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The 24 Hottest Pizzerias Across the US Right Now

by Amy McKeever Oct 11, 2013, 11:55am EDT

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by Amy McKeever Oct 11, 2013, 11:55am EDT

It's been nearly eight months since the last national pizza heatmap, leaving plenty of time for pizzerias to generate buzz all across America. And boy have they ever. Here now is a list of the twenty-four hottest pizzerias across the Eater universe and beyond to have opened in the last twelve months. Included on this latest edition is a New York-style spinoff of Dallas' most famous pizzeria Cane Rosso (Zoli's NY Pizza Tavern), Philadelphia restaurateur Marc Vetri's latest contribution to the pizza scene (Pizzeria Vetri), and a surprise new location of a legendary Phoenix pizzeria (Pizzeria Bianco). Beyond that, there's the triumphant return of a Brooklyn favorite (Motorino Brooklyn), a New York-style joint that has taken New Orleans by storm (Pizza Delicious), and much, much more.

Many thanks to the Eater city editors for their nominations. And please remember, these are ordered geographically and not by any other ranking. Is your favorite new pizzeria missing? Feel free to leave a note in the comments. And now, to the map:

· All Pizza Coverage on Eater [-E-]
· All Eater Heatmaps [-E-]

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Note: Restaurants on this map are listed geographically.

1. A16 Rockridge

5356 College Ave
Oakland, CA 94618

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This past Spring, San Francisco's beloved A16 opened a new location in Oakland that has been dubbed A16 Rockridge. Critic Michael Bauer awarded the new restaurant three stars, writing, "San Franciscans shouldn't think that just because they have an A16 in the back yard, there's no reason to go to Oakland." [Photo: Patricia Chang]

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2. A4 Pizza

445 Somerville Avenue
Somerville, MA 02143

Visit Website

Boston's Area Four opened A4, a sibling pizzeria, in Somerville back in August. Since then, it has gotten enormous buzz for its individually sized pizzas and late-night half-price slices. Eater Boston editor Rachel Leah Blumenthal points out that there are also video games in the shop and, "The pizza is outstanding." [Photo: Rachel Leah Blumenthal]

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3. Bufalina

1519 E Cesar Chavez St
Austin, TX 78702

(512) 524-2523

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After an epic two-year long wait, Bufalina finally opened its doors this July in East Austin. Owner Steven Dilley has been firing off traditional Neapolitan-style pies in his wood-fired white tile oven alongside meat and cheese plates and seasonal salads. [Photo]

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4. Buona Forchetta

3001 Beech St
San Diego, CA 92102

(619) 381-4844

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Buona Forchetta is still heating up San Diego since its January 2013 opening. This pizzeria offers a Stefano Ferrara oven, a pizza-maker who trained at New York City's popular Keste, and a World Pizza Champion as a consultant. The small space and the buzz around it are still making for some pretty long lines. [Photo]

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5. Desano Pizza Bakery

94 Stuart street
Charleston, SC 29403

(843) 637-4225

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DeSano Pizza Bakery is Charleston's hot new pizzeria — with an original location in Nashville — that opened mere weeks ago. These pies are certified by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana and come out of ovens made of Mount Vesuvius volcanic rock. [Photo]

6. Etto

1541 14th St NW
Washington, DC 20005

(202) 232-0920

Visit Website

Washington, DC, has seen a few buzz-worthy pizza additions this year, one of which is the intimate Etto on 14th Street. Etto is a collaboration between the owners of the city's longtime pizza hotspot 2Amys and the owners of the intensely beloved beer garden Garden District. Washington Post critic Tom Sietsema gave it three stars in August, explaining that the pies here are different than those at 2Amys, but also impressive. [Photo]

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7. Falora

3000 E Broadway Blvd
Tucson, AZ 85716

(520) 325-9988

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Earlier this year, Tucson restaurateur Ari Shapiro launched what the Arizona Daily Star wrote is "what some may consider his most ambitious restaurant project." Falora Pizza & Espresso serves Neapolitan-style pies such as the margherita, bianca, uovo, and more out of a brick oven. It has been hot ever since. [Photo]

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8. Five50

3730 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Las Vegas, NV 89158

(877) 230-2742

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One of the Summer's most anticipated openings both nationwide and in Las Vegas itself was Shawn McClain's Five 50 Pizza Bar. This pizzeria has East Coast and Sicilian-style pies coming out of its wood-fired ovens. There's also a walk-up slice counter for pizza on the go. [Photo: Chelsea McManus/Eater Vegas]

