Pizza Week on What's To Eat LA: Vito's Pizza

846 N. La Cienega Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90069
(310)652-6859
Mon-Wed, Sun 11AM-10PM
Thu-Sat 11AM-4AM

Vito's is a titan amongst pizza places in LA. Described as classic Naples style pizza, this pizza is absolutely addicting. When you go in, I kid you not, you feel that everything in there is hyper Italian. The pizza, the tables, the floors, the pictures, and especially the workers. It's like you feel like you've walked into some amazing mob movie except the mobsters haven't come in to eat yet!

The pizza (rated very highly in all circles) is prized among many Angelenos. They had a location in Silverlake a while back and many hearts were broken, but people on the West Side now get to rejoice. This is yet another location that people swear is the real NY slice in LA. It's a darn good slice of New York style but with a refined air of class. Think elegant pizza that you want to serve to people who could kill you, and yet not so absurd that they still taste that it's real down home pizza.

The rundown begins with their plain cheese. It is the foundation that we start with, and we realize that without any dressing, this is a darn good slice of pizza. It's a thin crust, toasted cheese but only slightly toasted crust piece of pizza. The difference they have is they nail the NY spices. They got those intangibles I spoke of yesterday that really are necessary to complete the nostalgia of my growing up on the East Coast.

The Margherita pizza is the cheese but given more life via their fresh tomato and basil.

The famous White pizza has a blend of cheeses and is rich and complex. Never too unbalanced and the flavors play with your mouth a bit. You think you've pinned down which cheeses you're eating and then it sneaks up on you at the end. I love this pizza!

Pictured here is Celeste's slice of their famous veggie slice untouched. She did remove the broccoli, cause she just doesn't like it steamed plain. Best veggie slice she's tasted though, and me too for that matter. The greens were wilted just enough, but still had good substance to them.

Now let's get one thing straight. I love sausage on my pizza. Carefully chosen sausage to put on pizza is one of the great feats of pizza for me. It can bring an average slice of pizza back from the dead or it can tear a great slice of pizza down. The reason being is that the juices from the meat seep into the cheese and alter the flavor. What Vito has on his is exceptional. It's married to this thing like it it was it's first love. Not spicy, but sweet, and very Italian rich with spices. I don't know and don't want to know where he gets it from. I'd like to think he gets it from a secret source that only he and God know about.

A word about the pizzas themselves. They only come in one size...18 inches to be exact. I do believe that they realize there's only one traditional size of pizza...big. While the basic cheese runs about $17, you can get all the way up to $30 for their primo pizzas. But hey it's ALL very good pizza so whatever appeases the appetite is what it's all about.

The location, while it does have parking, is in a small strip mall. They do deliver and you better believe it's totally worth it. The prices, while pricier than your average pizza (here's the menu to view), are in fact good when you realize we're talking about better than average pizza. The restaurant's floor space, while tight, is rather on the cozy side. The service is, bar none, the best pizza place service ever to date. Paulie (yes that's his actual name) was practically eager at the chance to make everyone in the restaurant happy. Try finding that at Pizza Hut or Papa John's! Also note that they're open super late on the weekends as well. Vito's name suits this place perfectly...Italian to the bone!

Free Drink Refills: Yes
Pizza Price Range: In store slices $2 and then toppings range from .50 to $1. Full Pizzas range from $17 to $33

Have a wonderful 4th of July!

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