Victorio’s
Alliance, Ohio
Sausage and mushroom
It is a thin crust, square cut pizza, to-go. The crust is not crunchy, the small squares are foldable except the corners. The toppings go between the sauce and the cheese. The sauce has a bright acidity that makes you think it’s cooked not long, if at all; chunks of sausage with plenty of fennel gives a savory finish. It comes in a paper bag that the heat of the pizza seems to keep inflated. My hometown pizza in business for 50 plus years.
Alan Matthys, St. Petersburg, Fla.
Monk
Kyoto, Japan
Japanese veggies from a mountain farm, and the Margarita
Quiet and humble location on the side of a mountain cradling Kyoto. Dinner is served omakase style, paired with sake. The chef Yoshihiro Imai and staff are very thoughtful, engaging, humble and skilled. Every course of the meal was exceptional. The bread and crust were crisp but soft. Best meal of my life.
Dawn Burau, Somerville, Mass.
El Pan de la Chola
Miraflores, Peru
Pomodoro pizza with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, shaved garlic and fresh basil
An expansive yet inviting three-floor industrial space where you’d feel welcome to sit for hours on a laptop while eating out of this world breads or pizzas and fresh drinks. I picked the pomodoro pizza because of the simplicity and familiarity, but was amazed at how well it all came together and how the crust went from golden brown and chewy to puffy and just the right amount of singed. The tomatoes stewed themselves into little sweet lumps, and there were pools of garlicky oil scattered across the cheese. Never expected to find such a pizza in Peru!
Cosmo King, Seattle
Mamma Jamma
Rio de Janeiro
The Toscana, with Tuscan sausage, Buffalo mozzarella, tomato sauce, Parmesan and black pepper
The pizza I chose is deceptive, because although it looks quite plain, the mix of flavors makes up for it. I would recommend that, if you are with a group of people, ordering a different pizza each and sampling a bit of everything. Ask for the starter bread and dip as well.
Amber Turner, Ashford, England
Lavana
Kigali, Rwanda
Blue Mushroom, with sautéed mushrooms, caramelized onions, local mozzarella, blue cheese, truffle oil and white sauce
