The World’s Best Pizzeria for 2026 Has Been Crowned, According to 50 Top Pizza

Global restaurant rankings continue to shape travel plans, dining demand and international attention for independent operators. That played out again on September 15 in Naples, where 50 Top Pizza World 2026 named London’s Napoli on the Road the best pizzeria in the world. The result also carried a U.S. angle, with New York’s Una Pizza Napoletana finishing second and two California pizzerias landing in the top 10.

Napoli on the Road took the top spot in Naples

50 Top Pizza announced the World 2026 ranking at a ceremony in Naples on September 15, according to Time Out’s report on the awards and the event details published ahead of the ceremony by 50 Top Pizza. The guide placed Napoli on the Road in London at No. 1, followed by Una Pizza Napoletana in New York at No. 2 and Confine in Milan at No. 3. Time Out also reported that the top 10 included I Masanielli in Caserta, Seu Pizza Illuminati in Rome, Pizzeria Sei in Los Angeles, Tony’s Pizza Napoletana in San Francisco, Leggera Pizza Napoletana in São Paulo, RistoPizza by Napoli sta ca in Tokyo and Baldoria in Madrid.

The scale of the ranking was international. Time Out reported that the 2026 list covered 100 pizzerias across 36 countries, with 31 Italian entries and 22 from the United States. Fine Dining Lovers separately reported that New York led all cities with seven ranked pizzerias, ahead of Naples with six and São Paulo with five.

The win marked a shift at the top of the list. Una Pizza Napoletana says on its official site that it was previously named the world’s No. 1 pizzeria by 50 Top Pizza in 2022, 2024 and 2025, while Time Out described Anthony Mangieri’s Lower East Side restaurant as the reigning champion entering the 2026 awards.

The result mattered in London, New York and California

For London, the ranking elevated a pizzeria that has grown from a mobile operation into a multi-location business. Napoli on the Road says Michele Pascarella launched the concept in 2016, and the company now lists locations in Chiswick, Richmond and Soho. Time Out reported that the Soho site opened in February 2026, giving the brand a third London address by the time it won the world title.

For the United States, the headline result was New York’s second-place finish. Una Pizza Napoletana’s official site identifies the restaurant as a Lower East Side operation led by Anthony Mangieri, and says the restaurant is the current expression of his long-running work in pizza. Time Out reported that Mangieri personally makes every dough ball and bakes every pizza, with service limited to three nights a week from a short menu.

California also had a visible showing in the top 10. Time Out’s ranking recap placed Pizzeria Sei in Los Angeles at No. 6 and Tony’s Pizza Napoletana in San Francisco at No. 7. Beyond those placements, 50 Top Pizza has not released a city-by-city breakdown in the material reviewed here for all U.S. entries outside the top ranks, so a full state tally beyond the published counts is not yet confirmed in this report.

The ranking reflects broader global demand for high-end pizza

50 Top Pizza’s reach has expanded as pizza has become a more international fine-casual category, with guides, regional rankings and special awards now feeding global dining tourism. Time Out reported that the ranking is compiled with the help of nearly 1,000 anonymous, unpaid inspectors who visit venues at least twice a year and score dough quality, ingredient sourcing, service and atmosphere. That judging framework helps explain why the award is treated as broader than a simple taste test.

Napoli on the Road arrived at the world title with momentum. Time Out’s London coverage reported that the pizzeria had already topped the separate 50 Top Pizza Europa ranking for three consecutive years from 2024 through 2026. The company and supporting local coverage say Pascarella built the business from a three-wheeled Ape Piaggio setup before opening permanent restaurants, a trajectory that helps explain the brand’s visibility beyond the U.K. market.

For diners, the ranking does not change day-to-day operations in the U.S., but it does offer a current snapshot of where one influential guide sees the category. As of the 2026 list, New York’s Una Pizza Napoletana remains the highest-ranked U.S. pizzeria at No. 2, while Los Angeles and San Francisco both placed restaurants in the global top 10. The next practical effect is likely increased demand at the highest-ranked shops, especially in cities that already draw destination diners.