Alec Baldwin at a December 2021 event in New York.
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Evan Agostini
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Invision/AP
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Topline:
Actor and producer Alec Baldwin goes to trial in New Mexico this week for involuntary manslaughter. In October 2021, while he was rehearsing a scene for the western film Rust, the gun he was holding went off, fatally shooting cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.
Why it matters: The 66-year-old actor faces up to 18 months in prison if he’s convicted, but has pleaded not guilty. Since the shooting, he’s maintained his innocence, saying he was not responsible for the live bullet that was loaded into what was supposed to be a blank prop gun.
The backstory: In October 2021, while he was rehearsing a scene for the western film Rust, the gun he was holding went off, fatally shooting cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. The film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was responsible for guns and ammunition on the set. She was convicted of involuntary manslaughter earlier this year and is serving an 18-month prison sentence. Prosecutors argued that her negligence on set led to Halyna Hutchins’ death.
What's next: Baldwin has been busy working in Hollywood for the past few years. He’s starring as a logger in the action thriller Clear Cut, which comes out in theaters and on demand July 19, the same day Judge Sommer has said she wants the trial to end. Baldwin, his wife Hilaria and their seven children recently announced they’ll star in an upcoming reality series on TLC, “The Baldwins.”
Actor and producer Alec Baldwin goes to trial in New Mexico this week for involuntary manslaughter. In October 2021, while he was rehearsing a scene for the western film Rust, the gun he was holding went off, fatally shooting cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.
The 66-year-old actor faces up to 18 months in prison if he’s convicted, but has pleaded not guilty. Since the shooting, he’s maintained his innocence, saying he was not responsible for the live bullet that was loaded into what was supposed to be a blank prop gun.
A photograph of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on display during a vigil in her honor in Albuquerque, N.M., in October 2021.
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Andres Leighton
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AP
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After the accident, Baldwin went on national television to walk through the events on set at Bonanza Creek Ranch. He told ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos that he was handed the revolver and someone yelled “cold gun,” meaning the gun did not have live rounds.
“I take the gun and I start to cock the gun,” Baldwin explained on TV. “I let go of the hammer of the gun and the gun goes off…I didn't pull the trigger.”
That interview and other statements he made to the press and to police may be part of the evidence presented during his trial. Jury selection begins Tuesday and opening arguments begin the following day. New Mexico special prosecutor Kari Morrissey says she intends to prove his criminal culpability.
“Mr. Baldwin knew he had a real gun in his hand. Mr. Baldwin specifically asked for the biggest gun that was available. Mr. Baldwin knew and understood that dummy rounds look identical to live ammunition,” Morrissey told the judge in a pretrial hearing two weeks ago. Morrissey said Baldwin didn’t pay attention during a safety training on set. “Halyna Hutchins is dead,” she said, “because he didn't participate in the safety check.”
Alec Baldwin gestures while talking with investigators following the fatal on-set shooting that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in October 2021. Video of the conversation was released by the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office in 2022.
Halyna Hutchins’s widower, Matthew Hutchins, settled in court with Baldwin and other Rust producers. Hutchins became an executive producer on the Rust film, which continued production and wrapped up filming in Montana last year.
“I am saddened by the way the media sensationalized our traumatic tragedy and portrayed me as a complete monster, which has actually been the total opposite of what's been in my heart,” Gutierrez-Reed read aloud in a statement during her trial. “When I took on Rust, I was young and I was being naive, but I took my job as seriously as I knew how to. Despite not having proper time, resources and staffing when things got tough, I just did my best to handle it.”
State prosecutors indicated they may call Gutierrez-Reed to testify as a witness in Baldwin's trial, but it's not clear if she will end up taking the stand. Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer, who presided over her trial and will preside over Baldwin’s, said in a recent hearing that the armorer would likely not cooperate
Possible testimony at Baldwin’s trial
Also on the witness list prosecutors submitted for the trial: director Souza, script supervisor Mamie Mitchell and prop master Sarah Zachry, who were all on the set the day of the shooting. Film armorers Seth Kenney and Bryan W. Carpenter and firearms expert Lucien Haag may also be called on as experts.
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who worked as armorer on the set of Rust in New Mexico, arrives at her sentencing hearing in April. She was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in March and is serving an 18-month sentence.
