Is pizza perfect food?
GQ food critic Alan Richman has declared the pies from Great Lake Pizza in Chicago the best in the United States. Richman traveled 20,000 miles, visited 109 pizzerias and sampled 386 pizzas. According to him, “The simple truth is that pizza in its most primal form—cheese, tomato, crust—is perfect food.”
For me, one of the world’s best luxuries is to be able to call or order pizza online and have it delivered to my door. This usually happens about every two weeks, right after I get paid, as it can get pretty expensive. That’s why it’s important, when it comes to pizza, to get the best bang for your buck.
Don’t waste a dime
If you’re lucky enough to live in Chicago, Great Lake Pizza is the obvious choice to get the most for your money. However, I hope the owner is talking to money lenders right now about getting some capital to stock up on product.
Small, single-owner Great Lake Pizza in Chicago is undoubtedly about to get a big jump in business now that Richman’s recommendation has made it to the public. Richman named the top 25 best pizzas in the country, and I’ve picked a few that are scattered around the U.S. so you can pick the one closest to you and make sure you don’t waste your money on sub-par pizza.
Lucali in Brooklyn
If you live in New York, Richman says your money will be well-spent at Lucali in Brooklyn. This place holds the No. 2 spot on the list, which is pretty impressive because it has only been around for three years.
West Coast: Pizzeria Delfina, San Francisco
Not only does Delfina have the best crust and overall pizza in the West, it’s surprisingly inexpensive. Richman got a pie there for $10 — pretty good for handmade, gourmet fare. Delfina is No. 3 on Richman’s list.
Pizzeria Bianco, Phoenix
For those who live a little farther south — in Arizona, to be exact — your hard-earned pizza money will be best spent at Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix. He recommends the Margherita with prosciutto. Bianco is No. 4 on the list.
Pizza in Michigan
As is often the case with many things, the Midwest seems to be largely overlooked in this study, despite the winning spot in Chicago. Serious pizza connoisseurs in Michigan might be tempted to visit Great Lake Pizza in Chicago. However, three pizza places in Michigan made the list.
After a sprinkling of pizza places in New York, New England and California, Luigi’s “the Original” in Harrison Township, Mich., shows up at No. 13 on the list for its gourmet veggie pizza. If you prefer a simple pepperoni pie, head to Tomatoes Apizza in Farmington Hills. That place makes No. 21 on the list. Niki’s in Detroit is No. 24 in the country, according to Richman.
Pennsylvania pies
Two Pennsylvania pizzerias made the list, both in Philadelphia. Tacconelli’s in Philadelphia holds the No. 9 spot for its “white pie.” Osteria sits at No. 22 for its “zucca pie,” which is topped with squash, raisins and pine nuts.
Check out Richman’s 13-page account of his pizza journey, where he names Great Lake Pizza in Chicago the best in the country, at men.style.com, and don’t waste your money on mediocre pizza ever again.
