Thirty-seventh place among America’s best pizzerias is a pretty impressive achievement, especially when the competition includes celebrated restaurants from New York, California, and Chicago. This local favorite earned that position in the 2026 edition of the prestigious 50 Top Pizza USA rankings.
The Virginia restaurant was the state’s only representative on the list, and the recognition wasn’t a complete surprise. It had also appeared in the rankings in 2023 and 2025, showing that its reputation extends beyond a single successful year.
I like how a neighborhood pizzeria can earn national attention while competing against much larger names. The restaurant specializes in Neapolitan-style pizza, bringing traditional Italian techniques to its menu.
And with three appearances in four years, this latest recognition gives pizza lovers another reason to be curious about what’s coming out of its kitchen.
The Pizza List Everyone Watches Just Called Its Name Again
Landing on a national best-of list once is exciting. A Modo Mio in Arlington has now done it three times in four years, which feels less like luck and more like a habit.
The 50 Top Pizza guide ranked the restaurant No. 37 in America for 2026. That guide is a big deal in the pizza world, since it judges spots all over the globe.
The climb tells a fun story. The restaurant first appeared at No. 48 in 2023, then jumped to No. 32 in 2025.
Moving up and staying on the list takes real consistency.
Here’s the part that makes Virginia pizza fans grin. A Modo Mio was the only pizzeria from Virginia or DC on the 2026 list.
Plenty of cities would love bragging rights like that.
So why should you care about a ranking? Lists like this help you skip the guesswork.
Instead of gambling on a random slice, you get a place experts have tested more than once.
It also means the kitchen keeps raising its own bar. Staying on a global list year after year doesn’t happen by accident.
You can almost feel that pressure working in your favor when the pie lands on your table.
A Sicilian Family Story Started Long Before The Trophies
Agrigento, a city in Sicily, is where this tale really begins. The Farruggio family came from there and opened their first restaurant in the United States in 1978.
That date matters. Northern Virginia has been eating this family’s cooking for more than four decades, which is longer than many of today’s diners have been alive.
The name A Modo Mio means “in my fashion” in Italian. It’s a sweet little promise.
The family cooks things their way, using recipes pulled straight from their own Italian recipe book.
I believe a name like that tells you a lot about a kitchen. It isn’t chasing whatever is trendy this month.
It’s sharing what a family has always loved to eat at home.
That heritage shows up in more than just the pizza. It shapes the menu, the decor, and even the music playing in the dining room.
For anyone who enjoys a restaurant with roots, this backstory adds flavor before you take one bite. You’re not just grabbing dinner in Virginia.
You’re joining a family tradition that crossed an ocean, landed in Arlington, and kept going strong for generations.
Joe’s Place Fans Will Recognize The Address, Not The Plan
Long before the national buzz, this same Arlington spot went by another name. The Farruggio family opened Joe’s Place Pizza and Pasta here in 1985, and it was known for its popular buffet.
Then 2020 arrived and changed the restaurant world overnight. A buffet suddenly made very little sense, so the family made a bold move instead of waiting it out.
Joe’s Place became A Modo Mio. The new version put Neapolitan-style pizza front and center and switched to full-service dining.
It was a fresh start under a familiar roof.
That pivot turned out to be a smart one. Just a few years later, the renamed restaurant started showing up on national pizza rankings.
Talk about a comeback story.
You can find it today at 5555 Langston Blvd., Arlington, VA 22207. There’s a parking lot on site, which is a welcome perk in a busy area like this.
I like how this chapter shows the family’s grit. They didn’t toss out their heritage when times got tough.
They simply found a new way to share it, and the result is a place that feels both rooted and refreshed.
An Oven Built In Italy Does The Heavy Lifting
Most kitchens buy an oven from a catalog. A Modo Mio went a different route, with a custom, hand-built brick oven made in Italy and imported for this restaurant.
It’s not decoration, either. The oven is VERACE approved, a stamp tied to traditional Neapolitan pizza standards.
That word basically means “true” in Italian, which feels fitting here.
Neapolitan pizza-making is so respected that UNESCO recognizes the art as an intangible cultural heritage. A Modo Mio follows those classic methods for preparing and cooking its pies.
What does a wood-fired brick oven bring to the table? High heat cooks pizza fast, giving the crust that signature puffy edge with dark, spotted char.
A quick tip for first-timers: Neapolitan pizza is meant to be a little soft in the center. That’s the style, not a mistake.
Grab a fork and knife if you like, or fold a slice the way folks in Naples often do.
For an oven that traveled thousands of miles to get here, it earns its keep every single day. Honestly, it might be the hardest-working immigrant in all of Arlington.
A Naples Native Runs The Dough Like A Pro
Great ovens need great hands. At A Modo Mio, those belong to Master Pizza Chef Antonio Biglietto, who comes from Naples, Italy.
