MY FAVORITES
Pizzeria Bianco - The pizza that got me really into pizza from the chef who got me really into food. Truly great wood-fired pies with all bold and rustic flavors Chris Bianco perfected in Phoenix, filtered through talented executive chefs who absolutely kill it on market pies, sides and special pastas, as well. The Rosa, Wiseguy and Marinara are probably the way to go for first timers, but everything on the menu can be considered a must.
Pane Bianco - Bianco's other spot is the pizza I eat the most in Los Angeles by a wide margin. The NY-style pies (which are 18” but not typical NY) are heartier and crispier thanks to a longer bake in the electric oven and some dough tweaks. This is the best-traveling thin crust I've ever encountered -- it's just as good, if not better, on reheats. And though they’re only open 11AM-4PM, I can assure you that the slices keep well all weekend.
GREAT PIZZA
Apollonia's - This is the best NY-style (or East Coast at least) slice in LA, no question, but it can probably hang with any pizzeria in the country in terms of executing multiple styles. Justin De Leon's thin round pies have the ideal ratio of crust-to-sauce-to-cheese-to-toppings and the gargantuan Detroit-ISH square slices are one of the few foods on Instagram that taste as good as they look. Definitely order ahead and tip the crew, they're great.
Quarter Sheets - This looks like Detroit, but there’s so much more flavor and complexity compared to the traditional style, thanks to natural fermentation and high-quality whole wheat flour. It’s denser than you'd expect, but you don't feel like you got gut-punched when you unconsciously crush 3 slices in 11 minutes. Before you think you can get away clean, check out the next-level desserts. And while takeout works, they have a great staff, a perfectly-calibrated 70’s throwback interior, and dine-in only specials like tavern pies, so it’s worth the work to get a reservation or to walk-in.
Pizzeria Sei - Currently the best Neapolitan in the city. They’re doing a nod to one aspect of Tokyo Neapolitan (punching the edges to give the crust more texture), but it mostly just tastes like a great, supple, wood-fired Neapolitan. Sei doesn’t travel at all and it’s occasionally overtopped in my opinion, but there isn’t a pizzeria I can think of that comes up with more creative combinations (that actually work!) for the specials. I haven’t done the $150 Omakase yet, but I’d trust these folks to blow my mind.
Secret Pizza - Is this the second best NY slice in Los Angeles? Probably. The pizza is especially good fresh, but it doesn't travel as well as I'd like . Thankfully they have a laidback courtyard to hang in, and Sean and his team excel at hospitality. They also have the best merch in town thanks to rocker/artist Mike Krol.
Grá - They opened up when I was going through a dark anti-sourdough/woodfired/natural wine phase and though they are guilty of all three...they eventually got me. Natural fermentation of anything usually means there's going to be some inconsistency, but they pull it off.
Little Dynamite - What if Pizza Hut was thicker, naturally leavened, used high-quality ingredients, and was baked extra hot to increase some of the most flavorful char I’ve ever tasted? Little Dynamite is the answer. A grown-up version of the pan pizza you loved when you were a kid, with that oil crisp you crave and the added complexity of sourdough bubbles. It’s a beast and though young me would have been crushing one of these weekly, healthier me has to hold out for very special occasions (like being on the Westside).
Pizzeria Mozza/Mozza2Go - Mozza has transitioned into legacy pizzeria status, but don't forget that Nancy Silverstein is responsible for the LA pizza renaissance (wait, did LA ever have good pizza?) thanks to her french bread-inspired crust. Yes, it's expensive, but they are still using top-shelf ingredients. And pies that were once 10" seem to have grown to 12" (at least at Mozza2Go) while prices stayed flat. Witnessing something like that in the pizza world is like seeing Bigfoot.
Pizzana - It isn't as great as when it was just one location and Chef Daniele Uditi blessed every pie, but it's still pretty great for a chain spot. It's also one of the few places in the country that have figured out how to deliver wood-fired Neapolitan pies that aren't a soggy mess (hint: order the uncut/heat at home version).
