From Roman Slices to Deep Dish Dreams, OC’s Pizza Scene Delivers

Orange County has always punched above its weight when it comes to food, but lately, its pizza scene has quietly become one of the best in California. We’re talking wood-fired Neapolitan pies from Italy-trained pizzaiolos, Roman slices fermented for three days, Detroit-style deep dishes with burnt edges and New York slices so big they fold in half naturally. The range here is genuinely remarkable and the craft behind it even more so. Whether you’re a minimalist who wants a perfect margherita or an adventurer hunting for koji-fermented black-crust pies with umami dashi sauce, OC has you covered. We’ve rounded up 20 spots across the county representing every style worth eating.

 

The Farm-to-Table Fantasy

Designed with freshness in mind, Skål Pizza is the parlor Helene Henderson, the chef and restaurateur behind Malibu Farm, always dreamed of opening. Tucked away along the waterfront at Lido Marina Village, this farm-to-table gem flips everything you thought you knew about pizza upside down. Every ingredient is sourced with intention and sustainability in mind. The wood-fired pies lean veggie-forward and Neapolitan in spirit, but the toppings go places most pizzerias wouldn’t dare. Think butternut squash with vegan gouda and agave or smoked salmon with jalapeño ricotta. The bayside patio seals the deal. This is what it looks like when a world-class restaurateur falls in love with pizza.

Skål Pizza
3400 Via Oporto, Ste. 104
Newport Beach, CA 92663
949.239.6290
Su-Th, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.; F-Sa, 11 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.

 

Coastal and Award-Winning

Truly Pizza doesn’t just make great pizza; it makes some of the best pizza in the country. The Dana Point original earned a No. 4 ranking on the 2026 50 Top Pizza USA guide, and its Umami Mushroom pizza took home Pizza of the Year. In May 2026, a second location opened right on PCH in Laguna Beach, giving South OC even more access to these exceptional pies. Co-founders John Arena and Donna Baldwin built the concept around a three-day fermented dough that produces what they call “micro-blistering,” tiny char bubbles that give the crust extraordinary texture and depth. The two-story Dana Point piazza and the open-air Laguna Beach lounge both feel destination-worthy and effortlessly local. Go for the pizza, but stay for everything else.

Truly Pizza
24402 Del Prado
Dana Point, CA 92629
949.218.8220

320 N. Coast Highway
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
949.549.4124

W-M, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.; T, Closed

 

A Date Night Spot That Also Feeds Families

Folks Pizzeria is everything a neighborhood pizzeria should be. The family-owned, California-focused spot in Costa Mesa greets guests with warm hospitality, twinkling string lights and a full natural wine list that pairs perfectly with their lightly charred, extra-fluffy pies. The hand-tossed crusts are dusted with pecorino and topped with locally sourced ingredients, making this a true farm-to-table pizza experience. Plus, the starters are nearly as celebrated as the pizza, and that’s saying something. It’s wonderful with a group and equally wonderful on a date night. Don’t just come for the pizza; come for the whole evening.

Folks Pizzeria
2937 Bristol St., Ste. A102
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
714.617.4888
Su, Noon – 9 p.m.; M-Th, 4-9 p.m.; F, 3-9:30 p.m.; Sa, Noon – 9:30 p.m.

 

Everybody’s Welcome

Having built a loyal following across California on the strength of chef-driven, seasonally rotating menus, Pitfire Pizza has a commitment to what they call “food integrity.” The Orange location delivers hand-stretched, fire-singed pizzas in an atmosphere that’s genuinely welcoming to multiple generations. Happy hour runs daily from 2-5:30 p.m. with $10 pizzas, pastas, salads and wings, plus $10 cocktails and $6 beers for one of the best deals in OC. Late-night happy hour on Fridays and Saturdays from 10 p.m. to close sweetens the deal further. The Angels Game Day deal presents a special offering, $20 for a pizza and any pint all game long, that is worth planning a trip around.

Pitfire Pizza
1623 West Katella Ave., Ste. 102
Orange, CA 92867
714.452.8447

353 E. 17th St.
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
949.313.6333

Orange: Su-Th, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.; F-Sa, 11 a.m. – Midnight
Costa Mesa: Su, Noon – 10 p.m.; M-Th, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.; F, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.; Sa, Noon – 11 p.m.

