Good Pizza in LA? (Los Angeles, Santa Monica: appointed, live in, food)

[aprilphilly]

Hello!
I moved here from philly about a month and a half ago. I live in Hollywood and was wondering if anyone could tell me where i could get good pizza. Apparently there are no good pizza places in LA(what people are telling me), but I'm sure there has to be one out there somewhere! I'm looking for thin slice new york style. thanks!

[JerZ]

What you need to do when eating LA pizza is to not think about/compare it to east coast pizza.

There's never going to be a comparison.

I consider California Pizza Kitchen a very tasty food, though not a NY pizza. That's why you'll be disappointed if you compare.

I've discovered that as far as food is concerned, you have to take advantage of any given area's specialty. For example, here, the obvious one would be Mexican food, to which northeastern "Mexican" doesn't compare or even come close. I have also found Thai out here to be excellent! I recall that when my husband and I were driving cross-country to come out here, we'd eat the specialty each state was know for. For example, in Wyoming we had steaks. In the midwest, buffets seemed really popular so we ate at a lot of buffets and they were much fresher and a just generally better-tasting food selection than back home. (I was never huge on buffets anyway, but just to give an example.)

People who have always lived in LA can probably jump in on this thread and tell you their ideas of good pizza. Again, go by just the general taste and texture and don't expect a nice thin crispy-crust Italian-tasting pie.

[Rats]

Petrillo's Pizza in San Gabriel

check this list out too:

Best of Citysearch Los Angeles 2007 - Best Los Angeles Pizza

[dtran103]

It's not New York style, but Italian style. It's called Mozza's. The bread quality is magnificent. A lot of people like Mulberry's. That's NYC style.

[SA Greed]

I am from SA but I visited LA about a month ago and the first day we were there we stopped at this one place to eat and wound up eating there 2 more times during our trip because it was very good. I am referring to Valentino’s Pizza in Manhattan Beach. It was by far some of the best pizza my wife and I have ever had and we have been all over. (except NY). I would keep it simple and order either a pepperoni or a plain cheese.

EDIT: check this out

Valentino's Pizza - Manhattan Beach, CA, 90266-6214 - Citysearch

[BeenAroundTheBlock]

Hey April, I'm from Philly too and others may not really understand our quest for good pizza. I lived in CA for 14 years and never found anything comparable. I hate to say it but Dominos was about as good as it got for our stint there. We did have a cheesesteak place that was pretty good because the owner was from Philly.

Good luck though, you'll probably have more options down in LA then what I had up in Ventura.

[DontH8Me]

I think Tony's pizza on 3rd street in Santa Monica is decent - but while we're on the subject of Philly, let us all know when you come across a place in LA that serves a decent Philly cheese steak as I have yet to find one that isn't a huge disappointment.

[JerZ]

Originally Posted by Rats

Petrillo's Pizza in San Gabriel

check this list out too:

Best of Citysearch Los Angeles 2007 - Best Los Angeles Pizza

Yeah, Petrillo's does taste good. Again, not really authentic per se but the taste is good. You should scout out all the pizza joints mentioned and come back to us and let us know what you think.

[Futcha]

You should open up a NY style pizza place. You'd be loaded if you're the only NY pizza place in the city.

[Sonrise]

Albanos, hands down. I grew up in South Jersey and would kill for real "east coast" pizza until I found this place. They're two brothers from Brooklyn who actually ship their water out from back east. They have 2 locations, one on Melrose and one on Ventura Blvd. Real thin crust, crispy pizza with great sauce and tasty toppings. Mmmmm my mouth is watering. Go get some for me.