Superfine - Rossoblu's Steve Samson threads the usually unsuccessful New York/Neapolitan hybrid. Cheese and Pepperoni feel at home next to Escarole slices that are equally amazing. The DTLA location is pizza-only, but the Westside outpost has great Italian fare, too.
Cosa Buona - Italian-American classics get the cheffy upgrade thanks to Zach Pollack and company. The light but flavorful Neapolitan-esque dough can handle classics and new school toppings well. The rest of the heavily red sauce menu is spot-on. Plus the only pie with pineapple pie I'll eat.
Ronan - Chef Daniel Cutler took inspiration from the pizza Zach and Steve served at their beloved Sotto, but he's made it his own. Great menu, drinks and crew. And I know this is all about pizza, but don't skip the clams.
Side Pie - I’m a fan but I don’t find myself getting out to Altadena as much as pizza options have expanded. I still think the regular plain pie (not the Margherita) has the best cheese blend of any in the city. Another plus? Nobody else has a legendary gelato place like Bulgarini in walking distance.
D-Town Pizzeria - I’ve heard mixed reviews, but I’m from Detroit, I love the style, and I’m generally happy with it. It gets the white bread texture right, and the racing stripe of sauce has the right sweetness while still being robust. I’ll go there over most of the other Detroit stuff that’s popped up in the last 5 years.
Speak Cheezy - They got some national press love for doing fun, California-influenced sourdough pies and I'm mostly in, even though I don't believe takeout operations should be cooking on wood. It feels like an American take on Pizzana, and that's a big compliment.
Milo & Olive - A churlish description would be “Westside Mozza clone,” but over the years I think it has come into its own. A clone of a great pizza is never bad! Don't skip the garlic knot.
L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele - The pizza at this franchise location is roughly the same as the Naples original. They use much of the same Italian ingredients as the original, but everything is always better closer to the source (especially cheese). What did get a nice upgrade is the interior, which feels at once very Hollywood and homey. I wouldn’t mind if the pies got a slight upgrade the way that the decor did -- I liked the Naples location a lot, but it’s getting lapped by new school pizzaiolos.
La Sorted - Lots of care goes into this pie, but I think the pizza could use a better crust to toppings ratio. It's a real problem with 10" pies in general. It’s good bread no doubt, but there’s probably too much of it for me to feel fully satisfied.
Roberta's - Serving well-made, non-fussy Neapolitan pies in lo-fi Bushwick felt revolutionary in 2009...less so at fancy outdoor malls in Los Angeles in 2024. Still, it's a consistent option for the valley or Culver City, which aren't necessarily rolling in good pizza.
Prime Pizza - A NY-inspired (with the help of Frank Pinello from Best Pizza in Brooklyn) slice joint that went chain over the last five years, but has roughly maintained quality. Always go for the square. If squares are not available, go white. The earthy sauce could be brighter on the round pies and the toppings tend to get lost.
DeSano - "Neapolitan" for people who secretly just want a doughier New York pizza. I'm not sure they're using the best stuff (if that cheese was really bufala, the pizza would be twice the price), but it's still pretty tasty, it's a good place to watch a soccer game and there's free parking.
Vito's Pizza - As the pace of pizza accelerated in Los Angeles, Vito's has gone from destination to just another neighborhood joint, but there's nothing wrong with that. Technically a New Jersey slice, you’re fine with most slices *if they're fresh* but the white pesto is the one I'm always getting regardless.
Little Coyote - This is a little too floppy to be NY style so I guess I'd call it an elevated Mom & Pop slice. Everything from the dough to toppings is a bit too heavy, but I still dig the flavors.
WORKS IN A PINCH
Delicious Pizza -Another case of style over substance? Kinda, but this is my favorite of this category. Started by the Delicious Vinyl guys, it's got good branding and cool vibes, but the pizza is the definition of serviceable. Not an insult!
Triple Beam Pizza - What used to be a light, crisp al taglio slice with gourmet toppings has become more of the floppy, generic pizza that kids love. I'm definitely eating it at the 7-year-old's birthday party, but I'm probably not ordering it for myself. With that said, people at the party really seem to like it.
