Review: Pizzanista! DTLA, CA
Born & raised in New York City, I can be a bit particular about the pizza I choose to eat. I have been wanting to write a Pizzanista! DTLA review since I first heard about it. I finally had a chance to pop in.
Pizzanista! DTLA Review
The scent of fresh baked pizza filled the air, as I entered the bustling downtown pizzeria. There were tables outside as well as inside the cozy eatery. Then a few booths were set in the back on the right side also, across from all the action.
We were greeted by Manager Albert Vazquez who sat us in a back booth. I asked if they had wine…Yes!!! thank goodness. Pizza with a glass of red wine is one of life’s great pleasures. The Cabernet Sauvignon by Maker Wine (a female founded company) came in a can. It was surprisingly good, a delicious full-bodied red with a bit of spice.
Caesar Salad
We started our meal with a Caesar Salad (organic hearts of romaine, grano podano, house-made croutons, house-made caesar dressing). It was fresh, crisp and served with a wedge of lemon. The croutons were decadent and super crunchy with a punch of zest.
The Margherita Pizza
Soon, two large pizzas arrived at our table. The Margherita Pizza (BelGioso mozzarella cheese, fresh organic basil, and a sprinkle of grana padano cheese) was simple, yet magnificent. The homemade sauce (or gravy as Italians call it) was multi-dimensional and swirling with flavor. I loved the New York style pizza…thin enough to fold with a wonderful chewy crust. It had well-defined structure, and the sourdough brought a unique subtle tanginess to the table.
Soppressata & Mushroom Pizza
The Soppressata & Mushroom Pizza featured fresh mozzarella, Calabrese soppressata, ricotta salatta, and fresh mushrooms sautéed in 100% olive oil with Christopher Ranch, California organic garlic. In addition, this pie was also topped with grana padano cheese. The combination was exceptional. The mellow garlic wafted through my tastebuds, intermingled with the gooey luscious cheese. The picante Soppressata defined the dish, while the scrumptious sautéed mushrooms brought an overall balance to the pizza. A wallop of spice was a happy surprise.
The Pizzanista DTLA staff was super friendly and also worked as a team. Different servers delivered our pizza and salad. Others checked with us throughout our meal. They were all quite knowledgeable as well. We were told the pizza sauce is prepared fresh with Stanislaus Alta Cucina tomatoes that are hand milled in-house then blended with olive oil, fresh garlic, oregano, salt & pepper. Pizzanista’s sauce stands out. It’s truly special. Additionally, the sourdough crust is prepared fresh daily from a 48-hour fermented sourdough. The Naples mother is over 200 years old. I was impressed.
Founder of Pizzanista!
A professional skateboarder, Salman Agah, founded Pizzanista! in 2010 in DTLA. Having pioneered switchstance skateboarding in the early 90’s, Agah is a legend in the skateboard community. He was inducted into Skateboarding’s Hall of Fame in 2022 and has a signature shoe with Vans. He also teamed up with skateboarding photographer Mike Ballard, to create SkateBook, a series of hard-bound 350+ page coffee table books. As of 2023, there are now multiple Pizzanista! locations (CA, Japan and South Korea) as well. The San Marino CA location also features a skate pro shop. A husband and father of two, Agah continues skateboarding, surfing, mountain biking and riding motocross. Of course, running his ever-expanding Pizzanista! empire also keeps him busy.
If you love pizza…Pizzanista! is one to try for sure. Next time you are downtown, be sure to pop in. Pizzanista!, 2019 E. 7th Street, LA, CA, 90021; https://pizzanista.com
