We compare the pies from the new film “The Best Pizza is in L.A.” to our Los Angeles magazine guide from 1981
Forty-five years ago, Los Angeles magazine went in search of the city’s best pizza. We reviewed more than two dozen Italian joints from Long Beach to Woodland Hills and mentioned that a decade before this survey, Barbera’s in West L.A. was our favorite. Our 1981 list included plenty of classic restaurants that are still open today, including Little Toni’s, Antonio’s, Miceli’s, Barone’s and Palermo in Los Feliz. Our lead photo was of the owner of Domenico’s, which is still serving it up in East Pasadena.
L.A.’s Best Pizza in the December, 1981 issue of Los Angeles magazineCredit: Photo by Richard Clark/Los Angeles magazine
Pizza in L.A. goes back to the 1930s at Chianti and Lucca, but really took off when Pasquale D’Amore introduced the exotic foodstuff at his Casa D’Amore in Hollywood. Today, his daughter Filomena D’Amore continues to run Patsy D’Amore’s Pizzeria at the Original Farmers Market.
Pizza from The Ivy and Mulberry Street Pizza in the December, 1981 issue of Los Angeles magazine
With all this esteemed history, filmmaker Pete Ferriero’s new documentary The Best Pizza is in L.A. is bittersweet. While we revel in his praise of the city’s contemporary pizza scene and his declaration that he, and other East Coast expats, found their favorites here, we don’t want to forget L.A.’s long history of delicious pizzerias.
Tim Rosenman and Pete Ferriero in The Best Pizza is in L.A. Credit: Photo by Vicky Sarro
Ferriero sets out to prove that “the best pizza is not in New York, Chicago, or Italy, but actually in Los Angeles.” Ferriero describes himself as a “foodie that grew up watching television,” and his youthful TV memories often involve food – from Emeril Lagasse’s “Bam!” to Brian Austin Green and Tori Spelling sharing a pizza on Beverly Hills 90210. “In another devastating blow to the city that never sleeps,” a newscaster says in the film. “Los Angeles has been named the best pizza city in the country.”
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In the doc, Ferriero meets up with other foodies, chefs and his TV favorites Green and Spelling to try out the pizzas of the moment all over the city. “At one point pizza was not really a thing in L.A.,” Ferriero tells Green. The L.A. native responds, “Pizza’s always been a thing in my family.”
Joe Sasto and Pete Ferriero in The Best Pizza is in L.A. Credit: Photo by Vicky Sarro
He explores New Haven, Chicago, Tokyo and Detroit-style pizzas all over the city and on his road trip hits more than a dozen pizzerias from Fred Eric’s recently closed Pi La to Prime Pizza to Appolonia’s, Pizzeria Sei and Nancy Silverton’s Pizzeria Mozza. If I have a complaint, it’s that none of the classic joints made his list, although I must admit it was fun watching him sing the praises of Shakey’s in Hollywood.
“The reason I think the best pizza is in L.A. is because all of it is so different yet culturally diverse,” Ferriero says in the movie. “It can be heartwarming like a Hollywood movie and for the most part all of it is really good.”
The Best Pizza is in L.A. will be available on demand starting July 28.