The Philadelphia pizza scene is getting bigger and bolder with each passing year. It’s the home of historical, well-established pizzerias and new, fancy, hip pizza spots. And all of them offer delicious, authentic pies.

The pizza culture in Philadelphia was set up when the first Italian immigrants came to the US. And luckily, many of them arrived in The City of brotherly love and brought the love for a delicious slice with them. Generations of pizzaiolos mastered their crafts, lots of perfectly charred pies came out of the wood-fired ovens, so today we have delicious, artisanal pizzas as Philly’s trademarks.

You can order great square, round pizzas, or pizza al taglio and get them delivered to your door with just one tap. Or you can grab a pie near you with a convenient curbside pickup. Find the one for you in the Slice app.

Where can you eat the best pizza in Philadelphia?

It’s not an easy question to answer since many different spots serve various pies – from wood-fired Neapolitan style pies to Roman al taglio, vegan, or gluten-free.

However, we made a list of some of the best pizza spots in Philly. Many restaurants offer both - the best pizzas AND delivery, so you can order the mouthwatering pies to your door.

For those with food restrictions and special diets, we’ve listed the places that have vegan pizza and gluten-free pizza as well.

1) Pizzeria Beddia

• Established: 2013
• Signature dish: Classic cheese pie with tomato, whole milk mozzarella, and Royer mountain cheese

Let’s start with the pizza spot that won the best pizza in the US award in 2015 by Bon Appétit and one of the world’s greatest places in 2019 by Time magazine. Yes, we’re talking about Pizzeria Beddia.

What started as a tiny take-out shop, with a limited offer and huge lines of pizza lovers in the front, is now turned into a cozy, full-service restaurant in Fishtown, northeast of Center City.

They have a concise menu of just 5 perfectly charred, round pies, and a list of great wines and cocktails. Though the hot Arrabiata, or “angry” pizza, is a great choice, you shouldn’t miss their classical cheese pie with seasonal toppings like Crimini mushrooms, Sicilian anchovies, or pickled chiles.

2) Pizza Shackamaxon

• Established: 2018
• Signature dish: Special pie

While we’re at Pizzeria Beddia, let’s talk about the pizzeria that took over their former spot – Pizza Shackamaxon in Fishtown. Their crisp, charred pies are worth the wait. And their menu is even shorter than Beddia’s, but you won’t make a mistake with whichever slice you choose.

They sell pizza by the slice so you can try more pizza types at once. Keep in mind that the pieces are huge.

Among the Plain, Pepperoni, and Tomato pie, they serve a Special pie. It changes weekly and is made with fresh and local ingredients with a focus on creativity. Specials are updated on their Instagram page.

COVID-19 update: Even though Pizza Shackamaxon is a walk-up only, their slogan regarding the pandemic is: No mask, no service.

3) Circles + Squares

• Established: 2017
• Signature dish: Any square pie

Dan Gutter is the man who stands behind the pop-up pizza spots Pizza Gutt and crafts pizza under different names at different locations. There is Pizza Plus in East Passyunk, and their pizza can be ordered out of Bourbon & Branch in Northern Liberties and Circles + Squares in Olde Richmond.

Gutter was an apprentice at Beddia before he started his own business. He translated his knowledge and love for pizza into perfectionism by making square and circle pies (hence the name). Circles are hand-tossed thin-crust pies, while the squares are Detroit-style thick crust pan pies.

The texture of the square pie is like focaccia with crispy and cheesy edges. There is a large variety of fresh toppings, so you can customize your pie by preferences.

Useful info: they are cash only pizza spot.

4) The Original Tacconelli’s Pizzeria

• Established: 1949
• Signature dish: Tomato pie

Port Richmond hides the best pizza gem for five generations. What started as a bakery opened by the Italian immigrant Giovanni Tacconelli, where loaves were baked in a single handmade brick oven, became a tomato pie spot in 1946.

Today, they serve the same super-crispy, thin-crust Tomato pie, Regular pie, White pie, and Margherita pie. The BYOB spot is so popular, so a day in advance pie reservation is highly recommended.

They suggest you have no more than three toppings on a pizza. Their toppings include whole tomatoes, mushrooms, spinach, pepperoni, sausage, prosciutto, sweet peppers, anchovies, onions, basil, and extra cheese. Be sure to take cash since they are a cash-only pizza spot.

5) Cacia’s Bakery

• Established: 1953
• Signature dish: Famous Tomato Pie

Another bakery that turned into a great pizza spot is Cacia’s Bakery. Sam Cacia Sr. would be proud to see that the little corner bakery he opened back in 1953 on Mole and Ritner Streets will not only survive but thrive. Today, they have multiple locations in New Jersey.

