Latest Best List Rating Pizza States Is Just ‘Fighting Words’

If you think our society is polarized over politics or social issues, just start a conversation with someone about best pizzas and pizza states.

Let's start with pizza states first, because while pizza is regional, you can link types of pizza to a state, in many cases. And that's where's where my first problem with all this comes up. FoodandWine.com's list is (here's where the blood begins to boil, and tempers start to flare) typical East-coast bias. Food Network is guilty of this as much and FoodandWine.com is. These entities are all based somewhere around New York, and, my guess is, so are the authors. So these articles are the culinary equivalent of ESPN, as in East Coast Sports Programming Network. (It's officially Entertainment and Sports, but how many Yankees-Red Sox games do we really need to be subjected to?)

So according to the foodandwine.com's story today, the top three states are New Jersey, Connecticut and New York. If you skip past those three due to local bias, you get to the Midwest. Number four on their list is Illinois, and at Number five we have Michigan. Now my bias is for the pizza on the featured image above. That's Pequod's from Chicago. No use arguing pan pizza with Chicagoans, you'll never get a consensus. And here's something I never thought I'd tell you, but if you want a pretty decent regular pizza from the freezer case at your local grocery store, you'll do really well with Home Run Inn's pizza. It's a legendary tavern pizza, the best kind.

So finally, after almost 300 words, we get to Michigan. Number five on the list, and number one in your hearts and stomachs. Finishing 5th out of 50 ain't bad. The author focuses on Detroit style and specifically Buddy's Pizza, which is now available in little towns like Kalamazoo.

I have to tell you, as a Chicago boy, I do love Detroit style, especially the crispy crust. As I write this, it's time for a late lunch. Pizza seems in order.

In foodandwine.com's article, Fricano's of Grand Haven is mentioned, but that's a long drive. However, doing a little googling, the Fricanos in Alamo Township is a second generation son of the founders of that fine pizzeria, and it's been around for a long time, which speaks to staying power. And speaking of staying power, another sneaky good, relative new comer to the local pizza scene is Louie's, on the north side. Yes, the oldest bar in town started doing pizza several years ago, and you owe it to yourself to try the "Everything" pizza.

So cheers, or rather, bon appetito.

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