February 22, 2005

In his new book Pizza: A Slice of Heaven (Universe; $24.95), Ed Levine writes about pizza from every part of the country and abroad, drawing upon recommendations from other food writers and his own sampling of more than 1,000 slices. (Related story: A pie-in-the-sky quest ends in a slice of heaven)

After a year's research, he identified 13 pizzerias in the USA that he says make "a transcendent pizza that could cause grown men and women to moan with pleasure in public without embarrassment."

And from that list he crowns six "Keepers of the Flame" who have "mastered Neapolitan and Neapolitan-American pizza-making traditions and techniques, and in some cases improved upon them."

His choices for a superior pie:

Keepers of the Flame

• Pizzeria Bianco, AZ
• Una Pizza Napoletana, NY
• Di Fara Pizza, NY
• Nick's Pizza, NY
• Sally's Apizza, CT
• Totonno's Pizzeria Napolitano, NY

The Rest

• Frank Pepe's Pizzeria Napoletana, CT
• The Spot, New Haven, CT
• Al Forno, RI
• Franny's, NY
• Regina Margherita, PA
• King Umberto's, Elmont, N.Y.
• 2 Amys, DC