Food & Wine dubs KC area pizza spot as one of best ‘on either side of the state line’

Food & Wine says that no matter how bad things get, there will probably always be pizza.

Dubbed “the restaurant hero of 2020” by the New York Times, pizza was an affordable delivery option during the pandemic.

Now Food & Wine’s new “The Best Pizza in Every State” lists some of the tastiest pizzas in the nation, along with the 10 best pizza states in America.

In Missouri, St. Louis stole the thunder — but more on that later. In Kansas, the accolade came from our very own Kansas City metro.

The state has been coasting on its pizza laurels since Pizza Hut was founded in Wichita in 1958, the publication said.

But now, 1889 Pizza Napoletana in Kansas City, Kansas, is “making some of the finest pizza — wood-fired, Neapolitan-style — on either side of the state line.”

A friend called to let the owners know they made the national list.

“We had no clue. That’s pretty cool. Very exciting,” said Jason Kolich, who opened the pizza restaurant in 2016 with his wife, Kelli.

She said the national list will give them a broader profile in the greater Kansas City area, as well as with tourists. Their location, at 2876 W. 47th Avenue, is next to Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que, which is also a strong draw for visitors.

“We’ve had such amazing community support over the last five years,” she said. “It’s exciting that our hard work is paying off.”

They plan to celebrate the restaurant’s fifth anniversary in June with pizza classes, as well as a new pizza truck with an oven on the back to cater weddings and other events.

Old Shawnee Pizza also gets a mention on the Food & Wine list, specifically for its crab Rangoon pie. And, of course, “anyone who spends much time in Lawrence inevitably ends up” at Limestone Pizza Kitchen Bar, where they drizzle basil oil on top for a “serious flavor wallop.”

At No. 10, Missouri just barely made the section for “The 10 Best Pizza States in America.”

Food & Wine discussed St. Louis favorite Provel, the “highly-processed blend of provolone, Swiss, and cheddar,” and recommended loading up your pie at Imo’s Pizza.

“Follow everyone else’s lead and get a Deluxe pie, overloaded with sausage, bacon, and veggies; it’s a killer combo of tastes and textures. You’ll see why St. Louisans love their pizza so much, to the point where they order it over the internet, once they move to other places,” the publication said.