Philadelphia is much more than its cheesesteaks, hoagies, pretzels, and Tastykakes when it comes to food. The city is also home to some of the best pizza in the United States. You don’t have to go far and wide across Philly to find some slices that hit the spot. To help you with your search, StudyFinds has compiled a list of the best pizza in Philadelphia to try on your next visit.
One of the best things about pizza? You can eat all the slices you want without it affecting your health. A study involving pizza finds people can eat much more than what normally makes them feel “full” without causing health problems. The University of Bath says young men are able to devour twice as much pizza when they push themselves. For some in the study of 22-37 year-olds, this means chowing down two-and-a-half large pies in one meal. Despite all the extra calories and fat, the British team finds men don’t suffer any immediate health issues when overindulging occasionally.
And Americans take their pies seriously, especially the locals in Philly. A recent study reveals that the average American chows down on enough pizza each year to stuff a full-sized suitcase! The state-by-state poll of 5,000 U.S. adults finds the average person can eat over half a pizza (5 slices) by themselves in a single sitting. In fact, Americans eat pizza three times in any given month — an equivalent of 180 potential slices in a single year.
Are you ready for a slice? StudyFinds has named the top five best pizza in Philly to chow down on. Did we miss one of your favorites? Let us know in the comments below!
The List: Best Pizza in Philadelphia, Per Experts
1. Pizza Jawn
Topping the list is Pizza Jawn, located in the Manayunk section of the city. “Named the best pizza in Philadelphia by Good Morning America, Pizza Jawn started as a mobile operation, but now slings its many varieties of pies from a brick and mortar in Manayunk,” writes Visit Philly. “On offer: round pies (a mix of Neapolitan and New York-style), thick Detroit style and sheet pan Grandma pizza. Toppings run the gamut for all tastes, from vegan sausage to pork and beef pepperoni.”
“Pizza Jawn went from being a very popular pop-up to being a very popular brick-and-mortar in Manayunk,” says Philadelphia Magazine. “Their signature sesame-coated crust is actually different from a lot of what you’ll get at other pizza places in the city, and the around-the-block lines have died down, so you can actually get your hands on it.”
Pizza Jawn also serves cheesesteaks — which is a Philly staple — and salads. “Manayunk’s Pizza Jawn specializes in not just one but many varieties of pizza and Philadelphians are luckier for it,” adds Eater Philly. “The round pies (a Neapolitan-New York hybrid); homey sauce-on-top grandma pies; and thick, square Detroit-style pies with cheese to the very edge are all fantastic. The shop also has cheesesteaks and Caesar salads.”
2. Angelo’s Pizzeria
Angelo’s Pizzeria in South Philly has a variety of pies customers can order. “If we played a word association game and someone said ‘Philly pizza,’ Angelo’s would be one of the first places to pop in our heads,” writes The Infatuation. “The cash-only South Philly spot has a few loaded pizzas, like their Upside Down option–a thick square pie that smothers a layer of cheese beneath tomato sauce. But the best pizza here is the simple and classic margherita. In each bite, you can taste the sweet red tomato sauce and the smooth fior di latte that’s the creamiest mozzarella we’ve ever tried.”
According to Philadelphia Weekly, “It’s the place to go for cheesesteaks, hoagies, and yes, pizza. Just as delicious as their insanely good sandwiches, Angelo’s pizza is your welcome mat to the finest neighborhood slice you’ll ever have. Whether it’s a red pie or a white one, Angelo’s delivers them on a level like very few others. In fact, it’s so good, they run a cash-only, dine-out-only joint and the lines are still long. Hail, Angelos!”
Angelo’s Pizzeria was originally located in Haddonfield, New Jersey, before moving to South Philadelphia. “In 2019, Danny DiGiampietro relocated his popular Haddonfield pizza and sandwich shop, Angelo’s, to 9th Street in South Philly, where he churns out some of the most coveted pies in the city. Order the massive, pan-style Upside Down Jawn, and you and your entire family can happily feast for days,” says Food & Wine.
3. Pizzeria Beddia
Guide to Philly says Pizzeria Beddia prepares everything to perfection. “Pizzeria Beddia was once anointed as the Best Pizza in America by Bon Appetit magazine. That’s a lot to live up to for any establishment. And while the title ‘Best in America’ is hotly debated, that this might be the best pizza in Philly is not. Chef Joe Beddia has given us a zen-like pizza experience. With obsessive resolve and unrelenting quality standards, there is no room for mediocrity here. Make a reservation and walk up to the uber-minimalistic décor of this one-time auto garage now turned pizza temple.”
