I’m gearing up for your emails.

Over my half-decade of focused studying and writing about dining culture, no American cuisine elicits the passion of pizza. So, dissection is inevitable.

For years, snobby New Yorkers and crabby Cleveland Redditors swear there is no good pizza in this town. I disagree. Il Rione, Cent’s Pizza and Vero, which you’ll find on our cover, can stand up to any pizzeria I’ve had in this country. They prove this stubborn view is untrue and that, in the knowledge-sharing age of the internet, the idea that only New York, Chicago or even Italy can make a good pie is absurd, immature and ridiculous.

With an onslaught of new, high-end choices, we cannot forget those who came before. Below, you’ll meet Geraci’s Restaurant, along with three other beloved 50-plus-year-old pizzerias. Geraci’s, the University Heights Italian joint, has evolved with Downtown’s The Slice Shop, which the third generation family owners built to continue the legacy with a modern offering.

So with all these great options, why do so many people still bicker about the best pizza cities or even the best pizzerias in a city with an intensity that they don’t exude over sushi, steak, French onion soup or burritos? We set out to explore why diners and chefs are so passionate about pie.

Arthur Bovino, the host of the Pizza Pod Party podcast, who has written extensively about all things pizza, hypothesizes that the discourse fills a gap left by the weightier topics people no longer feel comfortable discussing.

“Whether we’re talking about dipping in ranch or pineapple on a pizza, these are low-stakes, high-passion arguments,” says Bovino, a New Yorker. “Nobody is going to get hurt in this debate. Whereas in politics, as a country, it seems like these debates are getting a little more serious.”

Ultimately, our divisive pizza debate is mostly tongue-in-cheek. After all, many diners follow up their infallible and ardent declaration with the admission that they could eat cardboard with sauce and cheese. I’ll admit to being part of that crowd. Heck, I’ve enjoyed DiGiorno (yes, dipped in ranch) in times of desperation.

But these days, our expectations need not be that low because of the astronomical standards with which today’s local pizza makers approach their craft. We selected our November cover photo, a Margherita from Vero Pizza Napoletana, as a representation of this borderline obsessive approach to pizza making. Marc-Aurele Buholzer, who is Vero’s pizzaiolo (a term for a chef who specializes in pizza), follows the strict standards of Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, despite not being a member and, thus, not beholden to using the specific tomatoes, cheese or techniques.

Because of this compulsion for excellence, Cleveland’s pizza game punches far above its weight, and I’ll stand tall in front of any flaming 800-degree oven and take whatever heat comes my way for making that assertion.  // DS

Read on to discover the passion, precision and prestige that tops Cleveland's best pizzerias.

What Exactly Is Cleveland-Style Pizza? Experts Weigh In

Somewhere between paper-thin New York pie and Chicago deep-dish, Cleveland-style pizza has found its footing. But even among Northeast Ohio pizza makers, there is disagreement on exactly what qualifies.

One of the earliest mentions is in a 1985 postcard from Santino’s Pizza, formerly in Seven Hills. Owner David Jakupca pens it as “backwards” pizza, starting with cheese, toppings and then sauce, to preserve a crispy, round crust. Mama Roberto’s in Mentor, which legally holds the trademark for Cleveland Style Pizza, has offered that take since 1999.

The hometown recipe hit the national zeitgeist in a 2011 Facebook post,  when Michael Symon said his favorite Cleveland-style pizza is 1956-classic Geraci’s Restaurant, the University Heights-based chain that represented the hometown pie on TV’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Master Pizza owner Michael LaMarca, whose 1955 takeout spot has grown to 15 locations, also presented the dish as captain of the Pizza World Championships’ U.S. team and as a winner on Hulu’s Best in Dough in 2022. Those restaurants use a sauce-first approach.

There are a few things they all agree on, however. 

The first is the crust, which is bready and “middle-of-the-road thickness,” says Symon. A healthy serving of sauce is heartier and packed with garlic and herbs, such as oregano and basil. And whether piled on top or underneath, the cheese is sharp, provolone or Romano, sometimes mixed with mozzarella. Those offer a “deeper flavor,” says LaMarca.

Following these tenets, it’s hard to go wrong. Now, which one is best? That’s for you to decide.

