This 12 months was an epic 12 months for pizza! It seems like some time since I’ve been capable of say that. However the fact is that whereas many pizza locations weathered the pandemic effectively sufficient to remain afloat, there haven’t been as many thrilling openings and expansions because the pre-COVID days. However that each one modified in 2023. A New Haven fashion spot on prime of a brewery in Brooklyn? Examine. A hip slice joint working out of a basketball area? In fact. A famend chef identified for his upscale eating places pivoting to… what else… pizza? You guess. These are only a few of the spots that made my checklist this 12 months. However I’m simply glad that 2023 felt like the great outdated days (together with that darn line at Lucali, which is so long as ever). Listed here are one of the best pies I ate this 12 months:
5) LONG HOT SHALLOT PIZZA
Fini Pizza
Brooklyn, NY
In a overview of Fini earlier this 12 months — which is hooked up to (however not inside) the Barclays Middle — I known as their pies a “Slam Dunk.” I’ll keep away from any additional basketball analogies on this blurb, however suffice to say that there are a number of actually unbelievable pies popping out of the ovens a each places of Fini, which was began by a co-founder of Lilia. No pie is pretty much as good as their Lengthy Sizzling Shallot, which is topped with sizzling peppers and roasted shallots, offering a one-two punch of candy and spicy flavors on prime of what’s one in all Brooklyn’s finest new pies.
4) CHEESE PIZZA
De Lucia’s Brick Oven
Raritan, NJ
This New Jersey spot has been serving up pies for over 100 years. However it has seen a resurgence of consideration in recent times as Dave Portnoy bestowed a 9.4 ranking on it (tied for 2nd highest within the nation with Di Fara and Frank Peppe). It’s true — their extremely regarded cheese pie is so scrumptious, you’ll in all probability wish to try to end the massive by yourself. The brick oven produces a crust with simply the right quantity of crispiness. And as I chomped on every chew — the straightforward mixture of sauce and cheese elicited a way of nostalgia.
3) FUNGHI PIZZA
Lala’s
Brooklyn, NY
New Haven fashion pizza is beneath represented in New York Metropolis. And Lala’s is a welcome addition to a pizza scene that provides nearly each fashion possible. Positioned on the rooftop of Williamsburg’s Grimm Brewery, Lala’s oval formed pies are lower into roughly 10 small slices, making a single pie the best dimension to share between two individuals. The Fungi pie (shitake, maitake, thyme, mozzarella, gruyère) places all different mushroom pizzas to disgrace. Professional tip: add fermented crimson onions and a few sizzling honey to prime it off.
2) NELLIE PIZZA
Stretch Pizza
New York, NY
For a lot of his profession, Wylie Dufresne has been extra carefully related to molecular gastronomy than pizza, however his newest enterprise — Stretch Pizza — is a formidable entry into the world of sauce and cheese. After operating a pandemic pop up out of Bread’s Bakery, the total service pizzeria within the Flatiron neighborhood serves up ten pies that includes non-traditional toppings similar to horseradish, tempura crumbs and dan dan hen (these are all discovered on totally different pies). Whereas a return go to is as a way to discover the menu extra, I used to be blown away by the “Nellie” pie which is a shallot lovers dream. It options roasted shallots, pickled shallots, and fried shallots. A trifecta of perfection.
1) ALLIUM PIZZA
JBGB
Baltimore, Maryland
JBGB (which stands for John Brown Common & Butchery) doesn’t sound like a spot that may be serving noteworthy pizza. However throughout a cease there for dinner this summer season, I ordered their Allium pie (mozzarella, fontina, scallion bechamel, cipollini, candy & bitter onions, garlic oil) off of a menu that additionally features a cheeseburger, steak, pork loin and fish. When the pie arrived at my desk, I knew I’d made a good selection. To the entire garlic and onion lovers on the market — it doesn’t get any higher than this. Each chew melted in my mouth, because the scallion bechamel sauce and garlic oil fashioned a exceptional mixture of flavors. The crispy and crunchy crust was the right canvas for my favourite pie of 2023.