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9. Flour & Stone

355 E Ohio St
Chicago, IL 60611

(312) 822-8998

Visit Website

Brooklyn-style pizzeria Flour & Stone opened in Chicago back in February with 13-inch pies that serve one or two, depending how hungry you are. Diners can build their own pies, or there are always options like the margherita, shrrom, Sicilian, and Florentine. [Photo]

10. Lucali

1930 Bay Rd
Miami Beach, FL 33139

Visit Website

Mark Iacono brought his Brooklyn pizzeria Lucali down to Miami earlier this year amid quite a bit of buzz. Though some locals seemed to have been a bit surprised by the price of a pie here, Miami Herald critic Victoria Pesce Elliott says that Lucali pies are worth both the expense and the wait to get in the door. As she writes, "There is pizza, and then there is Lucali." [[Photo]">Photo]

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11. Milkflower

34-12 31st Ave.
Astoria, NY 11106

(718) 204-1300

Visit Website

There's been a lot of buzz these days around Queens pizzeria Milkflower in New York City. Numbering among the hottest restaurants in that borough, Milkflower is run by brothers Danny and Pete Aggelatos and specializes in what else but Neapolitan-style pies. There are a few more liberties with the toppings here, such as the kale pie, Hawaiian-style pie, and pizzas topped with brussels sprouts and corn. [Photo]

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12. Motorino

139 Broadway
Brooklyn, NY 11211

(718) 599-8899

Visit Website

All was right with the world again back in June when Mathieu Palombino returned to Williamsburg with Motorino Brooklyn. The pizzeria's original location shuttered two years ago in Williamsburg, leaving New Yorkers with only the East Village for a Motorino fix. Now the Neapolitan pies are back with topping options such as stracciatella, brussels sprout, clams, and porchetta. [Photo: Daniel Krieger]

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13. Novecento pizzeria

9460 South Eastern Avenue
Las Vegas, NV 89123

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Novecento was hot enough when its original location opened up back in January, but things heated up even more with the August opening of a new Henderson location. Owner Marc Sgrizzi is churning out Neapolitan-style pies at both locations that critic John Curtas has determined go "toe-to-toe" with Vegas' reigning pizza champ Settebello. [Photo]

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14. Pig Ate My Pizza

4154 W Broadway Ave
Robbinsdale, MN

Visit Website

When the team behind Minneapolis' tremendously popular Travail closed that restaurant in April to move it to a new and bigger location, they decided to open Pig Ate My Pizza in the old space. The pizzeria then opened in May to great excitement with what Eater Minneapolis describes as "charcuterie-laden pizza" and and "airy and light" space filled with pig kitsch. [Photo: Katie Cannon]

Open in Google Maps

15. Pizza Delicious

617 Piety St
New Orleans, LA 70117

(504) 676-8482

Visit Website

New Orleans pop-up pizzeria Pizza Delicious finally opened a brick-and-mortar location in the Bywater late last year and the buzz is still going strong for these New York-style pies. The menu includes cheese, pepperoni, and margherita pies, plus daily specials that might include a vodka sauce pizza or a white pie. [Photo]

Also Featured in:

16. Pizza Pura

342 Depot St
Asheville, NC 28801

Visit Website

Asheville got a taste of Neapolitan-style pizza this year with the opening of Pizza Pura, which true to its name, aims to be an authentic to the style as can be. The menu of red and white pies includes Pizza Pura's takes on the margherita, vegetale, three little pig pie, funghi, and fig and pig. These thin-crust pies have made this one of the hottest restaurants in Asheville. [Photo]

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17. Pizzeria Bianco

4743 N 20th St
Phoenix, AZ 85016

(602) 368-3273

Visit Website

Legendary pizza-maker Chris Bianco threw everyone a curveball back in the Spring when he split his Italian Restaurant in Phoenix's Town & Country mall in two. One of the concepts to emerge from the split was a second location of his renowned Pizzeria Bianco. Slice confirmed that the pies in the new location "are indeed amazing" and the menu here even includes rotating specials. [Photo]

Also Featured in:

