With the first pizzerias in Mission Viejo not opening until the late 1960s, you might expect them to serve what at the time was America's most popular pizza, New York-style, but they don't. Mission Viejo is known for thick crust pizza because the pizzeria chefs went back to their roots and produced traditional Italian pizzas from the word go. The one thing you will notice by reading a few of the pizzeria menus in Mission Viejo is that the chefs here favor complex topping combinations. Each pizzeria has its own style of topping their thick crust pizzas which are both interesting and very tasty if you enjoy ingredients like blackened shrimp, sesame seeds, pineapple, and sun-dried tomatoes.

Best delivery pizza in Mission Viejo, California

When you get a pizza delivered, you want to open the box and be wowed by what you see. That will happen every time you order a pie from zpizza as they bake the best delivery pizza in Mission Viejo. Zpizza has a premises in the Mission Viejo Village Center shopping complex on Marguerite Parkway that's like a bright and modern diner, but one which also caters for solo diners with its wall-mounted shelf-like tables and bar stool set-up. Zpizza follow the California-style fashion of topping their pies with only super fresh ingredients which have been grown or produced in the state. They have an extensive range of vegetarian pizzas which will make any veggie drool and be queuing up for more before they've finished the one they're munching through. Zpizza also has a large variety of meat and chicken topped pies, so no-one gets left short of choice at this super Mission Viejo pizzeria.

Best takeout pizza in Mission Viejo, California

If you've been over at the Pretend City Museum with the kids or have just finished a round at the Laguna Woods Golf Club, go back in town via the Alicia Parkway and you'll be able to stop off to pick up the best take-out pizza in Mission Viejo. There's a pizzeria-bar on Alicia Parkway called Oggi's which is in the Gateways Shopping Center. You can't miss it as apart from facing right onto the parking lot, Oggi's premises are covered with enormous murals of sporting stars. Inside is dedicated to all things sport-related too and there are multiple TV screens on the walls. Oggi's bake a massive array of seriously well-topped thick crusts pizzas to order most of which have, not surprisingly, sport-related names. If you want some spice, go for their Slam Dunk, which is loaded with Louisiana hot sauce.

Best pizza near Mission Viejo, California

Laguna Beach

When you want a day by the sea where you can also go hiking through canyons, you should make a trip ten miles west from Mission Viejo to Laguna Beach. This small California resort city has a super beach and promenade, tidepools with sculptures as well as a first-class art museum. If you want to stay away from the crowds though you should head for the Crystal Cove State Park, where there's three and a half miles of undeveloped coastline apart from one small historic urbanization to explore. There are also eighteen miles of backcountry trails winding through the hills and gorges where you'll find creeks and woodlands. To end the day with a good pizza, go to Gina's Pizza on the South Coast Highway.

Rancho Santa Margarita

If you prefer mountainous landscapes to coastal ones, take a fifteen-minute drive north to Rancho Santa Margarita. Rancho Santa Margarita is bordered by the O'Neill Regional Park which is four and a half thousand acres of open countryside containing the stunning Trabuco and Live Oak Canyons. There are over twenty miles of trails running through the park where you can wander and forget humanity even exists. It's a superb place for taking scenic photographs. Climb a couple of hills and you'll have open views down to the coast. When hunger means you need to deal with humanity again, you'll find a friendly welcome at Selma's Chicago Pizzeria and Taproom on Avenida de las Flores.

Lake Forest

When you're having a kid-free day and don't know where to go, Lake Forest is not a bad choice. Lake Forest is only a fifteen-minute drive from Mission Viejo and there you can have a browse around the Heritage Hill Historic Park, or have a leisurely stroll through the Borrego Canyon Overlook park before starting to have some real adult fun by heading for the Frisby Cellars. Frisby Cellars is a large winery and brewery where you can take a tour around the installation then set to sampling some of their products. When you've tasted enough, if that's possible, go for a pizza at Brizio's on Lake Forest Drive.