Baldwin’s attempts to dismiss the charges against him
Baldwin’s attorneys also tried several last-ditch efforts to get the case against their client thrown out. Most recently, they blamed prosecutors for deliberately allowing the gun to be damaged during testing after the shooting. During a pretrial hearing two weeks ago, an FBI agent said he tested the gun to see if it would fire accidentally without pulling the trigger, even if it was jolted violently. He testified that he hammered the gun from different angles with a rawhide mallet. As a result, the gun was broken into pieces.
“It's kind of ironic in a case conceivably about an accident, the state somehow gets away with intentionally destroying the key evidence and depriving the defense of that evidence,” Baldwin’s attorney Alex Spiro told Judge Sommer. She ruled, however, that prosecutors did not act in bad faith when ordering the test and moved to proceed with the trial.
Meanwhile, Baldwin has been busy in Hollywood
Baldwin has been busy working in Hollywood for the past few years. He’s starring as a logger in the action thriller Clear Cut, which comes out in theaters and on demand July 19, the same day Judge Sommer has said she wants the trial to end.
Baldwin, his wife Hilaria and their seven children recently announced they’ll star in an upcoming reality series on TLC, “The Baldwins.”
Meanwhile, production of the indie film Rust finished last year in Montana, with Halyna Hutchins’ widower Matthew as executive producer — a position he negotiated as part of the wrongful death settlement he made with the production company.
It’s still unclear exactly when or where that film will be shown; Rust still doesn’t have distribution deals.
Robbie Robertson (Lamorne Morris) in "Spider-Noir."
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Aaron Epstein / Prime
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Topline:
Actor/comedian Lamorne Morris is best known for his roles in the 2010s sitcom New Girl and the dramatic Fargo TV series, which earned him an Emmy. In Spider-Noir, Morris says he got to borrow from both experiences, and “play in both the levity and the stakes.”
Read on... for his take on Marvel fans and working with Nicolas Cage.
In the new live-action Prime Video series Spider-Noir, based on the Marvel comic Spider-Man Noir, actor and comedian Lamorne Morris plays a reporter named Robbie Robertson who is best friends with Ben Reilly (played by Nicolas Cage), a private investigator grappling with his superhero past.
Morris is best known for his roles as Winston in the 2010s sitcom New Girl (which he currently co-hosts a rewatch podcast about called The Mess Around), and more recently as a North Dakota deputy in FX’s Fargo, which earned him an Emmy.
In Spider-Noir, Morris told LAist host Julia Paskin that he got to borrow from both experiences, and “play in both the levity and the stakes.”
And while the show is set in a version of 1930s New York City, it was filmed in Los Angeles. Morris noted, “ Downtown L.A. looks probably more like 1930s New York than New York does,” and confirmed a fun tidbit — a real-life bar used as a filming location in the series, The Prince in Koreatown, was also regularly featured in New Girl.
Morris stars alongside Nicolas Cage who Spiderman fans will remember as the voice of a version of Spider-Noir in the 2018 animated film Into the Spider-Verse. The Amazon Prime series does blend in some original comic book characters like Joseph “Robbie” Robertson, played by Morris.
Some highlights of their conversation are below, including why the anticipation of comic book fans’ reactions to the show made him more nervous than meeting Nicolas Cage for the first time.
Entering the MCU, where fans are ‘serious’
While Morris said he welcomes fan reactions to his work, going back to his New Girl days (“ I love when I read fan feedback [...] I'm one of those actors that can appreciate it”) entering the Marvel Cinematic Universe, where fans can be “ real precious about their characters,” did intimidate him a bit.
”It being a comic book genre, that's where I feel the pressure because the fans are serious. The fans are like, ‘Hey, don't f--- this up.’ And you're just like, "Okay. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.’ So that pressure is there. We've gotten some pretty cool reviews so far, [but] the ultimate test is what the fans are saying. That's the final boss right there.”
Morris said the advantage of portraying the character of Robbie Robertson was that while there is some information about him in the comic books, and a portrayal of Robertson by the late actor Bill Nunn (who Wilson called “one of the greats”) in the 2000s Spider-Man trilogy of films by director Sam Raimi — there still was some room for Morris to make his own interpretations of the character.
“I got a chance to really make Robbie my own,” Morris said. “Which is all you can ask for.”
A real-life and a fictional inspiration
In doing some research on real-life Black reporters from that era, Morris’s friend brought up reporter Ted Poston, who was the first Black reporter for The New York Post (and only the third Black reporter to work for a major daily New York City newspaper) and was with the paper for more than three decades, from 1936 to 1972.
