Tony's Pizza Napoletana, San Francisco

The scent of bubbling mozzarella, a flicker of wood fire, and the faint hum of Stockton Street in San Francisco’s North Beach—welcome to Tony’s Pizza Napoletana! Specializing in authentic Neapolitan-style pizza, this establishment captures the essence and flavors of Italy's renowned pizza capital. In fact, asking here for “just a slice” doesn’t really work, for this isn’t your regular corner pizza joint. In essence, this is where Italy’s soul met San Francisco’s swagger and decided to stay for good...

Opened in 2009 by Tony Gemignani—the 13-time World Pizza Champion—this place is more than just famous but is practically a pilgrimage site for pizza lovers. Tony’s been tossing dough since 1991, and rumor has it he could probably spin a pizza blindfolded while quoting Dante. His passion turned into an institution that TripAdvisor ranked the 5th best pizzeria in the United States in 2015, and San Francisco Eater (a prominent food publication) still keeps it on their list of the city’s 20 essential pies. Not bad for a guy whose “office” involves flour and flames...

At Tony's, pizza perfection borders on mad scientist territory: the expert use of three types of ovens—wood-fired, gas, and electric—each used for a different style of pizza. That’s right, the man doesn’t compromise. Whether it’s the elegant simplicity of a Margherita or the sweet-savory brilliance of the Cal Italia, every pizza here is a love letter to Naples, written in tomato, basil, and just the right amount of char.

So, whenever you’re in North Beach and smell perfection drifting down Stockton, follow it. Chances are, it’ll lead you straight to Tony’s—where pizza is treated less like food and more like art that just happens to taste incredible...