2 New England Pizza Restaurants Named Tops By NYT And May Surprise You

Where are the best pizza places in America? The New York Times has chimed in with their list of the best spots to grab your pie. No surprise, 2 New England pizza restaurants were named tops!

As reported by Boston.com, 2 places in our area ranked in The New York Times list of 22 top pizza restaurants from around the country. The pizza game is real and everyone seems to be upping their game in order to compete. It's certainly easier to find restaurants that serve exceptional pizza.

New York and Chicago don't rule the pizza game anymore. There are prime pizza spots all over this country. Of course the North End in Boston is famous pizza. But, sometimes where you find great pizza is surprising. Case in point, the Massachusetts restaurant that was named tops for pizza is known as an oyster bar.

Congratulations to Short & Main in the beautiful, little North Shore seaside town of Gloucester, Massachusetts. The Times described this sweet spot as a "Neapolitan pizzeria crossed with a New England oyster bar." Times critic, Brett Anderson went on to give more juicy details, saying: "The restaurant is so close to the waterfront, you're likely to find sea gulls resting on cars parked out front. After you slurp down some briny, impeccably fresh Island Creeks, before tearing into one of the restaurant's flame-kissed pies, you'll wish this particular version of surf and turf were more widely available."

I'm sold. And for those pizza lovers who prefer mountains to the ocean, there's a place on the list of the best pizza places in the USA for you. This, one of 2 New England Pizza restaurants that ranked as tops will require a road trip to Vermont. Head to beautiful Green Mountain range town of Bristol, which is south of Burlington and west of Montpelier.

Kudos to The Tillerman in Bristol, Vermont for also being named one of the best pizza restaurants in America. The restaurant is in an historic inn on a property that dates back to the 1700s. NYT critic Anderson raved: "Rustic comforts — raging fires in the winter, live music night by the barn in summer — remain central to the appeal here, but there's a 'fresher culinary aesthetic' with chefs tending to crisp-edged pizzas that change with the seasons." Sounds like a a road trip is in order!

Here are those extraordinary places outside of New England that earned a spot on the list of The Times best pizza restaurants (in alphabetical order):

I'm a guy who moved from New Jersey to Boston; growing up, Sicilian pizza was pretty easily available. I incorrectly assumed that all Americans enjoyed this kind of pizza selection. However, when I moved to Boston, I realized that it's much harder to find that delicacy here. But there are also a few unique places that are cooking up Sicilian pizza in Massachusetts.

As an expert on Sicilian, I will tell you that it has to be prepared properly in order for it to be worth the calories. Here, I will detail three establishments where you can find great Sicilian pizza in Massachusetts. Sure, you may have to travel a bit, but these places are worth your time.

Before we cut into this delicious style of pie, let’s define our terms. Traditional Sicilian pizza is cut into square or rectangular-shaped slices. The crust is thicker and crunchy. Though this pizza is obviously heavier, it still can be topped with your favorite pizza add-ons. A sprinkle of oregano is a subtle but often important finishing.

Though strip pizza in Rhode Island is similar, one significant difference with Sicilian is that it is not baked on a focaccia style dough. In fact, Palermo Pizza NJ defines what distinguishes Sicilian Pizza and what makes it different from regular pizza. “The dough rises differently with this kind of crust because more oil is used in the recipe as opposed to a regular pizza crust recipe,” they said, when describing how this is made in a rectangular pan.

In Massachusetts, the three locations that are serving up great Sicilian Pizza are quite different from each other, but have this menu item in common. One of them happens to be a favorite of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.

Tucked into a quaint New England, Harvard Square street, Pinocchio's is where you need to go if you want Sicilian pizza of all varieties. It's also where you will see Mark Zuckerberg's photo all over the wall. This was the go-to spot for Zuck while he was attending Harvard. In fact, it's a place he still makes sure to stop into when in town. As for the pizza, there are 20 different toppings you can find atop the hot Sicilian pies. These pies come in a 9-slice or 15-slice size option. The 15-slice pie comes in two boxes and can feed up to nine people. During the school months, Pinocchio's stays open until 2 am on weekends.

At 289 Hanover Street in the North End of Boston, Umberto's can be easy to miss. However, once you recognize their old-school sign, you know you are in for a treat. They are old-school: it is a cash-only establishment where the large trays of piping hot Sicilian pies are continuously served. Typically, it's cheese only, but you will not be disappointed as no other flavor is needed. The single line usually reaches the door, but it moves quickly. It also gives you time to decide which arancini (their famous rice ball) you'd like to add to your order.

Leone's Pizza and Sub has been family-owned and operated since 1954. They are located right on Broadway and open seven days per week, from 8 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. Their Sicilian pizza is the standard menu option here. It is available by the slice, in a half tray or full tray. The whole tray also comes in two boxes (16 slice) and costs $40. Their Sicilian pies also come in a tomato basil option and a spinach and garlic. Leone's sub menu contains over 30 options. This includes a fried meatball sub.

Right in the heart of Cleveland Circle, Pino's is a fan-favorite of Boston College students. Though the crust is a perfect combination of pillow and crunch, the secret here is actually in the sauce. Pino's describes it as "delicious, garlicky tomato sauce with in-house seasoning, cooked on a pan." $20 gets you nine Sicilian slices at Pino's. If you want to add variety to your order, they also have alfredo pies, white pies, and buffalo chicken. Like Pinocchio's, Pino's stays open until the early morning hours on the weekend to help accommodate the college crowd.