The Best Pizzas in Los Angeles

Ali Haider operated a mobile pizza oven at Northridge and West Hollywood farmers markets before settling on a Sun Valley plaza for his permanent home in 2015. His Naples-born oven incorporates Mt. Vesuvius volcanic rock and sports black shard tiles with “786” in red. Smoldering olive and almond woods cook 786 pizzas. Antimo Caputo 00 flour, salt, water, and yeast ferments for 48 hours to form dough. Halal meats top 12-inch pizzas that cook for 90 seconds at approximately 786 degrees Fahrenheit. Atypical flavor combinations include Bombay Tikka Masala, Istanbul, and El Chapo, a Mexican-inspired pizza with “flavor that is hard to capture.” 786 Degrees was such a hit in Sun Valley that Haider expanded to Pasadena with the larger Sapori di 786 Degrees in 2019.

Justin De Leon and wife Linda have been "rolling in LA since 2012" at their Mid-City pizzeria. Their vibrant strip mall space features tile floors, graffiti splashed on white walls, and a bumping jukebox. Most of the time, round pizza with pleasantly chewy crust is the only option, available with some unusual toppings and cheeky names like The Mayor’s Mistress and The Adonis. Square pie is the main draw, but limited to Fridays and after 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Apollonia’s square pie draws on Detroit pizza traditions and comes topped with pepperoni, cheese, or Acapulco Gold with ricotta, truffle oil, and arugula. Add burrata and spicy honey for a boost. Pepperoni is particularly good, teaming melted mozzarella with garlicky tomato sauce, chiffonade basil, savory Parmesan, and a crusty cheese skirt that forms from touching the sizzling hot pan.

Located in a massive Arts District warehouse space adjacent to the L.A. River, Bestia (meaning “beast” in Italian) opened in late 2012 and quickly became one of the hottest tables in town - it's still a tough reservation more than a decade later.

Italian food lovers come for the house-made pastas and charcuterie, but also for the Neapolitan-style pizzas that became a pet project of chef Ori Menashe, who refined his dough-making process over a few months - what was once a 24-hour cycle of fermentation evolved into three full days. The result was a more consistent, puffier crust.

Highlights include the Sage & Mortadella with Grana Padano, Caciocavallo and aged balsamic; and Soppressata & Honey with San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella, red onion, poppyseed and Morita chili.

Burattino is a wooden puppet and the main character in “The Golden Key,” a popular Russian children’s book by Aleksey Nikolayevich Tolstoy that's based on Italy’s Pinocchio. This character appears in paintings and photos on walls at Burattino Brick Oven Pizza in Rancho Palos Verdes. Their brick oven belonged to predecessor Pavich’s and produces some of LA’s most unique pizzas. Atypical toppings appear on crispy, cracker-like crusts, including Black Magic pizza with black garlic and pepperoni; and Croatian pizza with beef “prosciutto.” Dial up the “exotic” quotient with pizzas like duck prosciutto & goat cheese, bison sausage & red chile peppers, and venison & lingonberry Brie. Their Christmas-colored Chori-Man Special may be Burattino’s best bet, combining ultra-local red chorizo and green chorizo, bacon, garlic, chopped tomatoes, onions, mozzarella cheese, and marinara sauce. Pizzaiolo Lee Kim also created a fun mash-up of two iconic comfort foods, resulting in a “pizza dog” featuring a juicy hot dog that’s baked with melted Provolone, stretchy mozzarella, and marinara sauce in a pizza dough crust.

Cosa Buona is Zach Pollack’s compact 45-seat Echo Park follow-up to sister restaurant Alimento. At the busiest intersection in the 90026 zip code, Pollack super-charges Italian-American classics. Pizza is way better than a neighborhood restaurant has a right to be, with crust that’s char-pocked and pull-apart after cooking in a wood-burning Stefano Ferrara oven. The version with crispy-cupped pepperoni discs, tomato, mozzarella, and Parmigiano-Reggiano is great. So is the spicy sausage pizza with mozzarella, mustard greens, and chile. Cosa Buona even manages to elevate Hawaiian pizza, transforming the kitschy ham and pineapple combo from a punch line to a modern classic by incorporating house-made Canadian bacon, onion, chilies, and smoked mozzarella.

