Susan StapletonDes Moines Register
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Every week, it seems like a new list with the top “this” or the top “that” comes out, and the latest from Yelp showcases the best pizzas in the Midwest. Granted, most of the places on this list come from Illinois and Michigan, which each have pizza styles of their own with Detroit-style, Chicago deep dish and Chicago tavern-style all making appearances.
Missing from this list of 100 is Iowa’s own style of pizza, Quad City-style, made famous at Harris Pizza, with two locations in Bettendorf and Davenport, and a third in Rock Island, Illinois. The pizza features a thin, crisp crust made with a malty, sweet dough and spicy tomato sauce. Next comes the toppings, layered under cheese. The pizza is then cut into strips with scissors.
Casey’s breakfast pizzas and Happy Joe’s, the originator of taco pizzas, also are not on the list.
The list also doesn’t include the Lincoln Winebar, the pizza shop in Mount Vernon named one of the 22 best in the country by the New York Times in June.
Yelp first broke down its user-generated ratings by looking at pizza locations from across the region, including Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
Then the review aggregator winnowed down the list by using a large concentration of reviews that included relevant keywords and ranked them using factors such as the total volume and ratings of reviews mentioning those keywords.
Here’s a look at the seven pizza restaurants in Iowa that did make Yelp’s list of 100 best in the Midwest.
Zoey’s Pizzeria
This pizzeria in Marion outside Cedar Rapids landed in the No. 64 spot on Yelp’s list. Zoey’s Pizzeria originally opened in 1991 and serves Chicago-style deep dish and New York-style thin crust pies. Try the NewZago crust, a Chicago-style dough pressed out thin instead of deep-dish style, or the Zookie, a warm chocolate chip cookie topped with vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce and whipped cream.
Location: 690 10th St., Marion
Contact: 319-377-2840 or zoeyspizza.com
Nonna’s Pizza & Pasta
This newcomer in Ankeny landed in the No. 72 spot on Yelp’s list. Nonna’s Pizza & Pasta from owners and New Yorkers Donnie Hizeqaj and Mike Kabashi opened in 2022 with options such as Grandma’s Pizza with a crisp, thin-crust square pizza topped with mozzarella, marinara sauce, olive oil, basil and Romano cheese; Sicilian square pizzas with tomato sauce and mozzarella or a lasagna version with everything but the pasta; gluten-free pies; or regular round pizzas.
Location: 1802 N. Ankeny Blvd., Ankeny
Contact: 515-850-1085 or nonnaspizzapasta.com
Sfumato Pizzeria
The No. 90 spot on Yelp’s list comes from Alton in northwest Iowa. Sfumato Pizzeria opened in 2012 with a menu of Neapolitan-style pizzas baked in a wood-fired pizza oven. The husband-and-wife team of Matt and Shannon Slemp along with Mark Slemp, Matt’s father, run this pizza restaurant, technically in unincorporated Carnes. They named it Sfumato, an Italian word for a style of painting that translates into “up in smoke.” The family recommends the Margherita or the fig and caper with prosciutto.
Location: 4995 Carnes Drive, Alton
Contact: 712-737-3007 or facebook.com/p/Sfumato-Pizzeria
More: The 27 essential restaurants in the Des Moines metro: 2024 edition
Maggie’s Farm Wood-Fired Pizza
This Iowa City pizza farm landed in the No. 91 spot on Yelp’s list. Maggie’s Farm offers Napoli favorites baked in a wood-fired oven from wife-and-husband duo Carolyn Brown and Jerry Zimmerman, who grow the vegetables used on their pizzas on their farm, named after their first labradoodle. Look for options such as the Ellie with caramelized onions, blue cheese and bacon or the soppressata with Italian dry-cured salami and pepperoncini topped with a four-cheese blend.
Location: 1308 Melrose Ave., Iowa City
Contact: 319-351-4588 or maggiesfarmpizza.com
More: Visit a pizza farm for a plow-to-table, only-in-the-Midwest experience
Basal Pizza
Head to Waterloo for the No. 93 best pizza in the Midwest, according to Yelp. Basal Pizza offers wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas as well as Detroit-style pizzas. The pan-style Detroit pizzas serve two to three people, while the Neapolitan pies are meant for individuals.
Location: 225 W. Fourth St., Waterloo
Contact: 319-333-0180 or basalpizza.com
More: 9 things you probably didn't know about breakfast pizza at Casey's General Store
Smash Pizza
Bettendorf’s Smash Pizza ended up at No. 96 on Yelp’s list. The restaurant offers a 16-inch New York-style pizza and a 14-inch Sicilian square that the restaurant says sells out early daily. Try the elote with corn or the roasted wild mushroom and fried kale for something different. Before opening in 2022, chef and owner Brian Olsen operated Smash Pizza as a food truck.
Location: 3403 Devils Glen Road, Bettendorf
Contact: 563-900-4064 or smashqc.com
More: 11 Des Moines pizzerias to satisfy any craving spanning deep dish to crispy thin crust
Need Pizzeria & Craft Beer Bar
Head to Cedar Rapids for the No. 98 pizza on the Yelp list. Need Pizzeria offers gluten-free and vegan options with a focus on New Haven-style pizza. Do look for novelty options on the specials menu, which recently featured a sriracha BLT and Crab Ya Goon, a white pizza with crab dip, crab meat, green onions, crispy wonton strips and sweet chili sauce.
Location: 207 Second Ave. S.E., Cedar Rapids
Contact: 319-362-6333 or needcr.com
Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor and dining reporter at The Des Moines Register. Follow her onFacebook,X, orInstagram, or drop her a line atsstapleton@gannett.com.
