50 Top Pizza List: A Critical Look at the ‘Best Pizzas in the World’

The ’50 Top Pizza’ list is often hailed as the Michelin Guide of the pizza world, claiming to rank the finest pizzerias globally. However, a closer look at its methodology reveals a significant gap between the ‘best pizza’ marketing and the reality of the rankings. This article examines the criteria used by the magazine, the clear bias toward Italian pizzas, and why these rankings should be viewed more as a tool for promoting Italian food culture than an objective measure of pizza quality

50 Top Pizza List: Introduction

Once a year, the magazine 50TopPizza publishes its “50 best pizzas in the world” list. Established in 2017, this magazine is often referred to as the “Michelin guide” for pizza by pizza lovers. Many people also believe that the pizzerias listed in the ranking have the “best pizzas in the world”. However, this is not entirely accurate, as we will soon discover.

It’s important to note that the magazine ranks pizzerias and not individual pizzas (this distinction is important, and we will later see why). The ranking is divided into several geographic categories:

1. Asia: published in March, starting in 2022.
2. Latin America: Published in April, starting in 2024.
3. Europe: Published in May.
4. US: Published in June, starting in 2021.
5. US ‘Slice’ (pizzas sold by the slice): Published in June, starting in 2024. Unlike the other categories, this category includes only 10 pizzerias, instead of 50.
6. Italy: Published in July.
7. World: The ranking for the best pizzerias in the entire world, published in September, starting in 2022.

At first glance, it may seem that the magazine ranks the best *pizzas* in the world, which would be logical since it is called “50 Top Pizza”, implying that a pizzeria listed in the ranking has one of the best pizzas in the world or in its specific category. However, let’s break this down further.

An Overview of the 50 Top Pizza Magazine and Rankings

First and foremost, it is important to note that 50 Top Pizza magazine is an Italian publication. As a result, it has a strong bias (to say the least) towards Italian pizzas and those with a clear Italian influence.

Although the magazine claims to rank pizzas regardless of their type or style, the vast majority of pizzerias featured in the rankings are Neapolitan pizzas. This holds true for all geographic categories, including the US, with the exception of the ‘US Slice’ category.

The Editors and Their Non-Pizza Backgrounds

The magazine and rankings are overseen by three Italian editors/curators:

• Barbara Guerra, a professor of economic geography and a sommelier.
• Luciano Pignataro, a journalist.
• Albert Sapere, a sommelier and a ‘professional cheese and olive oil taster.

As you can see, none of the editors have a background in pizza. However, they are directly or indirectly involved in preserving Italian food culture.

It is important to note that they are not the ones who actually taste the pizzas (we will address this later), but rather the individuals who edit the magazine and possibly determine the final rankings.

Breaking Down the Ranking Methodology

The most important thing to understand about the magazine’s rating is that it evaluates pizzerias, not individual pizzas. According to the magazine’s website, the main criteria for ranking are as follows:

1. The magazine explicitly states that the rating is for the pizzeria, not the pizza itself or the pizzaiolo (“It is important to consider that 50TopPizza does not indicate the best pizza or the best pizza chef. It indicates the best pizzeria thanks to the various factors that we have […] set forth.”).
2. Pizzerias that use authentic European/ Italian ingredients (DOP, PGI, TSG), or locally sourced ingredients, are given significant priority.
3. The service aspect of a pizzeria is as important as the pizza itself. Factors such as the friendliness of the staff, their knowledge of the menu, and the waiting time are taken into consideration.
4. The overall ambience and atmosphere of the pizzeria are also significant factors in the rating. The focus is on design, cleanliness, and hygiene, including the condition of the restrooms.
5. The variety of wines and beers offered in the pizzeria is also considered, with extra points given for Italian products.
6. The presence of additional Italian dishes on the menu, from appetizers to desserts, is also given substantial weight. Pizza does not necessarily have to be the main dish served, as long as the other dishes on the menu are from Italian cuisine.
7. The reviewers, referred to as ‘inspectors’, are “regular” people who volunteer to participate in the rating/review process. They do not necessarily have any specific training or expertise in pizza. The only requirement to become an inspector is a declaration that there is no conflict of interest with the pizzeria they visit. Approximately 30% of the inspectors are replaced each year.
8. Each pizzeria is reviewed twice by an inspector (it is not specified whether it is the same inspector each time).

In the entire list of criteria, which spans about two pages, the word “pizza” appears only three times; and even then, it is not used in the context of specific qualities that the pizza should have. The only two criteria related to pizza quality are:

1. The pizza must be “good”. What makes a “good” pizza? No further details are provided.
2. The pizza should be “digestible”. Yes, once again, the Italians’ obsession with the “digestibility” of their pizzas, a debunked myth, and something that really shouldn’t be considered when evaluating the quality of a pizza, or any other food for that matter; I mean, who doesn’t choose a restaurant based on how “digestible” the food they serve is?