Located in East Hollywood, DeSano Pizza features four massive, 10,000-pound ovens named after Italian saints: San Felice, San Paolino, San Gennaro and San Matteo. The wood-fired, 900-degree ovens produce Neapolitan-style pizzas with ingredients like San Marzano D.O.P tomatoes and Mozzarella di Bufala that are sourced from Campania in southern Italy. The cavernous 7,000 square-foot space offers picnic tables and long communal tables - great for groups to watch the big game or the pizza-making action from the open kitchen.

Specialty pizzas include the San Gennaro (San Marzano tomato sauce, sausage, peppadews, garlic, caramelized onions, scamorza, mozzarella di bufala, pecorino romano) and the namesake DeSano with San Marzano tomato sauce, sausage, pepperoni, garlic, scamorza, mozzarella di bufala and pecorino romano. The sunburst-shaped Meatball Madness is a Carnivale-style pizza with ricotta cheese stuffed crust. Pair your pie(s) with a selection of local craft brews or Italian and California red and white wines.

Hail Mary Pizza was founded by David Wilcox, who recently sold the Atwater Village fave to first-time pizzeria owner Jeff Barris. The pizza dough is made daily with wild yeast (sourdough) and a significant amount of whole wheat flour; the fresh, seasonal ingredients are locally sourced from small farmers.

Along with classics like The Roni and Margherita, pun-tastic pies include the Mario & Rose(mary) with fennel sausage; the Lord Cheesus and the fully loaded PizzApocalypse, a recent Pie of the Month. The St. Lauren is a self-described "vegan masterpiece" topped with basil pesto, mixed mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, confit tomatoes, garlic and drizzled with truffle oil.

Pizza fans don't have to wait until lunch to get their fix at Jon & Vinny's, the Italian American eatery opened in April 2015 by chefs Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo (Son of a Gun). Sequels have since opened in Brentwood, Slauson and Beverly Hills. The original Fairfax location is an intimate, 45-seat space with a spare interior that's fronted by glass, with an open kitchen, floor-to-ceiling blonde wood, and a boutique wine shop, Helen’s, tucked in the back.

Open daily from 8am to 10pm, Jon & Vinny’s serves the hearty Breakfast Pizza 2.0 with Yukon gold potatoes, red onion, rosemary, olive oil, Parmesan and Caciocavallo, topped with a pair of fried eggs. Add the optional Nueske's smoked bacon to really make it a breakfast of champions.

Other pizza highlights include the LA Woman (local burrata, tomato, basil, olive oil, sea salt), Ham & Eazy (smoked ham, vodka sauce, red onion, Caciocavallo, smoked mozzarella, pickled fresno chilies) and the meat lover's Roman Gladiator with Nueske's bacon, fennel sausage, pepperoni, smoked ham, Caciocavallo, Parmesan and tomato.

L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele is a legendary Naples pizzeria that many Americans learned about while watching Julia Roberts eat there in the 2010 movie Eat Pray Love. Owner Francesco Zimone imported L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele to a beautiful space on a Hollywood side street in 2019. Twin patios star at the sprawling restaurant, which features an exhibition kitchen for head pizzaiolo Michele Rubini and his crew, who preside over a wood-fired pizza oven lined with blue and white tiles. Pizza is the main draw on a well-balanced Italian menu. Naples-based pizzaiolo Raffaele Esposito supposedly created the Margherita pizza for the Queen in 1889 and L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele carries on the tradition in Hollywood. Their baseline pizza sports a chewy crust with minimal puff that co-stars zesty tomato sauce, fior di latte, Pecorino, and basil and gets soupy in the middle if diners let the pies sit. Customers looking for a more elaborate pizza experience can make it rain black truffles or order Montanara - a sturdier, puffier fried and baked pizza crafted with tomato sauce, smoked mozzarella, and basil.

