North County’s Blue Ribbon Artisan Pizza, a longtime mainstay, was a key innovator in California-style seasonally-inspired pizza. It’s the brainchild of chef Wade Hageman, who opened the pizzeria after a career in fine dining.

One of the originators of SoCal-style pizza, Blind Lady Ale House in Normal Heights is still a favorite among San Diegans. Their farmers market-bought and housemade ingredients make good companions with their stacked draft list.

No San Diego pizza list would be complete without the city’s Neapolitan OG, Pizzeria Bruno Napoletano on the border of North Park and Hillcrest. After all these years, the restaurant is still serving great, classic pizza and is well worth a visit.

Pulling no punches with its name, Bronx Pizza in Hillcrest is usually the first retort when someone remarks, “there’s no good New York-style pizza in San Diego.” The cheese pie is a great example but it’s particularly known for the White Stone pie, a classic white pizza named after an iconic New York City bridge that’s topped with mozzarella, ricotta and garlic.

Pulling double-time as a coffee roaster and cafe, Caffe Calabria also churns out simple wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas with high quality ingredients from its North Park storefront. They only serve pizza Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. though, so plan in advance.

With a newer location opened in Liberty Station during the first half of 2017, called Officine Buona Forchetta, beloved South Park staple Buona Forchetta continues its domination of San Diego’s pizza scene with its classic Neapolitan-style pizzas. Also notable are its gluten-free pies.

Italian owner Massimo Tenino runs Isola Pizza Bars in Little Italy and La Jolla, where he serves wood-fired Neapolitan pizza with imported Italian ingredients. Also on offer is wine from his brother’s vineyard in Piemonte.

A Golden Hill staple, Pizzeria Luigi is considered one of San Diego’s best examples of New York-style pie, with to-go slices at the ready. There’s also a shop on El Cajon Boulevard and in Imperial Beach.

East Village pizza staple Basic turns into a club at night, but don’t let that distract from the fact they serve some of the best pizza in town. Pro-tip: for later night orders, call ahead and walk in to take out their New Haven-style, asymmetrically sliced pies to avoid the lines and crowds.

There are many fabled pizzerias serving so-called New York-style pizza, some better-known than others. A good way to tell is whether or not they know what a “plain slice” is. NY Pizzeria in Bonita does and is more of a hidden gem, serving slices, whole pies and the elusive-to-San Diego calzone.

Pacific Beach’s Ambrogio15 is serving up what it calls the “Milan pizza experience.” Expect this to mean light-as-air thin crusts, organic and biodynamic wines and sustainable and organic pizza toppings. A second location will open in the new Little Italy Food Hall in July 2018.