Danny Boy's - I don't often find myself scrambling for a slice amongst the skyscrapers of DTLA, but if I was in such a place and I was craving pizza I'd go here I guess? Pies are kinda doughy, but in a town with a dearth of quality NY-style, this place makes the list.
Shin’s Pizza - I love the space. And the special pies are actually inventive. And friends who know pizza dig it. But haven’t had a slice I actually loved yet. Crust is kinda pale with random dark spots, not sure if it’s fermentation or bake issue though. Regardless, I'll still grab a piece if I'm at Barra Santos and I bet they improve over time.
Village Pizzeria - This is the textbook definition of what I’d call “Mom and Pop” pizza. Lots of canned ingredients, sugar in the dough, etc. Now it tastes like a so-so neighborhood place, but I used to go there all the time 20 years ago so I have an affinity for it. Bad, but my kinda bad!
Garage Pizza - From what I can ascertain they kind of stole the fake LA Joe’s recipe (and vendors), then sweetened the sauce and cheapened it up a little. Regardless, it is the definition of “not bad at 2AM."
Hail Mary Pizza - Nice folks, good vibes, but only okay pizza in my opinion. The sourdough tang overwhelms most of the pies and I've noticed consistency issues in the bake. Again, this is another place that friends of mine like so don't take my word for it even though you should.
Tomato Pie - I think it's just okay, but Tomato Pie used to be the only NY-style place on the Eastside so they have this unbelievable mental footprint and people continue to order from there out of habit.
Ozzy’s Pizza - I don’t think their Woodstone oven can properly generate the heat that imbues New Haven pies with the necessary crackery punch or char (different from burnt) that are staples of the style. It probably doesn’t help that the majority of the New Haven pies I’ve had are from Pepe’s and Sally’s at the source, so I could be judging too harshly.
Hot Tongue - If I was vegan, this is probably where I would get all my pizza. They have it covered from that angle. Fortunately/unfortunately I am not vegan.
GREAT PLACES BUT DON'T ORDER THE PIZZA
Jon & Vinny’s - Bestia - Felix/Mother Wolf/Funke - Jon, Vinny, Ori, Evan Funke, these guys are all great chefs, they use the best ingredients they can find, and their pizza is actually really good, but I will never order a pie at these restaurants again. Almost every other item on the menu is better.
Pijja Pizza - Everything I said about the above, except the tavern style pizza with Indian flavors isn't good. Everything else is though!
Gjelina - My New York friends LOVE this place. I think they just get duped by Venice. I like the pizza fine, but there’s always something always slightly off (sauce too earthy, limp crust, something). Everything else works.
Leopardo - I really love Josh Skenes' cooking, and I've already gone here a bunch. I really like the intense flavors on the pies, but while the texture is great, I wish there was more flavor -- it's weirdly crackery. Why order good pizza when a random side dish like 18-hour heirloom tomatoes can give you whiplash from being so good?
THE JURY IS OUT
I haven't been to Folks, Petramale, Chill Since ’93, De La Nonna, Ghisallo, Schellz, Seven Tigers Pie Club, Propaganda Wine Bar or Mieve's. I've heard good things though. Haven't had Blackbird or the LA version of Slice House, either. I have been to Leopardo, but want to give it one more look before committing.
Prince St. Pizza - Prince Street in NYC circa 2009 was pretty special. Frankie ran it. Razor thin layer of crisp on the bottom, light crumb, balanced (for a sicilian at least) toppings. It was genuinely good pizza, not an Instagram pop-up with a pound of pepperoni on every slice. And the LA locations are a step down.
NOT FOR ME
Lodge Bread Company, Grimaldi’s, Casa Bianca, Terroni, The Coop, The Luggage Room, Pitfire Pizza, 800 Degrees, Mulberry Street, Two Boots, Barone’s, D’Amore, Joe’s (LA version), Lamonica’s, LaRocco’s, Olio, Settebello, Masa, Joe Peeps, Enzo’s, Blaze, Brandon Pepperoni, Friends & Family, and Pizza Wagon of Brooklyn.