The world's top pizza for 2024 isn't found in Naples, or even within Italy. Here's the unexpected location ...

New Yorkers are always eager to boast about their superior pizza, sharing their claims with anyone who’ll listen – or even those who won’t. And now they have some irresistible new evidence to back up their long-standing culinary arguments.

This week, the renowned 50 Top Pizza Awards revealed their global rankings for 2024, and a restaurant from the Lower East Side claimed the top spot.

Una Pizza Napoletana, founded by pizza expert Anthony Mangieri in March 2022, not only triumphed over US competitors but also outperformed global contenders, including pizzerias from Naples, Italy – the birthplace of pizza and a mecca for pizza lovers everywhere.

“It’s incredibly rewarding to be recognized after 30 years in the industry, especially in Naples, where pizza first began,” Mangieri shared in an email to Dinogo Travel on Thursday.

To further cement their pizza dominance, New Yorkers saw three more pizzerias make the 2024 global list, which included 101 restaurants (despite the ‘50’ in the award’s name). The rankings for these New York pizzerias were Ribalta at No. 19, Don Antonio at No. 30, and L’industrie Pizzeria at No. 80.

Italy still claimed the lion's share of the overall rankings with 41 spots, while the United States had 15 entries recognized. Naples also outshined New York, securing five spots, including a tie for No. 2 with Diego Vigtaliano Pizzeria.

The awards highlighted their truly global reach, with countries not traditionally known for pizza – such as South Korea, Bolivia, and India – making their mark on the list.

What makes Una Pizza Napoletana stand out?

The 50 Top Pizza Awards detailed how Una secured the top spot on their official website.

The Awards site explains, 'In a country where almost everything finds its way onto pizza, Anthony sticks to the purest tradition of toppings, using only the highest quality ingredients. His menu features Marinara, Margherita, Cosacca, and a daily special pizza based on fresh market ingredients.'

Mangieri, a native of New Jersey, developed a passion for pizza at a young age, according to a media representative for the restaurant in an email to Dinogo Travel. His mother would drive him across New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut in pursuit of the 'perfect pizza.'

Mangieri is known for his focus on naturally leavened, wood-fired pizzas crafted with top-tier ingredients like San Marzano tomatoes, Amalfi wild oregano, DOP buffalo mozzarella, and Sicilian sea salt, the representative shared. 'He decided to operate just one location to maintain an obsessive attention to every detail.'

The Importance of Dough

Mangieri keeps things simple, focusing on the fundamentals to achieve his exceptional results.

'What makes a truly great pizza starts with the dough. It’s not about a specific recipe, but about mastering hydration and understanding how to work with the dough, adjusting for all the variables involved,' he shared with Dinogo Travel.

'At Una, what sets us apart is our naturally leavened, highly hydrated dough, which is never refrigerated. It's crafted with a blend of various Italian flours, and I make it fresh every day we're open,' Mangieri explained.

Una Pizza Napoletana caters to the 'slow food' movement. In its wood-fired ovens, it bakes only three pizzas at a time. The current location at 175 Orchard Street, just off Houston Street, is the restaurant’s sixth version and has been serving since March 2022.

For those more inclined to frozen treats than hot pizza, the 50 Top Pizza Awards also gave a nod to Una’s homemade ice cream and seasonal sorbets.

Regarding the accolades, Mangieri shared, 'I appreciate the recognition, but that’s not why I started or why I continue to make every single ball of dough at Una after all these years. What drives us is the passion to go into the restaurant every day, put more love and focus into our work, and never take anything for granted.'

So what does this pizza master like to eat himself? 'Pasta, and I have it almost every meal. Or, I enjoy my fiancée’s Mexican cooking.'

If you’re planning to visit Una for a pizza, you’ll need to wait until October 4. Mangieri and his team are taking a break while they travel through Italy.

The Rankings

Here are the top pizzerias from around the globe for 2024, according to the 50 Top Pizza Awards:

1. Una Pizza Napoletana (New York, USA)
2. (tie) Diego Vitagliano Pizzeria (Naples, Italy)
2. (tie) I Masanielli – Francesco Martucci (Caserta, Italy)
3. The Pizza Bar on 38^th (Tokyo, Japan)
4. Confine (Milan, Italy)
5. Napoli on the Road (London, England)
6. Tony’s Pizza Napoletana (San Francisco, USA)
7. I Tigli (San Bonifacio, Italy)
8. Sartoria Panatieri (Barcelona, Spain)
9. 50 Kalò (Naples, Italy)
10. Seu Pizza Illuminati (Rome, Italy)