L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele (Los Angeles, CA)
The Ultimate Los Angeles Pizza Tour - Curated by Alessandra
∙ MARGHERITA (Tomato, Fior di Latte, Pecorino, Basil), DIAVOLA (Tomato, Fior di Latte, Pecorino, Basil, Spicy Salame) ∙
The fourth and final stop on the epic LA pizza tour, and what an amazing ride it’s been. This restaurant is a franchise of the famous original in Naples, and my love had high expectations. We arrived to the restaurant around 9, and it felt wrong from the start. This location was very LA. It was like a nightclub…super chic design – the entryway featured a fireplace, the glowing bar sat below a skylight. The original in Naples is very unassuming in comparison. The back patio looked very cool, but we were seated inside. It was cold anyway.
Put simply, the last restaurant on a tour like this will likely not be the best because you’ve already eaten 9 pizzas before it. Someone has to come in last, but it does suck for your review of the pie.
Margherita
We ordered two pies, and the marg came out maybe a minute later. The second pie didn’t arrive. We were confused, but the server (from the back, not our server), said ‘margherita’ as he put down the pie. We started eating, and our two pies show up 10 minutes later. We should’ve given this one back and took ours.
The pizza tasted like it was smoked. Super odd – I couldn’t tell if it was because it was the end of the night and the oven had a lot of ash in it. I couldn’t tell if the pecorino was making it taste like that. I can only imagine that if this restaurant were placed differently along the tour, we would’ve had a different impression. Being the 10th & 11th pizzas on the 2-day tour didn’t help our perspective.
The crust was good, fairly light and airy, yet not terribly well structured. The pie could’ve been eaten with utensils. All this said, the pizzas were MASSIVE. They were huge! Show up hungry, and don’t eat a ton of pizza in the days preceding.
Diavola
I love a good diavola pizza. Diavola is ‘devil’ in Italian. I have devilish little horns glowing on my dome when a spicy salame pie is placed in front of me.
The pie was good, but the cook was almost worse than the prior. Some slices were more well done than others. As it was the end of the night, I wasn’t surprised to see it wasn’t cooked evenly. The spicy salame was wonderful – cooked to perfection – slightly crispy, yet juicy. Flavor wasn’t terribly hot, but it was still great. The salame was cut long ways, something that was new to me and I enjoyed.
Result
Given the fact that this was the last stop on the pizza tour and it was later in the evening, I don’t feel like my assessment of the pizza was great. I almost owe this place a return visit. I will; however, surely be stopping at the original in Naples.
La Pizza & La Pasta - Eataly (Los Angeles, CA)
The Ultimate Los Angeles Pizza Tour - Curated by Alessandra
Eataly has teamed up with the experts at Rossopomodoro to bring us traditional Neapolitan pizza.
∙ MARGHERITA VERACE TSG (San Marzano Tomato Sauce, Buffalo Mozzarella, Fresh Basil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil), BURRATA (Burrata, Arugula, Rovagnati Prosciutto di Parma DOP 18-Months, Basil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil) ∙
Nearing the end of the pizza tour, we visited the famous Eataly – a massive Italian-import focused marketplace with restaurants, groceries, and food counters. The restaurant was pumping out some fire pies – courtesy of their partnership with Rossopomodoro, a Naples-headquartered pizza chain. My love heard this would be the best pie in LA. Spoiler alert: it is.
Margherita
The pie is perfectly balanced. There is a dazzling char on the crust. No rubbery mozz bullshit…this buffalo mozzarella rivals the burrata in its tender deliciousness.
It’s almost impossible to differentiate between each element as they coalesce beautifully. The sauce is so incredibly fresh…this San Marzano pomodoro is *chef’s kiss*. Only to be expected from a place touting their imported goods. Each bite is harmoniously decadent. The crust is magical, spotted like a beautiful camouflaged leopard. Dare I even say it gives Nancy Silverton a run for her money.
This is what pizza is all about.
Burrata
The burrata is phenomenal. If you don’t like burrata, I feel sorry for you. How could you not love a mouthful of fluffy juicy deliciousness? Get your ass to an Eataly.
The Rovagnati prosciutto is savory and light, it almost melts in your mouth. 18th-month aged & DOP verified? Yes please. It is a perfect counterpart to the burrata. I’ve become accustomed to these sauceless pies comprised of fresh ingredients atop alluringly airy crusts. What a beautiful life.