This South Philadelphia institution still offers the same oven-baked bread, along with pizzas, Stromboli, Entrees, pastries, subs, and cakes. The fourth generation of this family-owned and operated bakery serves their award-winning rectangular pies, cooked in thin sheet pans in a whW oven.

Their famous cheese-less Tomato Pie is something worth trying.

But, If you don’t know what to order first or want to try more pies at once, Cacia’s Bakery has a try-it-all offer. You can get a box of 12 mixed slices for around 1 dollar per piece and find your favorite(s).

6) Pizza Brain

• Established: 2011
• Signature dish: Forbes Waggensense Pie

Welcome to the first pizza museum not only in Philly but in the world! This quirky pizza spot filled with pizza-themed figurines (561 to be exact) has a place in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s most extensive collection of pizza memorabilia!

Located just a few miles down from the Rocky steps, this place is a must.

They serve huge, thin-crust, round pies with some strange topping choices and funny names. But they are serious about the taste and the quality.

They serve their award-winning pies in many varieties, from red and white pies to vegan and vegetarian alternatives.

Try the white Queenie Delouche pie with mozzarella, fontina, rosemary, shitake, portabella, and goat cheese. Or choose the famous Forbes Waggensense red pie with mozzarella, fontina, Grana Padano, smoked Pepperoni, and fresh basil.

Few miles west, in Brewerytown, they have an outpost, Pizza Dads, where you can get equally delicious pies.

7) Blackbird

• Established: 2010
• Signature dish: Haymaker Pizza

While many pizzerias serve vegan or vegetarian pizza alternatives, Blackbird is the home of the vegan-only pizza in Philly.

Blackbird makes their pies with ingredients like coconut-based cheese, seitan, tofu, vegan mozzarella, and lots of fresh veggies. The result is a delicious guilt-free pie, full of flavor.

You can choose from more than 10 vegan varieties from this Northern Liberties pizza spot. If you’re in the Center City, make a visit to their sister location 20th Street Pizza.

COVID-19 update: Currently Blackbird is open for delivery and pickup only.

8) Angelo’s Pizzeria

• Established: 2013
• Signature dish: Upside Down Jawn

This south Philadelphia pizza spot was awarded the best of Philly. First located in Haddonfield, today’s Angelo’s location is near the famed Italian market. They serve round pies and thick and thin crust square pies. Their signature pie is the Upside Down Jawn – a thick crust Sicilian style square pie with Pepperoni, cheese, and sauce on top. What makes their pies unique is the more-than-a-week pizza dough fermentation, crafted to perfection by Angelo’s owner, Danny DiGiampietro.

They work to the old first-come, first-served principle and are only-cash pizza place.

9) Couch Tomato Bistro and Café

• Established: 2011
• Signature dish: Buffalo Chicken Pizza

The celiac and gluten intolerant can still enjoy delicious pizzas. Couch tomato features award-winning artisan pizzas, salads, homemade soups, and many fresh, local, organic products.

The best gluten-free pizza in Philadelphia comes in more than 10 varieties. Couch Tomato serves its pies in three varieties – each type of pizza can be ordered either with a white crust, wheat crust, or a gluten-free crust. All pizza sauces are gluten-free too.

The Couch Tomato is situated in a two-story Victorian type house in Manayunk, Lower Northwest Philadelphia. The café is on the ground floor and the bistro is just above.

If you are looking for a vegetarian slice, you can try their Margherita with house-roasted tomato sauce, farmers cheese, tomato, local mozzarella curd, and basil. Or if you’re craving for a meat pie, you must try the Buffalo Chicken Pizza with hot sauce or ancho-honey sauce, gorgonzola, farmers cheese, all-natural chicken and shaved celery.

10) Rosario’s Pizzeria & Restaurant

• Established: 2016
• Signature dish: Pizza Al Pastor

The fusion of the Italian-American-Mexican kitchen is embodied in Rosario’s pizzeria in South Philly. They brought Mexican flavor to the neighborhood through their creative menu.

They serve 14 Mexican-inspired pizzas and a variety of Mexican staples like burritos, nachos, quesadillas, Mexican Cheesesteaks, and tacos.

Their two best-selling pies are Pizza Al Pastor with guajillo pepper sauce, achiote marinated pork, pineapple chunks, fresh onions, cilantro and lime, and La Mexicana Pizza - a base of tomatillo sauce with spicy chorizo, poblano peppers, roasted corn, and fresh sliced avocado.