Natural fermentation and Israeli influences shine at Lodge Bread Company, an ambitious café and bakery from chef-partners Alexander Phaneuf and Or Amsalam. The duo expanded to Woodland Hills in 2018, but only the original Culver City location serves whole circular pizzas. The smaller Valley outpost just serves individual slices and squares. Order at the counter from a handwritten butcher paper menu and snag a table on the covered patio or in the bustling dining room. Pizzas cook behind glass in an oven that burns almond wood. Supple, pull-apart crusts include basic Margherita, plus memorable wild mushroom with Taleggio, Parmesan, chives, and thyme. Seasonal specials may involve summer squash, burrata, tomato, garlic, and charred onion; or Emma’s pea pie with mozzarella and green garlic. Lodge also crafts beautiful salads and vegetable dishes.

Milo & Olive is, first and foremost, a bakery. In fact, the location was originally sought out simply as a larger space to do the breads for owners Josh Loeb and Zoe Nathan’s other restaurants, Rustic Canyon and Huckleberry. When they stumbled on a space with a second kitchen and seating, the game plan changed to fulfill a secondary wish: bringing a new type of hybrid California pizza to the Westside that playfully riffs on a variety of inspirations. Specifically, they wanted one that traveled well, which ruled out traditional Neapolitan. Nathan went to work creating a “bread-type crust [that] bakes slower at a lower heat … with a mix of different flours and grains.”

Among the favorites are the Crispy Pepperoni, Mixed Mushroom (fontina val d’aosta, thyme, lemon zest, parmesan) and seasonal pies like the Braised Bacon + Stone Fruit.

Brad Kent trained at CIA and worked for chefs like Charlie Palmer and Joachim Splichal before opening the first Olio Wood Fired Pizzeria in 2010. Kent opened Olio GCM Wood Fired Pizzeria at the landmark Grand Central Market in 2014. Located in the heart of the bustling market, Olio GCM features an eat-at counter with adjoining table seating. The two-ton Stefano Ferrara oven yields hand-stretched 10-inch wood-fired pizzas and fire-roasted appetizers like Brussels sprouts and shishito peppers.

Customers can customize their pizzas with Olio's market-fresh ingredients, or order combos like the signature Margherita Plus, made with local fresh burrata cheese (creamy mozzarella), tomato sauce, fresh basil, and basil-infused extra virgin olive oil. Another favorite is the Wild Mushrooms & Crispy Prosciutto - roasted shiitake, oyster and cremini mushrooms; smoked prosciutto, three cheese blend and garlic pesto. The menu also offers made-to-order salads and a selection of craft beers on tap.

Named a Michelin Bib Gourmand, Pijja Palace was an instant hit when Echo Park native and Dodger fan Avish Naran opened the Indian sports bar in May 2022. The lively 80-seat dining room features Mid-Century furniture, flatscreens, a hip-hop playlist and a Desi-influenced menu that includes the Instagram fave Malai Rigatoni; Dosa Onion Rings, Aloo Tikki Hash Sliders and Achaari Buffalo Tenders.

There are two house pijjas: the Chutney with kasoori methi tomato sauce, mozz and choice of green chile chutney, habanero chutney or pineapple chutney; and the Green Tikka with green tomato tikka masala, onion and turkey kofta. You can also build your own with ingredients like tandoori onions, chicken tikka, kadai paneer and a sauce - Northern makhani, peri peri vindaloo or white korma.

Sprinkles Cupcakes founders Candace and Charles Nelson teamed with Chris and Caroline O'Donnell on Pizzana, a sleek Neapolitan-style pizzeria. Named a Michelin Bib Gourmand, the original Brentwood location has spawned outlets in Silver Lake, Sherman Oaks, Marina del Rey and WeHo. Naples-born pizzaiolo Daniele Uditi presides over a black-tiled, wood-burning oven that devours white oak. Uditi marries his family's traditional bread recipes with SoCal inspired flavors to create his signature Neo-Neapolitan pizzas.