As you may have already noticed (since I’ve mentioned it at least three times already), the magazine does not rate pizzas, but rather pizzerias.

Despite its (allegedly) misleading name, “50 Top Pizza,” the magazine explicitly states that its rating is not focused on the pizza itself or the pizzaiolo, but rather on the overall dining experience at a pizzeria, with the goal of providing a rating similar to the Michelin guide, based on the specific criteria mentioned above.

The Italian Influence and the Promotion of Neapolitan Pizza

Although the magazine claims to be unbiased towards any particular style of pizza, the vast majority of pizzerias featured in the rankings serve Neapolitan pizza. Even in the US category, out of the 50 pizzerias listed, only a handful (depending on the year) do not serve Neapolitan pizza. Even then, these pizzerias often still exhibit strong Italian influences, such as Italian owners, Italian menus, or Italian ingredients.

A Critique of the ‘USA Slice’ Category

For example, in the “US Slice” category (which is essentially “pizzerias in the US that do not serve Neapolitan pizza”), the list includes some pizzas that appear amateurish at best or not visually appealing.

It even includes one pizza that is baked in a conveyor oven (?!), a type of oven commonly found in chain restaurants like Pizza Hut and Domino’s, which typically offer generic, low-quality pizzas. You will not find this type of oven in any highly regarded pizzeria.

Furthermore, the fact that this category only features 14 pizzerias (compared to the fifty listed in other categories) raises concerns about the editors’ attitude towards non-Neapolitan pizzas (“here are some pizzerias that serve other styles of pizza, happy now?”).

Considering the abundance of excellent pizzerias in the US that specialize in various styles of pizza, whether New York style pizza, Detroit pizza, Sicilian pizza, or New Haven style pizza, the strange selection of these specific pizzerias raises many questions.

At least we can take comfort in the fact that the top-ranked pizzeria in this category is the excellent L’industrie pizzeria (which, obviously, has Italian owners).

Transparency Issues: The Hidden Scoring System

Adding to the already abstract and vague nature of the rankings, the specific rating given to each pizzeria (including the overall score and criteria breakdown) is not made public.

This lack of transparency raises concerns, at least for me, about the reliability of the ratings and how each pizzeria (and its pizza) was actually evaluated. Zero transparency.

Concluding Thoughts: Marketing Tool or Reliable Ranking?

If you’ve made it this far, then it’s clear to you that the top 50 pizza rating doesn’t rank pizzas, but rather ranks pizzerias based on restaurant criteria (which is somewhat amusing for a dish considered fast food). Therefore, this list cannot be considered the ranking of the “best pizzas in X”.

Furthermore, you may have noticed that this ranking has a clear agenda, as it is based on very specific criteria that all have one thing in common: the preservation and celebration of Italian cuisine. The vast majority of the pizzerias on the list (over 95% – feel free to check me) serve Neapolitan pizzas, and even those that do not are heavily influenced by Italian cuisine and food culture.

In simpler terms, the ratings are biased towards Italian pizzas, particularly Neapolitan pizzas.

The lack of transparency in the rating, and the fact that a central criterion for evaluating pizza quality is “digestibility” (?!), also raises doubts about its reliability.

It is highly likely that the pizzas on the list are indeed very good; however, they are not necessarily the best (which is a subjective matter in itself). Furthermore, this ranking does not aim to rank the best pizzas, but rather to evaluate the overall quality of the pizzeria as a whole, not just the pizza itself.

Therefore, claiming that “Pizza X is one of the best in [insert location]” based on this rating is, at the very least, inaccurate. We could also discuss the objectivity and fairness of the rating, but let’s stop here.

At the bottom line (and also between the lines), the agenda of the 50 Top Pizza magazine, even if undisclosed, is to promote Italian food culture (something Italians, in general, excel in – and this magazine is further proof of that).

To understand this, you don’t need much more than reading the editor’s “about” page, or skimming through the descriptions of the non-Italian pizzerias made by the editors. In most cases, there is a strong reference to Italy, such as inspiration, ingredients, Italian dishes, etc., with little focus on the pizza itself or its qualities.

In conclusion, in my opinion, this ranking primarily serves as a powerful marketing tool for both Italian cuisine and food culture, as well as the pizzerias included on the list. However, it is not a reliable indicator of pizza quality, and should not be relied upon for ranking pizzas. Therefore, it is best to approach it with a healthy amount of skepticism.

Will visiting and dining at one of the pizzerias on the list be an enjoyable experience overall? Most likely. However, does this necessarily reflect the actual quality of the pizza there? Not necessarily.

If the magazine had been called “The 50 Best Neapolitan/Italian Pizzas,” I wouldn’t have any ‘complaints’. However, this magazine, along with its authors, subtly claims ownership of pizza, giving the impression that there is only one ‘authentic’ or ‘real’ pizza, with all other styles being mere, cheap imitations. The fact that none of the top US pizzerias serving New York (or New Haven) style pizza made the list, not even in the USA Slice category (!), speaks for itself.

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