From left: (1) Julian pizza made with house-made Calabrese sausage, lacinato kale, red onion, chili flakes, garlic, mozzarella, and pecorino, and (2) Zucchini pizza made with squash, pesto, mozzarella, lemon ricotta, garlic, and red chili flakes
I've rounded up all the pizza places in San Francisco I've covered in the past year or so to bring you some piping hot recommendations, starting with Gioia Pizzeria in Hayes Valley.
Gioia Pizzeria has become a favorite pizza place of mine. Located on Hayes between Laguna and Octavia, they serve several slices a day, including mainstays like Funghi, Julian, and Salsiccia as well as daily specials. I've tried about four of their slices so far and each is better than the last. On this visit in June of last year, I enjoyed the Julian, which is made with house-made Calabrese sausage, lacinato kale, red onion, chili flakes, garlic, mozzarella, and pecorino, and the Zucchini, made with squash, pesto, mozzarella, lemon ricotta, garlic, and red chili flakes. Gioia's pizza has an amazing crust and a good range of flavor profiles in the toppings they feature. They're also pretty well-priced, making it a reliable spot to grab a quick bite in an expensive area.
Gioia Pizzeria
579 Hayes St., San Francisco, CA 94102
Open: Daily 11am - 10pm
Vegetable Square pizza made with tomato, onion, broccoli, and bell pepper
In June of 2024, I was on the hunt for a quick bite in NoPa and stopped by Sunset Squares, a family-owned slice shop on Divisadero between Hayes and Fell. I ordered the Vegetable Square made with tomato, onion, broccoli, and bell pepper. I remember liking the amount and variety of toppings and dollops of creamy ricotta, but also thinking that the crust was different from other Detroit style pizzas I've had before. If you're craving a slice in NoPa, I'd recommend checking out Sunset Squares.
Sunset Squares
553 Divisadero St., San Francisco, CA 94117
Open: Monday & Wednesday 4 - 10pm, Thursday 4pm - 12:30am, Friday - Saturday 11:30am - 2:30am, Sunday 11:30am - 10pm
Combo pizza made with pepperoni, sausage, onion, mushroom, zucchini, and tomato
Left: Pesto Veggie pizza made with pesto sauce, onion, mushroom, zucchini, tomato, and black olive
Right: Sausage pizza
Golden Boy Pizza has been a San Francisco staple since its founding in 1978. Located on Green just off Columbus in North Beach, they serve a variety of "San Francilian," "Sicilian," or "grandma" style pizza by the slice or pan in Cheese, Pepperoni, Sausage, Combo, Pesto Veggie, and Clam & Garlic. Their pizza is always warmed to perfection, with the ooey gooey cheese I like. Since I like a lot of toppings on my pizza, I usually get the Combo or the Pesto Veggie.
With such a simple menu and efficient, friendly staff, their often long lines go by quicker than expected. They are still very well-priced, with slices going for less than $5, which is unheard of in this economy. In addition to this location in North Beach, they also have one on Taraval in the Sunset.
Golden Boy Pizza
542 Green St., San Francisco, CA 94133
Open: Monday - Friday 11:30am - 9pm, Friday & Saturday 11:30am - 11pm, Sunday 11:30am - 9pm
Clockwise from left: (1) Puttanesca pizza made with marinara, capers, red onion, olive, and garlic, (2) Jerk Chicken pizza made with jerk chicken, red onion, herbs, white sauce, and mango / habanero chutney, and (3) Ruby pizza made with vodka sauce, pesto, and marinara
Sweet Summer Child salad made with creamy honey mustard dressing, stone fruit, chrysanthemum, cotija, pepita seeds, and sunflower seeds
Since covering Outta Sight Pizza's pop-up in 2022, this hip pizza spot has expanded to two brick and mortar locations in the Tenderloin and Chinatown. In mid-July of this year, my dining companion and I stopped by the Tenderloin spot on Larkin between Golden Gate and Turk before heading to a show nearby.
We tried the Sweet Summer Child salad made with creamy honey mustard dressing, stone fruit, chrysanthemum, cotija, pepita seeds, and sunflower seeds as well as three slices of pizza: the Puttanesca, Jerk Chicken, and Ruby. The salad was made with fresh stone fruit at the season's peak as well as dynamic flavors that took it to another level. The pizzas were equally tasty and featured interesting ingredient combos I would never have thought of.
I will definitely stop by both locations in the future, since it seems like the slices vary by shop, with hopes to try the Peking Duck, 500 Days of Summer, Korn Cobbler, or The 5th King made with mapo tofu.
Outta Sight Pizza
422 Larkin St., San Francisco, CA 94102
Open: Daily 11am - 9pm
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