clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile
A pepperoni pizza. John McCloskey

17 Hot and Fresh Pizza Restaurants in San Francisco

Through thick and thin, there’s nothing like a piping hot pie

View as Map

It’s a bold new pizza era in San Francisco, with lists of the objective best pies running amok and legendary pie throwers like Tony Gemignani of Tony’s Pizza Napoletana letting customers know where he likes to get pizza himself. The Tenderloin is now soundly on the pizza map with the opening of Outta Sight’s slice shop, and Pie Punks is making a sound case for SoMa pizza being a thing. Now that Valencia Street’s classic Arinell has closed, and fellow Mission District Delfina merged with its next-door business Delfina Pizza, it’s really anyone’s pizza game to run. Check out these 17 pizza places the next time you’re looking to try what the city has to offer.

Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; it may pose a risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial COVID transmission.

Read More
If you buy something or book a reservation from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy.

Tony’s Pizza Napoletana

Copy Link

Tony's (as well as sister spot Capo's and several Slice Houses around the Bay) is commendable not only for its quality, but also for its breadth. Though he's taken home umpteen Neapolitan pie-making prizes, Tony Gemignani is no purist: he's equally interested in Sicilian, Detroit-style, grandma-inspired, and coal-fired pies, and not afraid to dive into wild toppings. The man is a pizza polymath, and his combinations are delicious.

Tony’s Pizza Napoletana

Way back in the pizza dark ages of 2004, A16 was one of the first places to serve true Neapolitan pies, gorgeous wood-fired char and all. They're still churning them out well over a decade later, often pairing the pies with A16’s on-point Italian wine selection.

A pizza on the counter at A16. Lauren Saria

Golden Boy Pizza

Copy Link

Tourists and North Beach locals rub elbows under the glowing neon sign pointing the way to Golden Boy’s thick slabs of pie. The North Beach institution has been serving Sicilian-style pizza since 1978 and if you don’t mind a little wait — there’s pretty much always a line — you can either enjoy your meal on-site or take it just a short walk away to dine in the shadow of Saints Peter and Paul Church at Washington Square Park.

Del Popolo

Copy Link

This Neapolitan-style pizza shop started as a roving pie vendor with an unmistakable glass-encased truck, before going permanent with a Nob Hill location. Del Popolo’s wood-fired pizzas are courtesy of Flour + Water alum Jon Darsky, and they're all beautifully blistered, seasonal, and delicious.

Pizzeria Delfina

Copy Link

Craig and Annie Stoll’s Delfina spinoff, Pizzeria Delfina, is an empire, with multiple locations across San Francisco, Burlingame, and Palo Alto. That’s probably because it’s one of the best pizza options the city has to offer, with nicely charred and puffy crusts plus delicious seasonal toppings. Classics like a Margherita will always win hearts and minds, while the salsiccia with housemade fennel sausage, tomato, bell peppers, onions, and mozzarella is also a popular order.

Arugula pizza at Pizzeria Delfina Pizzeria Delfina

Pie Punks

Copy Link

This SoMa pizza place opened in July with tiki cocktails, Detroit-style pies, and even thin and crispy Grandma pizzas. Owners Lane Ford and Alvin Luna brought in Delarosa and Beretta alum Pedro Gonzalaz to craft the dough; pizza toppings include esoteric options like Spam and corned beef.

A Detroit-style pizza from Pie Punks. Lauren Saria

Pizzetta 211

Copy Link

Adorably petite Pizzetta 211 embraces true seasonality, with pizzas that change by the nanosecond to incorporate the best of what's growing. The wait times can be long, but the cute 12-inch pies, like the white pie with rosemary and fiore sardo, are great. Stop by any day but Tuesday to pick-up a pie or dine outdoors.

Pizzetta 211

Outta Sight Pizza

Copy Link

The Tenderloin can call itself a pizzaiolo destination now thanks to Eric Ehler’s shop at 422 Larkin Street. The pesto pie features fresh and aged mozzarella, basil, and a nut-free pesto. Swing by for single slices or whole pies, or time things just right for a delivery order to your door.

An overhead photo of pizza.
The Orchard at Outta Sight pizza.
Outta Sight Pizza

Square Pie Guys

Copy Link

The crispy-edged, rectangular pizzas from these Detroit-style square pie specialists have always been prepared with takeout or delivery in mind, making them perfect for a lazy dinner on comfy nights in. Order online for both takeout and in-house delivery, or head to the flagship location at Ghirardelli Square for a full-service meal.

Little Star Pizza

Copy Link

Little Star's signature deep dish is so good that it licensed the recipe — to a pizzeria in St. Louis that President Obama calls his all-time favorite. Winning the deep-dish devotion of a Chicagoan is no small feat, but Little Star's signature cornmeal crusts and meaty fillings are up to the task.

