Pizza! Pizza!
Do you love pizza? We do too. Find out what three pizza places have stood out from the rest.
Regardless of our politics, personal life or occupation, nearly all of us love pizza. In fact, a recent study calculated that the average American consumes 23 pounds of the versatile sauce-and-cheese-topped pie per year – a significant fraction of the weight of our body. Coast took a survey of the county’s plethora of pizza restaurants and found three we’d go back to again and again.
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| Devour It Il Dolce :: 1902 Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa :: 949.200.9107 Z Pizza :: Locations throughout Orange County :: zpizza.com Pizzeria Ortica :: 650 Anton Blvd., Costa Mesa 714.445.4900 :: pizzeriaortica.com |
Il Dolce
What it’s About Roberto Bignes and Fernanda Masuero, a hybrid Argentine-Italian couple, recently opened a small, artisanal pizzeria on a busy corner in Costa Mesa where everything – everything – is made from scratch, including the fior di latte cheese on the pizza. Having obtained his skills from the venerable Verace Pizza Napoletana Association, a school that trains people to make pizza in the style of Naples, Italy (the best pizza in the world, according to many), Bignes personally makes each and every pizza, guaranteeing perfection.
What’s Tops All things that can be made with a dough base of any kind are sensational, including desserts made by Masuero. Since that basically includes the entire restaurant, we recommend narrowing it down to try one of our favorite pizzas of all time – the one topped with prosciutto and arugula, pictured – and, for a South American flair, the homemade empanadas stuffed with ground beef, olives and hard-boiled eggs.
What Flops Did we mention the restaurant is small? As in, the almond wood used for the pizza oven is stacked in the dining room. We like Il Dolce so much though, we’ll call it “intimate,” not small.
1902 Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa :: 949.200.9107
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Z Pizza
What it’s About Founded in Laguna Beach, Z Pizza places an emphasis on freshness and health, even using 100% organic wheat flour to make its dough. Although it’s a franchise with locations in 16 states, as well as Mexico and the Middle East, the commitment to quality is unmistakable, no matter which part of the world you’re in.
What’s Tops Z Pizza locations abound, so there’s no need to worry that you’ll have to drive miles and miles to get a good slice of pepperoni pizza (pictured). We also appreciate the fact that Z Pizza has loads of pre-selected pizzas so your brain doesn’t have to hurt too much to come up with a brilliant cast of toppings. Especially notable is the Tuscan with roasted garlic sauce, cremini, shiitake and button mushrooms, caramelized onions, feta, truffle oil, and fresh thyme.
What Flops While Z Pizza’s crust can’t rightfully be called “thick,” we prefer a thinner crust. This is a more traditional “American-style” pizza.
Locations throughout Orange County :: zpizza.com
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Pizzeria Ortica
What it’s About An Italian concept from L.A. restaurant superstar David Myers, Pizzeria Ortica has a traditional menu with a decidedly city feel. Pizzas are in the style of (where else) Naples, Italy, and the basics are spot-on, including the crust, which is made using a 300-year-old biga (dough starter) from outside Naples. Hand-stretched and baked in an oak-burning oven, the pizzas are hard to resist.
What’s Tops There are the usual pizza suspects (marinara, margherita), and then there are those that inspire one’s tastebuds, like the pizza topped with guanciale (house-cured pork cheek), ricotta cheese, scallions, and fennel pollen (pictured). Do also try the pastas, which are all homemade using local eggs. We adore the ravioli with burrata and ricotta cheeses.
What Flops Service was a little brisk. While a large part of the crowd is there for business lunches, not everyone wants to get in and out as quickly as possible.
714.445.4900 :: pizzeriaortica.com
