You'd be hard-pressed to find a person who doesn't like pizza. And most parents pass that passion for melted cheese and delicious dough down to their kids with family outings to their favorite local pizza joint.
Some families take pizza very seriously, so if you're on the hunt for a great slice, check out this list of the best family pizza joints across the U.S. Each has its own distinct approach in creating its signature pizzas. But they all have one common denominator - they're absolutely delicious!
Giuseppe's has been a favorite on the South Side of Birmingham, Alabama, since 2002. The cafe's specialty is generously portioned Italian American plates, including award-winning pizza, incredible pasta, salads, baked feta and homemade tiramisu.
The dining room is small, but that only adds to the cozy family feel. If you're looking for an upscale restaurant, keep looking. If you're looking for huge portions of food that's even better than your grandma used to make, go here immediately.
One of the most well-loved pizzas in the U.S. isn't in the lower 48. Located in Anchorage, Alaska, Moose's Tooth has been on several "best of" lists as the maker of the state's definitive pie, and it's the top indie pizza restaurant in the entire country.
So, what makes it so great? A plethora of toppings from the usual (pepperoni, capers, mushrooms and peppers) to the exotic (cream cheese, barbecue pork and smoked salmon). Vegan and veggie options are plentiful as are beverages - from handcrafted beer to homemade sodas - to wash it all down.
New York transplant and chef Chris Bianco brought Pizzeria Bianco to Phoenix, Arizona, in 1987, and it's been lauded ever since by everyone from Bon Appétit and Gourmet magazines to celebrity chefs Martha Stewart and Rachel Ray.
Bianco's traditional Neapolitan pizza is made in a wood-fired brick oven from scratch with the freshest local ingredients available.
Can a pizza have healing properties? There's one way to find out - by visiting DeLuca's Pizzeria in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Owner Anthony Valinoti makes his Napoletana brick oven pies by hand daily with water from the local hot springs, which Native Americans believed to be restorative.
While the pizza is unbelievable, the salads for two add another perfect shareable option to the meal.
Tony's Pizza Napoletana, located in San Francisco, California's North Beach neighborhood and run by 13-time World Pizza Champion Tony Gemignani, serves a dozen different styles of pie with fresh ingredients, but that's not what makes them great (although it helps).
Pizzas here are cooked at seven different temperatures from any one of five dedicated heat sources. Needless to say, Gemignani takes the pizza game seriously - and it's really paid off for him (and for us)!