2 Illinois Pizza Joints Land On Best 50 Pizzerias In America List

Think about this for a moment:

Pizza has been around a really, really long time. How long? The first mention of pizza in a document dates all the way back to Italy in the year 997 AD. The "modern" pizza that we know today dates back to Naples, Italy in the 18th century.

Here in the United States, many people had never heard of or tasted pizza until after World War II. For example, in New York City before World War II there were less than 10 pizzerias in the entire city. By 1955, 10 years after the war ended, there were nearly 800. In 2025, that number is now over 2,000.

In Chicago, the difference between pizzerias in pre and post World War II is even more stark. In 1939, the only dedicated pizzeria in the city was a place called Pizzeria Napolitana, which had opened in 1923. By 1950, there were over 100 pizzerias. In 2025, the number is over 900. My dad, a WWII veteran, once told me that he'd never heard of pizza until he was fighting in Italy in 1943.

Nationwide in 2025, the United States has over 60,000 pizzerias scattered from coast to coast.

Enough History--Let's Get To The Ones That Have Been Ranked Among The Best Pizzerias In America This Year

The Italy-based organization doing the ratings is called Top 50 Pizza, and they know a thing or two about pizza and pizzerias.

FineDiningLovers.com:

If you’re searching for the best pizza in America, the 50 Top Pizza USA 2025 list is a solid place to start. 50 Top Pizza is an annual guide published by a team of inspectors who evaluate pizzerias anonymously across the United States and worldwide. According to the organization, inspections focus on “the overall attention given to the customer’s wellbeing, beginning of course with the quality of the final product.”

Before we get to the two Illinois pizzerias that made this year's list, the title of the best pizzeria in the nation goes to a New York City pizzeria called Una Pizza Napoletana. They've retained the number-one ranking for a third time, and have been called “a true benchmark for quality pizza in America.”

The Two Illinois Pizzerias Recognized As Being In The Top 50 Pizzerias In The United States Are Both In Chicago

If you're planning on checking them out, you only have to go to one city in Illinois to do it.

The highest-rated Illinois pizzeria, coming in at number-six on the top 50 list, is a place called Robert's Pizza and Dough Company, located at 465 N McClurg Ct. Their specialty is thin-crust artisanal pizzas. Check their website for some really stunning pizzas.

The other ranked Illinois pizzeria, coming in at number 46 on the top 50 list is a joint named Coda di Volpe, located at 3335 N. Southport Avenue. Their specialty pizza is the Mortadella e Pistachio that features pork mortadella, mozzarella di bufala, caciocavallo, basil, and pistachio pesto.