Phoenix’s 38 Essential Restaurants

18. Pizzeria Locale

550 Broadway
Denver, CO

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Boulder's beloved Pizzeria Locale expanded to Denver earlier this year with its Neapolitan-style pies from the team behind Frasca Food and Wine. Pizzas here are cooked in less than two minutes with a menu that includes Neapolitan classics, American classics (cheese, pepperoni, veggie, and supreme), and an option to build your own. Westword critic Gretchen Kurtz called it "the finest iteration of fast-casual that the city — dare I say the country? — has ever seen." [Photo: Adam Larkey/Eater Denver]

Also Featured in:

19. Pizzeria Vetri

1939 Callowhill St.
Philadelphia, PA

Visit Website

Last month, Philly restaurateur Marc Vetri finally opened Pizzeria Vetri, a pizzeria that Philadelphians have dreamed of since Vetri introduced the great pies at Osteria years back. Pizzeria Vetri features a gigantic Renato oven, and a menu that ranges from the margherita to pies that come topped with fennel sausage, Sicilian tuna, or proscuitto crudo. [Photo]

Also Featured in:

20. Roman Candle Baking Company

3377 SE Division St
Portland, OR 97202

(971) 302-6605

Visit Website

Though Roman Candle Bakery has been providing a caffeine fix and pastries to Portlanders for some time now, Duane Sorenson's latest hotness just unleashed its pizza menu upon the city last week. These pies are Roman-style pizza bianca, available by the slab or by the slice with toppings such as sausage, pepperoni, or mushrooms and rosemary. [Photo: Dina Avila]

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21. SeaBright

Visit Website

James Beard Award nominee Brian Hill opened Seabright pizzeria in Camden, Maine, this past Spring with pizzaiolo Matteo Maniscalco. Maine Sunday Telegram critic Nancy Heiser awarded Seabright four out of five stars for the "unexpected bliss" offered by its pizza menu. Of the pie topped with sweet corn puree, gruyere, caramelized leeks, and trumpet mushrooms she writes, "It was love at first bite that has not waned; this pie continues to haunt my memory." [Photo]

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22. Stella Barra

2000 Main St.
Santa Monica, CA 90405

(310) 396-9250

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Chef Jeff Mahin opened Stella Barra, a sister to his well-liked restaurant in Hollywood earlier this year to much anticipation. Even T Magazine covered the opening, writing, "The classic margherita will satisfy purists, while more adventuresome eaters will swoon over original combinations like house-made porchetta and shaved fennel." [Photo]

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23. Timone's

1409 N Highland Ave NE
Atlanta, GA 30306

(404) 809-2979

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Rosebud chef Ron Eyester opened Timone's in late July with pizza and pasta on the menu. Pies are on the creative side with toppings that have included the likes of roasted local squash and capers; chicken confit, artichoke, and pickled garlic; and clams with bechamel. Breakfast pizzas launched at brunch in late September, while lunch is just about to get underway on October 21. [Photo: Alex Lassiter/Eater Atlanta]

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24. Zoli's NY Pizza Tavern

202 W Davis St
Dallas, TX

(214) 942-9654

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The team behind Dallas' celebrated Neapolitan-style pizzeria Cane Rosso opened a New York-style spinoff, Zoli's NY Pizza Tavern, in August 2013. Zoli's has numbered among the city's hottest restaurants ever since, while critic Teresa Gubbins declared that it has "set a new standard for New York-style pizza" in Dallas. Pizza styles include New York slices, Sicilian, and Grandma-style. [Photo]

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1. A16 Rockridge

5356 College Ave, Oakland, CA 94618

This past Spring, San Francisco's beloved A16 opened a new location in Oakland that has been dubbed A16 Rockridge. Critic Michael Bauer awarded the new restaurant three stars, writing, "San Franciscans shouldn't think that just because they have an A16 in the back yard, there's no reason to go to Oakland." [Photo: Patricia Chang]

5356 College Ave
Oakland, CA 94618

Visit Website

Open in Google Maps

2. A4 Pizza

445 Somerville Avenue, Somerville, MA 02143

Boston's Area Four opened A4, a sibling pizzeria, in Somerville back in August. Since then, it has gotten enormous buzz for its individually sized pizzas and late-night half-price slices. Eater Boston editor Rachel Leah Blumenthal points out that there are also video games in the shop and, "The pizza is outstanding." [Photo: Rachel Leah Blumenthal]

