The West Coast has terrific cuisine, including fresh seafood, delicious health food, sushi, baked goods, and more. But, we're here to talk about another food the West Coast doesn't get enough recognition for - pizza. We've got the ultimate list of the 10 best pizza joins on the West Coast. From authentic Neapolitan style to deep dish, there's something on this list for everyone.
1. Windy City (Seattle)
This casual restaurant brings a little slice of Chicago to Seattle with its deep-dish style pizza. Windy City serves up 12" deep-dish pizzas that are fresh, filling, and delicious. The menu comes with a suggested warning to first-time customers that they should consider starting with only one pizza as each pie can serve "four hungry adults."
Without a doubt, you have to go with the house favorite and try the Sweet Pete. This pie comes with red sauce, mozzarella, pineapple, house sausage, candied bacon, and hot giardiniera.
2. Delancey (Seattle)
Delancey is Seattle's award-winning pizza spot offering a trendy, intimate atmosphere that's perfect for date night. It has established a reputation for serving up fresh, seasonal pizzas that are probably the best in town. Delancey makes their own long-fermented dough with Washington-grown wheat. Additionally, the restaurant works with local farmers and ranchers to source local ingredients. Our two favorite pizzas here are the Bacon and Onion and the Hot Salami.
3. Ken’s Artisan Pizza (Portland)
Ken's Artisan Pizza is perfectly Portland. The atmosphere is casual, while the food makes you feel like you're in a fine-dining restaurant. The wood-fired pizzas here are "Italian-inspired with an American accent." You get long-fermented dough, hand-stretched mozzarella, Italian tomatoes, fresh toppings, all served on a freshly baked and blistered crust. Try the burrata pie for a wonderfully indulgent, decadent treat.
4. Apizza Scholls (Portland)
If you’re looking for casual takeaway pizza that hits the spot, Apizza Scholls is the best option in Portland. Open since January 2005, this establishment has built up a following for serving up simple but great pizza. All pizzas are 18 inches and you can get ½ flavors on pies, so you get two pie flavors in one!
While all the pizzas here are fantastic, it’s one of the more simple ones that gets our number one spot. The Bacon Bianca comes with mozzarella, pecorino, garlic, herbs, black pepper, olive oil, and house-cured bacon. And, Apizza Scholls also makes calzones and we highly recommend trying one!
5. Za Pizza (San Francisco)
Za Pizza is the type of place you'd walk by without noticing it. And yet, for locals, Za Pizza has quickly become the spot to pop into when you want a fresh slice or a pie to take home for dinner. Owners Bernstein and Buzzy Campisano opened up the restaurant 17 years ago in San Francisco's Russian Hill district. They credit perfecting their crust recipe to their long-standing success, but we think there's more to it than just that. You feel immediately welcome and at home at Za's. And the pizza is consistently fantastic every time you visit. Try one of the in-house classics, the Salvador Dali, which comes with roasted chicken, sundried tomatoes, fresh pesto, and tomato sauce.
6. IL Casaro Pizzeria & Mozzarella Bar (San Francisco)
Come to IL Casarao Pizzeria & Mozzarella Bar if you want to be transported away from San Francisco to Italy for a night. This small establishment opened in 2014 and after seeing tremendous success, opened a second location in 2019.
IL Casaro serves up Neapolitan-style pizza with Caputo flour imported from Naples and San Marzano tomatoes with D.O.P. certification. Even the wood-burning oven is imported from Naples to give customers as close to an authentic Italian pizza outside of Italy as possible!
The entire menu here is excellent, but when you come to a place paying such close attention to tradition, you have to go with the classic Margherita pie. It may be simple, but you'll see what it means to try a Margherita pizza that's authentically Napolitan style!
In addition to the pizza menu, you get access to the restaurant's mozzarella bar, which features buffalo mozzarella, fior di latte mozzarella, and burrata. All of these cheeses are imported straight from Italy, so they're a must-try side dish to your pizza order!
7. Flour & Water Pizzeria (San Francisco)
Flour & Water Pizzeria is a relaxed restaurant offering well-priced pizzas and strong cocktails. Locals love to come here for lunch or dinner to spend a few hours catching up with friends or family. But, it's not just the friendly setting that brings people through the doors. Flour and Pizza serves up excellent, traditional pies. For this restaurant, it all starts with the dough. Their mantra is "respect the dough," and they use a dough that takes three days to mature. We love the pepperoni pie from here, which comes with the perfect addition of pickled peppers!
8. L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele (Los Angeles)
L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele isn’t exclusive to Los Angeles. This pizza restaurant has three locations across the country: LA, New York, and the Belmont Shores. And with a history that dates back to 1870, L’Antica Pizzeria has been praised in Forbes, the LA Eater, and the Los Angeles Times. And, we can see why!
The atmosphere is beautiful and trendy, but it's the food that draws people back here. If you can afford to splurge, the $60 Truffle Pie comes with real shaved truffle on it. However, if you’re looking for a less lavish meal, get the classic Arugula & Prosciutto pizza.
9. Dtown Pizzeria (Los Angeles)
DTown Pizzeria brings authentic Detroit-style square pizza to L.A. In 2021, this restaurant took first place for World Champion Detroit Pan Pizza at the International Pizza Competition. While DTown Pizzeria is a laid-back spot, it's a favorite with those who want large, delicious portions for a affordable price. Each pizza is made in an 8x10" steel pan made with Wisconsin Brick Cheese blend and cut into four crispy corners. Try the Life is Truff 2020, which comes with black truffle, goat cheese, mushrooms, pickled onions, and thyme. It's rich, creamy, and everything you could want in a pizza.
10. Bronx Pizza, San Diego
Bronx Pizza has been serving New York-style thin-crust pizza to San Diego since 1997. The spot is casual, focusing on serving delicious pizza for a fantastic price. In 2020, the San Diego Reader gave Bronx Pizza the award for the best pizza in San Diego. Of course, when visiting here, you have to get the Bronx Deluxe which comes with pepperoni, sausage, onions, mushrooms, green peppers, black olives, and garlic.
In the mood to read more about great food? Check out our ranking of the Top Seven Burgers in the U.S.A.
Summary:
Savor the West Coast's pizza perfection with our curated list of the top 10 pizzerias. Whether you're in the mood for a classic Neapolitan pie or a hearty deep-dish creation, these establishments serve up slices of heaven that will satisfy your pizza cravings. Don't miss the chance to taste some of the finest pizza offerings on the scenic West Coast.
