No one's surprised to learn that pizza is the world's most popular dish. Who can resist the bright tomato sauce? The rich cheese? The bubbling crust? Even the near-endless options for customization are rich ground for debate. Arguments for and against the efficacy of pineapple on pizza provoke passionate tête-à-tête's. With this contentious pineapple climate in mind, I'll be withholding my own opinion on the matter until the end of the article.

What might be surprising to you is that Seattle was recently named the country's top pizza city. After looking at average pizzeria ratings, the density of pizza establishments, the volume of pizza-related searches, and the consistency of reviews, analysts at Mandoe Media determined that the Emerald City was the current forerunner of American pizza culture. Seattle's ascendency put it ahead of Chicago, which ranked number ten, Boston, which ranked number two, and yes, even New York City, which ranked a shameful number four.

It's no exaggeration that this news created a rift in my household. My partner is a proud East Coaster and an even prouder New Yorker. Though he loves the PNW, the suggestion that this region surpassed his pizza-of-origin was sacrilegious. Naturally, there was only one thing to do. We had to dine at five of Seattle's best pizzerias and decide the matter for ourselves.

The Mythical New York Slice

First, let's start with the baseline. What makes a good New York-style pie? According to my husband, traditional New York pizza is hand-tossed, uses high-quality mozzarella (or "mozz"), is lightly sauced, is thin until the crust, and displays bubbling and light char on the base, giving individual slices "support."

Though we'd be sampling numerous styles of pizza in Seattle, these broad characteristics set the standard to beat.

Lupo, Fremont

We started our pilgrimage at Lupo, located on Fremont Avenue. Since this cozy spot opened six years ago, it's been repeatedly featured among the city's best pizzerias. It specializes in Neopolitan pizza, a version whose preparation is so sacrosanct, it's been enshrined as a piece of intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO. To keep things simple, we ordered the Margherita. Lupo's iteration met several key markers of good Neopolitan pie: light sauce, decent bubbling, and an ultra-thin crust. Though it's always a treat to eat pizza that isn't heavy, we both agreed the slices were a little droopy for our liking. Still, my husband had to admit it was an excellent pie.

The Independent Pizzeria, Madison

Since its debut a decade ago, The Independent Pizzeria has rightfully attracted a fleet of devotees. Could we be this local shop's next disciples? My partner and I were more than willing to find out. We ordered The Queen, their version of a Margherita. The crust was thin but had enough structure to support the delicious toppings without flopping. The sauce was light and every ingredient burst with freshness. At the end of our meal, my husband felt compelled to break party lines, admitting he couldn't wait to return. The verdict? A bipartisan, East Coast-West Coast success.

Cornelly, Capitol Hill

On to the next member of Seattle's pizza renaissance! My partner and I headed to Cornelly, located in a trendy area of Capitol Hill. Though we were tempted by the innovative topping options— including the renowned Hornet Honey— we opted to keep an even playing field and ordered another Margherita. Here's the thing: any fault with this pizza is a product of pure pickiness. Was it a little too charred? Was there a little bit more oil than we would have liked? Perhaps. But our plates wouldn't have clued you in to these reservations, because we ate the whole thing happily. Overall, it was a delicious and worthy stop on our pizza journey.

Proletariat Pizza, White Center

North Seattle's pizzerias might get a lot of traffic, but that doesn't mean South Seattle doesn't boast some heavy hitters. Chief among them is Proletariat Pizza, a spot so good it frequently serves diners who've planned entire road trips around eating their pies. Despite the many mouth-watering pizza varieties on offer, we opted for the Margherita. Clean flavor, perfect crust, fresh ingredients, chew and crackle... This pizza takes no prisoners and we left no crumb behind. On the drive home, my husband was unusually quiet, which I took to mean his pizza loyalties had been duly rattled.

MOTO, Multiple Locations

No regional pizza pilgrimage would be complete without MOTO, a renegade pizzeria that's thrown tradition to the wayside in favor of a tantalizing combination of Detroit, Filipino, Roman, and New York flavors. What can we say? We ordered the cheese, and while it in no way resembled a New York-style slice, we couldn't help but revel in the fluffy crust, the savory cheese blend, and the punchy sauce.

After hours of arduous eating and plenty of hot debate, my husband had to concede that yes. You don't need to leave Seattle for an excellent pizza. Do these spots edge out his fondness for a New York pie? That's not clear. Even if they did, he'd never admit to it. In the end, best and worst will always depend on your taste, but I can't recommend these pizzerias enough if you're willing to test your assumptions about East Coast versus West Coast pizzas.

Oh, and I'm a fan of pineapple.