Slices of different pizzas are seen on white plates. Marc Fiorito

Sunset Squares Pizza

Copy Link

Sunset Squares began as an Instagram-based business, with a mysterious pizza chef who’d deliver DMed orders to his Sunset neighbors. Then the chef revealed his identity: it was Dennis Lee, co-owner of the Namu mini-empire of restaurants. Lee’s square pies are a proprietary sourdough concoction some have described as neo-Detroit, and the toppings range from the standard (pepperoni, cheese) to the unexpected (mapo tofu, or pork belly and kimchi). Find them at the SSP Beer Hall.

Sunset Squares Pizza

Angie’s Pizza

Copy Link

Angie’s Pizza is the new Mission pizza spot from Pizza Hacker and Pizzetta 211 alum, John McCloskey. It’s a tight pizza menu of six options, but even standards like pepperoni get an upgrade with a dousing of garlic chili honey and some basil. Don’t skip out on the rotating sides or the ice cream, which is made in-house.

Arizmendi Bakery

Copy Link

Perhaps the most quintessentially Bay Area pizza place on this list, worker-owned cooperative Arizmendi serves a different pizza every day. Its sourdough crust, whole-milk mozzarella, and fresh seasonal, organic vegetables come by the half or whole pie, and partially-baked pizzas are available via preorder.

Damnfine

Copy Link

Outer Sunset wood-fired upstart Damnfine opened inside a former “massage parlor” at the height of the city’s coronavirus lockdown with a well-curated menu of naturally fermented, three-day cold-rise pizzas cooked in a 5,500-pound wood-burning oven. The spot also has a full bar for those who want cocktails with their pie.

Damnfine

Shuggie’s Trash Pie + Natural Wine

Copy Link

This Mission District pizzeria crashed onto the scene, an assault of bright yellow and lime green, earlier this spring and has been drawing attention not only for its very specific aesthetic but also for its commitment to using irregular or surplus produce and food production byproducts. You can categorize the pizzas as Grandma-style pies, meaning they’re thin-crusted squares topped with an unexpected mishmash of ingredients like ground beef and Takis or salt cod and potato. Don’t worry, there’s also the Bobo, a more classic combo of pepperoni, honey, and chile. 

A pizza being topped with Takis chips.

Cellarmaker House of Pizza

Copy Link

Detroit-style pizza seems to be here to stay, and Cellarmaker serves square pies with a balanced ratio of crust to toppings, with lots of crispy edges. Don’t miss the Detroit red top or classic pepperoni, and check out whatever Sicilian they have on the menu that day, too — it’s a rotating selection, all of them superstars.

Gialina Pizzeria

Copy Link

Gialina is a family-friendly Glen Park restaurant with an excellent menu of starters and roasts, but it’s the pizza that inspires a daily line there and at its NoPa sister spot, Ragazza. Expect a thin crust with the right amount of chew, and a selection of composed pies like the Yukon gold with potatoes, bacon, red onions, thyme, and gorgonzola.

A pizza topped with an egg in the center. Gialina Pizzeria

Tony’s Pizza Napoletana

Tony's (as well as sister spot Capo's and several Slice Houses around the Bay) is commendable not only for its quality, but also for its breadth. Though he's taken home umpteen Neapolitan pie-making prizes, Tony Gemignani is no purist: he's equally interested in Sicilian, Detroit-style, grandma-inspired, and coal-fired pies, and not afraid to dive into wild toppings. The man is a pizza polymath, and his combinations are delicious.

Tony’s Pizza Napoletana

A16

Way back in the pizza dark ages of 2004, A16 was one of the first places to serve true Neapolitan pies, gorgeous wood-fired char and all. They're still churning them out well over a decade later, often pairing the pies with A16’s on-point Italian wine selection.

A pizza on the counter at A16. Lauren Saria

Golden Boy Pizza

Tourists and North Beach locals rub elbows under the glowing neon sign pointing the way to Golden Boy’s thick slabs of pie. The North Beach institution has been serving Sicilian-style pizza since 1978 and if you don’t mind a little wait — there’s pretty much always a line — you can either enjoy your meal on-site or take it just a short walk away to dine in the shadow of Saints Peter and Paul Church at Washington Square Park.

Del Popolo

This Neapolitan-style pizza shop started as a roving pie vendor with an unmistakable glass-encased truck, before going permanent with a Nob Hill location. Del Popolo’s wood-fired pizzas are courtesy of Flour + Water alum Jon Darsky, and they're all beautifully blistered, seasonal, and delicious.

Pizzeria Delfina

Craig and Annie Stoll’s Delfina spinoff, Pizzeria Delfina, is an empire, with multiple locations across San Francisco, Burlingame, and Palo Alto. That’s probably because it’s one of the best pizza options the city has to offer, with nicely charred and puffy crusts plus delicious seasonal toppings. Classics like a Margherita will always win hearts and minds, while the salsiccia with housemade fennel sausage, tomato, bell peppers, onions, and mozzarella is also a popular order.