Calzone
(San Marzano Tomato Sauce, Buffalo Mozzarella, Ricotta, Rovagnati Gran Biscotto Ham, Fresh Basil, Extra Virgin Olive Oi)
Well, calzones will never be the same. A little bonus in addition to the incredible pies was something that will forever change my perception of American-produced Italian food. It was incredible. No, I will never be able to look at the local Italian restaurant calzone the same. It wasn’t fully enclosed and fried to shit. Similar to a rolled up pizza, it was filled with wonderfully fresh ingredients. It was like a savory pillow with ham and cheese packed in it, draped with a veil of simplistically sweet sauce.
Result
Okay, Eataly is amazing, and sold me the best pizza I’ve ever had. Their margherita is so well prepared, balanced, and fresh, that it has to be the best Neapolitan I’ve ever eaten. Clear winner of The Ultimate LA Pizza Tour. I’m excited to go to Eataly when I visit New York to have it again.
Pizzeria Mozza (Los Angeles, CA)
The Ultimate Los Angeles Pizza Tour - Curated by Alessandra
∙ MARGHERITA (Mozzarella di bufala, tomato, basil) ∙
The second stop on The Ultimate LA Pizza Tour was seriously cheated given its placement in line. After eating 5 pizzas about 7 hours before, neither of us were hungry. I absolutely love pizza, and as excited as I was for this restaurant, I was not interested in eating more pizza. We geared up for the visit by watching the Chef’s Table episode featuring Nancy Silverton. Known for her bread-making skills, I had high expectations for a killer crust on their margherita. Let me tell you, the pizza did not cease to impress.
Magherita
The sauce and dough are the stars of the pie. That’s not to say that the buffalo mozzarella wasn’t amazing. We cheated with the mozza caprese to start. The salad showed the true mozzarella potential before we even got to the pizza. Better be good if it’s the name of your restaurant.
Imagine biting into a cloud that easily disintegrates as you chew – the dream every mattress retailer ever tried to sell you. Your mouth is making love to an ephemeral crust. Easily digestible doesn’t even begin to cover it, I could eat 5 of these pies and go for a run. It may be one of the most impressively prepared pizza crusts I’ve had. It is absolutely no surprise that Pizzeria Mozza lived up to the carb hype and absolutely aced the crust test.
My love got the Funghi Misti – fontina, taleggio, & thyme. I don’t like white pizzas, and I don’t like mushrooms. This would’ve never worked for me. Sure is pretty though. I guess the pizza is too.
B-Side Pizza - Hotel Ziggy (West Hollywood, CA)
The Ultimate Los Angeles Pizza Tour - Curated by Alessandra
∙ BBQ CHICKEN PIZZA (bbq chicken, crispy shallots, bbq sauce, hot honey and buttermilk ranch) ∙ CACIO E PEPE PIZZA (pecorino, parmesan reggiano, fresh mozzerella, cracked black pepper, olive oil, finished with arugula dressed with lemon vinaigrette) ∙ CALABRESE (red sauce, spicy calabrese ham, fresno chilies, fresh mozzarella, pecorino romano) ∙ MEAT LOVERS (red sauce, shredded mozzarella, fresh mozzarella, italian sausage, pepperoni, meatballs, bacon) ∙ WHITE PIZZA (shredded mozzarella, scallop potato, garlic confit, fresh mozzarella, chopped parmesan cheese) ∙
The first stop on The Ultimate LA Pizza Tour, curated by my love. I’ve never been a huge fan of LA, but my Italian guide had selected some of the best spots for pizza. We did not expect to begin the 4 stop tour in 2 days with 5 pies. At the hotel we were staying, there just so happened to be a pizza restaurant on-site.
Nothing but praise and gratitude for the Hotel Ziggy team, who put on an absolute show to start the tour. Thank you so much for the hospitality and delightful pizza tasting experience.
The team made sure we wouldn’t miss a single element of their mastery. Boasting the best pizza in West Hollywood, they certainly showed out. Now on to the pies:
BBQ Chicken
Amazing. As my love said, this is the pizza you visit a restaurant for. I am so pleasantly surprised. I typically avoid BBQ sauce bases (given how dominant the flavor can be), yet I’m so happy I didn’t miss out here. The sauce isn’t overpowering at all – lightly tangy & gracefully smooth. I love hot honey – a fantastic addition that only highlights the sauce instead of making it too sweet. The pie is incredible. The onions…wow – the fried onions provide the tender succulent umami crunch you crave. The dough is a bit thick, somewhat bready, but not stale whatsoever. If nothing else, it feels necessary to support such a serious serving. The chicken is juicy and tender, not overcooked, nor rubbery at all. Well done by the chef. The buttermilk ranch counters the BBQ sauce so well. Again, visit Ziggy to listen to some jams and go to B-Side for the BBQ Chicken pizza.
