When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that’s amore — and this week, California is feeling the love twice over. The Golden State has earned a double slice of pizza glory, with two of its restaurants tying for fifth place among the world’s best pizzerias. Los Angeles’ Pizzeria Sei and San Francisco’s Tony’s Pizza Napoletana both landed at No. 5 in the 2026 50 Top Pizza world rankings, an announcement made Tuesday in Naples, Italy, the spiritual birthplace of pizza itself. For anyone who has ever stood in line outside these beloved establishments, waited impatiently for a table, or taken that first euphoric bite of a blistered, charred crust, the news feels less like a surprise and more like a long-overdue ovation. Both restaurants climbed from their 2025 positions — Pizzeria Sei jumped from No. 9 in the world, while Tony’s Pizza Napoletana moved up from No. 10. That upward momentum is a testament to their consistency, creativity, and the sheer passion that goes into every pie. But more than rankings and numbers, this is a story about people who treat pizza as an art form, who wake up before dawn to prepare dough, who obsess over the perfect temperature of a wood-fired oven, and who pour their hearts into every topping. It’s also a story about how California, a place known for breaking culinary molds, has become a global destination for one of the world’s most beloved foods. So while Naples may have given birth to pizza, California has given it a home, a personality, and now, a seat at the very top of the international table.
Tony’s Pizza Napoletana, tucked into the vibrant North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco on Stockton Street, has become a familiar face on the 50 Top Pizza list — and for good reason. Owned by the legendary pizzaiolo Tony Gemignani, the restaurant has been delighting locals and visitors for years with its wide-ranging menu that spans Neapolitan, New York-style, Sicilian, and even Roman-style pies. Gemignani, who is widely regarded as one of the most skilled pizza makers in the world, traveled all the way to Naples for Tuesday’s ceremony, a journey that underscores just how much this recognition means to him. The restaurant’s history with the rankings is a story of steady perseverance: it took No. 6 in 2024, No. 19 in 2023, and No. 10 in 2022. To land at No. 5 this year is not just a milestone but a reflection of the team’s relentless dedication. In a social media post shared after the award was announced, the restaurant celebrated the honor with genuine humility and joy. “We would like to congratulate and thank our team at Tony’s for all their dedicated hard work,” the post read. “We love pizza here at Tony’s and to be recognized with this award is an honor.” That sentiment is easy to believe when you step inside the bustling pizzeria, where the aroma of baking dough and bubbling mozzarella fills the air, where the open kitchen feels like a stage, and where every pie emerges from the oven looking like a work of art. For Gemignani, pizza is not a job; it’s a calling, a craft refined over decades, and an endless pursuit of perfection. His presence in Naples this week was not just about accepting an award — it was about paying homage to the tradition that inspired him, while also showing how far that tradition has traveled across oceans and cultures.
On the other side of the state, Pizzeria Sei has quickly become a phenomenon that pizza lovers simply cannot ignore. This Tokyo-style Italian pizzeria was launched in 2022 by South Korean-born, Los Angeles-raised chef William Joo and his wife and business partner, Jennifer So. What began as a small, intimate spot on West Pico Boulevard has blossomed into a destination that draws food lovers from across the city and beyond. Joo’s approach is fascinating: he blends the time-honored techniques of traditional Neapolitan pizza-making with the precision, restraint, and exacting standards of Japanese craftsmanship. The result is a pie with a beautifully blistered, leopard-spotted crust — airy, slightly charred, and irresistibly delicate — that has earned the restaurant glowing reviews, a recommendation from the Michelin Guide, and a devoted following. The recognition from 50 Top Pizza is just the latest in a series of accolades for Pizzeria Sei, which was previously ranked the No. 2 pizzeria in the United States and the top pizza spot in California. For a restaurant that has only been open for a few years, that kind of success is almost unheard of. But Joo and So have built something special, combining technical mastery with an unmistakable sense of place. There’s a quiet elegance to the dining experience at Pizzeria Sei, a feeling that every detail — from the dough fermentation to the selection of ingredients to the temperature of the oven — has been carefully considered. The restaurant’s growth has been equally impressive. On June 24, Pizzeria Sei expanded with a larger West Los Angeles location, giving even more people the chance to taste what all the fuss is about. It’s a remarkable achievement for a young restaurant, and a sign that the California pizza renaissance is only just getting started.
