The love of pizza may be universal–but that doesn’t mean that all pies are created equal. While we’re certainly living in a golden age of pizza-making in L.A., there are still entirely too many disappointing versions out there. We can’t say we’ve hit every pizza place in town, but in our years of extensive taste-testing, these spots stand out as offering the best pizza in Los Angeles.
Cosa Buona
Cosa Buona is your classic neighborhood pizzeria, filtered through the lens of acclaimed chef Zach Pollack. The pizza is bubbly, charred, and wood-fired to perfection. Be sure to leave some room for the menu’s non-pizza small plates and other delights. 2100 W. Sunset Blvd., Echo Park.
Hail Mary
Launched by a former Gjelina chef, Hail Mary may be small, but its pizza game is mighty. You’ll queue up at a counter to place your order and, on busy nights, you might have to do a bit of hover-and-scout waiting for a seat. Ultimately, your patience will be rewarded with some of L.A.’s buzziest pizza, topped with things like chard, gorgonzola, and nettles. 3219 Glendale Blvd., Atwater Village.
Dough Box
For a moment, it looked like Dough Box might be closing up shop for good–but Andy Mueller (of the clothing brand Quiet Life) stepped in to buy the business when the previous owners were ready to move on. Now Dough Box is back to doing what it does best: slinging exceptional deep-dish and thin-crust pies. 2734 N. Eastern Ave., El Sereno.
Prime Pizza
Square pies are the move at Prime, and they would make any grandma proud, with thick crusts and gloriously crispy, golden edges. Not that there’s anything wrong with the round, thin-crust options, if that’s your bag. 446 N. Fairfax Ave, Fairfax; 141 S. Central Ave, Little Tokyo; 603 N. Hollywood Way, Burbank.
Roberta’s
In general, we’re skeptical of NYC chains opening L.A. outposts, but the Brooklyn-based Roberta’s gets a pass. The classic order is the Bee Sting–which mixes spicy soppressata and chilis with a sweet kiss of honey–but you could put just about anything on this beautifully blistered dough and we’d eat it. Platform, 8810 Washington Blvd., Suite 104, Culver City.
La Morra Pizzeria
The mobile pizza team at La Morra pops-up at bars and events around town, so you’ll have to follow them on social media to track them. But when you do, you’ll be rewarded with squishy-crusted, wood-fired pies with classic toppings. Locations vary.
DeSano Pizza Bakery
DeSano is more of a pizza warehouse than some cozy, candlelit spot–but don’t let that deter you. It’s kid-friendly, there are big TVs, and the ever-so-traditional Neapolitan pies are among the very best in the city. 4959 Santa Monica Blvd., East Hollywood.
Lupetti
Connected to cocktail bar Sheep’s Clothing, Lupetti is particularly popular with the downtown nightlife crowd. Open late, and offering by-the-slice in addition to whole pies, it captures the “New York style” concept, but gives it a sleek update. 710 E. 4th Pl, Arts District.
Pizzana
When you open Pizzana’s website, the first thing you see is a scroll of gushing praise heaped on the spot by media outlets–but don’t write it off as “overrated.” It’s a rare case where the product lives up to the hype. They call that product “Neo Neapolitan,” a blend of tradition with California style. 11712 San Vicente Blvd., Brentwood; 460 N. Robertson Blvd., West Hollywood.
Apollonia’s Pizzeria
Apollonia’s is another square-slice specialist, but you’ll have to be strategic if you want to get the goods. The luscious Detroit-style pies, are only available as special offerings from noon to 5 p.m. on Fridays, and after 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. 5176 Wilshire Blvd, Mid-Wilshire.
Gracie’s Pizza
Many places aspire to that classic, East Coast neighborhood pizzeria vibe, but nobody in L.A. really captures it with as much accuracy and charm as Gracie’s. A tribute to the owner’s grandmother, the delicious New York-style pies (and garlic knots!) are accompanied by a wine and beer list that is curated with real passion. 4330 Melrose Ave, East Hollywood.
Pizzeria Mozza
Nancy Silverton is the high priestess L.A. pizza, and this is her temple of dough. The style is Neapolitan-adjacent, but distinctly Nancy, and pies are topped with California produce at its best. 641 N. Highland Ave., Hancock Park.
Elio’s Wood Fire Pizza
Temporarily offline due to health department concerns about his mobile, truck-mounted pizza oven, Eleodoro Lopez is still taking catering and event orders while he preps to reopen to the general public. When he’s up and running (which he says is coming soon, so watch Instagram for updates), Lopez draws crowds to an Echo Park parking lot for some of the most soul-satisfying late-night pizza in town. 2517 Sunset Blvd., Echo Park
RELATED: 7 Places in L.A. to Get Good New York-Style Pizza
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