“People ask me, ‘What’s the best pizza?’” Mama Roberto’s owner Rick Rhein says. “It always will be the one that you like.”  // By Julia Lombardo

Vero's Marc-Aurele Buholzer Exemplifies the Craftsmanship of a Pizzialo

There was a time when Marc-Aurele Buholzer, the pizzaiolo of Vero Pizzeria Napoletana, didn’t love pizza. He actively disliked it.

“Back then, Europeans had a different idea of good food than Americans did, and American pizza was all chain restaurants,” says Buholzer, who was born in Switzerland and grew up in Chardon. “Nothing against those places, but it wasn’t what I liked.”

At age 23, though, Buholzer’s pizza perspective was turned upside down. By 2007, Buholzer had been working at Cleveland Heights’ now defunct La Gelateria on and off for eight years. Even the best gelato was a tough sell during frigid Cleveland winters. To supplement the slow season, the owner purchased a wood-fired oven for making Neapolitan-style pizzas. The upscale pizza craze had yet to hit Northeast Ohio, which made the Italian-inspired pies a novelty — and, for Buholzer, a revelation. 

“I was introduced to this pizza with fresh toppings: nice herbs and cheese, the most wonderful tomatoes from Italy, a very simple sauce without sugar,” he recalls. “I absolutely loved it.”

One Friday, the pizza maker quit, leaving the shop in a lurch. Buholzer, who had been quietly observing the pizza-making process, assumed the role. Though he made just 25 pizzas per day, it was a grueling weekend of work — trial by wood fire, if you will. Buholzer found it exhilarating.

“I’d entered into something that is not immediately understood, gained and accomplished,” he says. “I started seeing all the nuances in the process and recognizing that there was more for me to figure out.”

When La Gelateria closed in 2012, Buholzer opened his own restaurant in the space. The original wood-fired oven remained. The name, Vero, is Italian for “true” or “real” — an homage to authenticity in his craft.

Though Vero isn’t a member of the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, an Italian association that defines what can be considered Neapolitan pizza, Buholzer is a stickler for its standards. Dough must be made of water, yeast, salt and Italian flour. Tomatoes must be San Marzano or piennolo, a varietal that grows in the soil of Mount Vesuvius. The only acceptable cheeses are Buffalo mozzarella or cow’s milk mozzarella (fior di latte, in Italian). Importantly, Neapolitan pizza is also cooked at high heat — very high heat, up to 900 degrees Fahrenheit. “A whole different magic occurs because of the high heat,” Buholzer says. “The flour reacts differently; the level of water starts changing the way it’s growing. You’re putting the dough on a stage that will very quickly show you any error in your formula.”  // By Kate Bigam Kaput

Step inside Vero in our full profile of Marc-Aurele Buholzer.

Four More Oven-Hot Cleveland-Area Neapolitan Pizza Joints

Cent's Pizza & Goods
Inspired by his time in New York City, chef Vincent Morelli brings this American style to Cleveland. Impeccable ingredients sit atop a crispy Neapolitan crust, and the menu of snacks has an otherworldly wood-fired bread, citrus olives and duck prosciutto. centspizza.com

Etalian 
Owner Eddie Tancredi, formerly of the acclaimed Distill Table, sweats every detail at his Naples-style shop, which sits on the water in Chagrin Falls. etalianpizza.com

Harlow’s Pizza
Watch dough bubble in the oven at the bar of this cozy Lakewood eatery, focusing on a simple menu of traditional ingredients. harlowspizza.com

Inforno 
Following strict Neapolitan standards, New York-native George Goodman started his Avon “pizza studio” as a mobile oven before growing it into a strip-mall gem. infornopizza.com

To Dip or Not to Dip? We Ask the Experts If the Midwest's Love of Ranch Should Extend to Pizza

Since a Nebraskan plumber invented Hidden Valley Ranch in 1949, the creamy, herby dressing has become a Midwestern staple. We put it on everything, including pizza. 

Scoffing New Yorkers say we’re just trying to mask subpar pie. But between the elite coasts, Dallas Neapolitan pizza restaurant Cane Rosso taunts customers with a $1,000 charge for ordering the white stuff.

And it’s not only a Midwest phenomenon. Newspapers in Texas and California show some of the earliest references to the pairing. In 1994, Domino’s Pizza began promoting it nationwide as an accompaniment to its pizza and wings. 

Arthur Bovino, who writes about and researches all things pizza, says he’s often accused of “having an open mind” for a New Yorker. The co-host of the Pizza Pod Party podcast says ranch is, at its best, working in contrast by adding a creamy, “herby zip” to a spicy red sauce or pepperoni. 

