Pizza Cup 2021 Recap: Beijing’s Best Pizzas, as Voted by You

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As we look forward to the 2022 Cheesy Pizza Cup, let's take a look back at who clinched Beijing’s Best Pizza for 2021.

Last year’s Pizza Cup was one for the ages. Despite COVID-19 again dampening our ability to host a proper Pizza Fest, we took a note from the success of the previoius year’s Taste-Off Final and hosted not one, not two, but four Taste-Offs which took us from the Sweet 16 down to the Grand Finale.

Throughout the fight, it's you, our readers, who made the calls.

Our initial candidate list of Beijing pizza shops started at 95, and your online votes narrowed the list to the 16 best. From there, it was to be decided solely by the taste buds of pizza fans around the city who attended our series of taste-offs.

Each of these events leveled the playing field, so to speak: No longer did an establishment with multiple locations have an edge over a standalone shop, nor did far-from-central locations disadvantage any competitors – all pizzas were consumed in a neutral venue. Voters casting ballots also could not do so without knowledge of all the competitors – every voter tasted all the pizzas in each round before selecting their favorite.

And so we move on to our countdown list. In our humble pizza opinions, the numbers here are not that important – in fact, we think all 16 on this list are worth a try. So why not make a New Year’s Resolution of it: Do not let 2023 slip by without trying all 16!

16. Papa John's

As the only international brand that found its way into our Sweet 16 Taste-Off this year, Papa John’s surprised many by making it this far. The chain is well-known in the US – its country of origin – for making consistent American-style pizza that doesn’t break the bank, so perhaps it’s this formula that propelled them forward in Beijing. Papa John’s entered our Bracket B Taste-Off with their PAPA Supreme, essentially a run-of-the-mill supreme pizza topped with all kinds of fixings. Try it yourself to see if you can crack the code to this unlikely hero's success.

15. Kro's Nest

Our original Pizza Cup winner (2011) is still soaring along with their no-nonsense American-style pizzas. Considered the best back in the day, the pie – as well as the customer-favorite sides and appetizers –  still contend with the best of 'em. Kro’s pie to try is the classic pepperoni (RMB 99).

14. The Pizza Show

One of the newer pizza shops in the capital, The Pizza Show plies its trade at the trendy Parkview Green Mall and features pies that come out of the oven as fast as they’re assembled – an Italian-style of pizza cooking that, while it doesn’t translate as well to waimai and takeout, is perfect for dining in-house. Try the meat lovers (RMB 88) which comes topped with ham, pepperoni, meatballs, basil, and pesto.

13. La Pizza

These stalwarts based up in Liangmaqiao – with a newer location in Chaowai SOHO – are a force to be reckoned with, and even though their longtime chef Giuseppe De Stefano returned to Italy after battling a severe illness, the place is still going strong (as is De Stefano himself, thankfully). Come here not just for the Neapolitan-style pizza but for the little bites like arancini – deep fried balls of saffron-cooked rice (RMB 48) – fried seafood, and baci – which means "kiss" in Italian – a sort of mini pizza roll stuffed with a variety of fixings, such as ham (baci Sorrento, RMB 88) or bacon and mushrooms (baci Ischia, RMB 88).

12. Annie's Italian Restaurant

What can we say that hasn’t already been said about this homegrown Beijing institution? Dependable pizza, unfathomably fast delivery, and classic Italian tastes add up to pizza that hits all the right notes. Annie's also has a touch of community, comfort, and common happiness to boot. Try their four cheese pizza (RMB 58 for 9-inch; RMB 68 for 12-inch) or, if you’re looking for something out of the ordinary, go for their calzone (RMB 50 for 9-inch; RMB 60 for 12-inch) – a folded pizza loaded with fresh chopped tomatoes, ricotta cheese, salami, and ham with marinara on the side for dipping or drizzling.

11. Gung Ho! Pizza

These pizza makers from New Zealand have been turning heads since they first opened in 2010 thanks to their striking black, pink, and white logo and boxes, as well as their inventive and quality pies. This is perhaps what allowed them to take home the Pizza Cup title a total of three times – 2014, 2015, and 2018 – and keeps them going strong today. Try their Lord of the Lambs pizza (RMB 49 for 7-inch; RMB 109 for 11-inch), featuring the typical red sauce and cheese combo dialed up with pieces of lamb, arugula, and dabs of punchy Greek-style sauce.

10. Pizza Saporita

Originally going by the moniker of Pizza Plus, Pizza Saporita was doing Roman-style by-the-slice pizza – aka Pizza al Taglio – before it was cool, while also offering normal round pies for sharing as well. They showed up to this year's Bracket B Taste-Off armed with their Forest Pizza (RMB 108 for a 12-inch pizza; RMB 24 for a slice), which comes topped with mushrooms, walnuts, sausage, cheese, and a drizzle of truffle oil.

