The Best Pizza in San Diego

Californian grown tomatoes picked at the height of ripeness are the secret ingredient in Woodstock’s zesty and rich pizza sauce. This San Diego State University area pizza mecca draws crowds not just for its classic style gourmet pies but for its daily happy hour and weekly events like trivia night as well. Try the house Wildebread, a seasoned garlic bread served with ranch and pizza sauce, to see what all the fuss is about.

Known for their Southern Californian take on deep dish Chicago style pizza, no list of the best pizza in San Diego would be complete without a serious nod to BJs Restaurant and Brewhouse. From the BBQ chicken to the Gourmet Five meat, which comes loaded with housemade meatballs, pepperoni, applewood smoked bacon, Italian sausage and smoked ham, the thick and juicy pizza pies here come in many styles, both classic and creative. BJs handcrafted beers are meant to match perfectly with their heavenly pies.

Serving classic and contemporary Italian out of a charming and beachy cottage, Piatti is the place to go for real old world style thin crust pizzas in the La Jolla area. Executive Chef, Pepe Ccapatinta taps into local producers and farms for the base ingredients used to craft his rustic and flavorful menu. When it comes to pizza, Piatti not only offers a variety of personal-sized pies each night, including favorites like the grilled shiitake mushrooms and bacon, but they also do a special chorizo pizza as part of their popular Sunday brunch.

A made from scratch menu based on fresh and seasonal ingredients makes North Italia a staple among locals intent on securing some of the best pizza in San Diego. The Fashion Valley hotspot does handcrafted thin crust Italian style in a variety of flavors, including bacon and egg, and always offers a chef’s special daily pizza based on what’s fresh and available. A well rounded Italian focused wine list means pairing a perfect red or white with the pizza pie is always an attractive option.

Head to Old Town for the old school pizza at its best from La Bella Pizza. Sister restaurant of San Diego’s famous DiLeone’s Italian Restaurant, La Bella takes the same meticulous devotion to all things Italian and laser focus on the art of the pizza pie. The result is a roster of over a dozen house specialties, including the jalapeno and pineapple studded Sweet n Hot, that continue to rack up accolades for the multiple award-winning restaurant.

Sitting around the fire pit sipping robust Italian red in between bits of a fresh out of the wood-fired oven slice of heaven is what awaits diners at ENO Artisan Pizza and Wine Bar, located right on the oceanfront in Coronado. Neapolitan style and handcrafted, the 12-inch pizzas meant for sharing here come in both traditional and innovative combos including the prosciutto and pear with gruyere cheese. ENO is also known for its housemade desserts, just another reason to stick around and have another glass of vino.

Famous for their local fresh farm to table cuisine that draws right from Southern California’s diverse bounty to create Italian inspired originals, Farmer’s Table also serves up some of the best pizza in San Diego as well. That’s because the restaurant imported an authentic Stephan Ferrara pizza oven straight from Naples, used to perfectly brown their house-made pizzas and flatbreads. Expect perfectly cooked takes on thin crust fusion like the smoked salmon or the short ribs pizza pie, both loaded with farm fresh and locally sourced produce and cheeses.

Sitting on the top floor of the newly reimagined La Plaza Center, Catania beckons hungry pizza lovers looking for authentic pies like a lighthouse in the famous California fog. House-made pasta and handcrafted pizzas are served over spectacular panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean at Catania, where a house wood-fired oven turns out crispy golden delights like the Sicilian Pistachio, topped with burrata, mortadella, and pistachio pesto. An Italy centric wine list means there is always the right glass of vino to go with the pie.

The San Diego beach lifestyle is on full display at the Backyard Kitchen and Tap, where guest kick back in cabanas overlooking the fire pit while craft fare and cocktails come trickling out of the kitchen. Contemporary flatbread style pizzas are hand crafted from local produce here - think roasted wild mushrooms with bechamel and goat cheese. Sporting both an indoor and outdoor bar, the Backyard Kitchen is also a place to socialize and unwind after a hard day on the golden sand.

A relatively new addition to San Diego’s historic Little Italy area, Ristorante Illando is known for their devotion to doing authentic Italian eats for a modern Californian audience. Hailing from Florence, Italy, chef/owner Lorenzo Landini’s pizzas are thin and traditional, with ingredients like Italian sausage, sun-dried tomatoes, and Daiya cheese all inviting guests to build their own masterpiece. A full selection of Italian wines and beers round out the immersive old world experience at Ristorante Illando.

Run by three friends from Milan, Italy, this Pacific Beach gourmet pizza hotspot draws fans from all over the city and given evening. With three different styles of pie available, including a thick crust whole wheat, a soft focaccia dough style, and a crispy thin crust variation, Ambrogio has redefined the gourmet pizza experience in San Diego. All three styles come topped with both local and sustainably produced California ingredients as well as select imported Italian items, like real Bufala Mozzarella and aged Parma Proscuitto.

Fine dining meets classic Italian and contemporary Mediterranian flavors at Alexander’s on 30th, located in the North Park area. The classy restaurant with its indoor and patio dining rooms all decked out in white has been named one of the top places to eat before you die in local publications. Pizzas are hand tossed and made to order here with several in house specialties like the White Room, topped with Elephant garlic, chicken, ricotta cheese and pesto, wowing locals and visitors alike.

Unobstructed views out over the beach and the rolling Pacific Ocean from the second story outdoor patio draw the crowds to PB Ale House, which also produces some of the best California flatbread style pizza in San Diego. Locally sourced ingredients are used to craft items like the Black n Blue, an oven cooked flatbread topped with smoked trip tip steak, blue cheese, mozzarella and bechamel sauce.

Chef Massimo Tenino’s creative Italian cuisine was inspired by his own Italian grandmother. The beach breeze caressed La Jolla restaurant sports a massive wood-fired pizza over where local fresh ingredients are used to handcraft traditional style thin crust creations like the Polipo, topped with charred octopus, kalamata olives and fingerling potatoes. The extensive wine list features several different Italian regions and varietals prominently.

With on-site brewed award-winning craft beers and a sunny outside patio to enjoy them on, Ballast Point Brewing Company is one of the San Diego area most famous micro-brewery. Brick fire pizzas come steaming out of the oven in hearty styles meant to match the hoppy brewskis including the Pork Pie, topped with pork meatballs, fennel sausage, pepperoni, and two kinds of cheese.

A California-inspired Italian restaurant and wine shop located in the historic Banker’s Hill area, Cucina Urban does farm to table versions of classic old world pies. Drawing on the bounty of local farms and changing the menu with the season means that made from scratch pizzas like the Date, Riccota and Bacon have strong roots in the immediate Southern California area. A variety of in house wine programs help familiarize guests with local and Italian varietals that match well with the house specialty pizzas and other menu items.