This Pizza Chef Was Named The Best In The US And 7th In The World

Pizza has become a culinary art in its own right, and for some pizza chefs, a lifelong ambition. There's even a cooking school in Maryland that specializes in pizza-making (aptly named Pizza University) for the aspiring pizzaiolo (pizza maker). With this much dedication to pizza making, it's only fitting there's formal recognition of the craft with an award ceremony called The Best Pizza Awards. This year's awards took place in Milan, Italy, and highlighted the best pizzaiolos around the world.

While an American chef didn't take the number one spot at the awards this year, one did make the top 10. Anthony Mangieri, from the New York City pizzeria even Italians call the best, Una Pizza Napoletana, ranked number seven, and was the highest ranked U.S. pizza chef (via The Best Chef Pizza). Mangieri also took home the Icon Award, which recognizes a chef who has left their mark on the art of pizza making. The awards organization praised Mangieri's craft he spent 30 years refining.

Mangieri specializes in authentic Neapolitan-style pizzas, which are known for hand-stretched rather than hand-tossed dough, San Marzano tomatoes, and puffy crusts. The chef's commitment to his pizza craft is evident when you consider he makes every dough ball himself and has since the first iteration of Una Pizza Napoletana in 1996. As Mangieri told CBS' "The Dish" about his pursuit of the perfect pizza, "I can never really reach the finish line with it," (via CBS Mornings on YouTube). Truly his passion for pizza is all-encompassing.

According to The New York Times' food reporter Pete Wells, "Mr. Mangieri makes what is unmistakably the finest sit-down pizza in the five boroughs." That's quite the statement from a New Yorker considering Anthony Mangieri makes Neapolitan-style pizza, which is not the same as New York-style pizza. Yet, reviews praised Mangieri's pizzas, specifically noting the high-quality ingredients and outstanding pizza dough. As one reviewer on Yelp put it, "This man has perfected this dough in a way that pizza makers around the world can only dream about."

Besides the accolades from The Best Pizza Awards, Una Pizza Napoletana was also named the number one pizzeria in the U.S. and number two pizzeria in the world (via 50 Top Pizza's 2026 list). Mangieri's pizzeria also received a Bib Gourmand recognition in the Michelin Guide, a high honor for something once considered street food and shunned by the Italian upper class. Of course, pizza is personal, and not everyone is sold on the hype around Mangieri and Una Pizza Napoletana. Some diners have complained it's overpriced and they don't like the softer texture of the dough.

Still, Una Pizza Napoletana is a hot table and reservation only. There are only six pizzas on the menu: marinara, margherita, bianca, filetti, cosacca, and a daily special, and each is handmade by Mangieri, who only makes a limited number of dough balls every day, with one pizza reserved per person. The pizzeria has sold out every night at the Lower East Side location. So if you're interested in trying pizza from one of the best pizza chefs in the world, you'll have to get in line.