Specialty Pizza Power Rankings

DellaValle Pizza, Tommy’s Tavern and Tap. Staten Island, NY / Brandon Smith 2023.

The classic pepperoni or the cheese pie are the uncontested kings of the pizza game- the go-to for the impromptu get-together, the 1AM classic from the dollar slice shop on a Friday night, or even the standard two-slice combo lunch while you’re on your way to school. While you can’t go wrong with the classics, a specialty pie may be a fun step out of your culinary comfort zone.

Specialty pies are any combination of toppings outside of your typical pepperoni, sausage, or basic veggie combo. These can range from a hodgepodge of assorted meats (colloquially known as the meat lover’s pie) to the well-crafted symphony that is the fig and prosciutto pie. With a plethora of options available at any local pizza shop, it raises the question- what options are out there? Which are the best ones?

Here’s my Top 5.

5th Place - The Meat Lover’s Pie

Meat + cheese is never going to be a bad idea. Nobody is going to complain about any combination of pepperoni, sausage, meatballs, and ham (except maybe your cardiologist). The Meat Lover’s pie can take a few different forms, but at the minimum, it has the standard tomato pizza sauce base, standard pizza mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, sausage, and one or more additional meat toppings.

Where the Meat Lover’s pizza is lacking is creativity. Putting together 3+ types of meat on a pizza is an easy way to get a ton of texture and flavor, but unless you’re adding something special, it’s just an extension of your typical one-topping meat pie. It lacks the synergy of some of the other “craft” pies, and is a lot of fun but never anybody’s go-to. That being said, if somebody insists on ordering the meat lover’s pie, you won’t hear a complaint from me.

Vodka Sauce Pizza, Palermo Pizzeria, Staten Island, NY / Brandon Smith 2023

4th Place - The Vodka Sauce Pie

The Vodka Sauce Pie is exactly what it sounds like - Keep the cheese, swap the tomato sauce for vodka sauce. Simple in concept, incredible in execution. I do have to point out that I am speaking about the non-pasta variety, as a penne vodka pie (complete with the penne) is also an option. However, I am not a proponent of pasta on my pizza.

The taste of vodka sauce beautifully complements the mozzarella cheese and pizza crust. It’s just different enough to keep dinner exciting, but also still unequivocally pizza- and a good one at that. While this is one of the best specialty pies you can order, it just misses the top 3 due in part to the simplicity of the slice, and in part to the stiff competition amongst the top 3 specialty pies on this list. Regardless, a vodka slice is never going to be a bad idea… just skip the physical pasta on top.

Margherita Pizza, Porta, Jersey City, NJ / Brandon Smith 2023

3rd Place - The Margherita Pie

A classic - fresh mozzarella, fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, olive oil, and occasionally parmesan. The Margherita pie is almost guaranteed to have the same ingredients at every single restaurant you visit, and for good reason- Don’t fix what’s not broken.

Allegedly, this pie originated in the late 1800’s by a chef who sought to celebrate Italy’s unification by creating a pie with the colors of the Italian flag - Red, white, and green. Whether this is true is up for debate (Atlas Obscura, 2020). Regardless of the history, the pie is a longtime favorite, and an excellent vegetarian option (and at its core, a polar opposite to the aforementioned Meat Lover’s pie).

Where the pie shines is simply in concept - by stripping a pizza down to its basic ingredients, each individual flavor shines through.

To be completely honest, Margherita is not my favorite pie, and I do not usually order it. However, I can acknowledge the importance and popularity of this pie, and the things that make it so special, making it a strong contender for top 3.

References-

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/birthplace-of-the-pizza-margherita

Caprese Focaccia alla Romana, Pastavino, Staten Island, NY / Brandon Smith 2023

2nd Place - The “Artisan” Pie

The artisan pie can take many forms. Often, it’s a combination of prosciutto, fig, and arugula. Sometimes, pesto, mozzarella and tomato. Always, it is a carefully imagined and constructed mix of complementary flavors.

The artisan pie isn’t necessarily one pizza at one restaurant, rather it is a signature dish with small variations across each pizzeria or restaurant. Each restaurant that offers an artisan pie has its own spin on the dish, often adding different herbs such as mint or experimenting with different combinations of cheeses, vegetables, and meat. The only issue is that chefs have so much creative freedom with the dish that the artisan pie can deviate very far from the definition of pizza, with some chefs vouching to switch the pizza crust for ciabatta, often landing firmly in “flatbread” territory. Regardless, the spirit of pizza is there - There’s a sauce base, there’s cheese, and there’s toppings.

What makes the artisan pie a top 3 specialty pie is its undeniable creativity and charm. Its not often a crowdpleaser, and its not the go-to for a big party. However, its the pizza you order to share on a first date, and its the pizza you remember years later.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza, Proud Papa’s Pizzeria, Union, NJ / Brandon Smith 2023

1st Place - The Buffalo Chicken Pie

Though it feels strange discussing the wide range of carefully crafted artisan pies and then proceeding to name the Buffalo Chicken pie as #1 in the specialty pizza power rankings, but in reality it’s not even close. Some pies are thoughtful well crafted, some pies are crowd pleasers and can be the life of the party. The Buffalo Chicken pie can do it all.

The pie is simple in concept- chicken, buffalo sauce, and typically bleu cheese on a pizza (though there can be substitutions such as ranch instead of blue cheese). The resulting mix of flavors is nothing short of artistry, and despite a relatively simple recipe, can be quite difficult to pull off.

When executed properly, you have a spicy, tangy, savory slice with complementary flavors that will leave you coming back for more. Bonus points if the pizzeria serves the pie with a side of bleu cheese to dip the crust in.

Summer party or regular Friday night dinner, the Buffalo Chicken pie is my go-to, and by far favorite specialty pizza.

Other Noteworthy Pies

The Hawaiian Pie is worth mentioning for its notoriety alone. To me, the combination of pineapple and ham on pizza, though strange, is underrated. The sweet/savory mix is unique and not as offputting as those who hate this pie will have you believe. That being said, it would be a strange decision to order this for a party, and will likely earn you some backlash from your friends, as people are quite passionate about this pie.

The Barbecue Pie is something I would like to highlight. There are several pies that incorporate barbecue sauce, such as the barbecue chicken pie. There is one in particular that I learned from a Reddit post once that is one of my all-time favorites, but is a largely Dominos-specific pie (don’t shoot, fellow New Yorkers!). Take a regular medium pan pie, substitute the tomato sauce for barbecue sauce, add onions and peppers. Report back with how great this pizza is.

The Chicken Parm Pie: There’s not a lot to be said about this pie, other than it tastes good but really is just chicken parm on a pizza. There’s not a ton of creativity, but if you can’t decide between chicken parm and pizza, this is a good way to have both, I guess?

The Pasta Pie: I mentioned earlier in this article that you can have pasta on your pizza, such as a penne vodka pie, or the ziti slice. Personally, it’s not for me, as it is way too heavy between the pasta and the pizza.

The Veggie Pie: No.

Do you have a favorite specialty slice? Are there any must-haves that I missed? Let me know in the comments!