For the love of Pizza

Ever since I laid my eyes on that first Little Caesars pizza as a youth I've held a unique fascination with the ubiquitous pie. It has come in many shapes, styles, and interpretations and I'd like to think I've tried most of them. As I've matured my tastes and pizza access have evolved. I've reached a point in my life where I feel like I've explored most of the major centers of pizza excellence and I now will take a moment to document the places that have brought me the most bliss.

So, in no particular order, are my favorite 10 pizza spots. Feel free to add in a few of your own.

1. Pizzeria Da Baffeto (Rome, Italy)- The gold standard. It has the history, the location, and the perfect pie. Old Man Baffeto (pictured right) has been personally serving pizza to local and foreign patrons since the early 1960's.
   
2. Pizzeria Bianco (Phoenix)- This local spot earned love from Oprah and was touted by NY Times as the best pizza in America. It's a great place but I must wonder if it is truly worth all of the accolades that are thrown upon it. Be prepared to wait and take advantage of the nearby Bar Bianco for drinks and good company. For me the dinner begins and ends with the wise guy. It is a hearty and smoky treat featuring the best fennel sausage I've ever tried.
   
3. Tomassos (San Francisco)- The place has a long and storied history and claims to have the first wood fired pizza oven on the east coast. Evidently this was a favorite of Francis Ford Coppolla as he was writing the screenplay to the Godfather. The place is small and cramped and very crowded. Deal with it and enjoy the ease at which the seasoned staff handles the throngs of pizza loving pilgrims. As expected the pizza is top notch and the salads are bounteous and flavorful.
   
4. Setebello (Salt Lake City)- A much needed boost to the dearth of quality pizza in Salt Lake. Only around for a couple of years the place has quickly established itself as the standard for quality in the area. Read the website and be impressed with the lengths that ownership goes to ensure that your pizza is as close to the Naples original as possible. The result is an incredibly smoky and light crust that is complemented by some incredibly fresh and vibrant toppings.
   
5. Great Lake (Chicago)- To be honest I don't have much history with Chicago pizza. I've only been a few times and I'm typically not a big fan of the deep dish. This is the best I've tried to date. The Mortadella is the standout. It's not the type of pizza that makes Chicago famous but it is fresh and very tasty.
   
6. Frank Pepe (New Haven)- This one is sure to be on the top of most lists. My exposure to this place was a brief stopover on as part of a business trip. It was good but I don't remember much more then that. It is one this list primarily for reputation.
   
7. Target (Rome)- This restaurant was a stones throw from our hotel and was our first exposure to good Roman cuisine. While the place was pricey and trendy it's food was able to exceed our expectations. We got a standard Margherita along with several other dishes. It was simple but every ingredient sang in perfect harmony. It is absolutely amazing to witness the beauty that involves getting an excellent flavor out of a few fresh ingredients.
   
8. Cassanova Brothers(Gilbert)- While this place might be out of it's league when paired next to Baffeto or Piazzeria Bianco it provides a great pie in the style that we grew up with. It is loaded with cheese and goodness. The ownership really makes this place standout. They are NY natives and they do a superb job of bringing the bronx to Gilbert. You will go there for their great White Pizza and you will leave like you are part of the family. A great local place that merits your patronage.
   
9. Sauce (Phoenix)- The lone chain of the bunch. This place is the gastronomic brain child of the prolific Fox Restaurant Group. They've succeed in creating a pizza that is cheap, light, and tasty. A great pizza that doesn't leave you weighted down. A great option for those of us stuck in the land of Chili's and Suburbia.
   
10. La Grande Orange (Phoenix)- This is part of the overly trendy grocery store that is located in the overly trendy part of town, Arcadia. Nonetheless the pizza lives up to the hype and crowd. The roasted corn option is incredibly unique and their take on pizza is a combination of old world technique with contemporary innovation. One more thing that the place has going for it is the fact that it is located next door to the best Gelato in town, Archellino.
    

You might think that the list is heavily weighted towards Phoenix. It is. Regardless, Phoenix has proven itself as a great place to get some pizza. There is so much good pizza down here that you'd think we shared a border with Italy not Mexico.