Pizzeria Sei

🇮🇹 ITALY (Napoli by way of Tokyo)
📍 8781 W. Pico Blvd., Pico-Robertson, Westside
🅿️ Street Parking
🥤 No Alcohol (although this might change soon)
🌱 Vegetarian Friendly

You probably already know about Pizzeria Sei and most likely have even been there. And if you have been there once, you have probably been a half dozen or more times after being impressed with these simple, beautiful pies. You usually will not find places that receive such widespread PR on the pages of Eat the World Los Angeles, but every once in a while there is a restaurant that needs to be added because they provide such a unique offering and a glimpse of something special in a specific part of the world.

Having worked in well-known fine dining restaurants in Los Angeles, the chef here is already highly acclaimed, but the offerings here are much less well-known to the city. The pizzas of Pizzeria Sei are a play on slight alterations that have taken place first in Tokyo to Neapolitan pizzas, sometimes referred to as Tokyo Neapolitan. It is all traced back over 25 years ago to a pizzaiolo in the city named Susumu Kakinuma, and if you would like to learn more there is plenty out there to read.

Margherita pizza.

Even for most casual pizza eaters, there is some grasp of knowledge of the standards kept by the city of Napoli and a bureaucratic association to make sure the strict rules of pizza napoletana are followed. Tokyo-style Neapolitan pizzas will not get certified by this group for some slight alterations, but with an open mind it it hard not to enjoy this pie. The tomatoes and mozzarella are still the right kinds, but that soupy center that requires pies in Napoli to be eaten with a fork and knife are omitted.

The name of the restaurant is a nod to the six (sei in Italian) slices the pizzaiolo cuts his pies into, making them sharable as standard in the States. There might also be more salt used, and the crust may be more charred or sometimes pinched. No knives are given, so when you eventually pick up a slice fresh from the oven, it can easily be eaten without everything in the middle falling onto the plate.

In addition to the simple cheese-less marinara (not shown), you can get the classic margherita ($19, two photos up), which might be the best pie at Pizzeria Sei. The San Marzano tomatoes create the perfect sour acidity to pair with the fior di latte mozzarella, fresh basil, and extra virgin olive oil. Quite simply, it is pizza perfection when all placed on the delicious, chewy dough.

It would be hard to keep a sustainable pizzeria running in Los Angeles or anywhere else in the country without giving plenty of topping options, so there are other choices like the gorgeous napoletana ($21, above), which ditches the cheese for olives, capers, garlic, and anchovies.

Meat lovers will naturally gravitate towards the diavola ($22, above), another cheesy pie with a thin layer of spicy soppressata scattered on top. The flavors here are all delicious as with the other pies, but the meat itself adds another level of saltiness that unfortunately takes it just a touch too far. It gets good feedback though, as it should, and remains a star.

If you are already adverse to white pizzas, the options here will probably not change your mind, but if you enjoy this style, grab a funghi ($22, below). Thinly sliced mushrooms are the showpiece of this pie, but it also adds pecorino to the mozzarella for even more richness and fresh thyme hits your nose on each bite.

Antipasti and salads at Pizzeria Sei are no afterthought, and starting your meals with some of the choices are a very good idea before the pies start coming to the table. The tricolore salad ($11, above) seems to be the most popular of these, and for good reason. The red of the three color plate is revealed when you dig past some of the green, crisp radicchio under a bed of arugula that has all been topped with white endive, the last color of Italy's flag.

A giardiniera ($8, below) plate is a welcome zip to pair with your pizzas, especially when enjoying the white pies and the diavola. These pickled vegetables change with the seasons so they are always fresh, are mixed with castelvetrano olives and plenty of herbs.

The only option on the dessert menu is a housemade tiramisu ($9, above), which if you still have the stomach space is an absolute must. It is big enough that four stuffed people can share it for just a few bites each, and could even satisfy one person that needed a decadent sweet finish.

Pizza boxes are stacked up in the front window, and quite a few of the pies from the oven are put into them for delivery (on weekdays) or takeout. But really you should be avoiding these at all costs when it comes to Neapolitan style pizza. It will immediately start getting soggy when it hits the cardboard and the top is closed. Give this pizza its proper due and wait for seats to open up so you can eat it fresh from the oven.

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