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 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.
Buono’s Authentic Pizzeria
Nearing its 50th anniversary, Buono’s Authentic Pizzeria is understandably old school in the methods it uses to construct its pies. On its hand-kneaded dough you’ll find a homemade sauce, fresh tomatoes and pan-roasted garlic. The mozzarella is fresh as is the sausage, one of their most requested toppings. Buono’s has two locations – Downtown (250 W. Ocean Blvd.) and North Long Beach (401 W. Willow St. – and serves a full menu, including popular dishes lasagna, eggplant parmigiana and linguini e vongole.
Domenico's Italian Restaurant
Over time, Long Beach’s most popular pizzas have been Domenico’s (5339 E. Second St.) ground pepperoni and ground sausage pies. Of course, they had a pretty fair head start. Long Beach’s oldest restaurant was also one of the first in Southern California to serve pizza when it opened back during the Eisenhower administration. Pizza made up virtually the entirety of its early menu and is still a main driver in attracting people to this beloved Belmont Shore landmark that somehow manages to create an atmosphere that is both romantic and neighborly.
Michael's on Naples/Michael's Downtown
One of Long Beach’s most respected restaurants, Michael’s has helped build its reputation through its pizza. Its Naples (5620 E. Second St.) and Downtown (210 E. Third St.) locations, seve an authentic, Neapolitan-style version made from housemade dough, sauce and cheeses, topped with locally-grown organic veggies and herbs from Michael’s own garden. Cooked for 90 seconds in an 850-degree wood-fired oven to achieve optimal crispiness, the pizza emerges with just the right amount of char on a bubbly, savory crust.
The 4th Horseman
Gluttons are welcome at The 4th Horseman (121 W. 4th St.), a wicked-fun beer and wine bar just off of Pine Avenue with “apocalyptic pizza.” The slightly macabre pies have names to die for, such as “Rosemary’s Baby” and “Buffalo Bill,” with an almost sourdough crust and diabolically spicy add-ons. And while you could order delivery, it’s more fun in person, especially with a visit beyond the dining room to The Dark Art Emporium, which features art and oddities from surrealist paintings to taxidermy.
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