These Are The Best Pizza Spots In Massachusetts: Daily Meal

It's pretty much the rule: Everyone must take a side in the Regina-Santarpio's debate. The Daily Meal has, and the foodie site all is about the Eastie joint.

The Daily Meal recently released its list of the “101 Best Pizzas in America," and restaurants from 30 states — including three from Massachusetts — made the ranking. The food blog considered nearly 1,000 pizzas and looked for such qualities as a nuanced sauce, well-distributed cheese, a flavorful crust and an overall balance of ingredients.

The “101 Best Pizzas in America” list is culled from a preferred pool of perfect pies. The Daily Meal then reached out to a diverse list of pizza chefs, bloggers, critics and writers, and asked them to take a survey on the pizza shops where they actually had eaten.

Santarpio's original East Boston location has the 12th-best pie in the country, according to the list.

"Santarpio's, which opened in 1903, sticks to its traditional roots when it comes to its famously chewy and satisfyingly wet slices. The menu consists of a variety of options but includes spectacular combos like a pie that pairs sausage with garlic, ground beef and onions."

Galleria Umberto in the North End has the next-best pizza in Massachusetts, the Daily Meal said. There's often a line and very short hours, but it's the No. 26 spot on the list.

"Galleria Umberto may very well be one of America’s best cheap slice places. A cash-only throwback in Boston’s North End, it started as a bakery in 1965 and took on its current form in 1974. In the 40-some years since, it’s become an institution. Expect a line outside the door for these thick, cheesy, saucy, completely over-the-top Sicilian slices."

Regina's cramped North End spot offers the 31st-best pizza in America, according to the list.

"Opening in Boston’s North End in 1926, Regina Pizzeria has some serious cred. The pizza is made using dough from a 90-year-old family recipe, sauce, whole-milk mozzarella and toppings with no preservatives or additives, and it’s all cooked in a brick oven."

Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana in New Haven, Connecticut was named the best pizza joint in the nation for the third year in a row.

Connecticut might have had the No. 1 pizza, but New York led the way overall with 28 pizza places on the Daily Meal list. New York was followed by Illinois with nine, California with seven, and Connecticut, Pennsylvania and New Jersey all with six.

Here are the top 10 overall pizzas in America:

10. John’s of Bleecker Street (New York, New York)
9. Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria (Chicago, Illinois)
8. Patsy’s (New York, New York)
7. Sally’s Apizza (New Haven, Connecticut)
6. Totonno’s (Brooklyn, NY)
5. Buddy’s Pizza (Detroit, Michigan)
4. Pequod’s (Chicago, Illinois)
3. Razza Pizza Artigianale (Jersey City, New Jersey)
2. Lucali (Brooklyn, New York)
1. Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana (New Haven, Connecticut