“What started as a small, no-phone operation is now an always-bustling restaurant where heat-blistered wheels of pizza arrive to tables along with a long list of natural wines and local beer,” writes The Philadelphia Inquirer. “Pizzas come spanned with your choice of toppings, but ordering one of the pizzeria’s staple pies is a good idea. In particular, the ‘angry’ red arrabbiata pie is so amped with layers of lip-stinging spice — Thai chilies steeped into the sauce; pickled serranos scattered like green poker chips across every inch, their spiraling heat rising on the herbal lift of basil — that it sets a new threshold on the pleasure-pain continuum.”
If you’re in the Fishtown section of the city, Pizzeria Beddia is the top spot to get your pizza fix. “Pizzeria Beddia has come a long way since sparking national hysteria when Bon Appetit proclaimed it the best pizza in the country in 2015,” notes Thrillist. “Since then, pizza maker and owner Joe Beddia has opened a larger dining room with a full staff and dining, so you can try this top-tier pie at the restaurant or at home. Debates can still ensue on what it really means to be the ‘best pizza’ ever, but it’s much more fun to shut up, eat pizza, and enjoy the spot’s lovingly curated wine menu.”
4. Circles + Squares
The name says it all. Circles + Squares, located in Olde Richmond, is well-known for its circle and square pies. “The name Circles + Squares refers to the shapes of the two pie styles available at this Olde Richmond pie shop: traditional thin-crust circle pies and the super-popular Detroit-style square pies,” writes Visit Philly. “The square pies here, first made popular in Instagram-sensation pop ups around the city known as Pizza Gutt (the owner’s name is Dan Gutter), are cooked in a pan and have the thick, chewy texture of a focaccia and crispy edges of charred cheese. A healthy range of topping options — including pepperoni, ricotta, spinach and pineapple — allow diners to customize their pies in dozens of variations.”
“Daniel Gutter started out as an apprentice to Joe Beddia at the original location of Pizzeria Beddia, then pivoted to pop-ups, and finally went brick-and-mortar in 2019,” says Philadelphia Magazine. “Since then, he’s expanded to two more locations (Pizza Plus, and Pizza Plus West) with slightly different menus. But the original remains the standout for its square, thick-crusted Detroit-style pan pizza.”
The Infatuation explains that the wait is worth it for Circles + Squares. “You’re still likely to see the ‘out of stock’ alert when trying to preorder one online, so it’s not always easy to get one of their perfect, crispy-edged, fluffy square pan pizzas. But if you can conquer the wait, the move here is to get a pie with just cheese and tomato sauce—it’s the perfect complement to the charred crusts coated in even more crispy cheese. In addition to the signature square pies, they also do thin-crust circle pizzas that are a great option on hot days when a thicker pan pizza just seems too heavy to tackle.”
5. Pizzata Pizzeria
Rounding out the top five is Pizzata Pizzeria, located in the Fitler Square section of Philadelphia. “Vinny Gallagher and Davide Lubrano make naturally leavened pies, somewhere between New York and Neapolitan-style pizzas, out of this shop in Fitler Square,” writes The Philadelphia Inquirer. “As Lubrano says: ‘We want it to be a neighborhood pizzeria, because pizza is for everybody.'”
“Pizzata Pizzeria is the creation of two self-proclaimed ‘pizza dorks’ who make every pie with naturally leavened dough,” says Thrillist. “This makes the dough richer in aroma, easier to digest, and a celebration of the era of pre-commercial yeast. Pies are made 16-inches wide in a New York style and run the gamut from classic plain and Margherita to the Salsiccia, which comes finished with sausage and hot honey. Salads, paninis, toasts, and Italian desserts are also available to round out your pizza party.”
A co-owner’s Italian roots are brought to this popular pizzeria. “Co-owners David Lubrano, who worked at his family’s pizza restaurant in Naples, and Vinny Gallagher take their craft seriously — these New York-style rounds are sourdough fermented, wood-fired, and hit with high-quality toppings like burrata and spicy salami — but they approach the vibes of their Fitler Square pizzeria with a bit more levity: Pizzata translates roughly to ‘pizza party’ in Italian,” notes Eater Philly.
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Sources:
- Visit Philly
- Philadelphia Magazine
- Eater Philly
- The Infatuation
- Philadelphia Weekly
- Food & Wine
- Guide to Philly
- The Philadelphia Inquirer
- Thrillist
- Store Space
Note: This article was not paid for nor sponsored. StudyFinds is not connected to nor partnered with any of the brands mentioned and receives no compensation for its recommendations.