Best Pizza in the Bay Area

Pizza: the perfect combo of fats and carbs known to induce that Pretty Incredible Zing and Zestfor-life Attitude, if you will. And in the land of sourdough (San Francisco is the unofficial sourdough capital of the U.S.), there is no shortage of flavorful crusts to do just that. Paired with the chill of the Bay Area, you get not just pizza, but pizzahh. Whether you like yours thick or thin, we’ve done the hard work and tested them for you.

North Bay Pizza

Arguably the best outdoor seating in Marin County, Pizzahacker at The Junction in Mill Valley also boasts one of the most flavorful crusts in the area — thank you, smoked sea salt! And because it shares its footprint with The Junction Beer Garden, everything is easily purchased with a few taps on your smartphone, all from a QR code at your table — or next to the fire pit. After a hike through nearby Muir Woods National Monument or bike ride on one of the area’s many trails, Tamalpie has got you covered with plenty of beer on tap and Napoletana pizzas that come out of the oven fresh and fast. Located in the heart of the Mill Valley Lumber Yard in Mill Valley’s original sawmill building, Watershed serves a seasonally-inspired menu, including fluffy, crisp pancetta and peach pizza. At Corte Madera’s Town Center, Fieldwork Brewing Co. is known for pies that host anything from thin-sliced sunchokes to tater tots. Find Neapolitan style wood-fired pizzas featuring local produce like Star Route Farms’ lilac bell peppers with smoked mozzarella and Calabrian chili oil at Farmshop in Larkspur’s Marin Country Mart. Also, in Larkspur, Pizzeria Picco ’s 10-pie standard menu pays homage to Marin’s cycling roots — each pizza echoing the name of a famed bike brand — and range from veggie-forward to meat-loving. San Anselmo’s Creekside Pizza & Taproom offers an abundance of options, including the Heart of Marin ’za topped with a signature pesto, creamy ricotta sauce, mozzarella, artichoke hearts, red onions and kalamata olives. Looking for vegan options? Tony Tutto Pizza in Ross has a dedicated menu of vegan-friendly pizzas. With locations in Petaluma and Sebastopol, Acre Pizza features both Detroitstyle deep dish and New York thin crust pizzas.

San Francisco Pizza

For serious pizza lovers, the Marina’s A16 is a must, as all pies here are made according to VPN (Vera Pizza Napoletana) requirements, the “golden pizza standard.” Just a block away, Norcina’s pillowy pies put the restaurant on the map of Italian hot spots in the city. Baked in pans originally used to carry automotive parts, Square Pie Guys pizza has a crunchy bottom, fluffy middle, and crispy, cheesy edge — check out their large new location at Ghirardelli Square. Over in North Beach, Francis Ford Coppola's Café Zoetrope offers authentic Italian cuisine and a wide selection of Italian and California wines. Try its pizza Sofia, with arugula, prosciutto and shaved parmesan. You will most certainly wait to eat at the international pizza mecca, Tony’s Pizza Napoletana in Little Italy, as “No Reservations. No Exceptions” is a prominent slogan, but it’s well worth it. If you’re looking for something more casual, pop a block over to Golden Boy Pizza . Traditionalists will love the bountiful cheese and pepperoni squares, but adventurous types should definitely opt for the clam and garlic — stinking for a day after is worth it. First launching as a mobile pizzeria in 2012, Del Popolo now serves its wood-fired pizza out of a brick-and-mortar in Lower Nob Hill. Atop Russian Hill, in the foggy Outer Richmond and now in the Inner Sunset, dining at Fiorella ’s perfectly crispy yet chewy-crust pizzas are always a great choice. Italian for “girl,” Lower Haight’s Ragazza is the sister restaurant of Glen Park’s Gialina — get the Amatriciana pizza topped with an organic egg, it’s available at both locations. With outposts in the Mission and on Divisadero, Beretta is known for its consistently spot-on thin crust pizzas — Prosciutto di Parma one is our fave — and killer cocktails. Crowds can be found spilling out the streets at Delfina in the Mission and Pac Heights, with everyone hoping to get a slice of their Neapolitan-inspired pizzas. You may have seen the Flour + Water pasta cookbook across the nation, but nothing beats an in-person visit to the Harrison Street location in the Mission to try the exceptional pies. A newcomer on the pizza scene, Outer Sunset’s Damnfine opened in early 2021 to much fanfare, thanks in part to the 5,500-lb wood-burning oven that pumps out pies in minutes. Over in the Dogatch, Piccino ’s seasonal menu features produce from their farm and local farms to ensure the freshest, most sustainable ingredients.

East Bay Pizza

If you’re looking for a slice of heaven, look no further than Raymond’s Pizza in Point Richmond, where you can find a variety of delicious pan and thin-crust pies. Hidden away in the hills of Kensington, Benchmark offers wood-fired pizzas including the Fried Sage, with hand-stretched mozzarella, shaved garlic, lemon and brown butter. In Berkeley and Oakland, Zachary ’s Chicago-style pies have been drawing lines out the door to dine in, or carry out half-baked pies, since 1983. Will and Karen Gioia opened their namesake restaurant in Berkeley in 2004 with a menu and vibe based on the grab-a-slice places they grew up with in Brooklyn. For a place that gives off a young, comfort-food vibe, Arthur Mac ’s in Oakland has some surprisingly creative pizza styles, from the Arty Style Margherita with a buttermilk marinara and balsamic, to the olive tapenade-topped Vegan Superstar. Bare Knuckle Pizza in downtown Oakland offers vegan pizzas galore, including a vegan version of the supreme, with Butcher’s Son mozzarella, Tofurky sausage and vegan bacon and pepperoni. Hip and compact, Oakland’s