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A pizzaiolo finishing a Neapolitan-style pie at last year's Pizza City Fest . The fourth annual event returns to L.A. LIVE April 25-26. This story is free to read because readers choose to support LAist.
If you find value in independent local reporting, For anyone who doesn't think Los Angeles is serious about pizza, they've never been to Pizza City Fest. Now in its fourth year, the festival returns to L.A. LIVE's Event Deck this weekend — from 1-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday — showcasing the full range of styles that define SoCal's pizza scene.
The event was founded by three-time Emmy and 13-time James Beard Award-winning food reporter Steve Dolinsky, who has builtinto a three-city operation spanning Chicago, Nashville and Los Angeles. This year, 40 pizzerias will be offering unlimited tastings — general admission runs $99 a day, VIP $199. . SoCal pizza isn't specific to L.A.
What's most exciting about this year's lineup is how far it stretches — from Orange County and the Inland Empire to the San Fernando Valley and Santa Barbara. It’s a testament to the fact that good pizza is everywhere in the region; you just need to know where to find it. If you're enjoying this article, you'll love our daily newsletter, The LA Report.
Each weekday, catch up on the 5 most pressing stories to start your morning in 3 minutes or less. Greek marinade, Latin heat: The recipe at Dino’s Famous Chicken tells the history of Pico UnionAs Dolinsky puts it:"You don't have to get in your car and drive all over Southern California to try all these great pizzas because they're all going to be made fresh, right there in one place.
"Esteban "ESCO" Gutierrez grew up in his father's Manhattan pizza shop. Now he's bringing that New York tradition to Mid-City L.A. — and to Pizza City Fest this weekend at L.A. LIVE.
Perhaps one of the most exciting aspects of Pizza City Fest is the sheer range of styles on offer. Detroit, NY, Neapolitan, tavern-style, grandma pie — all under one roof. No dominant identity, and that's kind of the point. Unlike New York or Chicago, where pizza culture rallies around a single style, SoCal's scene is pluralist by nature.
You've got Ozzy's Apizza repping New Haven-style, Esco's flying the New York flag, Detroit Pizza Depot doing what it says on the tin, and Bub & Grandma's doing their own artisan thing that defies easy categorization.and is bringing a 100% sourdough crust to the fest — the kind of artisan approach Dolinsky says has defined the scene's evolution over the past four years. And then there's PiiZaa — a mobile operation out of the Torrance Farmers Market whose name is apparently how the Vietnamese community pronounces the word.
They'll be making a bánh xèo-inspired dish with turmeric, shrimp and pork. As Dolinsky puts it,"That to me is very LA. Vietnamese culture meets Neapolitan pizza. That doesn't happen really anywhere else in the country.
" The fest isn't an argument for one style over another — it's an argument that SoCal can do all of them and do them well. When you get tired — or full — of stuffing your face with delicious slices, Pizza City Fest has you covered there too.programming kicks off with"The Dough Whisperers" at 2 p.m., featuring Nancy Silverton and Aaron Lindell of Quarter Sheets in conversation about the craft of dough, followed at 3 p.m. by a home baker's masterclass demo from Thomas McNaughton and Ryan Pollnow of SF's Flour + Water — plus a Silverton book signing after.brings a backyard pizza oven demo at 2 p.m. from Daniele Uditi of Pizzana.
At 3 p.m., Esteban Gutierrez, Sean Lango, and Vito DeCandia make the case that great New York-style pizza doesn't require a New York zip code — moderated by Noah Galuten. Pizza City Fest runs Saturday and Sunday at the Event Deck at L.A. LIVE in downtown Los Angeles, 1–5 p.m. both days. General admission is $99 per day; VIP tickets are $199 and include one-hour early entry, access to an exclusive lounge, preferred panel seating and a swag bag.
All tickets include unlimited pizza tastings, beverages, desserts and admission to all panels and demos — yes, that means drinks, both alcoholic and NA. First-timer? Dolinsky's advice:"Go to the places that are furthest from your home ... go to the places from Corona, the IE and Covina. Who knows when you'll go there?
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