PIZZA

Bar Cotto

Ethan Stowell’s salumeria is heavy into cured meat, but the long list of Italian-style pizzas shines brightly. Dough is fermented for four days before being stretched into thin rounds topped with the likes of anchovies, buffalo mozzarella, and fennel frond pesto. The best pizzas here are completed with slivers of the silky, delicate artisanal cured meats Bar Cotto hangs its hat on, like salami, guanciale, and prosciutto. 1546 15th Ave., 838-8081,

ethanstowellrestaurants.com MEGAN HILL

Delancey

So let’s get the pizza out of the way first. As a former New Yorker, this is the closest Seattle gets to NYC’s storied pies. It’s not just the thin crust, but that perfect amount of grease in the cheese (not running down your chin, but enough to leave lovely little orange dots of it on the plate). Add to that an interesting array of add-ons, like shaved fennel, padron chilies, and housemade sausage, and you’ve got a delicious pizza that’s never dull. But Delancey is much more than a pizza joint: It’s a neighborhood destination, off the beaten path in Ballard, where the servers rarely change—and where a rotating menu of seasonal salads or veggies always feels inspired and full of flavor, like Billy’s Summer Gem tomatoes with sheep’s-milk feta, preserved Meyer lemon, and a basil shallot vinaigrette. On a recent visit, I had a delightfully crispy radicchio with a light breadcrumb topping—the only radicchio I’ve ever had that wasn’t overly bitter. Cocktails, too, are special, and often come bearing housemade liquors. Seasonal fruit desserts shine here, but there’s always the bittersweet chocolate-chip cookie with a sprinkle of gray salt if you want to keep it simple. The only drawback: the long, also New York–like waits. 1415 N.W. 70th St., 838-1960,

delanceyseattle.com NICOLE SPRINKLE

Serious Pie

In the entire Tom Douglas empire, this busy crowd-pleaser may be his best restaurant, perhaps due to its specificity. A variety of the signature hand-shaped, oblong pizzas are available; top recommendation is the pie with soft-cooked free-range eggs, smoked prosciutto (or sometimes guanciale), pecorino sardo, and arugula. Serious Pie is an especially attractive option for downtown happy hour, with mini-pizzas priced at just $6 and selected glasses of wine or pints of beer only $5. A handful of starters and sweets can round out the meal. 316 Virginia St., 838-7388,

tomdouglas.com JAY FRIEDMAN

Veraci Pizza

Proof you don’t always need a brick-and-mortar restaurant to craft great pizza. Veraci’s Italian-style pies have a home base in Ballard, but Veraci takes its show on the road to farmers markets, festivals, and parties around town, too. Each batch of dough is prepared by hand in a mixing bowl, achieving perfect chewiness, and baked in a wood-fired oven for a light char. Local ingredients like chanterelle mushrooms, Beecher’s cheese, and Zoe’s salami further set Veraci apart. 500 N.W. Market St., 525-1813,

veracipizza.com MEGAN HILL

World Pizza

No one had heard of World Pizza when I suggested it for a recent lunch with co-workers. And yes, some were skeptical about it being “all vegetarian.” But I knew one bite is all it would take—and I was right. To sum up how awesome World Pizza is, here’s what you need to know: The location is warm and inviting, the service is gracious, and the pizza is the cat’s meow. You must try the house special, the roasted red potato/garlic/rosemary/gorgonzola pie. Or anything with Field Roast pepperoni. With a mouthful of ’za, my colleague, SW reporter Ellis Conklin, said it best: “This isn’t, just, like, good vegetarian pizza. This is, like, really good pizza.” 672 S. King St., 682-4161,

worldpizza.tumblr.com GWENDOLYN ELLIOT