Hail To The King: Connecticut Pizza Again Named No. 1 In Nation

CONNECTICUT — In The Daily Meal's 101 Best Pizzas in America list, New York claimed 21 of the top pizzerias in the country, but Connecticut can once again boast, for the fourth straight year, that New Haven's Frank Pepe's Pizzeria Napoletana has the No. 1 pizza in America.

And the wind whispers, "Dynasty."

One Connecticut pizzeria was added and another was dropped off the list, which has released this week. Entering at No. 47 is BAR from the pizza mecca of New Haven. But Derby's Roseland Apizza, ranked No. 51 last year, has fallen from Daily Meal grace.

Connecticut pizzerias that did make the Daily Meal's 2020 list are: No. 47 BAR (New Haven), No. 45 Zuppardi's Apizza (West Haven), No. 43 Colony Grill (Stamford), No. 16 Modern Apizza (New Haven), No. 9 Sally's Apizza (New Haven), and No. 1 Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana (New Haven).

Moving past New York's 21 entrants, the rest of the list is all over the map. Illinois led the pack with six pizza shops on the list, followed closely by California and Nevada, both with five.

Once again, The Daily Meal's favorite pie is at Pepe's.

"Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana is a household name for pizza buffs everywhere," The Daily Meal wrote. "The New Haven-based pizzeria is famous for its signature coal-fired White Clam Pizza featuring fresh clams, grated pecorino romano, garlic, oregano and olive oil. Not only is Frank Pepe’s the top pizza destination in the country, but it’s also one of the greatest old-school restaurants of all time."

Since 2012, The Daily Meal has ranked America’s best pizzas, noting that "It can sometimes feel like there is a pizzeria around every corner, but there’s just something about a great pizza."

This year, the editors said they took "special care to highlight pizzerias from all parts of the country, as well as female- and Black-owned businesses," and focused on smaller establishments and local favorites that had been successful branching out to a few locations.

As varied as the pies on The Daily Meal's list are, there is some common ground, according to the magazine's editors

"All have many of the qualities you’d expect in an above-standard pie: saucy, cheesy slices of heaven with a doughy-yet-crispy crust and a nice flop; along with a respectable amount of grease — just enough to get the job done," the editors wrote. "Some have basic-but-essential ingredients like pepperoni and house-made sausage, while others venture outside the box with creative-yet-functional toppings."

The six Connecticut pizzerias to make the list are listed below, with links to learn more about what makes them the very best in the state:

• No. 47 BAR, New Haven
• No. 45 Zuppardi's, West Haven
• No. 43 Colony Grill, Stamford
• No. 16 Modern Apizza. New Haven
• No. 9 Sally's Apizza, New Haven
• No. 1 Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana, New Haven

Read The Daily Meal list from 101 down to No. 1 here.

See also: 2 Connecticut Restaurants Make Daily Meal's 101 Best In U.S.

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