New Yorkers think that best Los Angeles pizza restaurant is an oxymoron. But the truth is, there are great pizza restaurants in Southern California. You just have to know where to look — and be willing to take a road trip. Many of L.A.’s best pizzerias are pretty far afield. But chances are, you’ll find them worth the drive.
A joint venture of Mario Batali, Nancy Silverton, and Joseph Bastianich, Pizzeria Mozza is one of the most popular restaurants in L.A. Thankfully, they take reservations. Without them, you’ll wait 20 minutes or so to eat at the bar. There are plenty of delicious things to eat here other than pizza. The baked artichokes, fried squash blossoms, and salumi are all mouth watering. And Nancy’s chopped salad is a great accompaniment to your pie.
But it’s the pizzas that are the stars here. Baked in a wood-burning over, the crust is surprisingly thick around the edges, but light as air. The individual pies are around Neapolitan size — about 14 inches — and slightly charred. You can opt for something with traditional Italian pizza toppings like fennel sausage and salami, or go for something unconventional like Stracchino cheese, lemon, and artichoke.
Whatever you do, save room for the Butterscotch Budino with sea salt and rosemary/pine nut cookies. This pudding swimming in caramel sauce is one of the most delicious desserts we’ve ever had.
Pizzeria Mozza
There are several pizza restaurants in Venice. Abbot’s Pizza Company makes their crust with bagel dough. You can order yours with onion, garlic, or sesame seeds baked in. The center is thin and crispy and stands up well to all kinds of pizza toppings. Vegetarians will appreciate the ability to choose from four kinds of mushroom and five kinds of onions, including leeks. In addition to tomato sauce, you can also get alfredo, olive pesto, and garlic pesto sauce.
Ed Ladou has been making pizzas for a long time. Years ago, he was the pizza maker for Wolfgang Puck’s innovative Spago. After that, he helped create the concept and the menu at California Pizza Kitchen. He’s even credited with inventing the barbecued chicken pizza, which is now on menus across the country. Now, he has a place in Studio City called Caioti Café. And he offers some of the most inventive pizza toppings you’ll ever try. The simplest of pies, Pizza Antigua, is topped with sea salt, roasted garlic, Balsamic vinegar, and white truffle oil. Seafood lovers will adore De La Mare with shrimp, crab, scallops, and lobster sausage or Rockefeller with oysters, shrimp, spinach, and Gruyere. New York-style pies and bistro items like pressed crispy chicken are also on the menu.
Pizza Pie
Located out in Eagle Rock, Casa Bianca Pizza Pie is worth the drive to a lot of pizza lovers. It’s been in business since 1955. In fact, Barrack Obama used to eat here when he attended Occidental College nearby. The red-checked tablecloths, neon sign, and cash-only policy give the place a retro charm. And the dining room is always packed. There’s a full menu of pastas and Italian standards like Veal Parmigiana and Chicken Piccata. But nearly everyone is here for the pizza, which is pretty old school American Italian.
Di Matteo Pizza Margherita
When actress Cathy Moriarty couldn’t find a decent New York-style pizza in L.A., she opened Mulberry Street Pizzeria in Beverly Hills. To ensure authenticity, she even ships water in from New York for the dough. The white pizza with spinach and ricotta is a best seller. The original North Canon Drive location is small with just seven tables inside and a few more outside. But pizza is available by the slice, so you can just grab one and go.
Another ardent fan of New York style, Garrett Policastro serves delicious thin-crust pizzas at Tomato Pie Pizza Joint in Silver Lake and on Melrose. The most popular pizza here, “The Grandma,” was rated one of the 25 best pizzas you’ll ever eat by GQ magazine. With only crushed, marinated tomatoes, garlic, basil, oregano, mozzarella, and Parmesan, the ingredients have to be perfect. And they are. A native of Syracuse, Mr. Policastro also makes a Buffalo chicken pizza with hot sauce and bleu cheese. Service and ambience here are also better than at most pizza restaurants.
Antica Pizzeria in Marina del Rey is a member of the Verace Pizza Napoletana Association, which means they’ve been trained to make Neapolitan pizza the authentic way. The owner, Peppe Miele, is from Campania, and he makes a great pizza margherita. But for those who want more flavors, there’s Pizza Capricciosa with artichokes, mushrooms, olives, and ham, or Quattro stagioni which combines four pizza in one.
Peppe also serves pastas, salads, and traditional Italian starters like fried rice balls and potato croquettes. The quality of the ingredients required by the VPNA ensure a truly superior pizza. If you love pizza from Naples, this is the closest you’ll find in Southern California.
Find the best Italian restaurants in Los Angeles here.
1) Pizzeria Mozza
2) Abbot’s Pizza Company
3) Caioti Café
4) Casa Bianca Pizza
5) Mulberry Street Pizza
6) Tomato Pie Pizza Joint
7) Antica Pizzeria
View Pizza restaurants in Los Angeles in a larger map
Pizzeria Mozza Image Flickr: arnold | inuyaki
Pizza Pie Image Flickr: donielle
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Interesting recipe, thanks for sharing. I do love squash :)
Thanks for the recipe. I’ll try this out over the weekend :)
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