The Quad: Best pizza places in Westwood without spending too much dough

Bruins, you deserve better than Domino’s.

For college students, pizza is a staple, and Westwood has a lot to offer in the realm of cheesy, saucy goodness. To help students make this monumental decision, we decided to rank all the pizza places in Westwood based on dough, cheese and sauce.

We went around to all the different pizza places and ordered the simplest, most basic pizza on the menu. For traditional places like Enzo’s Pizzeria and Lamonica’s NY-Pizza that simply meant ordering a slice of cheese pizza. For build-your-own-pie places like 800 Degrees and Blaze Pizza, that meant resisting the urge to say “I’ll take all the toppings,” and ordering a regular cheese pie.

It goes without saying that this ranking reflects our tastes and might not reflect everyone else’s – but we’re pretty confident our list can help the hungry students of Westwood find a slice of salty, gooey delight.

No. 9: Enzo’s Pizzeria – $2.95/slice

Dough: 4/10; Cheese and Sauce: 5/10; Overall: 4.5/10

Where to start with Enzo’s Pizzeria? Well, you get a lot of food. The slices are more massive than LaVar Ball’s ego. Enzo’s also has the cheapest slice in Westwood at $2.95 per slice.

Now that I’ve gotten the positives out of the way, Enzo’s is ranked the lowest simply because it is not great pizza. Enzo’s dough is neither thin nor particularly doughy, leading to a near-endless chewing experience. When I order a slice of pizza, I don’t want to get a stick of bubble gum.

The sauce, arguably the best component, is subpar. Finally, the cheese leaves a dry, almost bitter taste in your mouth. The portions are filling, but whether you call that food “pizza,” I’ll leave up to you.

No. 8: California Pizza Kitchen – $14.79 for 6 slices

Dough: 7/10; Cheese and Sauce: 5/10; Overall: 6/10

First of all, California Pizza Kitchen is a questionable name. California is as known for its pizza as USC is for its academic integrity – not at all. However, this national chain’s pizza is not cardboard. The dough is pretty decent, perhaps a little above average. Still, for a place with “pizza” in its name you’d think they could invest a little more of those corporate profits into a tomato sauce that’s better than the “Robust Inspired” sauce I can get at Domino’s.

No. 7: Whole Foods Market – $3.50/slice

Dough: 7.5/10; Cheese and Sauce: 5.5/10; Overall: 6.5/10

Whether you are the type who goes to Whole Foods Market to stock up on kale, or you’re just parking there to go to the dispensary across the street, don’t sleep on their pizza.

For $7 you can get two filling slices of deliciously cheesy pizza. The dough has a legitimate claim to being labeled the best in Westwood. Plus, ever since Amazon bought Whole Foods, you can get discounts there if you’re a Prime member.

No. 6: Lamonica’s NY-Pizza – $4/slice

Dough: 6.5/10; Cheese and Sauce: 7.5/10; Overall: 7/10

Lamonica’s NY-Pizza crust is doughier than at most other pizza places in Westwood. Personally, I don’t mind it, but for those who prefer a more authentic New York-style thin crust experience, there are other options.

The sauce and cheese are a step up from similar mom and pop Westwood establishments like D’Amores Pizza and Enzo’s. Overall, a solid delivery option for those weekly pizza and soda pop parties I hear are all the rage with the kids these days.

No. 5: D’Amore’s Pizza – $3.45/slice

Dough: 8/10; Cheese and Sauce: 6/10; Overall: 7/10

I wish I could give D’Amore’s Pizza points for ambiance. As my friend said when we walked into the Westwood location of the Southern California chain, “This place is here to make you pizza.” It’s a no-frills Italian-owned pizza shop – and in LA in 2019, that’s rare.

The pizza itself is New York-style thin crust with one of the best dough consistencies on the list. The cheese is fine and the sauce is nothing special, but if you want a satisfying slice of pizza and a Coke after school one day, this is the place to go.

No. 4: Wolfgang Puck Express – $10 margherita pizza (good size)

Dough: 7/10; Cheese and Sauce: 7/10; Overall: 7/10

For a place that sometimes gets a bad rap for being too expensive for the average student, Wolfgang Puck Express’ basic, nicely sized margherita pizza is priced at a reasonable $10 flat. The dough is a little thicker than Blaze Pizza’s, but I think Wolfgang’s sauce and cheese are better. At the end of the day, both pizza places on campus offer some tasty pies for the hungry Bruin.

No. 3: Blaze Pizza – $8.65 for a build-your-own-pizza

Dough: 8/10; Cheese and Sauce: 7/10; Overall: 7.5/10

This national chain elicited much excitement when it moved into the Court of Sciences Student Center on South Campus last year.

Truthfully, the pizza purist in me wants to hate Blaze Pizza. It seems like more and more corporate, build-your-own-pizza chains are popping up every day, taking business away from traditional mom and pop shots.

At the end of the day, what saves Blaze is that it tastes good. Blaze’s fresh mozzarella melts lusciously into its crunchy thin crust dough. Its standard red sauce is sweet, but not too sweet, and blends well with the cheese and crust without being overpowering.

No. 2: Italian Express Pizza – $7.99 for an 8-inch personal pizza

Dough: 7/10; Cheese and Sauce: 9/10; Overall: 8/10

Italian Express Pizza’s pie reminds me of the Chuck E. Cheese pizzas of my youth.

A staple of Postmates and Uber Eats orders, Italian Express’ pie consists of an excess of greasy, rich cheese with sweet-tasting tomato sauce on top of a thicker dough. The pizza is the sort of simple yet delicious food any child – or starving college student – would jump to bite into.

No. 1: 800 Degrees Woodfired Kitchen – $10 margherita pizza

Dough: 9/10; Cheese and Sauce: 9/10; Overall: 9/10

It may be just another build-your-own-pie place, but in this journalist’s opinion, 800 Degrees Woodfired Kitchen takes the crown.

While one might argue that designer pizza has the potential to turn into a pizza-esque abomination, the truth is – when done right – the result is delicious and the perfect match for your particular tastes.

800 Degrees’ building blocks set you up for success. Its thin crust will bring joy to even the snobbiest New York-pizza lover and the cheese options are all pleasant. The sauce adds, rather than subtracts, from the final product.