The best pizza in Beijing

We scoured the city for Beijing's top slices

We ate our way through Beijing's pizza restaurants to find the city's top slices. Here's the upper crust.  

Bottega

Bottega, 118RMB for 12"

A refreshing pizza. They said it couldn't be done, but if anyone was gonna do it, it had to be Bottega, who are just going from strength to strength as the finest pizzeria in town. The signature pie, dashed with salty anchovies and juicy cherry tomatoes is a corker from the get-go, but it's when the crowning burrata bursts and oozes its beautiful, creamy innards onto the wonder below that this one really takes flight. It might just be our favourite.

The Green Machine

Great Leap Brewing #45, 110RMB for 16"; 25RMB for an 8" slice

Green Machine is on the right; the other GLB pizzas are pretty A+ too.

This Philadelphia-inspired mammoth boasts a beefed-up, pillowy crust, but that’s about as beefy as it gets; loaded with whole roasted garlic cloves, red peppers, courgette and kale, it’s a veritable forest out there, while black pepper ricotta adds creamy bursts amid the herbivorous action. This isn't just some token nod to the veggies, though, it’s stand-up scoff in its own right, and one of the highlights on GLB’s exceedingly good pizza menu.

Calabrese

Pizza Marzano, 128RMB

Some like it hot, and this colourful character certainly packs a brawny punch, loaded with spicy ’Nduja sausage, Calabrian-style salami, chilis galore and, just for good measure, more grilled peppers. Blobs of mozzarella, parmesan and rocket provide some respite, but unleash a ball of creamy burrata Italia (98RMB) on top to truly balance out the kick. An ultra-thin base adds a pleasing crisp to counter the greasy, and no less pleasing, meaty action on top.

Old School Cheesy

Tube Station, 48RMB for 10"; 115RMB for 19"; 140RMB for 24"

For all the wealth of toppings that can grace the upper crust, sometimes you're just chasing a no-nonsense quick fix, and that's exactly what you'll get with this New York-style mozzarella fest. Thicker crusts are ample love handles for an ever-so-cheesy and very sleazy pizza affair. Life hack: add extra cheese to take this baby to the next level. Want even more? Tube Station also claims to make 'the biggest pizza in Beijing' – the 32-inch Party Monster.

Chicken Alfredo

Pie Squared, 45RMB for a 6" x 6"; 142RMB for a 12" x 17"

In elite pizza circles, the crust-leaving community are (quite rightly) the subject of much ire, though we have Pie Squared and their Detroit-style deep dishes to thank for bringing peaceful and tasty compromise. Instead of a traditional crust, crisp edges form from melted cheese – some might say burnt, we say delicious – making corner slabs like this one probably the most sought after. Creamy alfredo sauce, grilled peppers and chicken create a killer slice, which can be maxed out to great girth for an excellent party piece. 

Forest

Pizza Saporita, 22RMB for a slice; 88RMB for 13"

One of the richest pies in town, Saporita's favourite son is topped with thinly sliced mushrooms, toasted walnuts and fennel-spiked sausage, before being drizzled with black truffle cream. For the indecisive or indulging diner, the fact that all the pizzas here are available al taglio – as the Romans do, in hearty rectangular portions – is one of Saporita's joys, but we see no reason to not just delve into a whole one of these.

For more of the best pizzas in Beijing, hit 'Read more'.

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