Huntsville-area pizzeria wins top 50 in the U.S. for the 2nd year in a row

Mural inside Valentina's — Do you recognize this mural? (Lacey Muenstermann / Hville Blast)

The Huntsville area is no stranger to awards, and the local restaurant scene is gaining national attention.

Read on to learn more about one Huntsville-area pizzeria that scored a top 50 spot out of the 70,000 pizzerias in the U.S.

Another year in the top 50 in the U.S.

Valentina's Pizzeria sign — Try the award-winning pizza for yourself. (Lacey Muenstermnann / Hville Blast)

On July 1, Valentina’s Pizzeria owner and chef Joe Carlucci traveled to New York to receive a top honor from Top 50 Pizza.

Top 50 Pizza is a respected culinary guide originating from the efforts of a group of Italian pizza experts, food critics and journalists to discover the top pizzas in the world.

How the process works: Top 50 Pizza sends an anonymous inspector to your restaurant and ranks it based on food, wine, cocktails, presentation, service and ambiance.

Carlucci not only ranked in the top 50 in the U.S. for the second year in a row—he outscored his ranking for the previous year, jumping up from 31st to 27th place.

Considering there are 70,000 pizzerias in the country, that’s an impressive feat!

Plus, Valentina’s scored Best Cocktail List, thanks to the award-winning chef, mixologist and Carlucci’s World Pizza Champions teammate, Niles Peacock, who helped craft the menu.

Other awards Valentina’s has scored

Joe Carlucci, owner of Valentina's Pizzeria — Joe Carlucci, Owner. (Valentina’s Pizzeria).

RJ Griggs, bartender at Valentina's — Joe Carlucci, Owner. (Valentina’s Pizzeria).

The past three years have been quite the ride for Valentina’s Pizzeria—check out the impressive lineup of awards the restaurant has won:

2022 Best Traditional Pizza in the World
2023 Best Non-Traditional Pizza in the World
2023 Best Pizza Maker of the Year
2024 Best of the Best Winner
2024 Best in Bama Pizzeria by Alabama Magazine
NEW: 2025 Best in Bama Pizzeria (2nd year in a row) by Alabama Magazine
NEW: 2025 Best Bartender in the State (RJ Griggs) by Alabama Magazine

Want to try some of the best pizza and cocktails in the country? Visit Valentina’s Pizzeria in Madison.

Where: 25783 Huntsville Brownsferry Rd Madison, AL 35756
When: Tuesday-Thursday 4-8PM | Friday-Saturday 4-9PM
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