Cuisine Scene: Pizza

From artisanal Neapolitan to hearty Chicago deep dish, you’ll find a dizzying, delicious array of pizza options in Long Beach. Here you can get vegan creations, sourdough crust and Thai curry pizza–yes, you heard right–and lots, lots more. Long Beach pizzerias continue to put their own spin on the world’s most favorite comfort food. So, whether you're in the mood for inventive toppings, classic flavors, or a cozy atmosphere to enjoy them in, Long Beach definitely delivers. Here’s how!

Whatever your preference, the plethora of pizza places in Long Beach serve up exactly what you’re craving in the 562.

TIME TESTED

Domenico’s (5339 E Second St) is Long Beach’s oldest restaurant and was one of the first to serve pizza in Southern California. Its ground pepperoni and ground sausage pies are absolutely iconic. Buono’s Pizzeria (250 W Ocean Blvd/401 W Willow St) uses old school methods in constructing pies; hand-kneaded dough and homemade sauce is paired with fresh tomatoes and pan-roasted garlic. The mozzarella is fresh, as is the sausage. La Parolaccia Osteria (2945 E Broadway) has a loyal following in part because of its Neapolitan-style, wood-fired pizzas. Popular options include the Sofia, topped with burrata, cherry tomatoes, and Parma prosciutto, and the Burina, with spicy salami and arugula.

CREATIVE & ARTISANAL

Thai Curry Pizza & Thai Food (929 Redondo Ave) offers unique toppings like cilantro, curry sauce, and basil in its Thai Curry Tofu Pizza and Tom Yum Pizza, while also serving up a variety of traditional Thai dishes. What most distinguishes Speak Cheezy (3950 E Fourth St) is its dough: delicious and tangy sourdough, righteously charred and bursting with buttery flavor. To produce such pies requires 120 hours of fermentation, and you can taste each minute of care spent creating these masterpieces. At Pizza Parlor (2936 Clark Ave), pies are made with naturally leavened sourdough crust, and pizzas on the menu include the LA Taco, topped with birria, and the BTSC, with bechamel sauce, purple sweet potato, sausage, and jalapeño chilis.

NEAPOLITAN CLASSICS

Naples, Italy is credited with inventing pizza, and one of the city’s most respected and celebrated restaurants, Michael’s on Naples (5620 E 2nd St), serves Neapolitan-style pizza made with house-made dough and topped with locally grown organic vegetables and herbs from Michael’s own garden. L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele (4611 E Second St) actually originated in Naples and had its pizza oven built there and shipped to Belmont Shore. That level of authenticity allows L’Antica to craft pizzas that meet the strict standards required to carry the Neapolitan designation.

PIZZA AND BREW

If deep dish is your thing, Rance’s Chicago Pizza (5258 E 2nd St) in Belmont Shore is the place to go. Pair your pie with one of the variety of beers on tap, or order a flight of four to sample. Though it grew lightning fast as a brewery, Dutch’s Brewhouse (4244 Atlantic Ave) is as well-known, and loved, for its unique pizzas. Pair a pint with a slice topped with the likes of chicken, bacon, kettle chips, kimchi or rosemary potatoes. Long Beach Beer Lab (518 Willow St/4000 E Anaheim St) offers a sourdough beer malt crust, which shines in their star-shaped Margherita pizza with its unique crust folded around the edges to create delightfully chewy points.

SOMETHING TO SEE

Little Coyote (3500 N Los Coyotes Diagonal/2118 E 4th St) offers wafer thin, New York-inspired pizzas, on a menu ranging from a Margherita to its signature White Pizza balancing spinach, ricotta, mozzarella and Calabrian chili with a creamy white sauce. Enjoy it on the outdoor parklet and watch the Retro Row scene passing by. The 4th Horseman (121 W 4th St) serves a wide-ranging menu, including Frailty, which may be the best vegan pizza in town. Enjoy it in the shop, which is a tribute to horror movies and monsters of the past.

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About the Author

Steve Lowery

Steve Lowery is a longtime local. Over the years he has written for the Los Angeles Times, ESPN, and others. If you're looking for the hidden gems of Long Beach, Steve is your go-to.