Naples is the birthplace of pizza, so this is a bit like learning basketball from someone raised on the court. Chef Biglietto brings that hometown know-how into a Virginia kitchen.
The restaurant proudly highlights its partnership with him. It’s a smart pairing.
The Farruggio family supplies the Sicilian heritage, while the chef adds deep Neapolitan pizza skill.
That mix helps explain the national attention. Family recipes create warmth, but expert technique creates consistency.
You need both to stay on a global list year after year.
The menu shows his style through playful options. You’ll spot pies like the Diavola, a Margherita, and the Sole, a white pizza topped with French fries.
Yes, fries on pizza. Kids tend to think that’s genius, and they might be right.
My advice? Order one classic pie and one wild card for the table.
Splitting both lets everyone taste the range. It’s also the easiest way to see what a true pizza master can do with simple dough.
Pasta, Burrata, And Croquettes Deserve Some Table Space
Bucatini croquettes stuffed with Bolognese sauce and mozzarella. If that sentence didn’t make you hungry, please check your pulse.
Pizza earns the headlines, but A Modo Mio serves a full Italian menu. Every dish comes from the Farruggio family’s recipe book, so the homemade feeling carries well past the crust.
Starters set a fun tone. There’s violet burrata served on thinly sliced beets, plus grilled octopus.
Splitting a few small plates is a great way to explore.
Pasta lovers have plenty of choices. You’ll find traditional pastas, lasagna, and gnocchi sorrentina among the options.
Pasta can be ordered in individual portions, which makes sharing easy.
Bigger mains include ribeye steak, salmon, and seabass. That’s handy for groups where someone always says, “I’m not really a pizza person.” Yes, those people exist.
Save room for dessert, because the sweets list is no afterthought. Cannoli, tiramisu, and Italian cheesecake all appear on the menu, along with gelato.
A friendly strategy: order one pizza, one pasta, and one starter for every two people. You’ll taste more of the kitchen and leave without regrets.
Cozy Meets Stylish Inside This Freshened-Up Dining Room
Old buildings can get tired. This one got a glow-up, with the family revamping both the interior and exterior after the restaurant became A Modo Mio.
The result lands in a happy middle zone. It’s cozy enough for a laid-back family dinner, yet stylish enough for a date night when you want to dress up a bit.
Classic Italian decor sets the mood, including vintage-style posters on the walls. Italian music often plays in the background, giving the room a little extra charm.
There’s a bar area for anyone who prefers counter seating. It’s a nice option for solo diners or couples who like watching the action.
Out back, the patio offers outdoor seating when the weather cooperates. Arlington springs and falls are perfect for eating pizza under open sky.
Celebrating something bigger? A semi-private dining room can host parties, so birthdays and team dinners have a space of their own.
I like that the setting doesn’t try too hard. It feels polished but relaxed, a place where kids and grandparents both fit in.
That balance is tougher to pull off than most restaurants realize.
Smart Diners Plan Around Tuesdays And Wednesdays
Timing is everything, especially when a nationally ranked pizza goes on sale. A Modo Mio runs weekday specials that make a midweek visit very tempting.
Tuesdays bring half-price pasta. Wednesday evenings offer half-price pizza for dine-in guests.
Specials can change, so it’s smart to check with the restaurant before you go.
There’s also a weekday happy hour from 3 to 5 PM, Monday through Friday. Those deals can make an early dinner feel like a sneaky win.
Hours are generous too. The restaurant opens at 11 AM every day and stays open until 10 PM on Fridays and Saturdays.
Other nights wrap up at 9 PM.
A practical note: an automatic gratuity may be added to your bill. Peek at the receipt so nothing catches you off guard.
Need food for a crowd? A Modo Mio offers catering for all kinds of occasions, from office lunches to family gatherings.
Here’s my favorite budget trick. Pick a Wednesday, invite friends, and order several different pizzas to share.
You get a mini tasting tour of an award-winning menu without your wallet filing a complaint.
Staff Who Stay For Decades Say A Lot About A Place
Ten, twenty, even thirty years. That’s how long many staff members have worked with the Farruggio family, and in the restaurant world, that’s practically forever.
Restaurant jobs often see constant turnover. Keeping a team together this long suggests people genuinely like working here, and that warmth usually spills over to the guests.
The same family has guided the business since 1978. Steady ownership plus steady staff creates a rare kind of comfort.
You can feel continuity in a place like this.
That’s a big part of why A Modo Mio feels like a true Arlington institution. It’s a neighborhood restaurant that happens to compete with the best pizzerias in America.
For Virginia families, it’s the kind of spot that can host a first date, a graduation dinner, and a grandparent’s birthday. All in the same booth, possibly years apart.
Awards are exciting, but they come and go with each new list. A loyal team and deep community roots stick around much longer.
So when you finally visit, say hello and settle into the rhythm. You’re stepping into a story that’s been simmering for decades, and the next chapter clearly includes great pizza.
