You can say that pizza culture in LA began with the arrival of the Italian immigrants. They brought with them the passion for pizza making, thus the red pizza debuted the pizza scene in LA.

In the years to follow, the pies were adapted to the local scene. Therefore, Angelenos enjoyed pies topped with avocado or squash flowers.

Nevertheless, the LA pizza scene was not as iconic as the one in NY or Chicago. But that was about to change. Many recently opened pizza joints pinned Los Angeles to the pizza map. Today, you can easily get a great pizza in the second-largest city in the US.

Finding The Best Pizza in LA

Whether you’re craving Neapolitan-style pizza, Deep-dish pie, NY-style pizza, or vegan and gluten-free pizza – there is a mouthwatering pie for you in LA. Order pies for pickup or pizza delivery in Los Angeles from your local, independent pizzerias. Find the best pizza in Los Angeles in the Slice app.

1) Hail Mary Pizza

• Established: 2017
• Signature dish: Pep Pep Pizza

Hail Mary is one of a kind, neighborhood pizzeria in LA. Located in Atwater Village, this pizza joint is operated by chef David Wilcox. He wanted to create a place that centers around hospitality, delicious food at affordable prices, and neighborhood vibes. He fused it all in Hail Mary Pizza.

Their 13 inches, thin-crust pies are both crunchy and chewy, especially at the edges which are baguette-like. Their pizza chefs make the dough daily, with wild yeast (sourdough) and whole wheat flour. It is cold fermented and made by hand.

Furthermore, they use organic wheat and grains from California and Utah. They support small, local farmers growing their own food. Moreover, at Hail Mary, they use thoughtfully and ethically sourced produce, seafood, and meat.

You should try their Mario & Rose (Mary) pie with fennel sausage, smoked mozzarella, and red onion. Or go for a meat-less Giust-oh! consisting of potatoes, chard, feta cheese, lemon zest, and black pepper.

Craving a red pie? Their Pep Pep pizza is made with tomato sauce, pork chorizo, pepperoncini, honey, and mozzarella.

2) Big Mama’s and Papa’s Pizzeria

• Established: 1997
• Signature dish: Any 2 Egg Gondola Pizza

Back in 1992 two Armenian immigrant brothers Ararat and Allen Agakhanyan opened their first pizzeria. At the time, the brothers were still in high school, but even then, they wanted to create their own pizza-style.

That came true with the opening of the first Big Mama’s and Papa’s Pizzeria in 1997. Today, they operate around 20 pizza spots, primarily in Southern California, both company-owned and franchisees.

They started making big pies – the initial was 28’’ (Big Mama). But the consumers' appetite was growing so they came up with the Big Papa pizza (36’’ in diameter).

Even if you haven’t tried their pies (yet), you’ve surely seen them on TV. Remember the 2014 Academy awards when host Ellen DeGeneres ordered 20 pizzas for the celebrities? Yes, they were eating pizza from Big Mama’s and Papa’s Pizzeria.

Besides the traditional crust, all pies are available with a thin or thick crust, as well as gluten-free crust. At BMPP you can get specialty pizza, 2 egg gondola pizza, and pizza by the slice. Moreover, you can enjoy their appetizers, salads, sandwiches, calzones, pasta dishes, desserts, and more.

Try their delicious specialty pies, such as the Deluxe Pizza made with homemade tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, mushrooms, red onions, black olives, green bell peppers, and Fontanini sausage. But don’t miss the Gondola pizza with 2 eggs and additional toppings.

3) Ronan

• Established: 2018
• Signature dish: Sweet Cheeks Pizza

This Melrose pizzeria is operated by husband-and-wife Daniel and Caitlin Cutler. Ronan is a seasonal share plates restaurant, focused on local produce, responsibly raised proteins, and Neapolitan-style pizza. And we’re here for that last part.

They serve white and red wood-fired pizzas. Furthermore, the crust is perfectly charred and slightly chewy, topped with fresh, high-quality ingredients. From classics like Margherita and Marinara to unique creations featuring toppings like house guanciale, squash flower, or cacio e pepe honey.

Must-try red pie is the Spicy Chomper with tomato, soppressata, and Quattro Formaggi. However, don’t miss out on their white Sweet Cheeks pie with house guanciale, ricotta forte, and cacio e ‘pepe honey’ for a sweet and savory sensation.

4) Olio Wood Fired Pizzeria

• Established: 2010
• Signature dish: Margherita Plus Pizza

Owner Brad Kent opened his first location in 2010, and a few years later in 2014 got a Downtown LA location, at the landmark Grand Central Market (GCM). They serve their delicious pies inside one of the oldest and most historic food markets in Southern California.

At Olio, you can get delicious wood-fired pies, but fresh salad, wood-fired appetizers, and desserts, too. All the items on the menu are made with carefully sourced ingredients. Moreover, they make nearly everything in house, from sauces and dressings to pizza dough.

They blend their own flour to create a rustic look and taste. Furthermore, they use a three-cheese blend containing the highest butterfat New York mozzarella in the US, Irish white Cheddar, and Italian Grana Padano. Their burrata and fresh mozzarella are made locally, too.

You can enjoy a classic like Marinara, Margherita, or Pepperoni pizza, or get a specialty pie like the Wild Mushroom & Crispy Prosciutto pizza. The latter is made with roasted shiitake, oyster and cremini mushrooms, smoked prosciutto, three-cheese blend, and garlic pesto.

However, you must try their signature pizza from 2010, the Margherita Plus Pizza. It is made with local fresh burrata cheese, tomato sauce, fresh basil, and basil-infused extra virgin olive oil.

