Better by the Dozen: Gorge on the Top 12 Pizzas of 2017
With another high-intensity, high-stakes Pizza Cup in the bag, it's time to look back on those that shot to the top in this year's competition; the pizzas that have seen us through the hard times, the good, and the oh-so cheese-infused, coma-inducing one-more-slice-athons. Without further ado, here are your top 12 pizzas of 2017, as voted – by you.
12. The Local
The Local is not just a popular American pub with a casual atmosphere in the heart of Sanlitun, but also one of our favorite spots to grab after-work beers and cocktails. The pizzas here (and much of their other food) are perfect to share with a bunch of friends. They also pride themselves on bringing a taste of home to Beijing's expat customers and sharing favorite Western comfort foods with local Chinese – all of whom they are very humble in their appreciation of, a factor they credit to why people turned out to vote at each leg of the competition. They also harbor a lot of love for their team, who owner Kenn Bermel succinctly describes as "talented folks who turn out the great food."
Looking for a great first meal at The Local? Bermel suggests grabbing the souped-up mac and cheese with chicken, broccoli, and bacon as well as a Naughty Pear, which is made with house-infused cinnamon gin and fresh pear juice. Then grab a Buffalo chicken and blue cheese pizza (12-inch: RMB 95, 20-inch: RMB 145). Bermel states, "This one is full of intense flavor – I’d caution anyone who hasn’t ever had authentic Buffalo chicken or doesn’t like the idea of chunks of Danish blue cheese. For the less adventurous I’d suggest the Margherita (12-inch: RMB 75, 24-inch: RMB 125). A word to the wise; it’s best to try our pizzas on Monday night, as 12-inch pizzas are half-price."
11. Ramo
Ramo hit some bad luck earlier this year when their Fangjia Hutong's storefront's large windows were obliterated by The Brickening, turning what was once a bright and breezy atmosphere into a sad and strange display of the tragedy endured by the hutong's businesses. But in many ways, the forced closure has led to bigger and better things for Paca Lee and her team, who have just opened a massive family-friendly venue in Lido. Their sometimes simple, sometimes unusual, but always delicious pies have also made the journey northwest, and sit alongside a new and expanded menu.
Ramo is particularly known for their use of great, fresh ingredients and a stringent testing process; the pizza and pasta flour is imported from Italy and their beef is from Australia. Just like The Local, the Ramo team dedicate their time to building good relations with their customers through warm staff and a cozy atmosphere. For a taste of the best pizza Ramo has to offer, order their Super Yibu (9-inch, RMB 78; 12-inch, RMB 108), with mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce, salami, sausage, and blue cheese.
10. Pyro Pizza
Pyro Pizza in Wudaokou is a student haven in many ways. For more than 10 years, they have served as a welcome wagon for new and probably disoriented students arriving in the university-laden area of the city, slinging classic, thin-crust, New York-style pies, wings, subs, and cheap beer to the drunk or soon-to-be-drunk newcomers (and to the not-so-newcomers, too).
43 34850 43 14985 0 0 3209 0 0:00:10 0:00:04 0:00:06 3208It seems to be a recipe for success, as their loyal following has gotten this relatively small pizzeria into a round of heavy-hitters.
Pyro's classic thin-crust New York-style pizza with a seasoned crust hits the spot every time, fueling students before a big night out, or helping to temper their guaranteed pain afterward. The number of students that have relied on this Wudaokou joint can't be underestimated: The team is celebrating their 10-year anniversary this year. If you have yet to try it, make a promise to do so and order their spicy New York steak pizza (RMB 95) – a bestseller – alongside a serving of Buffalo wings. For a drink? Get the party started with a classic Pyro long island ice tea.
9. Great Leap Brewing #45
Opened in 2014, Great Leap Brewing #45 at Xinyuanli is not only renowned for its delicious microbrews, but also for its 16-inch New York-style pizzas (or slices from 18-inch pizzas), made using a specially imported US oven that provides them their crunchy sourdough crust, a moreish three-cheese melted blend, and a great color that can only come from them going under the grill.
Their classic pepperoni pairs well with the newly released Fly You Fools Lager, with crisp and fruity aromas to help you to wash it down. If that’s not enough (is it ever enough?), try the mushroom pizza with a Little General IPA – the Qingdao Flower hops enlighten the earthy flavor of the pizza. Or, the management suggests sipping a Little General IPA with a slice of Little Nunzio pizza. Their must-try pie? A Brooklyn Supreme, which goes for RMB 130.
8. Kro's Nest
One of Beijing's longest-running and most widespread pizza chains, known for serving pizzas with massive diameters (12 to 28 inches – purportedly the biggest in Beijing, and China – anyone?) and for overloading those pies with plenty of ingredients – like on the aptly named Kitchen Sink (S: RMB 88, M: RMB 175, L: RMB 228) or the Artery Clogger. Those of you who like the soft, wide, top-heavy crusts found in New York will enjoy what Kro's has in store for you.