445 Somerville Avenue
Somerville, MA 02143

Visit Website

Open in Google Maps

3. Bufalina

1519 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702

After an epic two-year long wait, Bufalina finally opened its doors this July in East Austin. Owner Steven Dilley has been firing off traditional Neapolitan-style pies in his wood-fired white tile oven alongside meat and cheese plates and seasonal salads. [Photo]

1519 E Cesar Chavez St
Austin, TX 78702

Visit Website

4. Buona Forchetta

3001 Beech St, San Diego, CA 92102

Buona Forchetta is still heating up San Diego since its January 2013 opening. This pizzeria offers a Stefano Ferrara oven, a pizza-maker who trained at New York City's popular Keste, and a World Pizza Champion as a consultant. The small space and the buzz around it are still making for some pretty long lines. [Photo]

3001 Beech St
San Diego, CA 92102

Visit Website

Open in Google Maps

5. Desano Pizza Bakery

94 Stuart street, Charleston, SC 29403

DeSano Pizza Bakery is Charleston's hot new pizzeria — with an original location in Nashville — that opened mere weeks ago. These pies are certified by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana and come out of ovens made of Mount Vesuvius volcanic rock. [Photo]

94 Stuart street
Charleston, SC 29403

Visit Website

6. Etto

1541 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20005

Washington, DC, has seen a few buzz-worthy pizza additions this year, one of which is the intimate Etto on 14th Street. Etto is a collaboration between the owners of the city's longtime pizza hotspot 2Amys and the owners of the intensely beloved beer garden Garden District. Washington Post critic Tom Sietsema gave it three stars in August, explaining that the pies here are different than those at 2Amys, but also impressive. [Photo]

1541 14th St NW
Washington, DC 20005

Visit Website

Open in Google Maps

7. Falora

3000 E Broadway Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85716

Earlier this year, Tucson restaurateur Ari Shapiro launched what the Arizona Daily Star wrote is "what some may consider his most ambitious restaurant project." Falora Pizza & Espresso serves Neapolitan-style pies such as the margherita, bianca, uovo, and more out of a brick oven. It has been hot ever since. [Photo]

3000 E Broadway Blvd
Tucson, AZ 85716

Visit Website

Open in Google Maps

8. Five50

3730 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, NV 89158

One of the Summer's most anticipated openings both nationwide and in Las Vegas itself was Shawn McClain's Five 50 Pizza Bar. This pizzeria has East Coast and Sicilian-style pies coming out of its wood-fired ovens. There's also a walk-up slice counter for pizza on the go. [Photo: Chelsea McManus/Eater Vegas]

3730 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Las Vegas, NV 89158

Visit Website

Open in Google Maps

9. Flour & Stone

355 E Ohio St, Chicago, IL 60611

Brooklyn-style pizzeria Flour & Stone opened in Chicago back in February with 13-inch pies that serve one or two, depending how hungry you are. Diners can build their own pies, or there are always options like the margherita, shrrom, Sicilian, and Florentine. [Photo]

355 E Ohio St
Chicago, IL 60611

Visit Website

10. Lucali

1930 Bay Rd, Miami Beach, FL 33139

Mark Iacono brought his Brooklyn pizzeria Lucali down to Miami earlier this year amid quite a bit of buzz. Though some locals seemed to have been a bit surprised by the price of a pie here, Miami Herald critic Victoria Pesce Elliott says that Lucali pies are worth both the expense and the wait to get in the door. As she writes, "There is pizza, and then there is Lucali." [[Photo]">Photo]

1930 Bay Rd
Miami Beach, FL 33139

Visit Website

11. Milkflower

34-12 31st Ave., Astoria, NY 11106

There's been a lot of buzz these days around Queens pizzeria Milkflower in New York City. Numbering among the hottest restaurants in that borough, Milkflower is run by brothers Danny and Pete Aggelatos and specializes in what else but Neapolitan-style pies. There are a few more liberties with the toppings here, such as the kale pie, Hawaiian-style pie, and pizzas topped with brussels sprouts and corn. [Photo]

34-12 31st Ave.
Astoria, NY 11106

Visit Website

Open in Google Maps

12. Motorino

139 Broadway, Brooklyn, NY 11211

All was right with the world again back in June when Mathieu Palombino returned to Williamsburg with Motorino Brooklyn. The pizzeria's original location shuttered two years ago in Williamsburg, leaving New Yorkers with only the East Village for a Motorino fix. Now the Neapolitan pies are back with topping options such as stracciatella, brussels sprout, clams, and porchetta. [Photo: Daniel Krieger]

