I recently returned to Boston (my hometown) on a short trip and decided I needed a little historical fix and one other thing, to find the best pizza in Boston. I knew that the best place to seek out this Italian specialty would be the North End of Boston. This is an area packed full of restaurants, most of them being Italian. I narrowed down my search by calling three of my friends prior to my visit to get their opinion on where I would find the best pizza in Boston. With their suggestions, I was on my way

At 11:00 AM, earlier than I would normally crave a slice, I blasted forth from the Embassy Suites airport hotel and began my pizza quest. I made my way to the nearby DaCoopa's pizza, where I was encircled by a giant menu of salads, sandwiches, subs, and pizza. I figured I couldn't eat cheese pizza all day so I went with something slightly more creative. I ordered the buffalo chicken pizza. It was everything buffalo chicken pizza should be, with a flaky crust, crunchy and moist pieces of chicken, and a chilled side of blue cheese. After that flavor, my expectations were set high for finding the best pizza in Boston. My inclination was to go straight on to my next pizza destination, but I decided it would be better for my stomach to break it up a little bit.

Even though I lived in Boston for many years, I never had a chance to visit some of the most famous historical sites. So I figured, what better day than today? With the mentality of a tourist I headed to Paul Revere's house. Though a small house, the tour was packed with ancient artifacts and surprisingly interesting facts about the famous man. As I walked through the last room of the house, I felt my stomach rumble and knew it was time to carry on with my own pizza tour.

When I asked my friends for pizza suggestions, I was expecting casual places much like DaCoopa's, but one friend swore by the ambiance and flavors of Antico Forno. I scanned the menu anxiously and finally chose the margarita pizza. My decision to go more "plain" was simply due to the fact the Antico Forno specialized in a plum tomato sauce and I didn't want any other flavors interfering with my experience. The individual sized pizza came out piping hot. The homemade fresh mozzarella melted drizzled with the finest Italian olive oil collided with the basil and practically melted in my mouth. It was some of the best pizza I've ever had and yet when I think about the best pizza in Boston, I think of oversized slices and not as much about this delicate delicious dough. The search continued, but not as quickly as my taste buds wanted.

Quincy Market was the perfect place to get a few extra steps in. I wandered in and out of shops with hundreds of places to go to. Before I knew it, I had spent a whole day shopping around Boston and the sun was starting to set. I knew that meant one thing, dinner.

My longtime friend and colleague recommended my last stop, Regina's Pizzeria. It has been open since 1926 and is known to have the best crust, sauce, and fresh toppings. To put their freshness to the test, I ordered a vegetarian pizza. The white pizza was coated with garlic sauce and over seven kinds of vegetables. The minute my teeth crunch through the crust I knew. This was the best pizza in Boston, hands down. The flavor explosion only reinforced my decision.

So if you're in Boston and craving some 'za, these are the best I've found. If you care to challenge, we can take it up in the comments section.