9. Great Leap Brewing

This capital favorite for beers and burgers also slings good pizza that’s of a decidedly New York variety. Big with a thin crunchy crust, Great Leap’s use of a sourdough base really shines through, lending a crispy sour hit with each bite. Go for the Little Nunzio (RMB 135) which wowed crowds at our Bracket D Taste-Off: toasty cheese gets topped with house-made sausage, pickled peppers, basil, and red chili flakes, all of which mingle lovingly with the tang of their crust.

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8. Bottega

The winners of Pizza Cup 2020 are favorites among the Italian community here in Beijing, and the reason is clear – Bottega serves up what can be described as the best Neapolitan-style pizza in the capital. While the Margherita (RMB 78) is a classic of this genre of pie, the one to try from Bottega in our opinion is the Romana (RMB 88), which sees pizza sauce and mozzarella topped with savory anchovies, black kalamata olives, and fresh basil, making for a truly eye-opening pie.

7. Jing-A Brewing Co.

When these brewmeisters put pizza on the menu at their Longfusi Taproom back in 2019, it certainly got people’s attention, especially for the bold choice to use sourdough for their pies. Left to sit overnight before cooking, the sour flavor of the dough cuts through thanks to the long fermentation time, lending Jing-A’s pizzas a nice crunchy consistency.

12-inch pies to try are their Pizza Cup entry the Yunnan Wild Mushroom (RMB 100) and their one-of-a-kind Happy Clam Pizza (RMB 110), a white sauce pie topped with parmesan and mozzarella cheese, garlic, crispy bacon bits, and apple cider-steamed clams – reminiscent of pizza toppings commonly found in New Haven, Connecticut.

6. The Local Bar & Grill

This Sanlitun-based watering hole might not seem like the place to go for pizza, but the pies here are pretty damn remarkable. Voters were so impressed, in fact, that The Local was neck and neck with Q MEX in our Bracket C Taste-Off right to the very end – a proper testament to their pizza if there ever was one. They came through with the Yunnan Grilled Chicken Pizza (RMB 55-100), grilled chicken atop melted cheese with onions, and lemongrass for a truly Chinese twist with the province south of the clouds at its heart.

5. Tube Station

Tube Station is a juggernaut. Another homegrown Beijing brand, their pizza visionaries have never been one to rest on their laurels, always expanding and reinventing themselves, pushing the boundaries by not only fostering a great in-store experience but also offering solid delivery as well as being a fixture at events like the Pizza Fest, the China Open, and the Strawberry Music Festival.

Their latest move has been to hire American chef Jeff Powell to revamp their menu, and he’s already created hits like the Cheeseburger Pizza (RMB 65 for 10-inch; RMB 155 for 19-inch; RMB 215 for 24-inch), loaded with all the fixings of a cheeseburger – ground beef, pickles, tomatoes, onions and a drizzle of thousand island dressing.

4. Q MEX Bar & Grill

We got all kinds of skeptics when news broke that Q MEX had taken home the title in our Bracket C Taste-Off, cementing their spot in the Ultimate Final, but the voters had spoken: This Mexican joint makes solid pizza – and in fact has done well in every Pizza Cup they've entered. Definitely try their two Pizza Cup entrants, the Chipotle Chicken Pizza (RMB 80) – roast chipotle salsa, grilled chicken, corn, beans, and more – and the Mexican Supreme (RMB 85) – a classic American-style supreme pizza with the addition of chorizo sausage.

3. Pyro Pizza

This longtime Wudaokou stalwart, who took home the top prize in a surprise twist at our Bracket D Final Taste-Off, has been slinging pies since way back for crowds of Haidian college students – many of them now turned loyal customers and unofficial spokespeople.

While Pyro offers up solid variations of American pizza classics – their cheese and pepperoni pies come to mind – two you should definitely try are the Nacho Beef Pizza (RMB 90-115) and the Spicy Beef Pizza (RMB 115-215). The former, which won Pyro the Bracket D Final, is like a build-your-own-burrito in pizza form: ground beef topped with olives, jalapenos, and onions with the addition of fresh cilantro, diced tomato, and sour cream drizzle. The latter is Italian with a spicy bent, seeing beef and cheese over arrabiata-style sauce and a chili oil brushed dough base.

2. Forno

The runner up this year – and the winner of our Bracket B Final Taste-Off – is rustic pizza done the Roman way by the folks at Forno – an Italian restaurant with more of a Rome-centric focus opened by the team behind Bottega in 2019. While they, like Pizza Saporita, serve up Pizza al Taglio, they stole the show this year with a new pie, La Regina (RMB 128), which consists of a more rounded and crunchy focaccia base topped with mozzarella, spicy arugula, and cured ham.

