Food News
A pizzeria in Rhode Island also made the list of 27 pizza spots worth a detour or “pizza pilgrimage.”
Looking to make a “pizza pilgrimage”? Two Massachusetts pizzerias made the list of 27 best pizza places in America, compiled by food writers at the USA Today Network.
Pinocchio’s Pizza & Subs in Cambridge and Palio Pizzeria in Hyannis were among the pizzerias highlighted in the list, which published Aug. 21. Pasquale’s Pizzeria Napoletana in South Kingstown, R.I., also made the cut.
The list runs the gamut from Neapolitan to multiple takes on Chicago-style pizza — and even bar pies.
“We love spotlighting the country’s top restaurants and bars, but America’s best pizza spots bring us back down to earth,” the publication wrote. “You’ll find New York-style and Neapolitan. Detroit-style and Chicago-style (we’ve got more than one kind of Chicago-style). Bar pies and brick-oven pies. Celebrity-magnets and holes-in-the-wall.”
Pinocchio’s Pizza & Subs
The Harvard Square pizza shop has long been a fixture in Cambridge, known for serving its Sicilian-style slices to university students.
Wicked Local’s Joanna K. Tzouvelis described it as a “small, bustling pizza shop frequented by celebrities” with a hand-painted mural of Pinocchio eating pizza.
“Photos, memorabilia and signs of generations of student customers give the space the feel of a well-worn Harvard Square institution,” Tzouvelis wrote.
The pizzeria also has a connection to a notable former Cambridge resident: Mark Zuckerberg. The Facebook founder’s 40th birthday party in 2024 included a replica of his favorite Cambridge pizzeria as part of the celebration.
Palio Pizzeria
On Cape Cod, Palio Pizzeria earned a spot for its brick-oven pies.
“The brick-oven pizza here is large and in charge, with a variety of specialty pizzas you won’t be able to resist,” Cape Cod Times’ Jason Savio wrote.
One of the highlights Savio said is the Cape Codder, a white pizza topped with minced garlic, mozzarella, lemon, shrimp, and clams.
“Yes, shrimp and clams,” Savio wrote.
Pasquale’s Pizzeria Napoletana
South Kingstown’s Pasquale’s Pizzeria Napoletana was also included on the list.
Providence Journal writer Gail Ciampa highlighted the restaurant’s Neapolitan-style pies, including the classic Margherita with San Marzano tomatoes, basil, fior di latte mozzarella, and extra virgin olive oil.
The menu also includes the Carni, popular for meat lovers, topped with sausage, meatball, salame, and bacon.
“There’s an option for everyone,” Ciampa wrote.
See the full list of America’s best pizza spots from USA Today Network food writers.
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