The best pizza in Los Angeles, slice by slice

Nancy Silverton’s Pizzeria Mozza has become such a force in L.A.’s food culture that nearly every other pie in town is compared to it—even if the comparisons aren’t apt. After all, Pizzeria Mozza is in a class all to itself: Silverton’s pizzas are unabashedly doughy and chewy, full of airy bubbles and topped with ingredients that wouldn’t be out of place in the kitchen over in the osteria: burrata and squash blossoms, fennel sausage, or wonderfully toothy long-cooked broccolini with caciocavallo cheese. Beyond the pizza are other showstoppers: hefty meatballs made with no fewer than three rich meats (veal, pork, pancetta) and served in a passata di pomodoro sauce; and a creamy, buttery, rich butterscotch budino that, no matter how many times you have it, is bound to be one of the best desserts you’ll have all year, and just as memorable as the pizza.

Inside this sparse Pico Boulevard pizzeria with limited seating, husband-and-wife duo William Joo and Jennifer So have one larger, quite lofty goal in mind: making the best pizza in Los Angeles. According to Joo, a veteran of Ronan and Pizzana, among others, a Tokyo-style Neapolitan is the only best-in-town contender there is: a circle of thin, blistered dough with highly pinched crusts, which results in an almost mochi-like consistency. The final product is simple, delicious and light. While on the pricier side, Pizzeria Sei’s pies typically sell out early—reflecting the fact that Angelenos will often pay for quality when they see it.

How do we love thee, Quarter Sheets? Let us count the ways: This Echo Park shop serving Detroit-style–leaning pizza offers square slices with pillowy, flawless-hydration dough that practically springs back after every bite. The ratio of toppings to dough is always spot on, and so are the flavors—they range from the classics and expecteds (pepperoni with red sauce, basil and cheese) to weekly specials that always have us checking for entirely new creations, and some of our favorites, which we greet like an old friend whenever it’s their turn in the rotation again. Chef Aaron Lindell’s wild creations include options like the pierogi-inspired Polish Yacht Club, which scatters potato, lemon cream, caramelized onion, green onions and bacon over the cheese-crusted dough. Not to be missed are desserts by Lindell’s partner, Hannah Ziskin, whose spectacular cakes, pies and cookies are worth ordering all on their own.

Pizzana is what happens when Neapolitan style pizza meets Daniele Uditi, the mastermind behind the Sprinkles Cupcakes empire. And while you can find some solid desserts here, don’t get it twisted—the show-stopper is undeniably the pizza. Italian (as in straight-from-Italy) chef Uditi masterfully oversees pizzamaking at Pizzana's Brentwood, West Hollywood and Sherman Oaks locations, where crusts are made with organic, stone-ground Italian flour, and a decades-old yeast starter brought over from the motherland. Imported mozzarella tops pies, as do local ingredients both consciously harvested and grown. At lunch, super-stacked sandwiches grace the menu along with seasonal small plates sporting family recipes. The cacio e pepe pizza topped with rich parmesan cream is a highlight, but we can’t ever deny the Corbarina, made with squash blossoms, burrata and gremolata. This is one-of-a-kind L.A. pizza that truly feels like the best of both worlds, new and old.

The single-serving focaccia pies at this Arts District indoor-outdoor eatery deserve a class of their own; topped with fresh, locally sourced produce, each pie provides maximal surface area for crust, while the plush interior zone retains the warm softness of De La Nonna’s wood-fired pizza oven. Paired with a glass of natural wine on the pizzeria’s string-lit patio, the craggy rectangles here feel fancy almost without even trying, and the ever-changing market pizza is a constant source of delight. For all the fancier meals in the Downtown neighborhood, we’d choose a pizza here first on any given day of the week.

Former Mozza chef Matt Molina teamed up with Mozzaplex magnate Nancy Silverton and the Silverlake Wine crew for this Roman-style pizzeria, slinging scissors-sliced pies you pay for by the ounce. You can only find four or five varieties per night, but don’t let that worry you—they're all great, so order a little slice of each. (There's even a vegan option.) Don't skip the foccacia, though, which is great in every flavor; we're partial to the O.G., slick with olive oil and flecked with nothing but rosemary and sea salt. If you're at the Highland Park location, enjoy your slices on the cute patio; if you're in Echo Park, take a seat on the wood blocks out front and take in the traffic along Sunset.

Overflowing with tiny pepperoni cups, the legendary squares sold by the slice at this New York City import drip with melted cheese, mouthwatering red sauce and a certain je ne sais quoi we have yet to completely identify. Try the Spicy Vodka for an unforgettable pasta-pizza mash-up—and while the thick-cut square slices are the reason to pay this pizza shop in West Hollywood and the Arts District a visit, the New York-style triangles are also just as good as any you’ll find in Manhattan. Note: For whole pies, you can order ahead and pick up, and Prince Street even offers local delivery.

