Best Pizza In Venice

Who doesn't love pizza? Whether you're celebrating a victory, drowning your sorrows, gathering with family, or hanging out bachelor style, pizza is quite possibly the perfect food. If you're on the westside and that craving for a hot, cheesy, crusty slice hits you, head to Venice, where the pizza choices are as eclectic as the city itself. From hole-in-the-wall spots to high-end eateries, there's a pie for every palate.

Gjelina Take Away
1427 Abbot Kinney Blvd.
Venice, CA 90291
(310) 392-7575
www.gjelinatakeaway.com

All the deliciousness of a Gjelina pizza without the month-in-advance reservation is what you can expect at Gjelina Take Away. Located next door to full-service big sister Gjelina, Gjelina Take Away serves up salads, sandwiches, soups, and most importantly, pizza. GTA gets fancy with its flavors, with choices like Bottara with Jalapeno (tomato confit, asiago, smoked mozzarella, lemon juice, olive oil, bottarga, topped with arugula), Squash Blossom (confit garlic, cherry tomato, baby zucchini, squash blossoms, caciocavallo, parmesan, thyme, olive oil), Cherry Stone Clam (tomato, cream, basil, Calabrian chili, oregano, caccciocavallo), and Guanciale (pig's jowl bacon, pomodoro sauce, mozzarella, green olives, Fresno chiles). Order a full size pizza, or a slice to go of whatever they've got on tap, and head over to the small adjacent patio for some quality people-watching to accompany your meal.

Abbot's Pizza Company
1407 Abbot Kinney Blvd.
Venice, CA 90291
(310) 396-7334
www.abbotspizzaco.com

It's all about the bagel crust at Abbot's. Offering not one, but six different bagel crust options, you can customize your pie with an onion, garlic, sesame, poppy, hot-crust, or "blend" bagel crust - or even go gluten free. Pizzas range from old school pepperoni and cheese, to gourmet pies like their goat cheese with portobello mushrooms, chicken curry with pineapple, and the popular Cheese Bomb, loaded with six different cheeses on an alfredo sauce base. Of special note is their legendary salad pizza, topped with a thin layer of sour cream, thick layer of chopped salad, tomatoes, feta cheese, homemade lemon olive oil dressing, and finished with a layer of avocados. Most pizza joints offering by-the-slice have a limited number of options, but with over a dozen to choose from, you can grab almost any pie they make as a slice. With nearly two decades of service under their belt, Abbots is a Venice institution.

South End
2805 Abbot Kinney Blvd.
Venice, CA 90291
(424)228-4736
www.southendla.com

Former Mozza chefs Frank Fermin and Mark Williams are turning out some of the most crisp and tender Neapolitan-style pizzas on Abbot Kinney at South End. Diners especially love the District 11 (heritage pork salsiccia, Neuske's smoked bacon, pepperoni, crushed Roma tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella) and Boardwalk (crushed Roma tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, sottocenere, speck, mushrooms, egg, and rucola). Loaded with lots of Italian cheeses, local ingredients, and seasonal produce, the team works hard to share their love of pizza with their patrons. A vibrant wine list offers numerous wines carefully chosen from around the world to pair with every meal.

Venice Cucina
209 Windward Ave.
Venice, CA 90291
(310) 392-6300
www.venicecucina.com

Located right on the Venice Circle and steps away from the world famous Venice Pier, Venice Cucina serves up homestyle cooking in a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere. With almost a dozen pizza options, both meat lovers and vegetarians love their thin crust pies. Favorites include the Diavolo with spicy peppers, artisan pepperoni, basil, and kalamata olives, and their classic Margherita. In addition to pizza, the eatery offers salads, panini, pasta, and entrees of fish, meat, and poultry. Know before you go that this restaurant is BYOB, so if you're looking to enjoy an adult beverage with your meal, make sure you hit up one of the nearby liquor stores on your way. Dogs are welcome on the patio, so grab your pooch and your favorite bottle of vino and enjoy some great pizza al fresco.

Stella Barra Pizzeria
2000 Main St.
Santa Monica, CA
(310) 396-9250
www.stellabarra.com

Though technically located in Santa Monica, this westside favorite is literally blocks from Venice, and is worth the mention and trip up. Like a work of art, the crust at Stella Barra is carefully hand-crafted daily, using locally milled flour, filtered water, sea salt, and fresh yeast. After fermenting for 18 hours, the dough bakes up into a crisp golden crust with a soft chewy center. Topping their artisan crusts are an array of fresh specialty ingredients like house-made pork sausage, sunnyside up eggs, fresh local burrata, candied bacon, and calabrian chilies. The Shaved Mushroom pizza with gruyere, melted onion, and truffle is a crowd favorite, and pairs nicely with one of their signature crafted cocktails.

Article by Kellie Fell.