Top 5 Friday - Favorite Pizza Restaurants/Eateries

October is National Pizza Month!

Magical Bun Bun

Magical Bun Bun has been apart of the Afronaut's team since it's creation in 2017. She's mostly a behind the scene's member. She also sits on the board of EDFU Foundation as the secretary. If you ever play virtual games with her you'll see this magical username!

Top 5

#5 - Papa Murphy's

USA

I wasn't introduced to Papa Murphy's until I came out to California in the 2010's. To be fair, it wasn't the chain we know today until the mid-90's and didn't start to become widely available until the mid-2000's. What I like about Papa Murphy's are their unique combo selections! Their Chicken Bacon Artichoke, Herb Chicken Mediterranean, and Tuscan Chicken Sausage pizzas are all delicious and hard to match anywhere else! The one aspect a lot of people complain about is the fact that you have to take it home and bake it yourself, but that doesn't bother me. I like the fresh-warm-out-of-the-oven taste! It's just not a pizza for on-the-go or the really busy times in life. It also is a bit pricier than a lot of other chains, but I personally feel that "you get what you pay for". I also enjoy that they're always coming out with new and different food selections, but always keep the best sellers their buyers have come to love. I never feel like I have to worry about them not having my favorite combos.

#4 - Pieology

USA

The trend of customized pizza places have died down, but one has always stuck out to me and has stuck around: Pieology! I love the choices of toppings and cheeses, and they never skimp. One of these popped up where close to my home about 7 years ago and it's always been a top fast food pizza for me ever since! Personally, I don't think any other "make your own pizza" shop compares to this one and I think that's why a lot of them haven't lastest over the years. I can and will eat the entire pie from this place by myself in one sitting, so you'll have to get your own!

#3 - Hungry Howie's

USA

This selection might be a bit biased, because I grew up with this chain. This is literally my childhood pizzeria! What makes them one of the best chains around is their crust! It is so buttery and yummy! Hungry Howie's is a Michigan business and you can find them all over the state! They're well loved by Michiganders, but over the last 20 years they have spread over down through the east side of the USA and you can now find them in the occasional West Coast city. Besides their pizza, fans also love their Howie Bread!

#2 - iSlice

East Bay, California, CA, USA

I lived in California for over 5 years before I found decent pizza. Before iSlice moved into the Bay Area, I relied solely on chain pizza restaurants where I knew I could get a decent slice. Then along came iSlice and they brought the closest option I have yet to find for New York pizza on the West Coast! 

#1 - Little Vincent's

Lake Ronkonkoma, NY, USA

It's really hard to find bad pizza in New York. I haven't found a place yet, but one pizzeria that really stands out to me is Little Vincent's in Lake Ronkonkoma, NY. Not only is the pizza good and they serve Pepsi (nothing is worse than having to wash down your pizza with Coke), but they have the Cold Slice. What is it? -This particular slice is made like a normal cheese pizza, except they pile the mozzarella cheese on after baking and serve the cheese cold! It reminds me of the pizza Lunchables I use to eat as a child and I love it! If you're looking for a good pizza place on Long Island, definitely check this one out!

Agent Afronaut

Agent Afronaut is the creator of the Afronauts Collective. He's the host of our podcast/vlog and you'll catch him giving interviews at WonderCon, SDCC, and NYCC. He hails from the state of New York and his two favorite foods are pizza and hot dogs, so he's an expert on this subject!

Top 5

#5 - Unos

USA

Uno's is #5, because if I had to pick a chain pizza it would be Unos. They give  you the most authentic slice. I've been to Italy, but they don't do pizza like America; they do flatbread, really. Pizza is an American product. So, Uno, to me, the best chain/fast food pizza. Not only that, but they have other good food there as well.

#4 - iSlice

East Bay, California, CA, USA

Living out here in Cali - there really is not a lot of great pizza restaurants that are like New York style pizza, but iSlice definitely hits it on the mark. Their cheese and pepperoni is just like what I would get back in New York, so I love it! The only thing that keeps them from being ranked higher is the fact that they call a pineapple pizza a "Long Island Pizza" and that's atrocious! Other, than that, I love it.

#3 - Famous Rays

NYC, NY, USA

I love Famous Rays in NYC! Famous Rays represents "New York City pizza" to me. Almost any pizza shop you go to in NYC you're going to get great pizza and you might ask yourself later, "What was the name of that shop?" -it doesn't matter! Almost everywhere you go in NYC you're going to get great pizza, unless you go into a pizza place by an outsider who just moved there and is trying to make money off of our staple. So, Famous Ramous Rays represents NYC pizza to me.

#2 - Bella Napoli

Suffolk, VA, USA

Bella Napoli is really good pizza! It's New York style pizza and it was really great to find that when I was living in Virginia. The best part about them is that they make an XL size, which is a 24 inch pie, and it's really rare to find a place that makes pizza that large.

#1 - Ginos

Manhasset, NY, USA

I had Gino's every day for lunch in high school growing up in Manhasset, New York. Once a student made it into 10th grade they could leave the school for lunch and Gino's was only a six minute walk. So, Gino's was everyday for me. Even on the weekends or after a party, everyone would go to Gino's. It's great pizza and the workers were really friendly. It's great pizza!

Terence Latimer

Terence Latimer has been a member of our parent organization, EDFU Foundation, since 2020. He is a Los Angeles, CA native and the founder & owner of Food Tribe.

Top 5

#5 - Millennium Pizza

Located in Inglewood, California: Cheap and delicious. I used to go to this pizza place all the time when I lived in the South Bay.

#4 - DiGiorno Croissant Pizza

Any Grocery Store: My secret addiction. The cheese one is too fire!

#3 - California Pizza Kitchen

BBQ Chicken Pizza, Everywhere: I'll buy the thin crust one from the grocery store when I'm hungry, but nothing beats this classic. I used to work for CPK in college and used to get this pizza all the time.

#2 - DeSano Pizza Bakery

Los Angeles, California: I don't eat pork or beef anymore, but the pepperoni + sausage at DeSano is unreal. The dough and fresh cheese, ambiance, this place is top tier!

#1 - Triple Beam Pizza

Los Angeles, California: This place cuts your pizza and weighs it! So many bomb flavors. There's always a line so be ready to wait! 

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