suburbs
Cacia’s Bakery | Facebook
Cacia’s Bakery, multiple locations
Cacia’s has been around for more than 60 years. They’re a family business with six locations (one in South Philly and several in the surrounding suburbs on both sides of the Delaware) and a dedication to serving all the varieties of pizza that make Philly tick — even the weird ones. So yeah, you can get a Pizzazz here. Or a hoagie pizza. Or a tomato pie. Or the typical red and white varieties.
Pica’s, Upper Darby, West Chester
This Best of Philly winner is a Delco icon, and not just because it’s a famous favorite of area native Tina Fey. They’ve been turning out killer rectangular pies and other red-gravy Italian fare for six decades. Head to Upper Darby (or, if you’re out that way, West Chester) for a taste. 7803 West Chester Pike; 1233 West Chester Pike.
Olce Pizza Grille, Skippack
Casual, family-friendly and as creative as they come, the menu at Olce reads like a primer on the versatility of pizza as an art form. The B.L.G. pie with bacon, leeks and gruyere is always dependable. The pistachios on the bianco elevate it beyond all the classic white pies out there. And, in season, the roasted corn pizza is one of the true wonders of the Philly pizza renaissance. 3401 Skippack Pike.