Meat Lovers
The crust is lighter and thinner. I’m a sucker for cupped pepperonis – indicative of a natural casing which shrinks faster than the ronis while cooking. The sausage is tender and kind of spicy. While the pie is cheesier than the last, it’s still great. IMO, 2nd best crust behind the cacio e pepe.
Calabrese
This pie is EN FUEGO – it will light you on fire like an avid arsonist. Fair warning to you softies – grab a glass of milk, because these chili’s don’t mess around. My lady thinks it is salami as opposed to ham, but it is great nonetheless. The pecorino is a nice touch to dull the heat – a crucial addition to the fire pie.
Cacio e Pepe
The lemon vinaigrette hits immediately…it is fairly distracting. That said, the zesty touch cuts the cheese nicely. Arugula is perfect for this pie – the slightly peppery ruffage gives it the natural pepe flavor. The crust is a bit crunchier than the others – the pizza let’s it shine with how subtle the flavors are. Perhaps a little less vinaigrette? Maybe I’m the one who is soft.
White Pizza
This pie is garlic forward. Sorry, no makeout session for you after this one. The potatoes are very creative – thinly sliced, and have a bit of a crunch following the cook. The crust with the garlic is the star here – fuck your dominoes herb crust.
Result
Don’t order five pizzas for two people. Just don’t do it. We ate the entire BBQ chicken pizza, and half of the rest. I’ve never been a white pizza guy, but it was fun to try the cacio e pepe and their white pizza. The toppings were very creative. I’m pretty good with spicy food, but the Calabrese was a little much for me. I still ate the entire half (after removing a few chilis). I don’t know if the meat lovers was just pepperoni and sausage, or if it was a different pie. Old trusty gets it done once again. Obviously the BBQ Chicken pizza is the winner.
One hell of a way to begin a pizza tour – courtesy of the fantastic team at Hotel Ziggy. Great spot. Visit for the BBQ chicken pizza!
In Bocca Al Lupo (Washington, DC)
Landslide victory for best DC pizza. One of my new favorite pizzas, right in my backyard.
∙ In Bocca Al Lupo (pomodoro, salsa verde Romana, sun dried tomatoes, pulled buffalo mozzarella), Margherita (mozzarella, pomodoro), Bresaola Rughetta e Parmigiano (thin pizza dough with bresaola, arugula and parmesan) ∙
First of all, acknowledge and appreciate if you’re being served the owner. Then bow down the new master of the DC pizza.
We started with Italian originals, beginning with a wonderful bruschetta con pomodoro. Followed by an awesome app – the suppli al telefono – named after the appearance similar to a cheesy telephone when tearing the roll in half. Followed by my new favorite thing in the world – crocchette di patate. THIS IS INCREDIBLE (google it), and phenomenally prepared, according to my beautiful Italian guide.
Before we get into the pizza – let’s differentiate. This is Roman pizza – subtly, yet greatly different from Neapolitan pizza – it hits every note I’ve ever needed. Firm, yet pliable crust supports a pizza like you’ve never seen.
In Bocca Al Lupo
The sun dried tomatoes melt in your mouth…the first I’ve ever had that weren’t tough. The combination of the olive oil and buff mozz is to die for. Some of the best buffalo mozzarella I’ve ever had. The saltiness of the tomatoes bounces so well off of the fresh cheese. I thought I’ve had delicate sauce prior, but if you get a bite of sauce alone, you can appreciate how truly amazing it is.
We haven’t mentioned the most memorable element – salsa verde Romana – amazing. Parsley, olive oil and garlic (etc) amalgamated to create saucy bliss.
Margherita
Thin crust doesn’t even begin to cover it – despite the supremely fresh imported ingredients on top, the crust is the star of the show. The best balanced pizza ever – crust so incredibly light, yet supports the pizza better than I’ve seen prior on a margherita. It feels odd to admit that my favorite margherita isn’t Neapolitan at all, but in fact, Roman.
Focaccia Bresaola Rughetta e Parmiggiano
The crust floats like air. No sauce no nothing. My lady says it needs olive oil. The benefit of no sauce, oil, etc is the degree to which the airy crust shines.
The Bresaola is next level – fuck your pepperoni pizza – subtle, not too rich, and in no way fatty. It will change your mind about Italian cold cuts. The combination is beautiful – it’s effectively a simplistic, yet superior salad served on top of the finest crust you’ve ever had.