The Best Pizza In Los Angeles 2014 | Tasting Table LA
We may not brag about our pizza like some of those other big cities, but L.A. is no slouch in the 'za department.
From thin-crust to deep dish, fancy artisanal joints to old-school charm, Los Angeles is a haven for enthusiasts of that magical combination of cheese, sauce and dough. Here, in no particular order, are eight of our favorites.
① Vito's Pizza in West Hollywood
This small La Cienega shop turns out massive pies (at equally massive prices) that make Brooklyn expats salivate for its New York–style pizza. The White Pie ($26.50), covered with tiny footballs of sweet ricotta, is a thing of beauty.
② Hollywood Pies in Mid-City
Like all true Chi-town deep dish, this pizza's hefty crust supports a thick layer of mozzarella cheese tucked under a blanket of garlicky tomato sauce ($19 to $27 for a large). Spring the extra $2 for "Native Style" sauce: crushed whole tomatoes, olive oil and oregano.
③ Pizzeria Mozza in Hancock Park
While there's no official "L.A.-style pizza," Mozza might as well claim that title. The Silverton-Batali-Bastianich venture has been packed since it opened in 2007. Every ingredient has an impeccable pedigree, and a huge wood-burning oven means the final product ($14 to $23) is a bottom-charred masterpiece.
④ Casa Bianca Pizza Pie in Eagle Rock
The neon sign makes this nearly sixty-year-old joint look like an extra in a mob movie. The pizza's cracker-thin crust barely has a lip, which means more bang for your buck—the toppings go almost all the way to the edge ($12.55 for a large cheese, plus $1.95 per topping). Just remember to bring cash.
⑤ Village Pizzeria in Larchmont Village and Hollywood
Like garlic? Like clams? Like garlic AND clams all over your pizza? If you answered yes, drop what you're doing and head to Village Pizzeria for the best date-killing pie ($21.10 for a large Neapolitan) this side of New Haven.
⑥ Stella Barra Pizzeria in Santa Monica and Hollywood
Chef Jeff Mahin looks normal, but bubbling under the surface is a Beautiful Mind-like obsession with dough. He's perfected it at Stella Barra, where the sourdough-esque crust ($12.95 to $16.95) has just the right amount of chew. Top it with an extensive list of local, seasonal ingredients.
⑦ The Coop Pizza in Culver City/Palms
Culver City may get props for its downtown revitalization, but this classic pizza shop in a forgotten Palms strip mall is still cranking out good, cheap pies ($10 for a large cheese, plus $1 for each additional topping) from its tiny kitchen. This joint will be around long after the fancy farm-to-table restaurants disappear.
⑧ Mulberry Street Pizzeria in Beverly Hills and The Valley
They bill themselves as "The World's Most Famous Pizzeria." While that's patently untrue, they do make a mean slice: giant, floppy, East Coast–style slices of thin-crust topped with Italian-American favorites like eggplant parm ($4.25) and lasagna ($4.50).