9 CT Pizza Places Among Nation's Top 100: Daily Meal

In the Daily Meal's just released 101 Best Pizzas in America list, New York claims 36 of the top pizzerias in the country, but Connecticut can once again boast for the second straight year that New Haven's Frank Pepe's Pizzeria Napoletana is the No. 1 pizza in America. All hail the King.

Besides Pepe's defending its crown as the best pizza in America, there is more good news for Connecticut. In the 2017 list, Connecticut had eight of the top 100 pizzerias in the U.S. and in 2018 the Daily Meal, which is an online food bible, has increased that to nine pizzerias.

Besides New York having 36 entrants, California (somehow) has 10, followed by Connecticut, 9, New Jersey, 7, Illinois, 6, Pennsylvania, 5, Texas, 4, Washington, 3, South Carolina, 3, and Michigan, 3. Several states had one or two places to make the Daily Meal's prestigious list.

Once again, the Daily Meal's favorite pie at Pepe's is their white clam pie, which "once again reigns supreme over the land," the authors declare.

"Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana retains its crown as America’s finest pizzeria. This is a checklist destination, one you’ll have to make a pilgrimage to if you want to discuss the topic of America's best pizza with any authority," according to the Daily Meal.

How do the Daily Meal authors feel about the famous white clam pie? "This is a Northeastern pizza genre unto its own, and Pepe's is the best of all — freshly shucked, briny littleneck clams, an intense dose of garlic, olive oil, oregano and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano atop a charcoal-colored crust. It's a combination that makes this pie one of the most iconic dishes in America. The advanced move? Clam pie with bacon."

Since 2012, The Daily Meal has ranked America’s best pizzas and we take our cause very seriously, the authors say.

Here are some high-points from the list: 20 states are in the ranking this year, vs 23 last year.

Washington DC appearing on list for first time (Timber Pizza Co).

21 new restaurants added to ranking: 2 in LA, 2 in SF, 1 in New Haven, 1 in Stamford, 2 in Chicago, 1 in Portland ME, 1 in Baltimore, 1 in Clifton, NJ, 1 in Manhattan, 1 in Port Washington LI, 2 in Brooklyn, 1 in Queens, 1 in Buffalo, 1 in Charleston, 1 in DC, 1 in Seattle, 1 in Addison, Texas.

If you're wondering how the Daily Meal compiles its list, here is what they are looking for in that perfect pie.

"We believe the following qualities are basic to the platonic pie: a nuanced sauce, neither too sweet nor salty (assuming that it has sauce); good-quality, well-distributed cheese (assuming that it has cheese); good-quality and sensibly combined toppings; a flavorful, savory crust; and, perhaps most important aside from the overall quality of the ingredients, a judicious, well-balanced, and pleasing ratio of sauce, cheese, toppings, and crust that maintains a structural integrity no matter the style.

"This ranking is approached methodically and comprehensively and brings a great deal of pizza expertise to bear.

"In order to assemble our ranking, we start by building a survey of great pizzas from around the country, and we add to it each year – nearly 1,000 pizzas were considered in total this year. We then called upon a blue-chip, geographically diverse list of pizza panelists — chefs, restaurant critics, bloggers, writers, and just plain pizza authorities — asking them to vote only for places where they’ve actually eaten. All told, 59 qualified experts weighed in this year," the Daily Meal explains in its methodology.

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The nine Connecticut pizzerias to make the list are:

#80 Blue Skies, Coalhouse Pizza (Stamford, Connecticut)

#66 Mashed Potato and Bacon, Bru Room at Bar (New Haven, Connecticut)

#64 Plain Pie, Roseland Apizza (Derby, Connecticut)

#58 Special, Zuppardi’s (West Haven, Connecticut)

#57 Plain Pie, Ernie’s Pizzeria (New Haven, Connecticut)

#26 Hot Oil Bar Pie, Colony Grill (Stamford, Connecticut)

#13 Italian Bomb, Modern Apizza (New Haven, Connecticut)

#12 Tomato Pie, Sally’s Apizza (New Haven, Connecticut)

#1 White Clam, Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana (New Haven, Connecticut)

>>>Read the full Daily Meal list from 101 right down to No. 1 here.

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