Arugula pizza at Pizzeria Delfina Pizzeria Delfina

Pie Punks

This SoMa pizza place opened in July with tiki cocktails, Detroit-style pies, and even thin and crispy Grandma pizzas. Owners Lane Ford and Alvin Luna brought in Delarosa and Beretta alum Pedro Gonzalaz to craft the dough; pizza toppings include esoteric options like Spam and corned beef.

A Detroit-style pizza from Pie Punks. Lauren Saria

Pizzetta 211

Adorably petite Pizzetta 211 embraces true seasonality, with pizzas that change by the nanosecond to incorporate the best of what's growing. The wait times can be long, but the cute 12-inch pies, like the white pie with rosemary and fiore sardo, are great. Stop by any day but Tuesday to pick-up a pie or dine outdoors.

Pizzetta 211

Outta Sight Pizza

The Tenderloin can call itself a pizzaiolo destination now thanks to Eric Ehler’s shop at 422 Larkin Street. The pesto pie features fresh and aged mozzarella, basil, and a nut-free pesto. Swing by for single slices or whole pies, or time things just right for a delivery order to your door.

An overhead photo of pizza.
The Orchard at Outta Sight pizza.
Outta Sight Pizza

Square Pie Guys

The crispy-edged, rectangular pizzas from these Detroit-style square pie specialists have always been prepared with takeout or delivery in mind, making them perfect for a lazy dinner on comfy nights in. Order online for both takeout and in-house delivery, or head to the flagship location at Ghirardelli Square for a full-service meal.

Little Star Pizza

Little Star's signature deep dish is so good that it licensed the recipe — to a pizzeria in St. Louis that President Obama calls his all-time favorite. Winning the deep-dish devotion of a Chicagoan is no small feat, but Little Star's signature cornmeal crusts and meaty fillings are up to the task.

Slices of different pizzas are seen on white plates. Marc Fiorito

Sunset Squares Pizza

Sunset Squares began as an Instagram-based business, with a mysterious pizza chef who’d deliver DMed orders to his Sunset neighbors. Then the chef revealed his identity: it was Dennis Lee, co-owner of the Namu mini-empire of restaurants. Lee’s square pies are a proprietary sourdough concoction some have described as neo-Detroit, and the toppings range from the standard (pepperoni, cheese) to the unexpected (mapo tofu, or pork belly and kimchi). Find them at the SSP Beer Hall.

Sunset Squares Pizza

Angie’s Pizza

Angie’s Pizza is the new Mission pizza spot from Pizza Hacker and Pizzetta 211 alum, John McCloskey. It’s a tight pizza menu of six options, but even standards like pepperoni get an upgrade with a dousing of garlic chili honey and some basil. Don’t skip out on the rotating sides or the ice cream, which is made in-house.

Arizmendi Bakery

Perhaps the most quintessentially Bay Area pizza place on this list, worker-owned cooperative Arizmendi serves a different pizza every day. Its sourdough crust, whole-milk mozzarella, and fresh seasonal, organic vegetables come by the half or whole pie, and partially-baked pizzas are available via preorder.

Damnfine

Outer Sunset wood-fired upstart Damnfine opened inside a former “massage parlor” at the height of the city’s coronavirus lockdown with a well-curated menu of naturally fermented, three-day cold-rise pizzas cooked in a 5,500-pound wood-burning oven. The spot also has a full bar for those who want cocktails with their pie.

Damnfine

Shuggie’s Trash Pie + Natural Wine

This Mission District pizzeria crashed onto the scene, an assault of bright yellow and lime green, earlier this spring and has been drawing attention not only for its very specific aesthetic but also for its commitment to using irregular or surplus produce and food production byproducts. You can categorize the pizzas as Grandma-style pies, meaning they’re thin-crusted squares topped with an unexpected mishmash of ingredients like ground beef and Takis or salt cod and potato. Don’t worry, there’s also the Bobo, a more classic combo of pepperoni, honey, and chile. 

A pizza being topped with Takis chips.

Related Maps

Cellarmaker House of Pizza

Detroit-style pizza seems to be here to stay, and Cellarmaker serves square pies with a balanced ratio of crust to toppings, with lots of crispy edges. Don’t miss the Detroit red top or classic pepperoni, and check out whatever Sicilian they have on the menu that day, too — it’s a rotating selection, all of them superstars.

Gialina Pizzeria

Gialina is a family-friendly Glen Park restaurant with an excellent menu of starters and roasts, but it’s the pizza that inspires a daily line there and at its NoPa sister spot, Ragazza. Expect a thin crust with the right amount of chew, and a selection of composed pies like the Yukon gold with potatoes, bacon, red onions, thyme, and gorgonzola.

A pizza topped with an egg in the center. Gialina Pizzeria

Related Maps