Pizzeria Luigi

San Diego, CA (The Joy of Food) — Once a small neighborhood place, Pizzeria Luigi came to be known by a wider audience thanks to a segment on the Food Network by that spiky-haired bleached blond dude, the self-proclaimed Mayor of Flavortown who says things like ‘donkey sauce’ and ‘bomb-dot-com tasty.’

This is one of two places in San Diego serving good New York-style pizza, and I actually prefer the pies at the other place, yelling and all. The crust here is slightly thicker, less crispy, and lacks golden edges, and they top the pies with way more cheese, an umami-adding move that feels good in the moment, but leaves you downing a gallon of water about an hour later. So yes, more cheese can be a bad thing.

Most of what’s here meets the general Platonic ideal of a solid New York pizza: a gently risen thin crust that’s fragrant of yeast with a slight char underneath and a greasy blanket of cheese on top. The crust has a decent amount of flop, yet enough sturdiness to withstand the punishment of a million toppings. Consider also the sauce, one that’s slightly sweet but more tangy bordering on spicy. Some flavors are sweet, some are hot, and the very best bites have a little bit of everything.

The Mona Lisa is the kitchen-sink slice with pepperoni, sausage, green peppers, red onions, and black olives. A meat lover’s dream takes the form of the Capone, the vehicle for lots of pepperoni, sausage, and meatballs. The Leonardo sings with a layer of basil instead of cheese.

Something called the Crime Scene is exactly what it sounds like, a meatball and ricotta pizza with a massacre of pulpy tomatoes splattered on top. Maybe El Diablo did it, a pie that obliterates everything in its path with jalapeños, crushed red peppers, Sriracha, and some hot sauce for good measure.

Of course, for any New York pizza purists, a cheese or pepperoni slice will be the preferred grease bomb, a drippy, fluorescent yellow shrine to processed cheesy goodness — and lots of it.

Pizzeria Luigi is a divey spot you can meander into in a walkable part of town. The vibe is cool, chill, relaxing, and welcoming, all things you’ll never experience in a real New York place where you can get out or move over if you don’t move it fast enough, already. There’s even inside seating, another obvious deviation from old school pizzerias back east.

The second you arrive you will see the glass case of pies on display as sleekly as souvenirs, ready to be picked and heated while you wait. Anything with just a slice or two left should be skipped. It’s likely been sitting there a while and you’ll get barely reheated food for your money. Whole pies are a possibility, including half-and-half orders if you’re undecided.

Written by Joy

Thanks for reading. The Joy of Food blog celebrates eating well, traveling often, and living la dolce vita. San Diego, California is home base, but thoughts are from all over. Reviews and photos help to highlight wonderful (or not) food experiences from around the world.

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