A strong company culture and a selection of fresh and healthy options, including plenty of vegetarian varieties, mean that you can balance out your gluttony if you do so wish. In the words of Kro's Nest, "We always believe that from 0 to 1 is an exciting process, and then from 1 to N is the direction of our efforts. According to our sales data from last year, we were surprised to discover that one out of every 13 people from Beijing's 23 million population has eaten Kro’s Nest pizza." These factors helped the chain win our inaugural Pizza Cup back in 2011, and their strong ranking at the end of this year's competition shows that they've still got what it takes to duel it out with the best.
7. La Pizza
Now eight years old, La Pizza has maintained a strong and steady fanbase through use of imported ingredients, wood-fired pizzas, and authentic Italian toppings, some of which have been tailored towards a clientele that does not hark from the home of pizza. Even so, everything at La Pizza comes from Napoli in Italy: the owner, the oven, the chef, and the ingredients, including the flour, the peeled tomatoes, the mozzarella, and even the salt. This process is expedited by the fact that they have their own supply network through their own trading company Mielefood Import & Export Ltd, the "only way to guarantee 100 percent of our ingredients are strictly monitored."
For starters, try their baci pizza, which means "kiss" in Italian, and comes in six variations, including meat, such as bacon, as well as veggie (RMB 88 per portion). The brand's signature pizza, the Pizza Pulcinella, is likely to be your best bet for your first La Pizza experience, and the easiest way to taste the authentic flavors of Napoli. Pair it with a Beer Ceres, a particular fruit-flavored Danish beer that is only stocked in Beijing via La Pizza. Now three venues deep, La Pizza has a strong showing throughout Beijing, helping them to build a dedicated fanbase.
6. Annie's
With 18 years of practice under their belt, Annie's are tried and true Italian experts, serving pizza and pasta from a handful of locations scattered throughout the city, and earning them the title of the Beijinger's "Best Italian" restaurant award for several years running. Despite changes in location, decor, and wine offerings, they have kept their prices affordable, making them a consistent fan favorite. It also doesn't hurt that Annie Lee and her team have built one of the most reliable food delivery services in the whole of China, making Annie's an easy go-to when hunger calls.
Annie's are also constantly changing and improving what they do so as to introduce customers to Italian culture and its many flavors, one bite at the time. Dedication to such has seen them branch out into other culinary endeavors such as their Antipasteria. With so much variety, it can often be a daunting task to choose just a couple of items but you may want to try their risotto ai funghi (mushroom risotto), lasagna alla bolognese, or – in regards to pizza – their pizza leggera (no sauce, parma ham, arugula, Parmesan, and cherry tomatoes), pizza prosciutto e funghi (cooked ham and mushrooms), or even their latest entry on the menu: pizza al crudo tartufata, a fragrant pizza made with parma ham, mozzarella, soft potatoes, and truffles for RMB 116. Still stuck? Annie's staff are particularly well-trained and always happy to lend their two cents.
5. Gung Ho! Pizza
Opened by the brains behind Wudaokou stalwarts Lush and Pyro (who also happen to sit at #10 on this list), Gung Ho! Pizza started delivering pies with their eye-catching pink flags around Beijing in 2010. After five years of hard work, they went on to win our 2015 Pizza Cup and ended up in the Final Four last year with their non-traditional Italian pizzas. Aside from the great deals on weekdays (half-priced salads or pizza as well as happy hour drinks deals) and hearty sides, their beloved pies include a great balance between traditional pizza and those with more modern twists.
Their pizzas are notable for having hand-rolled wholewheat crusts, imported mozzarella from Anchor, and grass-fed free-range imported lamb from Silver Fern Farms. The Gung Ho! team also pride themselves on having big ideas and paying particular attention to detail, with an emphasis on always evolving. Taste it with their New Zealand lamb pizza (RMB 99), which features imported New Zealand lamb, fresh crunchy rocket salad, and handmade tzatziki sauce. For drinks, try a Moa original lager; not quite as hoppy as a craft IPA but more robust than a commercial lager. If it's not the food or drinks that keep you around, you'll stay for the warm atmosphere and events, which include a strong happy hour and even KTV nights.
4. Tube Station
At Tube Station, bigger is better. With this motto alone, Tube Station has become a Beijing staple, serving their oversized and exorbitant pizzas from stations throughout the city. Founded at the turn of the 21st century, it is one of the oldest locally-owned pizzerias in Beijing and that long-running history has earned them a reputation that now translates into nostalgia, with their loyal and, for the most part, Chinese patrons now giving their children the opportunity to try their American-style pizza. Big-as-your-face slices with perfectly greasy and cheese-drenched toppings atop thin crusts promise to transport fans of New York pizza back to the land where you must fold your slice in half just to fit it in your mouth.
If you have not yet looked on in an amazement at a Tube Station delivery man trying to fit one of these mammoth pizzas through your door, well, winter cometh and there's no better time to do so. Do it right and order one of their “notorious” Garbage Pail pizzas alongside an avocado milkshake. Their vegetarian pizzas aren't half bad either, the Greek Champion (S: RMB 55, M: RMB 135, L: RMB 175), with its simple toppings of homemade caramelized onion and Greek feta cheese, acts as a perfect substitute to their meatier offerings.
