Los Angeles CA, Best Downtown Pizza Picks
I adore pizza. Raised in NYC, I am always on the hunt for a premium pie. When I first arrived in LA, back in the late 90s, I gave up pizza. It was just not worth the calories. I waited for my NYC visits to indulge in pizza and of course bagels. These days however, LA has become a worthy adversary to New York. I have witnessed the change first hand, and I like it. I’ve starting spotlighting some amazing pizza in various Los Angeles neighborhoods. Here is The Best Pizza in DTLA in no particular order. CLICK HERE to read my Best Pizza Happy Hour in Culver City.
Best Pizza in DTLA
Pizzeria Bianco
In 2004, the New York Times named Pizzeria Bianco the BEST Pizza in America. That was when Pizzaiolo Chris Bianco became a household name. Finally, Pizzeria Bianco opened here in 2022. It was worth the wait. CLICK HERE to read my review.
Pizzeria Bianco offers six signature pizzas Marinara, Margherita, Sonny Boy, Rosa, Biancoverde, as well as Wiseguy. We ordered two pizzas – the Wise Guy (wood roasted onion, fresh smoked mozzarella, fennel sausage) and the Sonny Boy (tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella soppressata, gaeta olives). Both were phenomenal!
There are actually two separate locations, both at Row DTLA. There’s the sit-down restaurant along with its sister eatery Pane Bianco, just around the corner. Here you can order pizza by the slice, in addition to tasty sandwiches. Check the website for updates on menu and/or hours, and to make a reservation. Pizzeria Bianco (Entrance off Alameda & Center St. – not 7th street), 1320 E 7th St #100 Los Angeles, CA 90021; https://www.pizzeriabianco.com/los-angeles
Pizza Next Door
A no frills pizza joint, Pizza Next Door reminds me of the New York City pizza shops from the early 80s. Purchase by the slice, or take home the whole pie. The eatery is long and narrow with just two tables. There are also tables outside.
The pizza here speaks for itself. It is what I would describe as a classic old-school style with lots of cheese and loaded with toppings. The sausage was particularly excellent. Pizza Next Door has been around since 2005. It is a family business, owned by Ron Semerci. His parents opened a bakery called Nazo’s that was right next door for 32 years. It closed in 2023. His brother Eric works here as well. While we were eating, two gentleman came in. They had driven all the way from the San Fernando valley for their favorite pizza.
The pizza was just plain good. We sampled the sausage pepperoni and the pesto ricotta. Both were delicious with blistering bubbling crusts, which I adore. The tomato sauce was flavorful and on the money. The smoky pepperoni and seasoned sausage live up to our expectations. Of course, the oozing cheese completed the pizza perfect experience. The pesto ricotta was such a fantastic combination. The garlicky pesto was filled with flavor. The ricotta brought a delicate surprise to each bite.
If you love New York Pizza…you will love Pizza Next Door, 806 West 8th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90017; (213) 622 6595; http://www.pizzanextdoor.com/
Pizzanista!
Finally, Pizzanista! offers fantastic 18 inch pizzas. They have a huge range of toppings and combinations with funny names such as Meat Jesus, and North Shore. The menu also features both a broad range of vegan and gluten free options. CLICK HERE to read the full review.
We indulged in two pies – Margherita Pizza (BelGioso mozzarella cheese, fresh organic basil, and a sprinkle of grana padano cheese), and the Soppressata & Mushroom Pizza (fresh mozzarella, Calabrese soppressata, ricotta salatta, and fresh mushrooms sautéed in 100% olive oil with Christopher Ranch, California organic garlic grana padano cheese).
The basic simplicity of the the Margherita Pizza allowed all its fresh ingredients and pure flavors to come through. Pizzanista! takes pride in this particular pie. The Soppressata & Mushroom Pizza was also delicious with a memorable zesty bite. Of note was that both pizzas seemed to be even better the following day. Pizzanista!, 2019 E. 7th Street, LA, CA, 90021; https://pizzanista.com
Remember, this Best Pizza in DTLA article lists ETG favorites in no particular order. Try them all, then let me know what you think.