The pliable, two-day fermented dough is singed in all the right places. Organic, stone-ground flour, San Marzano tomatoes and fior di latte mozzarella are all imported from Italy. The classic Margherita is fantastic, as is the Corbarina (San Marzano DOP, squash blossom, burrata, cherry tomato, gremolata).

The Cacio e Pepe is a must - provoloncino d’agerola, fior di latte, parmigiano crema and cracked black pepper. The late, great Jonathan Gold said it best: “The cacio e pepe pizza is a small miracle: crisp crust, pungent cheese and a showering of black pepper, a near-exact duplication of the flavor of the pasta’s particular tang even before your tongue hits a stripe of cream, which lends a bit of the pasta’s texture.”

Located at ROW DTLA, Pizzeria Bianco is the Los Angeles incarnation of the celebrated Phoenix pizzeria. Legendary pizzaiolo Chris Bianco built his LA menu around six signature wood-fired pies, including the Wiseguy with wood-roasted onion, fresh smoked mozzarella and fennel sausage. Named for his dad, Bianco describes the Sonny Boy (tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, soppressata, Gaeta olives) as "kind of like an antipasto. It's my favorite of the pizzas to share and to have a slice or two. And it's almost too salty, in a good way, without going over that edge."

With chef Marco Angeles at the helm, the kitchen churns out exquisitely charred, thin-crust masterpieces that are well worth the wait. There are also small plates, salads and sides, but this eatery is a mecca for pizza devotees.

It’s hard to remember a time before Pizzeria Mozza and Osteria Mozza, let alone before LA had been turned on to Neapolitan-style pizza. While Pizzeria Mozza wasn’t the first to serve it, the buzz it generated was game changing - not surprising since co-owner/pastry chef Nancy Silverton launched an artisanal bread revolution when she opened La Brea Bakery in 1989. I’s not unusual to see people eating the naan-like pizza backwards, starting with the crust and working their way inward toward the juicy center.

Greatest hits include the Fennel Sausage, Salame, Alla Benno and veg-friendly options like the Margherita, Funghi Misti and Bianca. Newly added to the menu in January 2024, the Croque Madame is made with béchamel, caramelized onions, prosciutto cotto and sunny egg. Nancy's Chopped Salad is always a solid starter option, and be sure to save room for the famed Butterscotch Budino, a modern classic that was on the opening menu and never left.

Husband-wife duo William Joo and Jennifer So opened Pizzeria Sei in February 2022, and their Pico-Robertson counter serve spot quickly ascended the ranks of must-eat pizza destinations.

An alum of Pizzana and Ronan, Joo mans the gas- and wood-fired oven, serving up Tokyo-style Neapolitans with a cornicione that's earned accolades for its puffy pinch and mochi-like chewiness. The Bismarck is a favorite - prosciutto cotto, egg, fior di latte, pecorino, basil, truffle oil and sea salt. Other highlights include a classic Margherita - elegant in its simplicity - and the Napoletana with tomato, anchovy, olive, garlic, capers, oregano and EVOO.

Walk-ins are welcome, but Pizzeria Sei recommends booking a reservation via Yelp.

Opened on Fairfax in October 2014, Prime Pizza has since opened locations across LA, offering New York-style pizza to Little Tokyo, Burbank, the Westside, El Segundo and more.

Whatever your pizza craving, Prime has you sorted - by the slice, hefty 18" pies, square pizzas, vegan and gluten-free. Can't decide? Order a Half & Half round or square. Don’t miss the addictive garlic knots with a side of marinara - crisp on the outside, soft and chewy inside, and dripping with garlicky olive oil.

Follow @primepizzala for updates on limited collabs like the Panang Curry Pie with Jitlada, and Wagyu Meatball Pizza with Champion's Curry. Delivery is available at all locations for locals to get their pizza fix.

Specializing in 10" sourdough pizzas, Quarantine Pizza Co. pops up regularly at Smorgasburg in Downtown LA, Benny Boy Brewing in Lincoln Heights and special events like Cinespia outdoor movie screenings. The pizza lineup changes frequently along with seasonal specials - follow @quarantinepizzaco for updated info on upcoming pop-ups and specials.

