No matter how you slice it, San Diego has some magnificent pies. Whether you embrace tradition or crave inventive pies, no matter how you feel about the ever-controversial topping of pineapple—gasp!—you’ll understand why San Diego was voted among the best cities for pizza in the United States.
Tribute Pizza
Where: 3077 North Park Way
Neighborhood: North Park
Located inside a former post office, the theme here is a menu of choices riffing off of legendary pies from pizza places far and wide, and as divergent as fine dining spots and Costco. Top quality ingredients wood-fired in a 1,500-pound oven make for perfect pies.
Urbn
Where: 3085 University Ave
Neighborhood: North Park
East Coast pizza devotees will welcome the New Haven-style found here. The group- and family- friendly North Park location sports comfortable booths, a full bar, and roll-up windows to busy University Avenue.
Blue Ribbon Pizzeria
Where: 897 S Coast Hwy 101
Neighborhood: Encinitas
Wood-fired, organic farm-to-table pizza that takes a conservative approach to topping choices (although pineapple is on hand). The patio is a welcome (and pup-friendly) spot to soak in that Encinitas sea breeze.
Blind Lady Ale House
Where: 3416 Adams Ave
Neighborhood: Normal Heights
Vegans and meat-lovers can each find their doughy bliss with personal pies wholeheartedly endorsed by many a pizza snob. Look for toppings like housemade soy-rizo, chorizo, or Italian sausage, Swiss chard, and mushroom pesto. As a brewery, this spot also takes its beers seriously.
Monello
Where: 750 W Fir St
Neighborhood: Little Italy
Traditional pizzas prevail at this noteworthy Italian resto (they don’t know the meaning of pineapple or Canadian bacon). The renowned pasta experts in the kitchen ferment the pizza dough for four days to produce a thin, crispy crust as light and breezy as a perfect day in Italy.
Cucina Urbana
Where: 505 Laurel St
Neighborhood: Bankers Hill
Far from a “pizza joint,” this well-liked, refined Italian eatery nevertheless turns out a small selection of reputable pies that hew closely to classic styles.
Bronx Pizza
Where: 111 Washington St
Neighborhood: Hillcrest
At this quintessential neighborhood pizza spot, the Big Apple attitude is strong, as evidenced by a massive Yankees painting, subway car mural, and thin-crust New York-style pizza by the slice. Though there might be nearly 20 styles of slices on offer, exactly none of them will have pineapple or chicken. Cheese slices are a mere $2.50. Don’t grouse about the cash-only policy unless you’d like to step in the ring with the former-boxer owner.