Every day is pizza day, but only one month — October — is National Pizza Month. So there's no better time to launch the New Jersey Pizza Power Rankings.

Hey, there are power rankings of football and basketball teams, so why not pizza? It is, after all, the world's most popular food — and the food New Jerseyans love to debate and argue about more than any other. (Taylor ham/pork roll? Please.)

So here's how this is going to work: The New Jersey Pizza Power Rankings will serve as the ultimate measure of the state's best pizzerias, based on food, atmosphere, service, tradition and other factors. We'll be re-visiting this list at least twice or year, or maybe more if great new pizzerias emerge like a bolt from the blue. Pizzerias will move up and down the list — or drop out entirely, just like the sports polls or rankings.

The New Jersey Pizza Power Rankings will take in the entire state; there is great pizza in all 21 counties. Really. You just have to know where you look. The list is a mix of high-end, middle-brow and low-rent places; when it comes to pizza, I'm not stuffy or snobby. A bare-bones place that does a great plain slice gets the same consideration as a stylish restaurant that makes excellent Neapolitan pizzas in its imported Italian brick oven.

We have eaten at all these pizzerias; no one makes the list on rep alone (or — for that matter — Yelp brownie points).

And since we'll be revisiting this list periodically, if you have a favorite pizzeria, or think we're ignoring or short-changing a place, say so in the comments below.

So without further doughy deliberation, here's the first installment:

NEW JERSEY PIZZA POWER RANKINGS

1. Santillo's Brick Oven Pizza, Elizabeth. Walk down the driveway, open the screen door, and say hello to owner — and lovable nut — Al Santillo. There's no seating; take it to a nearby bar, or home. 639 S. Broad St., Elizabeth; (908) 354-1887.

2. De Lorenzo's Tomato Pies, Robbinsville. It was a sad moment when the De Lo's on Hudson Street in Trenton closed last year. Dry those tears; the Robbinsville location doesn't have anywhere the same atmosphere, but makes the same great pizza. 2350 Route 33, Robbinsville, (609) 341-8480.

3. Maurizio's Pizzeria & Italian Grille, Hamilton. The state's largest municipality is home to South Jersey's best slices. Try the margherita or sausage. 4125 Black Horse Pike, Hamilton; (609) 645-0028.

4. Star Tavern, Orange. The gold standard for thin-crust. Don't be fooled by the sports-bar atmosphere; this is a Jersey pizza shrine. 400 High St., Orange; (973) 675-3336.

5. Razza, Jersey City. Cozily ensconsed in the former Bar Majestic, Razza is co-owned by Dan Richer, who also runs the highly-recommended Arturo's in Maplewood. 275 Grove St., Jersey City; (201) 356-9438.

6. Pizza-Town U.S.A, Elmwood Park. There is no better late-night pizza experience than this flourescent-lit roadside pizza attraction. Owners Michelle and Bruce Tomo say Pizza-Town was the first to sell slices in New Jersey when it opened in 1958. Also made my list of 20 Jersey Experiences You Must Try Before You Die. 111 Route 46 west, Elmwood Park; (201) 797-6171.

7. The Monk Room, Newark. Great pizza in Newark? Finally, with the opening of The Monk Room, across from City Hall. It's next to a bailbondsman, if you need another landmark. One standout: the 14 1/2 pizza, with hot sopressata, Calabrian chiles, San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, homemade ricotta. 20 Green St., Newark; (973) 368-2771.

8. Nomad Pizza Co., Hopewell. Great small town and pizza experience — lush garden, outdoor patio, communal table, and a bulbous blue-tiled oven that looks as if it dropped in from pizza outer space. 10 E. Broad St, Hopewell;(609) 466-6623.

9. Pete's Pizza, Columbus Farmers' Market, Columbus. Pizza in a flea market? It sounds so Jersey. Kate & Al's is also here, but I give Pete's the slight edge. Store 611, Columbus Farmers Market, 2919 Route 206 south, Columbus; (609) 267-0166.

10. Denino's, Aberdeen. You'll get much doughy debate over the best pizza in Monmouth County, but it's hard to argue with this spot. Owner Mike Denino is the son of Carlo Denino, who opened Denino's in Staten Island in 1937. The margherita here is one of the state's best. 1077 Route 34, Aberdeen; (732) 583-2150.

11. Kinchley's, Ramsey. I go back and forth between Nellie's in Waldwick and Kinchley's for best thin-crust in Bergen County; right now the latter gets the edge. It's a fun, old-time pizza roadhouse, open 77 years. 586 N. Franklin Turnpike, Ramsey; (201) 934-7777.

