How a Jersey-Born Chef Made the Pizza Italians Admit Is the World’s Best

Italians don’t hand out compliments lightly—especially when it comes to pizza. But when an Italian ranking guide crowns a New York shop the best pizzeria in the world? That’s when you know you’ve got a pie worth booking a flight (or at least a subway ride) for.

Enter Una Pizza Napoletana, a Lower East Side gem that just snagged the number one spot in the 2025 edition of 50 Top Pizza, the prestigious Italian ranking system that serves as the Michelin Guide for pizza lovers. And get this—it’s not their first time at the top. Anthony Mangieri’s little pizza temple also claimed the crown in 2022 and 2024. Oh, and while we’re bragging, it was named best in the U.S. this year too.

Not bad for a Jersey-born operation that’s bounced around from coast to coast before settling back in NYC.

So, what makes Una Pizza Napoletana so special?

For starters, Anthony Mangieri himself. He’s the kind of chef who obsesses over every last detail, proudly stating on the restaurant’s website that he maintains “an obsessive focus on every detail.” This philosophy explains why there’s just one Una Pizza Napoletana left standing—Mangieri isn’t trying to build an empire. He’s trying to build perfection.

The menu reads like a love letter to Naples: marinara, Bianca, margherita, Cosacca, filetti. There’s also a weekly rotating special for those who like surprises, plus the option to sprinkle a little extra magic with toppings like salted Italian anchovies or aged Parmigiano Reggiano.

No over-the-top, gimmicky “loaded” pies here—just thin, blistered crusts, balanced flavors, and the kind of chew that makes you rethink every slice you’ve ever eaten.

How the ranking works (and why this win matters)

The 50 Top Pizza guide takes its job seriously. First, surveys narrow down the contenders geographically. Then, anonymous reviewers—who show up as regular, paying customers—taste, test, and judge. As co-founder Albert Sapere told PMQ Pizza, the U.S. list includes “an inclusive selection of American reviewers to better represent the pizza world that operates under the banner of the stars and stripes.”

Translation: it’s not just Italians judging Italian pizza. It’s a true international test. And Una Pizza Napoletana has aced it.

In fact, it tied for the global top spot with I Masanielli in Caserta, Italy—a town that knows a thing or two about pizza tradition. For a New York shop to sit shoulder-to-shoulder with a heavyweight like that? Let’s just say Mangieri has earned his bragging rights.

Getting a table: easier said than done

Of course, world’s-best status doesn’t come without a side of exclusivity. According to Una Pizza Napoletana’s FAQ page, reservations open two weeks in advance on OpenTable and tend to disappear faster than a fresh margherita. Walk-ins are allowed, but seats are limited—so you’ll likely end up joining the waitlist and praying for a text that your table is ready.

But hey, when Italians admit a New Yorker makes the best pizza in the world, a little patience seems like a fair price to pay.