If you think New York City has the market cornered on pizza, think again. Los Angeles, which has been undergoing a much-noted culinary renaissance over the past decade, has several pizza offerings that can stand toe-to-toe with those found across the country.
Of course, there’s L.A.’s OG fancy pizza spot, Pizzeria Mozza, from culinary titan and James Beard Award-winner Nancy Silverton. Comparatively newer and just as craveable is Pizzana (now with locations in West Hollywood, Brentwood, Silver Lake, Sherman Oaks and Marina del Rey), whose pizza chef was born, raised and trained in Naples, Italy. Then there’s the longstanding and always-reliable Italian restaurant Terroni, which has an extensive menu of delicious and creative pizzas perfect for splitting among a table. And last but not least is Jon & Vinny’s, the ultra-buzzy spot turned L.A. mainstay with standouts like the Salad Days pizza, which is essentially an Italian chopped salad atop a thin-crust cheese pie and should absolutely not be knocked until you try it.
But for our purposes here today, we’ll be zeroing in on L.A.’s more casual and classic pizza spots — places where you can quickly grab a slice or sit for a comforting meal without needing a reservation. In this category, there are also a multitude of worthy options, though we believe the five pizzerias below best prove that L.A.’s pizza game is one to be reckoned with.
Vito’s Pizza
Location: West Hollywood
In West Hollywood, where of-the-moment bars and restaurants come and go, Vito’s Pizza has been a tried-and-true classic for years. Tucked in the corner of a nondescript strip mall, as so many L.A. culinary gems are, Vito’s dishes out some of the best thin-crust, New York-style slices in the city. This comes thanks to founder Vito Di Donato, who, it’d seem, magically transported a neighborhood pizza joint from his native New Jersey to the middle of Los Angeles (really, for any New York-New Jersey transplants, a trip here feels like a trip home). Slice-wise, there are no wrong choices, but give extra consideration to the classic cheese slice, the white pesto slice and the red meat slice (a carnivore’s delight loaded with pepperoni, salami, sausage and sliced meatballs). If you’re looking for something heartier, go for one of Vito’s other Northeast classics, like a made-to-order calzone or chicken parmesan over pasta.
Pizzanista
Locations: Arts District (Downtown), San Marino
Opened in 2010 by professional skateboarder Salman Agah, Pizzanista was among the first wave of pioneering business to settle in Downtown L.A.’s now ultra-trendy Arts District. In the time since, they’ve developed a loyal fanbase and expanded not just regionally, with an outpost in San Marino, but internationally too, with shops in Tokyo and Seoul. And their New York-style slices, which are made with dough that utilizes 200-year-old sourdough cultures from Naples, are worth the hype — with their pepperoni slice (topped with plenty of small, crispy-edged pepperoni) being a standout. Like the Arts District itself though, Pizzanista isn’t afraid to get creative, as evidenced by their robust vegan pizza menu and their not-surprisingly delicious macaroni and cheese-topped pizza (which is only available on Sundays, so plan your visit accordingly).
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Prince Street Pizza
Locations: Malibu, Venice, Sawtelle, West Hollywood, Studio City, Downtown, Pasadena
Based on the number of locations they have in L.A., you might think Prince Street Pizza originated here. However, L.A. is just the welcoming second home of the company founded in NYC’s Nolita neighborhood in 2012. Best known for serving square Sicilian-style slices, which feature a fluffy, thick and crisp crust, Prince Street’s pizzas are crafted with made-from-scratch sauces and recipes passed down through generations of the pizza shop’s founders, the Morano family. And although L.A. may be a few thousand miles from the original location, Prince Street’s West Coast outposts utilize a water filtration system to help replicate the water used in New York, which is integral to achieving that perfect NYC pizza dough texture. We recommend starting with a slice of the Naughty Pie, which is topped with spicy vodka sauce, pepperoni, fresh mozzarella, ricotta and Zab’s hot honey.
Gino’s East
Location: Sherman Oaks
If you’re looking for something more substantial than thin-crust slices, get yourself to Sherman Oaks for some authentic Chicago-style deep dish from Gino’s East. Opened in 2019, this is the first and only West Coast offshoot of the beloved Windy City pizza shop which opened just off Chicago’s Miracle Mile in 1966. While well-known for their ultra-deep-dish pies with chunky tomato sauce, layers of cheese and plenty of toppings, it’s their crust that really shines. To achieve its signature texture, they use what they call a “secret dough conditioner,” which they credit with making their pizzas “taste like no other.” To test this claim, follow your gut when choosing a pie, but the Meat Legend (pepperoni, Italian sausage, Canadian bacon) is sure to please. And if for some crazy reason you’re not craving pizza, they also offer a worthy menu of sandwiches too, with another Chicago classic, the Italian beef, being the star.
Bonus Spot: If you’re located on the east side of L.A. and Sherman Oaks feels too far to venture to satisfy your deep-dish craving, then head to homey Masa of Echo Park for another great deep-dish pizza.
12924 Riverside Dr, Sherman Oaks
Mulberry Street Pizzeria
Locations: Beverly Hills (Canon Drive), Beverly Hills (Beverly Drive), Sherman Oaks, Encino
While the name may lead those familiar with Manhattan to think this pizzeria began on Mulberry Street in SoHo, it is in fact a Beverly Hills original. Opened in 1991, Mulberry Street Pizza is the creation of Richie Palmer, a native New Yorker who decamped to L.A. after getting a taste for the SoCal weather and lifestyle. Lucky for us all, Richie brought with him a passion for authentic New York-style pizza and an entrepreneurial spirit. Today, while any of their four locations will provide you with one of the best slices in the city, their original location on Canon Drive in the heart of Beverly Hills is particularly worth a visit. With its countertop seating, a small collection of tables topped with classic red and white checkered tablecloths, and walls adorned with autographed celebrity headshots and memorabilia, the atmosphere here is nostalgic, cozy and most reminiscent of pizzerias found in New York City.
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