Pickany city on the U.S. map and chances are that said city has some sortof unique pizzeria with an anomalous approach to making its specialpie. From the inches-thick cheese in Chicago to flecks of garden -grownbasil on top in California, here are a few options to try the next timeyou’re on the road. -- Kristine Hansen

California (statewide)
Specialty: Locally sourced/seasonal/fresh ingredients
In most Californian dishes, local and seasonal ingredients are key. Pizza is no exception. At Diavola Pizzeria & Salumeria,which opened in July, pizzas are prepared in a wood-burning Mugnainihearth oven imported from Italy, and many of the toppings (includingzucchini flowers and mozzarella di Bufala) are sourced from three localfarms. 21021 Geyserville Avenue, Geyserville, (707) 814-0111, www.diavolapizzeria.com

Chicago
Specialty: Deep-dish
PizzeriaUno invented the deep-dish pizza in 1943. What looks like an inch ofpure cheese and a heaping amount of chunky tomato sauce is spread overa thick handcrafted crust (made fresh daily in the restaurant) and thencooked in a deep pan that’s coated in oil (to give the effect of thepizza being fried on the bottom). Although Uno Chicago Grill is now anationwide chain, the original Pizzeria Uno still stands in the city’s River North neighborhood. 29 East Ohio Street, (312) 321-1000, www.unos.com

St. Louis
Specialty: Thin crust
In 1964, Marge and Ed Imo opened the first Imo’s Pizzaand introduced locals to a new thin-crust style of pizza. Today, about50 Imo’s Pizza locations in and around St. Louis still make Marge andEd’s crispy-crusted pizza, which is topped not with mozzarella but withSt. Louisian Provel. It’s then cut into squares. St. Louis andsurrounding area, www.imospizza.com

Providence, Rhode Island
Specialty: Grilled
In 1980, Al Forno’sco-owner and co-chef George Germon was having a conversation with alocal fish-market employee who had seen pizzas baking in a wood-firedoven in Italy -- only the employee mistakenly called the oven a grill.Germon’s imagination took over and voilà, grilled pizza was born in theUnited States. A round pie is placed over the fire of a grill andflipped once as the bottom stiffens. Toppings (including tomato sauceand a mixture of pecorino romano and fontina cheeses) are then strewnvery thinly on the grilled side. 577 South Main Street, (401) 273-9760,www.alforno.com

New Haven, Connecticut
Specialty: Apizza
NewHaven locals who originally emigrated from Naples call their version ofpizza “apizza.” The thin, crisp crust topped with either plain tomatoesor grated pecorino romano cheese and garnished with garlic, oregano,and anchovies (in other words, no traditional mozzarella) originated atFrank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana.Pepe’s, which opened in 1925, is one of the country’s oldest pizzerias,most famous for its white pizza topped with freshly shucked clams (toeach his own). 157 Wooster Street, (203) 865-5762, www.pepespizzeria.com

SIX-SLICE TOUR OF THE BIG APPLE »Navigating pizzerias in Manhattan and the other NYC boroughs can beheadache-inducing. But book a spot on Scott’s Pizza Tours and yourproblems are solved. Scott Wiener takes foodies on a bus or walkingtour to four places for slices of pizza at each. You also have theoption to customize your tour from a list of famous institutions,including, but not limited to, Patsy’s in East Harlem, the originalRay’s on Prince Street, Lombardi’s (the country’s first licensed pizzajoint), John’s of Bleecker, and Joe’s (favored by many a celebrity).Currently, the bus tour is offered only on weekends and costs $55, andthe walking tour is offered on Wednesdays for $30. (212) 209-3370, www.scottspizzatours.com