3. Eatalia
As the forebearers of pizza, Italians are certainly tough to top in any competition. This is especially true of Italian-run Beijing businesses that make authentic, "crisp, thin, and crunchy Roman-style pizza for purists" as recently described by our editor Tracy Wang. Be it their margherita, rustica, or prosciutto e funghi, you can't go wrong with Eatalia's delicate pies.
Now six years old, Eatalia is steadily winning the attention it deserves, placing as the third best pizza in Beijing in 2017. Their strength is also bolstered by their incredible three-story traditional courtyard setting and the accompanying views of the center of Beijing, near the Forbidden City and Jingshan Park. It doesn't hurt that they have cute kitties wandering around the venue either. A newbie to Eatalia? Grab their antipasto to begin, and then a rustica pizza (M: RMB 48, L: RMB 99, XL: RMB 198), and a tiramisu for dessert. Sip on a Lychee ice tea or passion fruit and rosemary spritz.
2. Bottega
Reigning Pizza Cup champions Bottega has proven itself a missing link in Beijing's burgeoning pizza scene. Having opened in 2014, the Fratelli brothers' Neapolitan-style pizzas have quickly accrued a loyal fanbase thanks to a refined mix of family-tested favorites and a wood-fired pizza base that is nothing short of addictive. Bottega's original venue, tucked away in a dusty corner of Sanlitun, was demolished earlier this year but with two new venues – in Sanlitun's Nali Patio and further north in Xinyuanli – allowing for exponentially more room for fans of friendly service and modern, upbeat Italian dining, Bottega remains one of Beijing's best-loved pizzerias and it looks as if that recognition can only grow in the coming years.
When we asked the brothers what they thought makes their pizza special, they had this to say: " i) The style: We make Neapolitan pizzas, the oldest form of pizza making in the world, ii) The ingredients: We use 100 percent imported Italian ingredients, including Stagioni Type 00 flour, considered the gold standard of Neapolitan pizza ingredients, as well as San Marzano tomatoes, grown in volcanic soil close to the base of Mount Vesuvio, iii) The oven: Our oven 3.3-tonne custom-built oven is made from volcanic rock and can cook a pizza in just under 80 seconds, which gives the crust an extra smoky wood flavor, iv) The fermentation process: Our dough undergoes a three-stage, 18-hour fermentation process and uses barely any yeast, making it light, airy, and chewy on the inside and crispy on the outside, and finally, v) The chef: Our pizzaiolo is a third-generation pizza master and has been making pizza since the age of eight."
It's this level of pride and knowledge about what they do that has seen Bottega shoot to the top in Beijing, allowing them to accrue a very large following among homesick Italians, other expats, as well as local Chinese. The feeling that only a belly full of Bottega pizza can provide is one difficult to beat; in order to achieve such, start with their affetati misti, a platter of premium Italian cold cuts served with cheese and wood-fired focaccia bread, and then order either a portion of baci Roma or the Parigina pizza, made with San Marzano tomato sauce, fior di latte mozzarella, and thinly-shaved pieces of parma ham.
1. Pie Squared
Since its founding just outside of Shunyi in 2013, Pie Squared has been quietly building a dedicated following among nearby residents as well as others closer to the center of town – a spectacle that was obvious at this year's Pizza Festival, where a perpetual line snaked from their stand during both days of the fest.
Their success at the Pizza Festival may very well have been Pie Squared's breakthrough in the eyes of many Beijingers who queued up to try it for the first time. After all, the pizzeria for now only delivers in the Shunyi area via its own drivers, limiting its exposure compared to many of its competitors. However, as Pie Squared's underdog status grew, many patrons from afar began using other creative means like Didis to get those square slices to their door. The Pie Squared name has also spread via their years of sponsoring the Beijing International Ice Hockey league and doing various events with schools such as ISB, WAB, Dulwich, Daystar, Harrow, and MSB, developing a very loyal, supportive community that wanted to make their voices heard this year.
Those that were lucky enough to live close to Pie Squared also espouse owner Asher Gillespie's warm demeanor and his "taste of home" authentic Detroit-style pizzas. That pizza in itself is noteworthy for its square shape, a byproduct of spare industrial parts trays being used to bake the pizzas back in 1940s Detroit, according to the city's lore, and delectable for the cheese that slowly bubbles outwards as the dough rises, finally caramelizing on the pizza's chewy crust. First-timers may want to grab a Motown Meatball (S: RMB 55, XL: RMB 148) and then branch out to Pie Squared's specialty pizzas or experiment by creating their own topping combinations when you come back for more (which you most certainly will).
When we asked Gillespie what the response has been like since they won, he said, "It’s been great. We’ve had lots of new faces looking to try our pizza out for the first time. And lots of regulars coming to join in on the celebration with a slice and a beer." If you haven't made your way out to try what won them this year's trophy, there's no better time than now.
Read more about their much-deserved win here.
Photos courtesy of the vendors