MD Pizzerias Named Among Nation's Best: The Daily Meal

MARYLAND — The Daily Meal released its list of the "101 Best Pizzas in America" recently, and restaurants from 30 states made the cut, including Maryland. The food blog considered nearly 1,000 pizzas and looked for such qualities as a nuanced sauce, well-distributed cheese, a flavorful crust and an overall balance of ingredients.

The Daily Meal then reached out to a diverse list of pizza chefs, bloggers, critics and writers, and asked them to take a survey on the pizza shops where they actually had eaten.

At the end of the process, Maryland had two pizza joints make the rankings. The food and dining website ranked Paulie Gee’s and Inferno Pizzeria among the best in the country.

"With add-on combos, vegan options and 'secret pizzas,' there are practically too many pizzas to count, all featuring clever names and great topping combinations," The Daily Meal wrote of Paulie Gee's, which started in New York, where its flagship Brooklyn joint ranked No. 34 among the best 101 pizzas. Paulie Gee's now has outposts around the country, including in Baltimore, the food experts noted.

• Paulie Gee's, 3535 Chestnut Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21211

Among the eatery's pies at its north Baltimore location are "Stinger Bell," featuring smoked mozzarella, lemon slices, olive oil, basil and Mike's Hot Honey, and "Vegan Hampdenite," which is topped with fresh basil, vegan Parmesan and mozzarella, grape tomatoes, chilies and chili oil.

Closer to D.C., another special pizza restaurant earned accolades.

Inferno Pizzeria, located in Montgomery County, was ranked No. 82 on The Daily Meal's list.

Chef Tony Conte was nominated for a James Beard Award in 2018, and his pizzeria has repeatedly landed on Eater's essential restaurants lists.

The Daily Meal recommended Inferno's classic Margherita, "simply topped with San Marzano tomato sauce, fior di latte cheese, olive oil and basil," but added: "Be sure to order at least one other pie; we recommend the naan-like pizza with ember-roasted potatoes, roasted onions and smoked mozzarella."

• Inferno Pizzeria, 12207 Darnestown Road, Darnestown, MD 20878

The restaurant opens at 5 p.m. and stays open until the dough runs out. It's closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

Topping The 101 Best Pizzas List

Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana in New Haven, Connecticut, was named the best pizza joint in the nation for the third year in a row.

Connecticut might have had the No. 1 pizza overall, but New York led the way as far as frequency on the list, with 28 pizza places on the list of 101. New York was followed by Illinois with nine, California with seven, and Connecticut, Pennsylvania and New Jersey all with six winning pies.

Here are the top 10 overall pizzas in America, according to The Daily Meal:

1. Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana; New Haven, Connecticut
2. Lucali; Brooklyn, New York
3. Razza Pizza Artigianale; Jersey City, New Jersey
4. Pequod’s; Chicago, Illinois
5. Buddy’s Pizza; Detroit, Michigan
6. Totonno’s; Brooklyn, New York
7. Sally’s Apizza; New Haven, Connecticut
8. Patsy’s; New York, New York
9. Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria; Chicago, Illinois
10. John’s of Bleecker Street; New York, New York

See the full “101 Best Pizzas in America” list.