Maryland Pizzeria Among 101 Best Pizza Joints In Nation

DARNESTOWN, MD — From the thin, cripsy crust to the house-made sauce to the farm-fresh toppings, we take our pizza seriously. And we have some pretty amazing pizza worth driving out of the way to enjoy with friends and family.

One Maryland restaurant is being recognized nationally by the fine dining website The Daily Meal, which recently ranked the 101 Best Pizzas In America for 2017.

"We know that no list is perfect, least of all one involving a subject about which people feel as strongly as they do about pizza," writes The Daily Meal. "Unlike many arbitrary lists, though … these rankings were approached methodically and comprehensively, and bring a great deal of pizza expertise to bear."

Some of the judges are based in New York, which scooped up 35 of the rankings. Illinois came in second with 12, followed by California.

At No. 101 on the list is Inferno in Darnestown, 12207 Darnestown Road. Here's what the website says of the pizza place:

"Chef Tony Conte honed his chops as executive chef of D.C.’s Oval Room and executive sous chef at New York’s Jean-Georges before decamping to the D.C. suburbs to open Inferno, his vision of an authentic Neapolitan pizzeria. The centerpiece of the casual restaurant is a custom-tiled wood-burning oven, and it’s turning out a roster of pies that changes seasonally, based on what’s fresh and local. If you want to hug the baseline, stick with the classic D.O.C. Margherita, simply topped with San Marzano tomato sauce, fior di latte, olive oil, and basil, but be sure to order at least one other pie: the pizza with ember-roasted potatoes, roasted onions, and smoked mozzarella. There’s almost a pizza-as-naan thing that happens, and it’s really something special."

Hours for Inferno are 5 to 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday; 5 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; closed Monday and Tuesday. Although the website notes the restaurant is open "until we're out of dough."

SEE ALSO:

• 3 Maryland Restaurants Among 100 'Most Scenic' In America: Open Table
• This Is Maryland's Most Popular Restaurant, New Survey Says
• 2 Baltimore Eateries Among America's Best Brunch Spots: OpenTable
• Dickerson Eatery Among America's Best Brunch Spots: OpenTable
• Two Annapolis Restaurants Name Best Seafood Dives
• One Maryland Eatery Among 'Top 100 Most Romantic Restaurants In America'

View The Daily Meal's complete ranking of the 101 Best Pizzas in America for 2017.

--Patch Editor Paige McAtee contributed to this article; Image via Pixabay