After three gluttonous weeks, five fierce rounds and 32 pizzas (ranging from traditional Neapolitan to the most re-imagined American slice), The Kro's Nest has come out on top. The final match pitted the crazy Kiwis in pink against the second-coming of the Kro in a nail-biting final that left The Kro’s Nest reigning victorious and serving up the best pizza in Beijing.

Beijing has had its say over the past three weeks and the final is here, and boy, have we got a heavyweight matchup for you? It's America versus New Zealand as long-term favorite Kro’s Nest is going to head-to-head with delivery upstart Gung Ho! Pizza in a match to decide who lifts The Beijinger Pizza Cup.

Kro's fought off a late surge from stalwart The Tree in the Final Four to earn its spot in the final, whereas Gung Ho handily dispatched Hutong Pizza to earn their berth.

Neither establishment had an easy path to those penultimate matches. Kro’s path included victories over Pizza Buona, Paddy O’Shea’s, La Pizza and finally The Tree. Gung Ho’s path meant fending off Vineyard Café, Annie’s, Sureno and Hutong Pizza.

No less exciting will be the third-place playoff match, which pits two great pizza spots with long traditions different styles, and different turfs – Sanlitun’s The Tree and Houhai’s Hutong Pizza.

In an exciting second round of the Beijinger Pizza Cup, local favorite Annie’s was ousted by a rising Gung Ho, Kro’s stomped all over Paddy O’Shea’s and upstarts Eatalia overthrew Pyro Pizza to claim Haidian supremacy. Kro’s Nest scored the most resounding victory of the second round, slaughtering Paddy O’Shea's by winning 79% of the vote. The second most dominating performance was by Opposite House basement-dwellers Sureño, which doubled up the votes over Sanlitun neighbor Ciro’s.

Midway through Round 2 in the Pizza Cup (you can vote here until noon on Monday), we pause to take stock of what we’ve learned so far.

What's in a name?
Our random draw in the Round of 32 inadvertently pitted two mortal enemies against one another: Pass By Bar and Hutong Pizza. According to legal documents sent to our office by Pass By's lawyer, Pass By has applied for and received an official trademark for the term "Hutong Pizza" which is one of Pass By's signature pizzas (featuring chunks of lamb a la Beijing's ubiquitous chuan’r).

You’ve voted and now the results are in for the restaurant you think serves up Beijing’s best slice. Did any of your favorites get knocked out? Are your final predictions still there? See who’s in and start voting in the next round. Round 2 of The Beijinger Pizza Cup will be open until Monday, November 21 at noon.