12. Big John's Pizza, Bridgeton. The state's guiltiest pizza pleasure is the double thick pizza, a cardiac-inducing delight at this spare, no-nonsense neighborhood hangout. 90 Commerce St. east, Bridgeton; (856) 455-3344.

13. Pizza Vita, Summit. I love this pizzeria, located next door to the Summit Diner, and its pizza truck, a fixture at fairs and festivals, even more. 7 Union Place. Summit; (908) 277-1400.

14. Tony's Baltimore Grill, Atlantic City. On atmosphere alone, this may be my favorite pizzeria in the state. The bar is lit by a Twin Peaks-worthy eerie red glow, and you've got to love a place with wooden booths and pizza boxes that look right out of a 1940s newsreel, with black lettering on white background. 2800 Atlantic Ave., Atlantic City; (609) 345-5766.

15. Bruno's Pizza, Clifton. The state's best Sicilian slice is here, fat and sassy and bursting with tart tomatoey goodness. 1006 Route 46 west, Clifton; (973) 473-3339.

16. Slice, Washington Township. With a name like Slice, you'd better do them right. And they do. Trenton-style pies, thin-crusted, with the sauce on top. 137 Egg Harbor Road, Washington Township, Gloucester County; (856) 302-5099.

17. Federici's, Freehold. The combination of history and excellent thin-crust merit inclusion here. (Federici's and Star Tavern would make for a great thin-crust showdown.) 14 E. Main St., Freehold; (732) 462-1312.

18. Patsy's Tavern, Paterson. Atmospheric, old-school bar with a crackery-crusted, pleasantly greasy plain pizza. Not easy to find, but worth the effort. 72 Seventh Ave., Paterson; (973) 742-9596.

19. A Mano, Ridgewood. This spot opened seven years ago with the mission of "bringing authentic pizza Napoletana to the USA.'' It's authentic, and first-rate. (A bit pricey, but this is Bergen County.) 24 Franklin Ave., Ridgewood; (201) 493-2000.

20. Arturo's, Maplewood. Dan Richer, co-owner of Arturo's, must be doing something right; he has two pizzerias on this list (No. 5 Razza is the other.) Be warned: Arturo's can get quite busy on the weekend. 180 Maplewood Ave., Maplewood; (973) 378-5800.

21. JoJo's Tavern, Mercerville. You need at least one bar that does great bar pies on the list. This is a neighborhood hangout with pizza that packs some attitude; the sauce is tangy and assertive. 2677 Nottingham Way, Hamilton; (609) 586-2678.

22. Pizza Terminal, Verona. For variety and quality of slices, this pizzeria, formerly known as Mr. Bruno's, is unequalled. 50 Bloomfield Ave., Verona; (973) 857-0323.

23. Sam's Pizza Palace, Wildwood. An essential boardwalk experience. 2600 Boardwalk, Wildwood; (609) 522-6017. Here's my Real Jersey Shore profile of Sam's.

24. Mario's Restaurant, Clifton. Another in the hallowed tradition of old-school pizza hangouts. Dining room to the left, bar to the right, with honest, straightforward thin-crust pizza. 710 Van Houten Ave., Clifton; (973) 777-1559.

25. Tony D's Pizza, Caldwell. Don't be fooled by the small, spare surroundings; there's big flavor in the pizza Tony DiFabrizio makes. His sausage and gorgonzola slice was one of the best things I ate all summer. 3 Hanford Place, Caldwell; (973) 228-9500.

ON THE RISE

These are places visited by me or highly recommended by faithful pizza tipsters. They can be established or newer places; we'll see if they make it into the Power Rankings in the coming months.

Brooklyn Boys, Edison

Holy Tomato, Blackwood

Joe's Drive-in Pizza, Union

Kate & Al's Pizza, Columbus

Lombardi Pizza Co., Martinsville

Luna Pizza, Three Bridges

Luigi's, Ocean Township

Nick's Pizza and Pasta, Cinnaminson

Osteria Procaccini, Kingston

Palermo's, Bordentown

Pizza Amore, Delran

Porta, Asbury Park

Reservoir Restaurant, South Orange

FALLING OFF THE LIST

What becomes a pizza legend most? Well, popularity, mostly. But these pizza legends haven't done enough to crack the power rankings as far as I'm concerned; will they regain their cheesy luster?

Manco & Manco's, Ocean City

Pete & Elda's/Carmen's, Neptune

Vic's Pizza, Bradley Beach

Reservoir Tavern, Parsippany

Peter Genovese may be reached at pgenovese@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @PeteGenovese or via The Munchmobile @NJ_Munchmobile.

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