 

A Neighborhood Anchor

Frequently cited as one of the highest-rated pizzerias in Orange County on Yelp, aPizza Doho operates out of Dana Point’s Lantern District. It’s clear that this restaurant has become an essential part of the neighborhood’s fabric. The style of pie here is New Haven, with a thin crust that features a serious char and chew, made from dough that ferments for 24 hours. Organic California tomatoes and imported Italian cheeses round out the foundation. But what keeps people coming back is the feel of the place. It’s warm, inclusive and genuinely community-first. For a lot of regulars, this isn’t just a pizza restaurant; it’s an extension of home.

aPizza Doho
34255 Pacific Coast Highway, Ste. 101
Dana Point, CA 92629
949.570.3636
Su-Th, 11:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.; F-Sa, 11:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.

 

Fifty Years and Counting

Sgt. Pepperoni’s Pizza Store has been an OC institution since 1976. What started as a single Newport Beach neighborhood pizzeria has grown to four locations: Aliso Viejo, Irvine, a Rancho Santa Margarita outpost that opened in June 2025, and the original Newport Beach spot; a fifth location at John Wayne Airport is also on the way. The scratch kitchen runs daily, producing fresh dough, house-made sauce and hand-grated mozzarella. They’ve been voted the No. 1 Family Friendly Restaurant in California by Yelp, and their rotating Pizza of the Month keeps even the most devout regulars guessing. With wings, dietary modifications and draft beer, this is the kind of pizza parlor that genuinely has something for everyone. For an extra dose of fun, each of these eateries is themed around The Beatles and their 1967 album “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” 

Sgt. Pepperoni’s Pizza Store
2300 SE Bristol St., Ste. F
Newport Beach, CA 92660
949.852.9500

4533 Campus Drive
Irvine, CA 92612
949.748.1080

26601 Aliso Creek Road, Ste. D
Aliso Viejo, CA 92656
949.215.3070

30642 Santa Margarita Parkway, Ste. E-104
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688
949.635.8155

Su-Th, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.; F-Sa, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.

 

Japanese-Italian Experiment Worth Obsessing Over

Doing something no other pizzeria in OC, or arguably anywhere, is doing, KURO Artisanal Pizza’s concept merges Italian artisanal pizza-making with deep Japanese flavor philosophy. Using a three-flour dough conditioned with a koji starter for natural fermentation, the crust has a lighter texture and depth that is genuinely unlike anything you’ve had before. Umami-rich sauces rooted in authentic dashi anchor each pie. The interior of the restaurant matches the concept perfectly: leather jackets and Marshall speakers collide with the minimalist soul of a Kyoto teahouse. Found at The LAB Anti-Mall in Costa Mesa, KURO is a full sensory experience. This is the type of pizza that shows the person who thinks they’ve had every kind of pizza that they haven’t.

KURO Artisanal Pizza
2930 Bristol St., Ste. 108
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
714.714.0909
T-Th, Noon – 3 p.m. & 5:30 – 8 p.m.; F-Sa, Noon – 9 p.m.; Su, Noon – 7 p.m.; M, Closed 

 

Great and Flavorful Pizza

What started as a quiet “if you know, you know” spot inside a Laguna Niguel bakery has evolved into one of OC’s most buzzed-about pizza spots, and now it’s expanded to Los Alamitos. B+C Pizza has become a local fan favorite since opening in 2020, and that’s a serious honor for a shop run by a single mom with a small but mighty crew. The menu is built on simple, organic ingredients that let quality do the talking, and the iconic potato pizza has become a cult favorite. The vegan options are genuinely excellent as well, while an all-encompassing dirty soda menu adds some fun to the sips accompanying your pizza.

B+C Pizza
26022 Cape Drive, Ste. B
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
949.293.2899

11196 Los Alamitos Blvd.
Los Alamitos, CA 90720
Su-Sa, 4-8 p.m.

 

The OC Original

Thirty-plus years in the game and Laventina’s Big Cheese Pizza is still one of the most beloved names in Newport Beach. What makes it work? They don’t take any shortcuts. Scratch-made sauce, freshly grated cheese and in-house kneaded dough come together for the kind of consistency that’s built a loyal community over three decades. The original Newport Beach location is where the legacy lives, and the brand’s recent expansion to Irvine and Orange only proves the demand is real. Wednesday’s Buy One, Get One pizza deals make this a no-brainer for a weeknight dinner. Some places don’t need reinventing, and Laventina’s is one of them.

Laventina’s Big Cheese Pizza
2819 Newport Blvd., Ste. B
Newport Beach, CA 92663

4250 Barranca Parkway, Ste. L
Irvine, CA 92604

763 S. Main St.
Orange, CA 92868
949.675.1980

Su-W, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.; Th, 11 a.m. – Midnight; F-Sa, 11 a.m. – 1:15 a.m.

