IRON RIVER — Pizza is one of America’s favorite foods, but here in the U.P., it may come in third after pasties and cudighi.

ABC 10 recently a poll on our Facebook page asking you to tell us your favorite pizza place here in the U.P., and you did. In our unofficial and unscientific poll, more of you told us that Riverside Pizza in Iron River was the best than any other establishment.

Of course, we ventured out to see why Riverside Pizza is the best in the U.P. It’s made to order and with the freshest of ingredients, from the handmade dough and the specially-blended secret cheese to the special sauce and the ever-so-popular sausage.

But the debate rages on if the sauce or the sausage makes Riverside’s pizza so special.

Which team had the better season?

  • Northern Michigan Hockey (55%, 30 Votes)
  • Marquette Boys' Basketball (45%, 25 Votes)

Total Voters: 55

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“The sauce is made fresh every morning and it has a little bang to it; a lot of people really like the sauce,” owner Susan Fritz explained. “The sausage we make ourselves, and it’s fine cuts of lean pork; we blend our own sausage with our own spices. We also have an extra cheese out that we put on after we take the pizza out of the oven; that’s another big favorite.”

The pizza place itself started in 1946 and the current owners have been in operation for the last 20 years, a tradition they hope to keep going. And according to the praises of customers, not changing things seem to be working.

“It tasted wonderful, the sauce had flavor, the cheese was nice and melted across the top evenly, it was delicious like it was every time,” Reece Deneau said.

“It’s really an honor that we were voted the best pizza, there are a lot of great pizzerias up here,” Fritz said. “We are really happy and want to thank everyone who voted.”

Riverside Pizza is not sold by the slice and has limited hours, so before you head over, be sure to visit the restaurant’s website .