The 'Top 100 Pizza Spots' in the Midwest, according to Yelp

(NEXSTAR/KTVI) – Pizza preferences across the Midwest may vary by city or state, with Chicagoans leaning toward tavern-style pies, St. Louisans preferring a more cracker-like crust, or Michiganders opting for thicker Detroit-style slices.

But where in the Midwest can you find the best examples of each? The analysts at Yelp have recently attempted to do just that.

On Wednesday, Yelp released its ranking of the "Top 100 Pizza Spots in the Midwest" for 2024. The list — based on the ratings and reviews of Yelp users and the expertise of Yelp's own community managers — seeks to highlight the best pizzas in the region, which Yelp calls "the birthplace of some of America’s most iconic and beloved types of pies."

"Whichever type of pie melts your cheese-loving heart, you’ll find a pizzeria offering a delicious version of it on this year’s Top 100 Pizza Spots in the Midwest list," reads a blog post published alongside Yelp's list.

Take a look at the top 25 from Yelp's list below, then visit Yelp's blog for the complete list.

1. Loui’s Pizza – Hazel Park, Michigan
2. Futuro – Indianapolis, Indiana
3. Pequod’s Pizza – Chicago, Illinois
4. Tyler’s Pizzeria & Bakery – Reynoldsburg, Ohio
5. Milly’s Pizza in the Pan – Chicago, Illinois
6. In Forno Pizza – Avon, Ohio
7. Pizzeoli Wood Fired Pizza – St. Louis, Missouri
8. Brittany’s Brick Oven Pizza – Madison, Indiana
9. Dough Daddy’s Pizza – Westmont, Illinois
10. Tasty Pizza – Omaha, Nebraska
11. Santino’s Little Italy – Milwaukee, Wisconsin
12. Zazas Pizzeria – Chicago, Illinois
13. Il Rione – Cleveland, Ohio
14. Pie Sci – Detroit, Michigan
15. Iechyd Da Brewing Company – Elkhart, Indiana
16. Providence by the Slice – Kansas City, Missouri
17. Il Gusto Pizza & Pasta – Cincinnati, Ohio
18. Market 22 – Maple City, Michigan
19. Pangea Kitchen – Evansville, Indiana
20. Noto – St. Peters, Missouri
21. Orsi’s Italian Bakery & Pizzeria – Omaha, Nebraska
22. The Brick Oven Bistro – Sandusky, Ohio
23. Fredi The PizzaMan – Melvindale, Michigan
24. Brimfield Bread Oven – Kent, Ohio
25. Young Joni – Minneapolis, Minnesota

In coming to their findings, Yelp's analysts identified business in the site's "pizza" category in 12 states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Those businesses were then ranked on "a number of factors" including ratings and reviews, and the occurrences of certain pizza-specific keywords within those reviews.

"We also consulted with our Community Managers to zero in on which spots Yelpers were loving," Yelp said.

The complete list — as well as more information on the methodology and a handy map of the Midwest's top-rated pizza places on Yelp — can be found at the platform's official site.