SLICE OF THE GOOD LIFE The Greek-style pizza from Orapax, in Ghent, topped our testers' list for its generous additions of feta and olives.

Agreeing that all corporate pizza tastes like ketchup on cardboard, my anonymous pizza agents and I excluded the likes of Pizza Hut and Dominos from our experiment. But with dozens of local pizza joints in the Seven Cities, where do you begin? Ranking our pies on the key elements of Crust, Sauce and Topping, we determined to eat our way to the answer.

The variety of pies we encountered demanded ranking within their own categories. So to clarify, Italian pies are generally the classic Neapolitan thin crust (NY) style with herbal sauce. Greek pies tend toward thicker, crunchier crusts with a dominant olive oil and garlic taste, and Americanized pies have a soft, blander, bread-like crust with a sweeter, tomatoey sauce.

AMERICAN-STYLE PIZZA

Atlas Pizza
Chesapeake
We don’t mind our would-be Italian pizza a little oily, but olive oily please.  The crust isn’t bad, but if you tip the slice and yellow grease runs off, it’s time to re-think the recipe.

Sunrise Pizzeria
Chesapeake
Sunrise makes a good (and filling) pie. Its dense bready crust has a nice yeasty flavor, and the sauce and pepperoni are mild. Want some fried chicken or a flounder dinner with that? The sprawling menu is an epic of eclectic choices.

ITALIAN-STYLE PIZZA

Athens
Virginia Beach
This long-time local player is still doing what they do best—pleasing carnivores with fragrant sauce and “Yee-Ro Meat” (seasoned beef),  black olives, and Feta toppings. But our crew split on the (some say too-chewy) crust.

Chesapeake Pizza
Chesapeake
This Grecian-flaired eatery could distract you with homemade meatballs, but you’d miss out on its pie’s lightly browned, crisp light crust and garlicky herb sauce. It’s the best Virginia pie south of the Intercoastal Waterway.

GREEK-STYLE PIZZA

Orapax Pizza
Norfolk
Orapax dishes it Old World-style, as your nose will know from the aroma of garlic, feta, olive, and herbs in every crunchy bite. Try Zorba’s pizza for a great Greek experience, but be sure to have your friends order the Spinach and Gyro pies, so you can share around.

CHICAGO-STYLE PIZZA

Uno Chicago Grill
Norfolk
This unique chain (and Norfolk staple) shows folks like Pizza Hut how a deep dish pan pizza is supposed to taste. This pie’s thick crust is crunchy, appropriately bready, and not too oily. The patented sauce is well-spiced with oregano and the toppings are fresh.
AMERICAN-STYLE PIZZA

East Side Pizza
Portsmouth
P-town’s best kept secret has been slinging delicious Neapolitan pies for more than two decades. The pie’s crust passes the crunchy/chewy test, and they are not stingy with the cheese. Folks from neighboring Chesapeake often make a run for the border.

Fellini’s
Norfolk
This is the way thin-and-crispy gourmet pizza is supposed to be made: with fresh toppings in a brick oven, baked by creative professionals who offer 22 custom pies. The Fellini’s Special, featuring bleu cheese and hot Italian sausage, still floats our boat.

Chicho’s
Virginia Beach
After 30 years, this beach classic has opened four more locations. In the summer, hit the beach, order a slice at the window, fold and walk. Or go inside, get a pie and a pitcher, and read the signed band posters on the walls. The uniquely spicy sauce and hand-tossed crust is only a part of the Chicho’s experience.

Sal’s Pizza
Chesapeake
In this garlic-lover’s paradise, Sal’s homemade pizza sauce tops a thin, crisp-but-flexible crust supporting fresh toppings.  A true NY-styled pie, perfect for folding, it reminds me of Empire Pizza on 5th Avenue in Manhattan, but it’s on Volvo Parkway in Chesapeake.

Cugini’s Pizza
Chesapeake
A flavorful, hand-stretched crust with a perfect balance of crispy/chewy. Receiving top marks, the cheese and toppings are fresh and generous, the well-crafted sauce is fragrant, garlic and herb-balanced; and neither too salty nor too sweet.