From century-old brick-oven institutions in the North End to tangy sourdough canotto pies in Cambridge, these are the pies Boston argues about. Ranked by consensus across the city's most trusted critics.
The full ranking
From century-old brick-oven institutions in the North End to tangy sourdough canotto pies in Cambridge, these are the pies Boston argues about. Ranked by consensus across the city's most trusted critics.
Florina Pizzeria (Beacon Hill)
Winner of Best Pizza at the Boston Pizza Festival two years running, Florina serves thin, crispy-crust slices and Roman-style pies from a cozy Derne Street room near the State House. The cheese slice is a neighborhood obsession.
Regina Pizzeria (North End)
Boston's oldest pizzeria, open since 1926, still cooking in its original German oven on Thacher Street. The thin, slightly charred New England-style crust and tangy sauce have made it a national benchmark.
Galleria Umberto (North End)
Thick, caramelized-edge Sicilian slices and arancini served from a lunch-only counter that closes when it sells out. A James Beard America's Classic since 2018, this cash-only North End institution has barely changed since it opened.
Santarpio's Pizza (East Boston)
Open since 1933, this cash-only East Boston landmark builds its pies upside-down: toppings first, then cheese, then sauce, producing a distinctive caramelized top. The house-made sausage is as legendary as the crust.
Picco (South End)
South End stalwart known equally for its cold-ferment sourdough pies and its scratch-made ice cream, both produced in-house daily. The name stands for Pizza and Ice Cream Company, and it delivers on both halves.
Ernesto's (North End)
A Salem Street slice institution serving oversized, foldable squares with a long roster of topping combinations. Dave Portnoy gave it an 8.3, among the best scores he has awarded in Boston.
Avenue Kitchen and Bar (Somerville)
A Somerville Highland Avenue neighborhood spot serving wood-fired pizzas, polished comfort food, and a small but thoughtful cocktail program. Reviewers consistently rate it among the most reliable rooms north of Boston for a casual but elevated dinner.
Jinny's Pizzeria (Newton)
A small Newton pizzeria run by chef Jinny Lee turning out crisp, charred Neapolitan-style pies and a tightly focused menu of antipasti and salads. Locals call it a destination pizzeria hidden in the suburbs.
Parziale's Bakery (North End)
Boston's first recorded pizza, served from a family bakery operating on Prince Street since 1907. The third-generation Parziales still bake without preservatives, turning out thick, spongy Sicilian slices with a sweet tomato sauce and golden cheese.
Quattro (North End)
Frank DePasquale's fourth North End restaurant fires Neapolitan pies in an 800-degree brick oven and spins meats in a custom rotisserie. The espresso martinis have become nearly as talked-about as the pizza.
Ranked across 6 sources: The Infatuation Boston 2024; Boston Globe Magazine Best of the Best 2025 (unordered roundup); Time Out Boston 2023; Dave Portnoy / One Bite (June 2026); Yelp · Ranked by Rating (June 2026); Google Reviews · Ranked by Rating (June 2026). Full scoring is on the Methodology tab above.
Related lists
Browse every Top 10 List, see the experts and aggregators behind them, or play the day’s puzzles.