ARIZONA
Pizzeria Bianco - The original artisan pizza from the most famous pizza chef in America that changed my life...maybe it will change yours, too? If you had the L.A. version it's still worth going to one of the Phoenix locations because they make their own fresh mozzarella and the result is probably the best pizza cheese that has ever existed.
Pizzicletta - It's the best pizza in a small town that I've ever had. Possibly my favorite Neapolitan dough in the country. Definitely get my favorite pizza, the Amore oi Mari. And don't skip the gelato. (Flagstaff, AZ)
Varasano's - From the genius who changed home pizza cooking by hacking his oven comes a wholly unique sourdough pizza inspired by the classic New York pizza from his youth. Jeff's flavor combinations stand out from the pack and his attention to detail is second to none. (Bucktown, not the airport)
COPENHAGEN
Bæst - It may be inspired by Neapolitan, but the pizza here is another beast, partly because they're fanatical about sourcing ingredients (like much of Denmark) or are just incredible at making their own. Bæst is consistently ranked as the second best pizza in Europe (outside of Italy), but I can't imagine one better.
ITALY
Bonci - Near the Vatican there is a truly holy place where the best al taglio (square pizza baked in pans with an assortment of cheffy toppings) pizza waits to get sliced with scissors, weighed and served. This is outrageous pizza that is truly close to god. (Rome)
Pepe in Grani - I don't think it's my favorite pizza in the world, but it might just be my favorite dough. I often hear "pillowy" used to describe crust, but this is the first pie that earned that moniker for me. Pillowy, cloud-like, heavenly pizza made with the best ingredients you could possibly get for the job. (Caiazzo)
50 Kalò - Most of the traditional Neapolitan pizza in Naples is going to taste roughly the same (i.e. great), but this was my favorite of the dozen traditional spots I tried. Don't be afraid to go to any of the spots on other lists, though. Sorbillo, Presidente, Da Atillio, and the other big names from the region are all lights out, but 50 Kalò was my favorite the week I was there. (Naples)
I Masanielli - About a half hour out of Naples, Francesco Martucci makes a much more robust and complex version of a Neapolitan pie. Insane ingredients and so many textural and flavorful tweaks to the dough make this place unskippable if you're in Campania. (Caserta)
LAS VEGAS
Good Pie - Pretty much the only pizza I'll eat in Las Vegas, but I'd eat it no matter where I was. Grandma slices are the star for a reason, but Vincent Rotolo and his team do everything well and provide exceptional service.
Pepe’s and Sally’s - Is it cheating to combine two different places? Not when they are both Top 10 in the country and practically across the street from each other. Both places traffic in coal oven scorcery that imbues a flakey char that you can't find anywhere else. Get the clams at Pepe's and the Tomato Pie at Sally's.
Emilia's Pizzeria - Four days a week, one single man (Keith Feilich) sets up in a shop the size of a shoe box and makes my favorite New York style on the West Coast. Make sure you go to Keith's site and read the instructions on how to order or no pizza for you.
Flour + Water Pizzeria - The original Flour + Water restaurant serves amazing pasta but just good Neapolitan pizza. At the pizzeria, they go breadier (and better) with a distinctly bulbous, airy crust, all while keeping all the same high-quality chef-approved ingredients. (Multiple locations in SF)
PHILADELPHIA
Pizzeria Beddia - I never had version 1.0 when it was just Joe Beddia making pizzas alone, and I had my doubts when he stopped making pies and they they started cooking on screens in the new location, but this stuff is just damn good. Small menu, great combinations and toppings, good vibes. (Fishtown)
Apizza Scholl’s - Everyone has their own vision of the ideal pizza, but if you put everyone's pick on a ven diagram, I bet Brian Spangler's Apizza Scholl's would have the most overlap of any pie. Just perfect bread with the ideal crust-cheese-sauce ratio. It's a nostalgic pie from the past that is better than any from the present.
Lovely's 50/50 - Some people make pizza, Sarah Minnick makes art. A flavorful whole wheat crust unlike any other, with seasonal ingredients and combinations you won't fine anywhere else in the world.
Scottie’s Pizza Parlor - A gourmet pizza shop masquerading as a casual slice joint. They're using primo stuff, they're killing it on both round and squares, and now they have multiple locations.
Tribute Pizzeria - Matt Lyons built up his amazing restaurant by paying homage to famous pies from other great pizzerias, but at this point people should be doing tributes to Tribute, which has excelled at every style they've tried so far. Complicating matters is that everything else on the menu is savagely good, including the Szechuan Spicy Noodles.