Seattle named top US pizza city in surprising study

New Yorkers respond to Seattle as #1 pizza city in US

The best place in America to grab a slice of pizza is Seattle, according to recent Mandoe study. That's right, #1.

SEATTLE - Seattle isn't just a coffee town these days, its also a standout for pizza in the United States.

A new Mandoe study shows analysis of 80 cities across the country, and Seattle topped the ranks.

At #1, Seattle had the overall highest scores, thanks to the following accolades:

Highest overall weighted ranking among U.S. cities for pizza.
An average rating of 4.13 out of 5 for its pizzerias.
755,078 residents with access to 755 pizza establishments, offering more variety.
186 pizza-related searches per 100,000 residents, which they say indicates strong local interest.
41.7% of reviews rated as "excellent," in a nod to consistent quality standards.

"The combination of high-quality offerings, variety, and strong local interest has propelled Seattle to the forefront of America's pizza scene," said Paul Madden, lead analyst for the study.

Mondoe Media study pizza ranking map 2024

Here's how other major cities stacked up:

#2: Boston
#3 Portland, Oregon
#4 New York City
#5 San Diego, California
#6 Orlando, Florida
#7 Cleveland, Ohio
#8 Denver, Colorado
#9 Chicago
#10 Pittsburgh

FOX 13 Seattle spoke to some people chowing down on pizza in the Capitol Hill neighborhood about their thoughts.

"Did a Seattle person post that? I mean, because I think so. Because I think anyone who has been outside of Seattle would agree that it's not number one," said Berke Ozturan.

"I don't see how many rational or sane people could ever come to that conclusion," said Evan Williamson.

However, a few pizza shops in the city tell us they can understand the ranking.

"Only because I don't like the Yankees, I'll say we’re absolutely better than New York," said Jake Breslauer.

New York natives on Seattle being ranked #1 pizza city

Most New Yorkers have a hard time believing Seattle has the best pizza city in the country, but a recent survey says otherwise!

Breslauer is the general manager of the Big Mario's Pizza in Capitol Hill. He says NY pie is a huge inspiration for Big Mario's pizza. However, they add a PNW twist.

"Seattle likes to be weird and creative with their foods. And we definitely take a lot more inspiration and try to make everything a little more fun and funky," said Breslauer.

It's a feeling other Seattle pizza makers, like Lee Kindell, founder of Moto Pizza, can relate to.

"This is an evolution of pizza," he said. "I like that this is unique. It's a unique expression of my culture, and the Northwest. It's a special pie," Kindell added.

Kindell tells FOX 13 Seattle he worked to merge New York, Italian, and Midwestern style pizzas with a touch of Seattle into what he calls his Odd Pizza.

His pizzas include options like "The Crab" topped with butter, dill, lemon zest, and, of course, Dungeness crab.

More rankings and information can be found on the Mandoe Media study page.