Patrick Berkery, editor of our newsletter highlighting the best in Pennsylvania pizza, Pizzavania, takes a look back at the pizzas he enjoyed the most in 2025.
With plenty of pizzerias on my radar I’ve been meaning to try, and dozens of reader recommendations residing in a folder in my inbox, I’m looking forward to discovering some new favorite pizzas in 2026.
But first, I’d like to take one last look back at the pizzas I enjoyed the most during 2025.
DISCLAIMER: Since I won’t think twice about crossing state lines for good pizza, be advised that not all of these pizzerias are located in the commonwealth.
DeLorenzo’s Tomato Pies — Robbinsville, New Jersey
Maybe the best thing about living in Mercer County, New Jersey, for six years was my proximity to the original DeLorenzo’s Tomato Pies, which occupied a converted rowhouse in the Chambersburg section of Trenton from 1947 to 2012. At the location in nearby Robbinsville they opened in 2007, they still serve the Trenton-style take on pizza called a tomato pie—cheese on the bottom, crushed Jersey tomatoes on top, slight char, super crispy, no flop. I make the hour-plus drive at least once a year for my go-to: Large with pepperoni, onion, and roasted red pepper. No one does this style of pizza better.
Down North Pizza — Philadelphia
Detroit-style pizza—a rectangular pie baked in a heavyweight steel pan that features a fried-like bottom, cheese spilling over the edges, and is much lighter than it looks—is definitely having a moment (you’ll see a couple more Detroit-style pies on this list). North Philadelphia’s Down North Pizza has been doing Detroit-style pies exclusively since 2021 and doing them very well. The Uptown Vibes pie—kale, mushrooms, red peppers, red onions, and the shop’s signature Norf Sauce, which packs just the right amount of heat—was the best Detroit-style pie I had in 2025.
John’s of Bleeker Street — New York
There’s no shortage of amazing pizza in New York City. But for me, nothing beats the classic coal-fired pizza from John’s of Bleeker Street in Greenwich Village. During a visit in March, I ordered a pepperoni pizza and a white pie with ricotta, garlic, and fresh basil. Both had John’s signature thin crust (crispy, yet foldable), and were charred to flavorful perfection.
Johnny’s Pizza — Wayne
The reported long wait times at Johnny’s Pizza’s first shop in Ardmore kept me from visiting, despite rave reviews from trusted fellow pizza lovers. When they opened a larger second spot a few miles west on Lancaster Avenue in Wayne, I finally got to see what all the buzz was about. Put it this way: If I lived in or near Wayne, I’d be there several times a week, if not more. The slight kick of their sauce is a difference-maker, especially when you pair it with sweet peppers. Their garlicky white pies are great too (available round and square), featuring splashes of ricotta, caramelized onion, and a sesame seed crust.
Nancy’s Townhouse — Rahway, New Jersey
I won’t think twice about crossing state lines for good pizza, nor will I think twice about routing my trip home from New York City through a New Jersey town with a great pizza spot. That’s how I ended up at Nancy’s Townhouse, which has been serving classic thin-crust Jersey “bar pies” in downtown Rahway since 1943. Not only did Nancy’s pie live up to the hype (I got a basic pepperoni, which I almost always do when trying a pizzeria for the first time), but it also traveled well. I took it to go and ate all but two slices while driving home on the New Jersey Turnpike.
Pica’s Restaurant — Upper Darby
I must admit that despite my Delco-bred friends’ years of imploring me to try the pies at Pica’s Restaurant, I never made it to Upper Darby (or the West Chester location) to check it out. That changed when Pica’s announced they’d be ending dine-in service at the Upper Darby location in October. Their super-thin crust square pie, with a tangy red sauce spread right to the edge over a thin layer of cheese, was exceptional, and made me feel like a fool for putting off trying it for so long.
Pizzeria Beddia — Philadelphia
I didn’t visit Pizzeria Beddia as much as I normally do in 2025—“only” five times. One of those visits was for my bachelor party, where we took advantage of the Pizza Party package (highly recommended if you’re planning to dine there with a large group). Of their usual menu offerings, the white pie with greens, Calabrian cream, and a blend of mozzarella and Galen’s Reserve cheeses was my favorite. But I’m still dreaming about the seasonal pie, with roasted red pepper, sweet pepper cream, and cherry pepper vinaigrette.
Pizzeria Luca — Manheim Township
Luca in Lancaster is a fantastic farm-to-table Italian restaurant. Can’t recommend it highly enough. Their pizza-focused outpost in nearby Manheim Township, Pizzeria Luca, also leans seasonal. The menu features creative specialty pies and more traditional red pies that are Neapolitan-ish in size and style, with enough variety to appeal to both pizza snobs and kids just looking for a simple, plain pie. The pizzeria’s Vincenzo (Teleggio crema, mozzarella from Caputo Bros. in Spring Grove, Brussels sprouts, pancetta, and caramelized onion) is one of the best white pies I’ve had in recent memory.
Queen City Crust — Beach Haven, New Jersey
For years, the pizza offerings at the Jersey Shore have been pretty basic. That’s been changing recently, led by upstarts like Long Beach Island’s Queen City Crust, who serve great Detroit-style pies. Their Bacon Onion Jam white pie (with bacon, fresh chives, and whipped Parmesan garlic cream) is amazing enough to plan a day in Beach Haven just to try it. While you’re at it, try their pepperoni red pie with Mike’s Hot Honey.
The Steel Penny — Hatboro
Sometimes you find world-class pizza in the places you’d least expect to: Like on a backstreet industrial strip adjacent to a scrap metal business. The Steel Penny isn’t a traditional pizzeria—they serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and roast their own coffee. They just happen to serve the kind of pizza that you’ll drive an hour-plus in rush hour traffic to pick up, then another hour-plus in rush hour traffic to bring it back home (as I did). They feature top-shelf round pies in various creative combos, but the Detroit-style pie is the thing here. Whether you opt for a simple red Detroit pie with cup pepperoni, or get adventurous with their white pies (one white Detroit-style pie features portabello, shallots, and arugula; another has shredded Brussels sprouts, banana peppers, sage, and gorgonzola), you may soon find yourself braving rush hour traffic to try it.