139 Broadway
Brooklyn, NY 11211

Visit Website

Open in Google Maps

13. Novecento pizzeria

9460 South Eastern Avenue, Las Vegas, NV 89123

Novecento was hot enough when its original location opened up back in January, but things heated up even more with the August opening of a new Henderson location. Owner Marc Sgrizzi is churning out Neapolitan-style pies at both locations that critic John Curtas has determined go "toe-to-toe" with Vegas' reigning pizza champ Settebello. [Photo]

9460 South Eastern Avenue
Las Vegas, NV 89123

Visit Website

Open in Google Maps

14. Pig Ate My Pizza

4154 W Broadway Ave, Robbinsdale, MN

When the team behind Minneapolis' tremendously popular Travail closed that restaurant in April to move it to a new and bigger location, they decided to open Pig Ate My Pizza in the old space. The pizzeria then opened in May to great excitement with what Eater Minneapolis describes as "charcuterie-laden pizza" and and "airy and light" space filled with pig kitsch. [Photo: Katie Cannon]

4154 W Broadway Ave
Robbinsdale, MN

Visit Website

Open in Google Maps

15. Pizza Delicious

617 Piety St, New Orleans, LA 70117

New Orleans pop-up pizzeria Pizza Delicious finally opened a brick-and-mortar location in the Bywater late last year and the buzz is still going strong for these New York-style pies. The menu includes cheese, pepperoni, and margherita pies, plus daily specials that might include a vodka sauce pizza or a white pie. [Photo]

617 Piety St
New Orleans, LA 70117

Visit Website

Related Maps

16. Pizza Pura

342 Depot St, Asheville, NC 28801

Asheville got a taste of Neapolitan-style pizza this year with the opening of Pizza Pura, which true to its name, aims to be an authentic to the style as can be. The menu of red and white pies includes Pizza Pura's takes on the margherita, vegetale, three little pig pie, funghi, and fig and pig. These thin-crust pies have made this one of the hottest restaurants in Asheville. [Photo]

342 Depot St
Asheville, NC 28801

Visit Website

Open in Google Maps

17. Pizzeria Bianco

4743 N 20th St, Phoenix, AZ 85016

Legendary pizza-maker Chris Bianco threw everyone a curveball back in the Spring when he split his Italian Restaurant in Phoenix's Town & Country mall in two. One of the concepts to emerge from the split was a second location of his renowned Pizzeria Bianco. Slice confirmed that the pies in the new location "are indeed amazing" and the menu here even includes rotating specials. [Photo]

4743 N 20th St
Phoenix, AZ 85016

Visit Website

18. Pizzeria Locale

550 Broadway, Denver, CO

Boulder's beloved Pizzeria Locale expanded to Denver earlier this year with its Neapolitan-style pies from the team behind Frasca Food and Wine. Pizzas here are cooked in less than two minutes with a menu that includes Neapolitan classics, American classics (cheese, pepperoni, veggie, and supreme), and an option to build your own. Westword critic Gretchen Kurtz called it "the finest iteration of fast-casual that the city — dare I say the country? — has ever seen." [Photo: Adam Larkey/Eater Denver]

550 Broadway
Denver, CO

Visit Website

19. Pizzeria Vetri

1939 Callowhill St., Philadelphia, PA

Last month, Philly restaurateur Marc Vetri finally opened Pizzeria Vetri, a pizzeria that Philadelphians have dreamed of since Vetri introduced the great pies at Osteria years back. Pizzeria Vetri features a gigantic Renato oven, and a menu that ranges from the margherita to pies that come topped with fennel sausage, Sicilian tuna, or proscuitto crudo. [Photo]

1939 Callowhill St.
Philadelphia, PA

Visit Website

20. Roman Candle Baking Company

3377 SE Division St, Portland, OR 97202

Though Roman Candle Bakery has been providing a caffeine fix and pastries to Portlanders for some time now, Duane Sorenson's latest hotness just unleashed its pizza menu upon the city last week. These pies are Roman-style pizza bianca, available by the slab or by the slice with toppings such as sausage, pepperoni, or mushrooms and rosemary. [Photo: Dina Avila]

3377 SE Division St
Portland, OR 97202

Visit Website

Open in Google Maps

21. SeaBright

Camden, ME