The Best Pizza Near The Shed Restaurant, by the Record
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Pasquale Illiano left Naples and landed in one of Rhode Island's smaller towns, which is saying something in the smallest state in the union. The pizzeria runs the full range, Neapolitan, New York style, Grandma, and each style is treated as its own discipline rather than a casual option. The pasta dishes quietly hold their own alongside the pizza, which is not a given. Ranked fifteenth on 50 Top Pizza USA.
- 50 Top Pizza #15 · 50 Top Pizza USA
- 50 Top Pizza 2026 · Best Pasta Proposal · 50 Top Pizza USA Special Awards
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The name nods to mother yeast, which tells you where the priorities lie. This Newport pizzeria runs two tracks: sit-down Neapolitan rounds with a proper table and a drink, or Roman-style slices by the slice for a quick waterfront lunch. The dough gets a long ferment either way, and the toppings lean classic Italian, cold cuts and cheese mostly, with occasional Mediterranean detours. Appetizers, salads, and cooked dishes round out the room-service side.
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Rank 3. Al Forno
Wood-fired Pizza
The grilled pizza here goes directly onto the flame, which does something to the crust that an oven simply cannot: a char-edged, smoke-threaded base that's thin enough to feel light but sturdy enough to carry its toppings. This is a full-menu Italian restaurant, not a slice shop, so come ready for pasta and roasted vegetables too. The room is bright, the pace is brisk, and the drinks list is short but chosen with care.
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Wooster Street is New Haven apizza territory, so opening a Neapolitan pizzeria here takes a certain nerve. The family behind Zeneli trained in Naples and planted that tradition right in the middle of the local institution's turf. Wood-fired, soft-crusted pies with San Marzano tomatoes and proper mozzarella sit alongside classic Italian dishes in a room that feels genuinely like someone's people are running it.
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New Haven-style pizza has its own rules: thin, coal-fired, slightly charred, and not quite like anything you'd get elsewhere. Modern Apizza has been holding down State Street forever, turning out red and white pies with a crust that blisters and snaps. The Italian Bomb, loaded with cold cuts and vegetables, is the order regulars argue about. A casual, loud, no-fuss pizzeria where the line out front is a feature, not a bug.