best pizza in San Francisco and the East Bay
Hours, locations, and sometimes menus, discount coupons, and other useful information
can be found on the URL'd Web sites.
Where I could not find a Web site or the Web site did not provide basic information,
I have provided the phone number and address.
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Chowhound.
best of breed:
- California: Cotogna (wood oven; San Francisco, Jackson Square)
- Chicago - deep dish: Little Star "classic" (three locations in San Francisco and Albany)
- Italian - Neapolitan: Una Pizza Napoletana (wood oven; San Francisco, SOMA)
- Italian - Roman: Baonecci (San Francisco, North Beach)
- New York - "Ray's"-style greasy junk food slice: Arinell (Berkeley, downtown 510-841-4035, 2109 Shattuck @ Addison; San Francisco, Mission, 415-255-1303, 535 Valencia @ 16th)
- New York - whole pie: Nizza la Bella "San Gennaro" or any pizza with the housemade sausage (wood oven; Albany, San Pablo)
- West Coast: Tommaso's sausage & mushroom (wood oven; San Francisco, North Beach)
also worth trying:
- A16 (Neapolitan - wood oven; San Francisco, Marina)
- Amici's (New York; small local chain, several locations)
- Benchmark (wood oven; California; Kensington)
- Borgo Italia (wood oven; Neapolitan; Oakland, downtown)
- Bucci's (California; Emeryville)
- Cafe at Chez Panisse (California - wood oven but not a pizza oven; Berkeley, North Shattuck)
- Cheese Board Pizza (California slice; Berkeley, North Shattuck)
- Pizzeria Delfina ("Neapolitan-inspired" but no wood oven; San Francisco, Mission & Pacific Heights)
- Dopo (California; Oakland, Piedmont Ave.)
- Flour + Water (California; San Francisco, Mission)
- Hot Italian (Italian; Emeryville)
- Ideale (Italian - Roman; San Francisco, North Beach)
- Lanesplitter (New York-ish; Berkeley, Oakland, Emeryville; great beer on tap)
- Little Chicago (deep-dish; Berkeley; out of business, owner started Little Star)
- L'Osteria del Forno porcini (Italian slice or pie; San Francisco, North Beach)
- Lo Coco's "La Puzzola" with morels, gorgonzola, and white truffle oil (American; Berkeley, North Shattuck)
- LoCoCo's fresh ricotta (American)
- Restaurant LuLu (Italian - wood oven; San Francisco, SOMA)
- Oliveto (Italian - wood oven; Oakland, Rockridge)
- (San Francisco, Richmond District)
- Pauline's (California; San Francisco, Mission)
- Pizzaiolo (Italian, wood oven; Oakland, Temescal)
- Rose Pistola (Italian, wood oven; San Francisco, North Beach)
- Tony's (Neapolitan from a wood oven, New York from a coal oven, American, Detroit, Italian, Sicilian, and more from two gas ovens; San Francisco, North Beach)
- Zante (Indian slice or pie; San Francisco, Mission)
- Zero Zero (California, wood oven; San Francisco, SOMA)
- Zuni Cafe (Italian, wood oven but not a pizza oven); pizza at lunch only; San Francisco, Civic Center)
have their fans but I haven't tried:
- Patxi's (Chicago stuffed-crust; San Francisco & Palo Alto)
- Toto's (New York; San Bruno)
have their fans but not to my taste:
- Cugini (American, wood oven; Albany)
- Gioia (NY slice or pie; Berkeley & SF)
- Marzano's (California; Oakland, Glenview)
- Pizzeria Picco (California; Larkspur)
- Zachary's (Chicago stuffed-crust; Berkeley & Oakland; thin California pizzas are OK; slices at lunchtime)
(last updated 4/26/13)
©2011 Robert Lauriston. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is strictly prohibited without explicit written
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