3 Long Island Pizzerias Among 101 Best Pizza Joints In Nation

If you live in New York, you already know the state boasts many excellent pizzerias.

But it never hurts to have that distinction recognized nationally, and the fine dining website The Daily Meal recently ranked the 101 Best Pizzas In America for 2017, and New York was well-represented.

In fact, 35 New York pizzerias made the list, including three right here on Long Island. Five of the top 10 pizzas in the country are made in the Empire State, according to the rankings.

Last year, 29 New York pizzerias, including four from Long Island, made the list

"We know that no list is perfect, least of all one involving a subject about which people feel as strongly as they do about pizza," writes The Daily Meal (click here to read the full story, which includes how the site picked the best). "Unlike many arbitrary lists, though — rankings diversified for the purpose of geographical engagement, 'expert' listicles chosen by a handful of New York City’s food writers — these rankings were approached methodically and comprehensively, and bring a great deal of pizza expertise to bear."

Here are the Long Island pizzerias that made The Daily Meal list and an excerpt from the rankings:

No. 28: Umberto's Pizzeria & Restaurant, New Hyde Park— Grandma pie

Umberto’s slings superior pizzas. Most notably, the grandma: a square, 12-slice, 16-by-16-inch thin crust pie topped with mozzarella and plum tomato marinara. Haven’t experienced this thin, crispy-crust satisfaction? Start here. It’s generally regarded as the originator of the grandma slice.

No. 68: King Umberto's, Elmont— Grandma slice

You have them to thank for this light, thin, crispy-chewy pie with light crushed tomato sauce and a scattering of mozzarella, that every pizza-proud Long Islander knows is better than Sicilian, better than deep-dish, heck, better than many pizzas you’ll find in Manhattan.

No. 69: Little Vincent's Pizza, Huntington— Cold cheese slice

Little Vincent’s “Cold Cheese Slice,” a fistful of cold cheese served on top of the hot piece of pizza, is a practice brought to Huntington by college students returning home to Long Island from school in Oneonta in upstate New York.

Did your favorite Long Island pizzeria not make the list? Make your case in the comments section below.

Patch Editors' choices for their favorite Long Island pizzerias are Mama's in Copiague (grandma slice), Frantoni's in East Meadow (penne alla vodka slice) and Mama Gina's in Bellmore (Sicilian slice).

The New York pizzerias to make the list are:

• No. 2— John's of Bleecker Street, Manhattan
• No. 4— Keste, Manhattan
• No. 6— Di Fara, Brooklyn
• No. 9— Joe & Pat's Pizzeria, Staten Island
• No. 10— Lucali, Brooklyn
• No. 11— Motorino, Manhattan
• No. 12— Patsy's, Manhattan
• No. 13— Totonno's, Brooklyn
• No. 17— Roberta's, Brooklyn
• No. 19— Joe's, Manhattan
• No. 20— Prince St. Pizza, Manhattan
• No. 22— Rubirosa Ristorante, Manhattan
• No. 23— Lombardi's, Manhattan
• No. 25— Grimaldi's, Brooklyn
• No. 28— Umberto's Pizzeria & Restaurant, New Hyde Park
• No. 35— Co., Manhattan
• No. 36— New Park Pizza, Howard Beach, Queens
• No. 38— Denino's, Staten Island
• No. 47— Emmy Squared, Brooklyn
• No. 48— Juliana's Pizza, Brooklyn
• No. 49— J&V Pizzeria, Bensonhurst, Brooklyn
• No. 50— Paulie Gee's, Brooklyn
• No. 51— Louie and Ernie's, Bronx
• No. 52— Lee's Tavern, Staten Island
• No. 65—Emily, Brooklyn
• No. 66— L&B Spumoni Gardens, Brooklyn
• No. 67— Williamsburg Pizza, Brooklyn
• No. 68— King Umberto's, Elmont
• No. 69— Little Vincent's, Huntington
• No. 70— Amore Pizza, Flushing, Queens
• No. 74— Bocce Club Pizza, Buffalo
• No. 87— Pizza Gruppo, Manhattan
• No. 88— Sofia Pizza Shoppe, Manhattan
• No. 89— Deniro's— Depew
• No. 90— La Nova, Buffalo

To view The Daily Meal's complete ranking of the 101 Best Pizzas in America for 2017, click here.

Image of Little Vincent's cold slice pizza in Huntington. Photo used with permission

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