North Texas, in the past few years, has become a remarkably serious place for pizza. Certainly, the subject of pizza doesn't yet inspire the forceful opinions that, say, burgers or steakhouses do, but it's getting there. Many local cooks and restaurateurs are looking to Italy and close-to- the-source derivations from New York as inspirations for their recipes. Others are refining the heftier Americanized pies to new levels of excellence. Crusts reveal more complexity and attention to texture. Sauces demonstrate more balance and restraint. Cheeses taste of higher quality.

So, yes, our list of the area's finest pizza options overwhelmingly favors the more recently opened places. We performed our due diligence and visited many of the standard-bearers with years, if not decades, of loyalty behind them, but we felt that the new wave of pizza restaurants – which are popping up at exciting, disarming rates – is in many cases putting out a superior product. Disagree? Feel free to let us know.

We did not include Chicago-style pizza. We visited a couple of deep-dish spots in Plano and environs, where the style seems to flourish locally, but we ultimately decided to make it its own category for another time. The list also focuses on restaurants whose main focus is pizza.

Critics' picks (presented alphabetically) are based on reviews and recent dining experiences by Bill Addison and others. More pizza options can be found in listings on Pages 18 (Dallas area) and 10 (Fort Worth).

Turn the page to check out our favorites.

Daniele Puleo, who owns Daniele Osteria in Oak Lawn, opened this Fort Worth restaurant serving New York-style pizza earlier this year. A Sicilian native, Mr. Puleo wisely imported Charlie Cangelosi, a Brooklyn pizzaiolo, to man the wood-fired oven. The result is satisfying, unpretentious pies encircled by puffed, medium-thick rims that stay crisp. Try the Brooklyn (with meat-

balls) or the sausage.

2747 S. Hulen St., Fort Worth. 817-924-2749. www.brixpizzeria.com.

$-$$. Wine and beer.

Campania's first location, in Dallas' West Village, could be credited with setting off the local Neapolitan-style pizza trend when it opened in 2005. The new, second location (in Southlake Town Square) is a far larger, three-floored compound with gorgeous tiling. You can't go wrong with either: The menu is bigger and the Italian ovens are said to burn hotter at the Southlake location, but the West Village locals love that the original remains BYOB.

3800 McKinney Ave. 214-780-0605. Also at 291 Grand Ave., Southlake. 817-310-3116. www.campaniapizza.com.

$-$$. BYOB at McKinney Avenue location, full bar in Southlake.

Owners Paul and Clara Cavalli hold some unique creds among pizza bakers in our area: They earned certification from the California division of the Associazione Verace

Pizza Napoletana, an organization dedicated to training cooks in the exacting methods of Neapolitan pizza. This is soulful pizza, supported by a complexly flavored crust. Go for the deceptively simple margherita extra to savor their dedication to quality ingredients.

3601 Regent Blvd., Irving. 972-915-0001. www.cavallipizza.com.

$-$$. BYOB.

Coal Vines fashions proud American pies with pouting lips of dough and a floppy middle meant to be picked up and folded in half . One notable here is the Bolognese, whose flash of nutmeg in the meaty sauce ramps up the sophistication quotient. In our research, the original on Cedar Springs Road turned out a more finely executed product than did the newer Southlake location, but both are worthy of your pizza-allotted calories.

2404 Cedar Springs Road. 214-855-4999. Also at 1251 E. Southlake Blvd., Southlake. 817-310-0850. www.coalvines.com.

$-$$. Wine and beer.

As noted in a recent review, crackery is an adjective critics like to bandy about in describing crust, but Eno's takes the word literally: It is saltine-level thin and attractively charred around the slender edges. Among the thoughtfully composed options, the Northside (which includes salami and green olives as toppings) reigns as favorite. Wash it down with an artisan draft beer at this community- minded Oak Cliff tavern.

407 N. Bishop Ave. 214-943-9200. www.enospizza.com.

$$. Full bar.

Fireside is all about the feel-good pizza – three-dimensional heavyweights built from plush dough, fire-roasted tomato sauce, a four-cheese blend and loads of toppings whose flavors fuse deeply in the wood-burning ovens. The one crowned with Jimmy's spicy sauce, scamorza and roasted red onions rocks. Some of us prefer the Plano location above Fireside's other spots, but all the restaurants generally crank out standup creations.

2820 N. Henderson Ave. 214-370-3916. See Web site

for other locations. www.firesidepies.com.

$$-$$$. Full bar.

The West Village location of this chain, based on the original Brooklyn legend of the same name, has inspired some animated debate among local pizza lovers, but we feel this is a very good example of the Naples-via-New York school of pizza making. Smokiness imparted from the coal-burning oven defines the Grimaldi's pie. White pizzas, with lacy mozzarella and thin crust that flatter each other, come out particularly nicely here.

3636 McKinney Ave. 214-559-4611. Also at 836 Market St, Allen. 214-383-9703. www.grimaldispizza.com. $-$$. Full bar.

Louie's would probably be an adored institution even if it didn't make surprisingly good pizza, which it does. The thin-crust pies are dissected into palm-size rectangles, a quirky shape that seems to be preferred by some of Dallas' old-school pizza joints. This is the kind of place and, particularly when crowned with a kitchen sinkful of toppings, the kind of pizza that shows how vital this dish has become to American culture.

1839 N. Henderson Ave. 214-826-0505. $-$$. Full bar.

This tiny restaurant across from Southern Methodist University is an homage to the Manhattan pizza holes-in-

the-wall beloved by owner Charlie Green. The excellent pies here very much evoke the Neapolitan style, with the odd-shaped, gently crisp crust melding with homemade mozzarella and a not-too-sweet, not-overly-herbed sauce. Look for a much larger pizza restaurant from Mr. Green opening in Victory Park in the coming months.

3406 McFarlin Blvd., University Park. 214-528-7070. www.olivellas.com. $$. Wine and beer.

Rocco's owner Barclay Ryall Jr. looked all the way to Australia to find the 7,000-pound oven that suited his specifications. He puts it to laudable use: His midweight pies with lasting crunch and a generous quilt of cheese make for lush, rewarding mouthfuls. Drawing on the restaurant's California-style ingredients, we created our own pie: a blend of pesto and tomato sauces with goat cheese, caramelized onions and smoked shrimp. Takeout and delivery only.

5716 Locke Ave., Fort Worth. 817-731-4466. www.roccosfortworth.com. $-$$. No alcohol.