5) Pizzeria Mozza

• Established: 2006
• Signature dish: Fennel Sausage Pizza

While there was pizza in LA before, Pizzeria Mozza surely changed the way it was perceived. This small joint on Highland popularized the Neapolitan-style pizza and boosted the pizza scene in the City of Angels.

If LA pizza style existed, Pizzeria Mozza’s pie would be the perfect representative of it.

Owners Nancy Silverton and Mario Batali have created a perfect ultra-thin crust pizza, topped with fresh, local toppings with the highest quality. The crust is charred, with spots and bubbles, and perfectly chewy.

Go for their Bianca pizza, with fontina, mozzarella, sottocenere, and sage. Or maybe get a Fennel Sausage pizza with panna, red onion, and scallions.

6) Prime Pizza

• Established: 2014
• Signature dish: Any square slice or pie

Craving a NY-style pizza in LA? Prime Pizza is your destination. This slice joint serves delicious thin crust round pies, AND thick crust square pies and slices.

At Prime, pizza chefs prepare the dough in house and let it rest overnight to get the needed taste and texture. The sauce is made from local California tomatoes. Moreover, they use Grande cheese from Wisconsin, shredded in house.

Try their authentic thick crust Sicilian-style or Grandma-style pies with crispy, golden edges. The square Spiced Pepperoni is one of the most popular slices, made with spicy tomato sauce, mozzarella, parmesan, pepperoni, and Calabrian chili.

All three varieties above are available with homemade gluten-free dough.

Or go for the round Sausage-Kale pie with grandma tomato sauce, mozzarella, house-made sausage, kale, and parmesan. But you must save room for their famous Brooklyn style garlic knots, too.

The original Fairfax location has an outpost in Little Tokyo and an additional location in Burbank.

7) Cosa Buona

• Established: 2016, opened in 2017
• Signature dish: Sausage pizza

Renowned chef Zach Pollack of the Silver Lake restaurant Alimento has opened his second restaurant in 2017. This casual spot in Echo Park is a modern pizzeria celebrating Italian and American cuisine.

However, baking pies in a wood-fired oven is what they are famous for. The perfectly charred bubbles, on a thin, yet chewy crust topped with garlicky tomato sauce is what makes their pies so special.

And the delicious toppings too, ranging from mozzarella and pepperoni to maitake mushrooms, Canadian bacon, and pineapple. Their signature Sausage pizza contains house-made sausage, mustard greens, calabrese chilis, and mozzarella.

8) Fresh Brothers

• Established: 2008
• Signature dish: Cheese pie, Gluten-free, and Vegan pizza

The story of this pizzeria starts in 1985 when brothers Adam and Scott Goldberg opened the Miller Pizza Company centered around Chicago-style pizza. Wanting to bring Chicago to the coast, brother Adam and his wife Debbie opened the first Fresh Brothers pizzeria in Southern California in 2008.

Today they operate in 19 locations throughout LA, The Valley, Orange County, and San Diego.

They make traditional pizza with a California twist, prepared by family recipes with fresh ingredients, and fresh dough made daily.

For the sauce, they use locally sourced vine-ripe tomatoes. The mozzarella is fresh, and the meat is real and ethically sourced. Looking for a delicious vegan pizza in Los Angeles? There are plenty of vegan and gluten-free toppings to choose from, too.

But what makes them beloved both by locals and tourists is the variety of pies. Craving a satisfying deep dish pizza in Los Angeles? You can have SoCal Deep Dish pizza with golden brown pan crust or Original & Skinny pizza made with a thin crust.

Furthermore, you can get Gluten-free pizza made with rice and potato crust, Cauliflower crust pizza made with cauliflower rice, and Keto pie with only 6 grams of carbs.

Moreover, you can enjoy Limited-Time Chicago Pie with a thick layer of mozzarella cheese and a signature sauce.

9) South End

• Established: 2013
• Signature dish: District 11 pizza

Up the street in Venice, you’ll find a real pizza gem serving Neapolitan-style pies. Chef Mario Vollera is making rustic sourdough pizzas, topped with Italian cheeses, local ingredients, and seasonal products.

South End’s goal is to share the love for pizza, wine, and people in a cozy and relaxed atmosphere. You get all that, without the crowds and waiting lists typical for the other pizzerias in the neighborhood.

Their crisp-tender artisan pies are made with dough prepared daily. Moreover, they source the ingredients in ways that protect the planet. Additionally, in a typical Italian manner, they serve a selection of high-quality red and white wines.

Meat lovers would love their District 11 pizza, made with pork salsiccia, bacon, pepperoni, crushed tomatoes, and mozzarella.

10) L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele

• Established: 2019
• Signature dish: Margherita pizza

If you’ve seen Eat Pray Love with Julia Roberts (besides being hungry during the entire movie), you sure remember the pizza scene. Well, we have some good news – you can enjoy the same delicious pie too.

Since 2019, the original Naples-based pizzeria (est.1870) has had an outpost in LA. L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele serves Neapolitan-style pies using the same recipes and ingredients as the original restaurant.

The fancy restaurant is a mix of classic Italian and modern Californian décor throughout the interior and the terrace.

The dough for the pies is made with high-protein flour and is double fermented before baking in the wood-fired oven. The pies are perfectly baked, with occasional charred bubbles and an authentic taste.

The Margherita with double mozzarella is a must-try (Julia’s choice, too), though you wouldn’t make a mistake with any other pizza.