“It’s not my default,” he says. “But you know, the poor craftsmanship and inferior ingredients of dollar slices are a bigger crime against pizza in my worldview.

“It’s better than leaving pizza bones,” he adds.  // DS

Find out which restaurants make the best "cheffed-up" ranch in town — including one ranch hater who believes he created a better alternative.

New York? Deep-Dish? There's a Great Cleveland Option for Every Style of Pie

Cleveland Style
Photographed: Hot Tito, Geraci's Slice Shop
- Sharper cheese, provolone or Romano
- Medium crust
- Spicy, herby sauce

Deep-Dish
Photographed: Cheese, Congin's
- Thick, tall crust
- Generous helping of cheese between layers of chunky red sauce
- Parmesan sprinkles

Grandma
Photographed: Rapini Pizza, Chatty's Pizzeria
- Rectangle crust baked in a sheet pan
- Thinner than Sicilian
- Heavy toppings

Neapolitan
Photographed: The New Yorker, Citizen's Pie
- Light wheat or sourdough crust in wood-fired oven
- Topped with fresh basil, mozzarella and tomato

New York
Photographed: Pepperoni, City Slice
- Hand-tossed thin crust with crispy edges
- Mozzarella cheese
- Even topping ratio
- Large slices

Ohio
Photographed: Pepperoni, Ohio Pie Co.
- Thin, sturdy crust
- Edge-to-edge toppings
- Sauce drizzled on top
- Square-cut slices

Sicilian
Photographed: Portobello Palermo, Antonio's Pizzeria LoSchiavo
- Spongy rectangle crust
- With or without cheese
- Heavy toppings, such as mushrooms or anchovies

Despite Elevated Newcomers, Cleveland Pizza Is Built on Its Legacy Pizzerias

Frances and Michael Geraci worked hard: Frances at the West Side Market and Michael at the Northern Ohio Produce Terminal. They loved each other dearly but were like oil and water, says grandson Bucky Spoth. 

But in 1956, inspired by a pizzeria experience in Columbus, they came to a quick agreement on the ride home: We’re opening an Italian restaurant with an open kitchen that makes customers feel like they’re part of the family.

“My grandfather was a veteran — strict, militant and feared by many; my grandmother was loved by everyone,” says Bucky Spoth. “That is the dynamic of Geraci’s: the hard-nosed, no-frills Italian father and the sweet, loving mother who has nurtured so many as they came to eat or to work for her.” 

Sixty-eight years later, Frances and Michael’s opposing strengths prove oil and water make a delicious mix. Now owned by daughter Marti Geraci Spoth and her husband Gregory Spoth, the flagship University Heights restaurant is operated by grandson Patrick Brown and has grown to four locations of its traditional full-service eatery and two Geraci’s Slice Shops.

Growing up, Bucky Spoth tried to avoid working with his parents, aunts, uncles, cousins and “hundreds of friends.” Now, partnering with restaurateur Jason Beudert, he’s been instrumental in The Slice Shop Downtown, where the Geraci’s spirit meets New York slices and a fun, ’80s-themed, fast-casual dining room. 

“My grandparents would think that it’s really cool that we’ve planted our flag in Downtown Cleveland,” Bucky Spoth says, “but they would caution us to not lose sight of who we are, to make sure we’re carrying out those traditions and to treat our customers right.”  // DS

Three More Legacy Pizza Shops

These East Side, West Side and Akron shops have been doing it right for more than 50 years.

Longo’s Pizza
Joe Longo Jr. and Tina Greci have grown their father’s 55-year-old Mentor business to two pizzerias, the upscale Pastina Rustic Italian, Joey's Italian Grille and a catering business. longospizza.com

Eliseo’s Pizza & Fran’s Pizza 
Two longtime pizza shops — Elisio’s Pizza (1976) and Yala’s Pizza (1954), later Fran’s — now converge under one roof with a drive-through in Lorain. eliseospizza.com

Luigi’s Pizza 
This cash-only 1949 Akron joint is as well known for the piles of mozzarella cheese on its house Italian salad as for its pan-style pizza, where the dairy overload continues. luigisrestaurant.com

Editors' Pie Picks

Hey, we have favorites, too! Visit our guide to Cleveland's 37 Best Pizza Shops and Restaurants to find our favorite slices.

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