The chicken parmesan sandwich at Luna Pizza. Photo by Jed Strahm

Pizza in retrospect

By Lea Soto
Special to West Times

If I had to choose what I think one of the best foods out there is, I would choose pizza. Aside from being incredibly tasty (if you choose the correct place, that is), pizza is economical, can be shared with friends, and usually yields leftovers.

So for this week’s review I’ve decided to discuss not only one, but a few great places around town to get really, really good pizza. From traditional New York style large slices to super fresh and baked in a brick oven gourmet, here are what I consider to be some of the best pizza shops around:

Luna Pizza
If you’re looking for large slices dripping from a gooey layer of mozzarella then Luna Pizza is where to go. This is New York style pizza, and Luna offers up a pie that’s pretty close to the real thing. Student lunch specials can get you two large slices with a small drink for under $5. Eat them both if you’re really hungry, or treat a friend to lunch. Luna has two locations, one by the Deer Valley movie theatre off of the 101, and another at 59th Avenue and Beardsley, just south of the 101.

NYPD and Streets of NY
Both restaurants have spread across the Valley, offering both New York-style pizza and traditional Italian dishes at every location. And since each restaurant has so many locations, it isn’t difficult to find one.

AJ’s Fine Foods
At AJ’s you can order pizza by the slice from a selection of pizza specials that are freshly prepared each day, or you can order a whole pizza if you’re really hungry. Either way, you’ll get great gourmet pizza baked in a brick oven. I recommend the Monte Carlo, which comes with an assortment of onions, mushrooms, artichokes, tomatoes, and some goat cheese. The pizzas are loaded with toppings, so they’re very hearty. AJ’s has locations all around the Valley, so they won’t be too far from any one particular location.

Pizzeria Bianco and La Grande Orange
These are the two best pizza places in the Valley. They’re not in the West Valley, but are definitely worth the drive. Both offer brick oven pizzas made from the highest quality ingredients. Pizzeria Bianco has even been acknowledged as one of the best pizza places in the country by both the New York Times and Oprah. I’ve tried both, and I slightly prefer the bright, quirky atmosphere of LGO to the long wait at Bianco.