1. Pie Squared

These guys are Beijing's top pie for the second time – their first title being in 2017 – for a reason: They make solid American pies with a Detroit twist. But what, you ask, is Detroit-style pizza? Not exactly thin New York-style and not exactly Chicago deep dish, Detroit pizza is kind of an in between. Essentially an offshoot of Sfinciuni – a thick, focaccia-based square pizza-like dish from Sicily with cheese on the bottom and sauce on top – it’s thick and square with a characteristic burned underside and edges, a hefty helping of cheese and, sometimes, sauce added over the cheese. The pizza apparently got its shape from being cooked in industrial auto part trays in the 1940s.

Their pie to try is the Motown Meatball, a square pizza with an airy base topped with tomato sauce, melted mozzarella, slightly sweet caramelized red onions and Italian-style beef and pork meatballs. Get it on two squares for RMB 35 or six for RMB 65. Bonus: if you ask for the Chi-town in shop you can get a layer of sauce and sprinkling of cheese added on, which may be a nod to Chicago but in our eyes is perfect homage to Sfinciuni.

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Beyond the top 16 here's a ranking of the remaining pizza joints in Beijing as voted by you last year.

• 17. Eatalia

• 18. Georgia's Feast

• 19. Yummy Box

• 20. Miam Miam

• 21. Scott's Family Ristorante Italiano

• 22. Citywalk Red Oven Pizza Bakery

• 23. Turkish Feast

• 24. The Cheesecake Factory

• 25. Pizza Marzano

• 26. Hulu

• 27. Commune Reserve

• 28. Peter Pan

• 29. Plan B

• 30. Ponte

• 31. Xian Bar, East Hotel

• 32. Frasca

• 33. Domino's Pizza

• 34. Pizza Hut

• 35. Mr. Pizza

• 36. Tiago

• 37. Lily’s American Diner

• 38. La Platea

• 39. Laker's

• 40. Kitty & Daniel

• 41. The Rug

• 42. Buona Bocca

• 43. Tomcado

• 44. Green Cow City Cafe

• 45. Tavola Italian Dining

• 46. Assaggi

• 47. Mao Mao Chong

• 48. Paddy O'Shea's

• 49. NBeer Pub牛啤堂

• 50. Via Roma•Kempinski Hotel花样罗马意大利餐厅

• 51. Nine Road Pizzeria速度披萨

• 52. LMPlus

• 53. Steam Pizza蒸汽披萨（颐堤港店）

• 54. Big Pizza比格比萨

• 55. Lets Seafood非常创意海鲜

• 56. QS奎妮妙选

• 57. Eudora Station亿多瑞站

• 58. La Cucina后厨意餐

• 59. Grandma's Kitchen祖母的厨房

• 60. Bacchus Bistro酒神食馆

• 61. Pizza Now披萨到

• 62. La Mezzaluna伴月意大利餐厅

• 63. Volare

• 64. Very Sport意大利餐吧

• 65. MIO, Four Seasons Hotel 北京四季酒店•MIO

• 66. Saizeriya 萨莉亚意式餐厅

• 67. Brotzeit 博璨德国啤酒餐厅（国贸）

• 68. The Veggie Table 吃素的西餐

• 69. Jazz-Ya 爵士屋

• 70. Tribe 有机餐厅

• 71. Get Pizza 披萨工廠

• 72. Bene 班妮意大利餐厅

• 73. Groovy Schillers 大明餐厅

• 74. Pinvita Pinvita意大利美食集市

• 75. German Restaurant 甲丁坊.新德餐吧

• 76. Happy Bites 嗨派.纽约手工披萨

• 77. Byone 百万庄园

• 78. Legend 老牌餐吧

• 79. Passby Bar 过客

• 80. Flypizza & Hoodadak Chicken

• 81. Cup One

• 82. Nasca Cafe

• 83. Olive Restaurant and Bar 橄榄餐吧

• 84. Riva 意岸

• 85. Joe's by Yonovo

• 86. Hisewel-Brew-pub 海森威精酿啤酒餐吧

• 87. Atta BJ

• 88. Festin Table 佩斯汀西餐

• 89. Sesto Senso Se•食巳意大利餐厅

• 90. Chapter, Conrad Beijing Chapter

• 91. PBD Pizza Bar

• 92. Just in time 巨时比萨

• 93. POMONA 波莫娜咖啡厅

• 94. Casalingo 卡萨琳戈

• 95. Agrilandia

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Images: daily detroit, courtesy of the venues

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