 

A Sicilian Night Out

One of those rare restaurants that makes you feel like you’re somewhere else entirely, Trenta Pizza & Cucina was founded by Sicily natives Giorgio Buzzanga and Marco Palazzo. This Costa Mesa staple brings authentic Sicilian recipes to life in a setting that feels like the streets of Palermo, complete with a stucco patio, warm lighting and an atmosphere designed for lingering. The pizza won the 2026 Golden Slice Award for Best Neapolitan Pizza in Southern California during SoCal Pizza Week, a recognition that speaks for itself. And dinner here doesn’t end, but rather evolves. The new Trenta Lounge carries the evening forward with cocktails and music, perfectly channeling Italy’s after-hours culture.

Trenta Pizza & Cucina
1661 Superior Ave.
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
949.270.6652
Lunch: W-Su, 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Dinner: Su-Th, 5-8:30 p.m.; F-Sa, 5-9:30 p.m. 

 

Roman by Way of California

Francesco and Carlotta Zaza left Rome and brought pizza al taglio to California, and OC should be grateful every day. Roman-style pizza is a different animal entirely: baked in large rectangular trays, crispy on the outside, cloud-like within, and cut to order by the slice. ZeroZero39 Pizzeria has been making this style here since 2014, using 100% imported Italian 00 flour and a long fermentation process that takes no shortcuts. The Huntington Beach location sits a couple of blocks from the ocean on Main Street, while the Anaheim outpost lives inside the Anaheim Packing House near Disneyland, where beer is also on offer. Two great reasons to visit both.

ZeroZero39 Pizzeria
221 Main St., Ste. D
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
714.969.2929

440 Anaheim Blvd., Ste. 107
Anaheim, CA 92805
714.829.4767

Huntington Beach: Su-Th, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.; F-Sa, 10 a.m. – Midnight
Anaheim: Su-Th, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.; F-Sa, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.

 

The Pizza Speakeasy

Part Detroit-style pizza legend, part neighborhood secret, Lunita’s Pizza operates out of San Juan Capistrano in one of the most unconventional formats on this list. You text your order, then you pick it up. The menu is fixed but, somehow, this simple equation produces some of the most talked-about pizza in South OC. The crust is a masterclass in contrast: crackling and caramelized at the edges, soft and pillowy in the center. Fans drive from all over the county for signature pies like the Forbidden Fruit, made with pepperoni, jalapeño and pineapple and the Boba Feta, featuring a chipotle crema with sausage and pepperoni. If you know, you know. And now you do.

Lunita’s Pizza
31481 Camino Capistrano
San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
949.350.4670
W-Th, 4-8:30 p.m.; F-Sa, 3:30-8:30 p.m.; Su, 3-8 p.m.; M-T, Closed

 

La Dolce Vita Along PCH

Right on Pacific Coast Highway, with Laguna’s coastline as a backdrop, Grazie Grazie Pizzeria is doing exactly what great Neapolitan pizza should do: letting tradition speak for itself. All ingredients are imported directly from Italy. The classics, including margherita, diavola and prosciutto, are executed with precision and restraint, honoring the original Neapolitan canon without fuss or flash. The crust achieves that elusive balance of airy and chewy, and the vibe feels like you’ve stumbled into a favorite trattoria rather than a tourist spot. This is the real deal, and Laguna Beach is lucky to have it.

Grazie Grazie Pizzeria
610 N. Coast Highway, Ste. 106
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
949.715.0213
T-Su, 11:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.; M, Closed

 

One and Only Deep Dish

Executive Chef Rance Ruiz first fell in love with Chicago stuffed pizza while visiting his older sister in college, and he made his first pie in his parents’ kitchen at age 18, kicking off years of refining the recipe in search of the real thing. The result is one of the most legit Chicago pizzas on the West Coast. Choose between Rance’s Chicago Pizza’s stuffed, pan or thin crusts, all made with house-crafted dough and a signature California tomato sauce. You’ll want to plan your evening around it, as the deep dish takes 35 to 45 minutes to prepare, and pair it with one of 18 craft beers on tap while you wait. More than a few Chicago transplants have declared this the real thing, and that kind of endorsement doesn’t come easily.

Rance’s Chicago Pizza
1420 Baker St., Ste. B
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
714.708.2143
Su-Th, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.; F-Sa, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.

 

The Gold Standard Since 1978

Family-owned since 1978, Tony’s Little Italy in Placentia is the undisputed king of Chicago-style pizza in OC. Tasting Table ranked it among the 15 best Chicago-style pizzas outside Chicago while the OC Register voted it Best Pizza in OC in 2022. The deep dish here is the kind of buttery, flaky, layered pie that takes 45 minutes to make and about 10 seconds to fall in love with. Seating fills up fast, so call ahead or arrive ready to wait for a while. A loyal following of Chicago transplants and converted locals keeps this place packed. It earned that loyalty one stuffed pie at a time.