Recent highlights include the Spiceroni, So Mush Love (Parmesan cream, mozzarella, roasted mushrooms, confit garlic, arugula) and the Al Pastor with heirloom blue corn infused sourdough crust, mozzarella, A's BBQ al pastor sausage, pineapple, onion, cilantro and "super secret salsa verde."

Like many newer restaurants, Quarter Sheets Pizza began as a pandemic pop-up - in this case, at the Glendale home of co-founders Aaron Lindell and Hannah Ziskin. The couple opened their brick-and-mortar in January 2022 - Lindell makes the signature pan pizzas and Ziskin creates the desserts.

QS serves three styles of pizza: thick crust, available whole or by the slice; Sicilian Squares and Tomato Slices. Recent pan pizzas include Pepperoni, the Red Top (mozzarella, red sauce, grana, basil) and a seasonal special - Mike's Baked Onion with Maui onion, red onion, scallion, garlic cream, Bloomsdale spinach, serrano chili and Agrumato lemon olive oil.

Longtime restaurant pro Caitlin Cutler and chef/husband Daniel Cutler opened their ambitious Melrose pizzeria next to The Groundlings Theatre & School in 2018. A colorful graffiti mural and light-strung patio greet diners at Ronan, which also houses a dining room with booths and an open kitchen starring a white Neapolitan pizza oven that burns white oak and displays a Jesus figurine above the mouth. They serve staple Margherita and marinara pizzas along with even more impactful signature pizzas that stray from tradition. For example, Chicago-style hot dogs inspired Michelangelo, a pizza featuring tomato sauce, mozzarella, crumbled house sausage, onion, and mustard seeds. Spicy Chomper combines spicy crumbled soppressata and quatro formaggi. Sweet Cheeks teams thin-shaved house-made guanciale, ricotta forte, and cacio e pepe honey to devastating effect. In each case, expect crust with good chew and crispy pocking.

In July 2018, Steve Samson and wife/partner Dina opened Superfine Pizza in City Market South, a literal hole-in-the-wall just steps from their Bologna-inspired gem, Rossoblu. The couple straddles the line between New York and Italy, baking 12" pizzas in a deck oven with crispy crusts and good give. Superfine has counter seats that flank their window, but many people grab their pizza to go or order delivery.

Bow down to the Queen Margherita, a classic made with fresh mozzarella, tomato, basil and extra-virgin olive oil. The Salami Honey offers a savory/sweet mix of spicy salami, provolone, grana padano and buckwheat honey. Go green with the Veganissima, topped with tomato, rapini, garlic, salt-cured olives, capers, oregano, chilies, mint, parsley, basil and extra-virgin olive oil.

In February 2018, the all-star team of legendary chef Nancy Silverton of Mozzaplex fame; James Beard Award-winner Matt Molina and Silverlake Wine's Randy Clement partnered to open Triple Beam Pizza in Highland Park. Outposts have since opened in Echo Park and Glendora, with Santa Monica on the way. Originally opened with a unique by-the-ounce pricing structure, Triple Beam's Roman-style pizzas are now available Whole (feeds 3-4 people), Half (1-2) and Quarter, a big slice for one.

Carnivores can get their fix with the classic Pepperoni, Roasted Fennel & Sausage, and Pineapple, Prosciutto & Jalapeño. Veg-friendly options include Acorn Squash with mozzarella, cacio di roma cheese, honey and crushed red pepper; Potato Sage & Truffle (Yukon gold potatoes, mozzarella cheese, fontina, black truffle cheese, sage) and two vegan pizzas: Margherita and Pomodoro.

Thanks to customer demand, the limited Korean BBQ Chicken Bulgogi is now a permanent addition to the menu. The Italo-Korean mashup is made with gochugaru bulgogi chicken, Korean BBQ sauce, red onion and two cheeses. It's accompanied by a side of shredded napa cabbage, carrots, pickled red onions, house pickles and chili crunch sauce - eat them separately, or stir the bibimbap and pour over the pizza!