ARLINGTON, VA — Virginia is home to one of the top 50 pizzerias in the United States, according to a ranking by Italian pizza experts.
A Modo Mio, on Langston Boulevard in Arlington, was ranked the 48th best pizzeria in the country by 50 Top Pizza, a pizza evaluation site in Italy.
Owned by restaurateur Joe Farruggio, A Modo Mio’s focus is on Neapolitan pizza. The restaurant also serves pasta, chicken and seafood dishes, and panini combos.
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“The American pizza movement is very active right now, with a new generation of artisans who are ever more careful with the quality of their product and their ingredients. It is a trend that has been particularly noticeable over the last year,” 50 Top Pizza’s Barbara Guerra, Luciano Pignataro and Albert Sapere said Tuesday.
The top five pizzerias in the U.S., according to the ranking, are Una Pizza Napoletana in New York, Razza Pizza Artiginale in Jersey City, Ken’s Artisan Pizza in Portland, Tony’s Pizza Napoletana in San Francisco and Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix.
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Inferno Pizzeria Napoletana in Darnestown, ranked 23rd, was the only Maryland pizzeria to make the list, while Slice & Pie was Washington, D.C.’s representative on the list.
A Modo Mio, at 5555 Langston Boulevard in Arlington, opened in October 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic in the same building that had housed the family dining restaurant Joe’s Place Pizza and Pasta.
“A Modo Mio, it came to be because of COVID. The previous concept wasn’t COVID friendly. With the buffet and salad bar, you just can’t do it,” co-owner Rosario Farruggio told ARLnow in May. “We knew Joe’s wouldn’t be able to survive.”
Joe Farruggio decided to create a sit-down restaurant similar to il Canale, the Italian restaurant he owns in Georgetown. Master pizza chef Antonio Biglietto, from Naples, Italy, was brought in to serve as head chef at A Modo Mio.
Upon opening in 2020, A Modo Mio, meaning “My Way,” focused on making authentic Napoletana pizza and a creating fresh new menu. Farruggioi also revamped the restaurant interior and exterior to provide a new ambience for customers.
A Modo Mio’s pizza is VPN certified, which stands for Vera Pizza Napoletana. The restaurant’s employees are trained by a certified Neapolitan pizza maker, ARLnow reported.
A Modo Mio’s ranking in the top 50 pizzerias in the U.S. was announced on Tuesday in New York City. The top 15 spots will automatically be added to 50 Top Pizza’s ranking of the 100 best pizzerias in the world, which will be revealed at a ceremony in Naples in September.
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