Tony’s Little Italy
1808 N. Placentia Ave.
Placentia, CA 92870
714.528.2159
W-Sa, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.; Su, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.; M-T, Closed

 

Sentimental Scratch Kitchen

Born and raised in Brooklyn, Brooklyn City Pizzeria & Market brings uncut New York DNA to Laguna Niguel. Every pie is made entirely from scratch and comes in one size only: a glorious 18 inches. Each pizza gets cut into six pieces, which means nobody here is getting shortchanged on slice size. By-the-slice specials run all day, ensuring that those who order two available-that-day slices come with a free fountain drink. It’s an unpretentious, honest New York pizza joint in every sense, and anyone who’s lived in the five boroughs will feel immediately at home. This is the best NY slice in all of Orange County, and people who’ve tried it will tell you exactly that.

Brooklyn City Pizzeria & Market
30012 Crown Valley Parkway, Ste. L
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
949.363.7777
T-Th, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.; F-Sa, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Su, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.; M, Closed

 

Wood-Fired Italy

While the restaurant does many things beautifully, from handcrafted pastas to rich salads and house-made desserts, it’s Il Dolce Ristorante’s Neapolitan-style pizza fired in the crackling wood-burning oven that anchors every visit to this Costa Mesa hot spot. Each pie emerges with a deeply smoky, perfectly crisped crust that only a true wood-fired oven can produce. Family-owned and Italian in its hospitality, the restaurant also offers a gluten-free pizza dough made entirely in-house and a Wine Wednesday special with 50% off select bottles for an experience that is warm, inviting and consistently excellent.

Il Dolce Ristorante
1902 Harbor Blvd.
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
949.200.9107
T-Th, 4-9 p.m.; F-Sa, 4-9:30 p.m.; Su, 4-9 p.m.; M, Closed

 

The Naples Oven

Fuoco means “fire” in Italian, and everything here starts with it. Brothers Franco and Tullio Ceccarelli built their Fullerton restaurant around a handcrafted Stefano Ferrara oven, the same ovens used at restaurants across Naples, to fire pizzas at nearly 1,000 degrees in under 90 seconds. All ingredients at Fuoco Pizzeria Napoletana are imported from Italy, and the VPN (Verace Pizza Napoletana) certification on the door isn’t just for decoration. The Washington Post named it one of the best pizzas in America. Come on any day of the week, as they’re open seven days, but be sure to go early, as they close when the dough runs out.

Fuoco Pizzeria Napoletana
101 N. Harbor Blvd.
Fullerton, CA 92832
714.626.0727
Su-Sa, 11 a.m. – Sold Out

 

Local Obsession in Los Alamitos

Gene Pietrini started perfecting his craft in 1983 as a hobby. When Pietrini Pizza Napoletana finally opened its doors in Los Alamitos, the accolades followed fast: a 4.9-star rating on Google, Los Al’s Best Small Business in 2022, a spot on the OC Register’s Top 10 Best Pizza Spots in OC, Yelp’s 2024 People’s Choice Award, and a No. 3 ranking on PMQ’s 2025 list of America’s Most Popular Independent Pizzerias. The 12-inch Neapolitan pies fire in a wood-burning oven, using imported Italian flour. Their 18-inch New York style is equally impressive. The weekly drink specials make the rotation even more appealing. This is a family-owned neighborhood gem that’s earned every bit of that recognition.

Pietrini Pizza Napoletana
5262 Katella Ave.
Los Alamitos, CA 90720
562.318.3050
W-F, 11:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Sa-Su, 4-9 p.m.; M-T, Closed

 

Santa Ana’s Most Surprising Slice

Downtown Santa Ana’s coolest pizza spot doesn’t advertise itself loudly, because it doesn’t need to. Loosies Pizza operates out of a low-key space off 4th Street with skater-bar energy and thin-crust New York-style pizza that’s been voted Best Cheese in SoCal at the Golden Slice Awards. The White Ferrari, with garlic, white sauce and mozzarella, is a cult favorite. Slices run around $5 in an atmosphere that is dark, casual and vibey. Loosies is exactly the kind of place you stumble into once and immediately become a regular. It’s also open late on Fridays and Saturdays for a delicious meal after most others have closed up shop.

Loosies Pizza
300 E. 4th St., Ste 103
Santa Ana, CA 92701
714.760.4444
W-Th, Noon – 10 p.m.; F-Sa, Noon – Midnight; Su, Noon – 8 p.m.; M-T, Closed