Jonathan Gold Said This California Pizza Rivals The Best In Italy

When Jonathan Gold (the late Pulitzer Prize-winning food critic) visited Pizzana in Brentwood in 2017, he found a lot to admire. His Los Angeles Times review celebrated various pies from the boundary-pushing restaurant — but one pizza stood out. Gold zeroed in on the Neo Margherita, a modern take on Italy's most iconic style, calling it Pizzana's "signature."

Crafted by chef Daniele Uditi — a master pizzaiolo born in Naples, Italy – the Neo Margherita honors its roots while boldly stepping into new territory. It features imported San Marzano tomato polpa (pulp), fior di latte (fresh cow's milk mozzarella), oil, and "a green flurry of toasted breadcrumbs infused with herbs." Gold praised the Neo Margherita's thoughtful fusion of tradition and innovation, placing it among the caliber of pizzas served at Pepe in Grani, chef Franco Pepe's acclaimed pizzeria in Caiazzo, Italy, which Gold considered "the best in the world."

Neapolitan pizza (pizza Napoletana) is defined by its strict adherence to time-honored methods, including fermenting the dough for at least 8 hours, hand stretching it to 4 millimeters thick, and cooking it in a wood-fired oven for 90 seconds. This results in a soft, leopard-spotted pizza meant to be eaten with a fork and knife or folded like a sandwich. Meanwhile, Pizzana's pies are fermented for a whopping 48 hours before baking. The extended fermentation builds complexity, producing a light, flavorful crust with the perfect chew and char. The Neo Margherita plays with taste and texture without losing sight of its muse.

Pizzana's menu boasts several creative pies — like the pasta-inspired cacio e pepe pizza, which Jonathan Gold dubbed "a small miracle" — but it was the cheesy, not-too-oily, not-too-saucy, green breadcrumb-speckled Neo Margherita that truly won him over. To Gold, the pizza struck a unique balance between reverence and reinvention, which is precisely what Uditi strives for.

Gold compared Uditi's masterpiece to Pepe's: "Both pizzas demonstrate mastery of flavor, technique, and form," he wrote, "although Uditi favors a longer, slower pass through the fiery wood oven, which firms up the dough and encourages the crispness and occasional burnt bubbles that Pepe tends to eschew."

Gold had a gift for connecting food to the cultural fabric of L.A. When he patronized Pizzana — a chic, inviting establishment founded by Uditi along with actor Chris O'Donnell, his wife Caroline O'Donnell, and Candace and Charles Nelson of Sprinkles Cupcakes – locals and tourists paid attention. His glowing review even moved Uditi to tears of joy. After all, it concludes with an exceptional compliment: "Uditi is the real thing." Coming from a critic who valued authenticity, this heartfelt accolade meant everything. Gold died in 2018, but his decades-long career filled with honesty, curiosity, and respect for the stories behind food made an indelible mark. His tribute to Pizzana — especially the Neo Margherita — was a sign that pizza could be simultaneously conventional and fearless.