• Gino’s East headed west to Los Angeles in 2019 and has been wowing the locals ever since with two classic styles of Chicago pizza.
• A pair of women-owned pizzerias—Pizzeria Mozza and Two Saucy Broads Pizza—were finalists in the L.A. Times survey.

Gino’s East of Chicago headed west to Los Angeles in 2019, and it was apparently a smart move: That location has recently been honored for offering the city’s “Best Pizza” by readers of the Los Angeles Times.

Gino’s topped the newspaper’s annual Best of the Southland survey in the pizza category. The restaurant initially won the San Fernando Valley/Ventura region and then triumphed over the winners of the other four regions in the Southland. The results were announced by the Los Angeles Times online and in print on November 27.

Gino’s East-LA serves up authentic Chicago deep-dish and thin-crust tavern-style pizza, plus other Italian favorites, such as their popular Italian Beef sandwiches.

Founded in Chicago in 1966, Gino’s East of Chicago opened its L.A. restaurant in December of 2019. Designed to make customers feel like they’re in Chicago, the walls are adorned with photos and memorabilia from the Windy City. With the onslaught of COVID-19 restrictions, the location quickly pivoted to carryout and delivery while continuing to employee all interested staff members.

“This is like the People’s Choice awards of pizza, and we are excited about how the city has embraced our pizza as their own,” Gino’s East-LA owners Tod Himmel and Dan Michaels said in a statement.

Gino’s East-LA has been showcased on KTLA5, Los Angeles Magazine, the New York Times, EaterLA, CNBC and the Los Angeles Times.

Two women-owned pizzerias emerged as finalists in the Best of the Southland pizza category. Legendary baker Nancy Silverton’s Pizzeria Mozza won for the Westside/Downtown/East L.A. region. Pizzeria Mozza, with locations in Los Angeles and Newport Beach, was featured on PMQ’s cover in August 2012. Two Saucy Broads Pizza, founded in Fullerton, California, in 2011 by sisters Kathryn Knost and Jennifer Nap, won the Orange County region. They’re known for their New York-style pies with a California twist.

Additional finalists included Downey Pizza Company (South Bay/Long Beach/South L.A./Southeast L.A.); Mamma’s Brick Oven Pizza & Pasta (San Gabriel Valley/Inland Empire); and Petrillo’s Pizza (San Gabriel Valley/Inland Empire).