The South Asian-inspired pies at this Indian pizza parlor in Silver Lake are a razor-sharp distillation of everything great about dining in Los Angeles: fun, not too expensive and, best of all, gloriously unfussy. Rich in spice, though not necessarily spicy, the green chutney pijja (Hindi slang for “pizza”) is a glorious exercise in maximalism ideal for a stylish but unfussy night out. Top your slice with a shake of masala spice for extra kick, and don’t miss the restaurant’s excellent cookies and cardamom soft serve.

One of New York City's most beloved pizza joints, Roberta's serves the Brooklyn-based shop's famous wood-fired sourdough pies from the yuppie-chic confines of Culver City's Platform outdoor mall. Of course that’s not all Roberta's has brought to the table: In addition to their cult-classic pizza rossa and margherita, the Westside pizzeria offers punnily named seasonals like the Olive Laugh Love—a white pie topped with olive tapenade, garlic, arugula and lemon. Plus, the L.A. outpost boasts a spacious outdoor patio, a tiny-but-mighty pasta list and the convenience of Platform’s adjacent paid parking lot.

Ghisallo’s David Rodriguez first cut his teeth in the kitchen at Pizzana, and it shows in the pies at this Ocean Park spot. Two styles of pizza are on offer here: a hybridized Neapolitan-style, whole and made to order, plus triangles of thin-crust New York-inspired available at the counter. Locals gravitate towards dining in, where pies comes fresh from the oven and topped with ingredients like ricotta, prosciutto, quince, basil and rosemary (the Campesino, one of Rodriguez’s favorites)—but you could just as easily take a couple of slices to go for a day at the beach.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Masa of Echo Park (@masaofechopark) on Nov 17, 2019 at 5:39pm PST

This Chicago-style deep dish in Echo Park is the real deal: You’ve got your two-inch–deep pan, your fresh cornmeal crust, your cheesy sauces and chunky fillings for days. The cozy, family-owned vibe matches with an irresistible menu of classic Italian- and Chicago-style edibles—they’ve got plenty of vegan options, too—and turns an average night out into a hug in meal form. Pick from menu favorites like the Lots of Cheese (which, true to its name, consists of mozzarella, romano and buffalo mozzarella cheese—“and lots of it”), or create your own with toppings that range from rosemary chicken breast to anchovies. They also whip up thinner-crust pizzas, not to mention sandwiches, salads, pastas, meatballs—the list goes on. If all goes well, you’ll be rolling out of there like a hunk of stuffed crust.

One of Phoenix’s best pizzerias has arrived at ROW DTLA, and the Arts District is richer for it. While Chris Bianco’s trailblazing New York-Neopolitan hybrids have yet to arrive in L.A., the relatively new shop offers a lunch-only selection of other, more takeout-friendly pizza styles, like New York-style triangles and a bright Roman alla palla square covered in a decadent mix of Montasio, Caciocavallo and Valentino, plus Meyer lemon and red onion. With dinner service (and the original Phoenix pizzas) soon to arrive, the city will soon find out just what made Bianco—and his pizzeria—so famous in the first place.

This cult-favorite pizza van pop-up now has a permanent home in Long Beach’s Belmont Heights, where heavenly circles of naturally leavened sourdough float out of the oven with astonishing speed. Relative to other red-hot pizzas around town, the bubbly, well-charred slices here have more definitive heft, with a menu that mixes conventional pies like margherita and pepperoni with more unique options, including the Hawaii Pie Oh, made with koji-infused tomatoes, charred pineapple, fermented jalapeños, among other market-driven toppings. Hovering around the $20 mark—dairy-free and cheese varieties aside—these pies don’t exactly come cheap, but discerning pizza fans will find plenty in the way of quality and flavor to justify the cost and effort involved.

Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo’s neo–Italian-American spot is the clear go-to for their locally iconic dish of fussili in vodka sauce, but their pizza is damn good as well. Crispy yet flexible, ultra-thin crust pies house straightforward toppings, including the no-frills L.A. Woman (olive oil, tomato, basil, sea salt and globs of local burrata). They also hold up more, uh, unique items, such as ham with vodka sauce and pickled chilies; there’s a pie for every occassion—even when you think you might be in more of a veggie mood (see: the Salad Days, topped with little-gem lettuce). Whatever your mood and order, be sure to grab some fresh, house-made Italian cookies at the end of the meal.

It’s hard to imagine a fluffier-but-still-crispy, more textural pizza than Apollonia’s square slices, which look almost like fine art. The cheese gets baked along the edges until it’s standing up straight into the air; it provides a perfect foil to the gooey burrata plopped in the center; call the shop or check Instagram for square slices before you head in, as they’re not always available, and when they are, they go quickly. Of course, Apollonia’s also makes fantastic round pies, too, which arrive covered in everything from locally-made chorizo verde to duck-and-bacon sausage. If it’s your first visit, we believe it’s just about mandatory that you drizzle the spicy honey over whatever you pick.

