Top 10 pizzas of 2022: A retrospective.
Top 10 pizzas of 2022
#10: Sant’ Isidoro Pizza e Bolle (Rome) fried artichoke, parmesan and curly parsley pizza. On the edge of a normal neighborhood, close to the Tiber, the via Oslavia location of Sant’ Isidoro Pizza e Bolle served the best lunch of a five-day stay in the capital. A second pizza (anchovies, breadcrumbs, marinara) was almost as excellent. In-season, perfectly fried artichokes changed this pizza from excellent to otherworldly. (April 8th, 2022)
#9 La Sorgente (Abruzzo) “Pizz’ e Foje” Mustard greens. Turnip tops. Local cow’s milk cheese. Honey. Sweet pepper from Altino. Orange zest. This gets the ‘Going for it: wild ideas that work’ award for 2022. Adherence to indigenous flavors kept exuberance from tipping over into foolishness. The crust was referential of pizzas from Rome, not Napoli. The flavors were entirely Abruzzese. (July 10th, 2022)
#8 All Souls Pizza (Asheville) Pepperoni pizza with peppers, parsley, marinara. I had nice takeout from All Souls Pizza in 2021. Their full re-opening has been accompanied by an unmissable upswing in overall food quality, and a reminder of why it’s one of my long-term favorite spots. The crust is as good as it has ever been. Come for the pizza, stay for the delicious new soft serve. (Nov. 2, 2022)
#7 Pizzeria Toro (Durham) Pepperoni with peppers, sungold tomatoes, and mozzarella. 2022 was a back-to-basics year for me. This classic combo, on top of Toro’s distinctive crispy crust, really resonated. It’s the pizza that cravings are made of. (Sept. 8, 2022)
#6 La Gatta Mangiona (Rome) If this list was rating total dining experience, I’d move La Gatta Mangiona close to the top. Even though I’m feline-phobic, the omnipresent cat-themed art is charming. The neighborhood family restaurant vibes are strong. And the double-crusted, rich as Bezos carbonara pizza is a gut-busting winner. After some dalliance with cannellini bean and carciofi fritti antipasti, I couldn’t finish the pie. But the portion I consumed, and the presence of winemaker/favorite dining companion Anna della Porta, made for a memorable evening. (April 8th, 2022)
#5 Seu Pizza Illuminati (Rome) This perfect combination of basil, peppers, tomato crema, and grated pecorino was a distillation of super-saturated summer flavor. We ate it while bathed in late afternoon midsummer light, our bodies still warm from a long walk to Trastevere. The brilliant wine list (Pierre Frick, Marco DeBartoli, among many others) took the edge off July’s heat, and made the whole meal magical. (July 4th, 2022)
#4 Mission Pizza Napoletana (Winston-Salem) Montanarini carbonara w/pistachios and onions. Pizzakase delivered in 2022. I worked this special event, so my attention was a little less laser-focused on pizza than usual. As is often the case, it was the perfect crust, and the ideal topping-to-crust ratio that made Peyton’s montanarini carbonara memorable. Super creative. Multi-pizza dinners like Pizzakase require a spark. I love Mission Pizza’s variations on tradition. (Sept 21st, 2022)
#3 Pepe in Grani (Caiazzo, Campania) pizza frita w/chickpeas, onion puree, and dandelion greens. Each visit to Franco Pepe’s iconic restaurant underscores that he is a culinary giant. The place exceeds very high expectations. Several pizzas from this meal belong in the top 10, but in the interests of fairness (comparing mortals to Franco is an uneven endeavor) I’ll include the deceptively simple pizza fritta. Ethereal light and delicate crust, crisp under a judicious smear of onion cream. The point-counterpoint of fried dough, smooth onions, fried chickpeas, and fresh bitter greens was a masterclass in balancing flavor and texture. Perfection. (July 7th, 2022)
#2 Oakwood Pizza Box (Raleigh) Square pizza with sesame seed crust, basil, and marinara. This pizza loomed in my imagination. I revisited it on several occasions, with similar results. The sesame seeds are unnecessary: occasionally it's fun to gild the lily. Satisfying. When this pie emerges from the oven, it feels grandiose. Thirty minutes later, you’ll be painfully full, and wishing it were possible to go back in time, to eat the tremendous whole pizza again. (October 14, 2022)
#1 Apollonia’s (Los Angeles) Wow. Dang. Justin is making transcendent square pie. It’s the most miraculous thing on LA’s ‘miracle mile.’ A lattice of crispy cheese strands defy gravity and reach skyward from its edges. The fried cheese barrier only briefly slows my inhalation of a tremendous slab of food. Spicy pepperoni cups and fresh basil add spice and fragrance, but it’s the cheese and the perfect crust that make Apollonia’s my top pizza in 2022. 10/10, 5 stars. Straight fire. Brilliant. (Sept. 7, 2022)
* round pie with onions and meatballs was great, too.
