The Philly list
Rating the pizza around Philadelphia.
Philadelphia quietly became a serious pizza town — tomato pies, wood-fired Neapolitan, thick Sicilian squares, and a real Detroit-style scene. This is my running, honest take on it: where to go, what they do, and a score once I have actually eaten there. No score until I have. No paid placements, ever.
The rotation
Where I’m eating, and what to judge it on.
- On the list
Pizzeria Beddia
Fishtown · Neapolitan-ish, single-origin obsession
- On the list
Tacconelli’s
Port Richmond · Brick-oven tomato pies (reserve the dough)
- On the list
Angelo’s Pizzeria
South Philly / Italian Market · Round pies + thick Sicilian squares
- On the list
Down North Pizza
Strawberry Mansion · Detroit-style, mission-driven kitchen
- On the list
Circles + Squares
Kensington · Detroit-style pan squares
- On the list
Pizza Jawn
Manayunk · Signature sesame-crust pies
- On the list
Stina Pizzeria
South Philly · Neapolitan with rotating toppings
No score until I’ve actually eaten there. Scores fill in as I work down the list — and the list keeps growing. Got a spot I’m missing? Tell me.
The rubric
Five things, judged the same way every time.
- Crust. Char, chew, structure. Does the bottom hold a slice, and does the cornicione earn its place?
- Sauce. Bright tomato, properly salted, not cooked to a paste or buried under sugar.
- Cheese. Melt, browning, and balance — enough to matter, not so much it drowns the pie.
- Bake. Even heat, no raw center, no scorched edge. The thing a hot oven and a steady hand get right.
- Overall. Would I drive across town for it again? The only score that really counts.
Inspired to make your own instead? The make-at-home guides cover dough, oven heat, and the short list of gear that gets you there.