Once a mobile wood-fired pizza pop-up, now a permanent wood-fired pizza operation in Silver Lake, La Sorted’s pies pile fluffy, chewy, beautifully bubbled dough with everything from the classics (margheritas and pepps abound) to Italian sausage with kale and razor-thin garlic. (Owner Tommy Brockert has even run a Dodger-dog–inspired pie as a special, if you're really in the mood to get weird.) The centers are thin but steady, and perfectly light and just-crispy. Follow along on Instagram for future mobile dates and specials, but know this, above all: La Sorted’s shares its new Silver Lake space with Gemini Bakehouse—which is run by Brockert’s sister and brother-in-law—which means phenomenal loaves of bread and pastries are also available for whenever you stop by.

One of Pasadena’s top restaurants—and a countywide destination for fresh pasta—now has a sibling concept next door, and while Union focuses on pastas, small plates, and roasted meats and seafood, U Street Pizza is, of course, all about pizza. The pies aren’t necessarily New York-style, but they fully embrace the thinner-but-bendable crust, with a two-day fermented dough and an edge that gets dusted with a snowfall of cheese. They’re usually topped with California-focused ingredients, many of which come sourced from local farms. Our order? The Vodka Pepperoni, which ladles house vodka sauce in spirals and splatters over a cheesy, mozz- and provolone-topped pizza with perfectly curled pepperoni cups.

While the pizza at this strip mall spot is completely vegan (a boon for those who eat, or try to eat, fully plant-based), it’s also just damn good. Located in northern Silver Lake—close to Frogtown and Atwater Village—Hot Tongue offers delicious, freshly made pies both whole and by the slice. Pick from the eclectic neon pink shop’s thick Detroit-style squares, New York triangles and a gluten-free option, plus a small menu of salads and apps. All dishes are made with housemade plant-based cheese and toppings that lean more towards seasonal vegetables, rather than commercial faux-meats. Thus far, neighorhood locals and vegan Angelenos have already gravitated toward the place, and you should too.

The crisp-bottomed crusts with chewy edges at this Atwater Village shop are made from wild yeasts and organic grains, and come complete with everything from raclette to spicy-sweet house-made sausage. Most salads and sides swap out regularly, due to seasonality, and the desserts are not to be missed—especially the Basque cake, served with a dab of tart yogurt. A renaissance chef of a man, owner David Wilcox also dabbles in sandwiches, stews, a terrific house-made hot sauce and eggy brunch plates, but the star here is undeniably the pizza: Crunchy, piping hot from the oven, and always topped with something local and delicious. Pair with the neighborhood spot's expertly curated list of fun, funky and independent natural wines, and you’ve got yourself a perfect night.

The pandemic spurred pizza pop-ups across L.A., but Dough Daddy—founded by travel-industry vet Kyle Davidson who, like so many others, found himself unexpectedly without employment—is by far one of the most craveable. Davidson’s Detroit-style square pies are hearty and gloriously greasy, making for a meal that practically begs to be devoured with a cold pint in a dark tavern. The toppings are straightforward, but that perfect sauce-cheese-meat ratio, paired with a fluffy crust and cheese-crisped edge, remind us just how flawless a more straightforward pizza can be. Like most 2020-begun pop-ups, you’ll order online by choosing your time slot, pay and then head to the secret pickup location in the general Mid-City area, with an exact address delivered upon payment. Don’t skip the cocktail add-ons, which come in classics such as daiquiris, mai tais and brambles.

Cosa Buona is chef Zach Pollack’s hearty, no-frills Italian pizzeria and the casual sibling to Silver Lake’s Alimento. The shop’s name is spot-on: There are a lot of good things here, including a range of antipasti, salads and some of the best mozzarella sticks in all the land, but a must is the pizza, with a fermented, chewy, airy, bubble-pocketed crust that denies typical pie categorization. Stick with familiar favorites like margherita, or the biancoverde—a white pie with mozzarella, spinach, garlic, basil and ricotta—or veer into fun, gourmet takes on American classics such as BBQ chicken or Hawaiian. Just be sure to grab some wings and smoked mozzarella sticks while you’re at it.

Chef Jorge Sandoval's pizzas can come in standard pepperoni or margherita, certainly, but to really make the most of his new Boyle Heights operation, go for the more creative pies—some of the most unique in L.A.'s landscape, and some of the most delicious. Latin flavor winds through the menu, including pizzas such as the mole option—which comes slicked with house-made mole and topped with queso Oaxaca, curtido, crema and mozzarella—and sides like thick-cut fries under a chorizo-flecked Chicano gravy. Wings and salads round out the menu, but truly, don’t miss the pizza, with its light and airy crust and plethora of inspired toppings.