To understand why this moment matters, it helps to know a little about the 50 Top Pizza rankings. Conceived as a global guide to the best pizzerias on the planet, the list is compiled by a team of anonymous inspectors who travel the world tasting pies, evaluating technique, ingredients, atmosphere, and consistency. It has become one of the most respected and anticipated culinary awards in the world, often compared to the Michelin stars of the pizza universe. The winners are announced each year in Naples, a city that takes its pizza extremely seriously, and to make the list at all is an honor. To have two California restaurants tied for fifth place is a statement. It tells the world that great pizza is no longer confined to the alleyways of Naples or the historic pizzerias of New York. It is being made in Los Angeles, in San Francisco, and in countless other American cities where chefs are experimenting, innovating, and paying deep respect to the classics. The fact that both Pizzeria Sei and Tony’s Pizza Napoletana improved their positions from the previous year is particularly meaningful in a field crowded with world-class talent. It suggests that these are not places resting on their laurels. They are constantly evolving, refining their dough, sourcing better ingredients, and pushing themselves to new heights. For pizza enthusiasts, the rankings are more than just a list — they are a roadmap, a conversation starter, and a source of endless debate. But for the people behind these restaurants, the recognition is deeply personal. It validates years of early mornings, late nights, failed experiments, and small victories. It says that their love for pizza is not just felt by their customers but recognized by a global community of experts who know exactly what makes a perfect slice.
There is something beautifully human about pizza, and perhaps that is why these rankings resonate so deeply. Pizza is food that brings people together. It is the centerpiece of birthday parties, late-night study sessions, first dates, family dinners, and quiet moments of comfort. It is democratic in the best sense — equally at home in a white-tablecloth restaurant and on a cardboard box spread across a kitchen counter. California, with its incredible diversity and its willingness to embrace new ideas, has always had a special relationship with food, and pizza is no exception. The state’s version of pizza is not a single style but a mosaic of influences. There are the sourdough-inspired crusts of San Francisco, the vegetable-forward toppings of Los Angeles, the wood-fired Neapolitan pies that honor tradition, and the playful, fusion-driven creations that could only exist in a place like California. Tony’s Pizza Napoletana and Pizzeria Sei are perfect examples of this eclectic spirit. One is rooted in the techniques of Italy, refined through years of study and practice, while the other looks to Japan for inspiration and applies that lens to an Italian classic. Yet both share a common thread: a profound respect for ingredients, a commitment to craft, and a desire to create something that makes people feel something. In a world that often feels rushed and disconnected, pizza has an almost magical ability to slow us down, to remind us of simple pleasures, and to connect us to the people around us. That emotional resonance is why the news of these two restaurants being honored feels so joyful. It is not just about rankings or prestige. It is about celebrating the people who dedicate their lives to making others happy, one pie at a time.
As the confetti from Tuesday’s announcement settles, the future looks brighter than ever for California’s pizza scene. Pizzeria Sei is expanding, Tony’s Pizza Napoletana continues to draw pilgrims to its North Beach location, and both restaurants now carry the added distinction of being among the top five pizzerias on Earth. That is a title worth savoring, the way you savor the last bite of a perfect slice — slowly, gratefully, and with a slight smile. For those who have not yet visited either spot, the rankings may feel like an invitation, a nudge to book a flight to Los Angeles or San Francisco and taste what the world is raving about. And for those who have already experienced the magic, the news is simply confirmation of what they already knew: that great pizza is made by great people, and great people are making it in California. There is a certain poetry to the fact that the announcement took place in Naples, the city where pizza was born. It is a reminder that while traditions matter, they are also meant to evolve, to travel, and to be reinterpreted by new hands in new places. California has taken the soul of pizza and given it a voice that is entirely its own. It has taken the wood-fired ovens of Italy, the precision of Japan, the creativity of Los Angeles, and the character of San Francisco, and blended them into something deliciously unforgettable. So whether you are a purist who believes pizza should never be topped with anything beyond a simple tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella, or an adventurous eater who loves seeing what happens when chefs push boundaries, the message from this year’s rankings is clear: California is doing something extraordinary. And if the moon ever hits your eye like a big pizza pie, you know exactly what it is. That’s amore — served fresh, hot, and proudly from the Golden State.