After finding out about Poston’s life and work, Morris said, ”uncovering truths and breaking down walls [...] it was one of those things where I said, ‘Man. I know I'm doing research on Robbie Robertson, but I would love to shed more light on Ted Poston just because he meant so much to culture and he meant so much to the profession of journalism.”
Another inspiration was the 1995 film Devil in a Blue Dress, starring Denzel Washington and Don Cheadle, and based on Walter Mosley’s novel set in post-WWII Los Angeles.
When showrunner Oren Uziel encouraged Morris to lean into an “old-timey” texture and tone for the character’s way of speaking, paying homage to “the noir of it all, to the black-and-white of it all” (all of the episodes of the series are available in both color and black-and-white) Morris looked for a character from around that time period who wouldn’t sound “too cartoony” or “over the top.”
So he watched Devil in a Blue Dress and studied Washington and Cheadle’s approaches: “They came at it from two different energies. And I thought if I can watch two master actors make two completely different choices, but they both work brilliantly for the film, then [it was] dealer's choice for myself.”
Getting past his own fandom, with Nicolas Cage
When it came to working with Nicolas Cage, Morris said he had to work past his own fandom to get to a place where he could work comfortably.
To do that, Morris said, he tried to get his “million” questions out of his system as quickly as possible — like “What’s it like being Nic Cage?” and “What do you eat for lunch?”
When he went on a weekend trip with friends to New Orleans, Morris said he texted Cage, who he’d heard “bought a haunted hotel or something in New Orleans” — a mansion, it turns out — and asked Cage what they should do.
“The messages I got back in return were insane,” Morris said. “He broke down every restaurant, who to talk to when I got there, where to get the best drinks, where to get this, where to get that.”
Beyond being a lesson that meeting your heroes isn’t always a bad idea, Morris said it also served a purpose for the work they were doing.
”What you're doing is you're breaking down those walls so you can remove those nerves,” Morris explained. “When you don't know someone personally and you have to jump right into something where you're best friends, you need to build that chemistry quickly. So for me, that's what it was. It was just being silly, asking him everything.”
Gab Chabrán
covers what's happening in food and culture for LAist.
Published June 4, 2026 7:00 AM
On a Friday afternoon at Mai Phát Mì Gia, the rooster plates keep coming — dry egg noodles, plump dumplings, and a side broth.
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Topline:
Cheap Fast Eats heads to Little Saigon in Westminster, where five spots along Bolsa Avenue deliver some of the most distinctive Vietnamese food in Southern California for around $15 a stop.
Why it matters: Little Saigon is one of the most striking ethnoburbs in the country — a community built by Vietnamese refugees who arrived after the fall of Saigon in 1975 and faced active resistance from the cities that would eventually become their home. What they built along Bolsa Avenue isn't just a food destination. It's a statement. Every bowl of mì khô, every bánh khọt, every bò kho served out of a strip mall storefront is the result of that determination.
Why now: With the 50th anniversary of the fall of Saigon in 2025 and the 2026 World Cup drawing attention to immigrant communities and their contributions to Southern California's cultural fabric, there's no better moment to pull up a chair on Bolsa Avenue and eat like a local.
Fifteen dollars. That’s all it takes to eat well in Little Saigon in Orange County — one of the most striking ethnoburbs in the country. (An ethnoburb, for the uninitiated, is a suburban community where an ethnic minority has put down roots so deep that the neighborhood adapts to them, not the other way around.)
Since the fall of Saigon in 1975, Vietnamese refugees have built something here in the face of a community that didn’t always want them, determined to create a better life.
Along Bolsa Avenue, in Westminster there's an unbroken stretch of Vietnamese restaurants, bakeries, markets and cafes, filled with everyone from manual laborers to the Little Saigon equivalent of Crazy Rich Asians, dripping with a quiet elegance. All rub shoulders over bowls of noodles in a kind of perfect harmony that feels specific to the area.
The food is uniformly excellent, and if you know where to look, inexpensive. You can eat like a local for around $15 a stop.
This is Cheap Fast Eats: Little Saigon.
Carrot & Daikon Banh Mi
The heo quay banh mi at Carrot & Daikon Banh Mi in Westminster.
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Of course, there’s no shortage of banh mi places to try in Westminster. But Carrot & Daikon was calling my name the day I visited, particularly for its crispy pork belly banh mi, based on the traditional Vietnamese recipe known as heo quay, where the signature ultra-crispy crackling skin and tender meat are seasoned with a five-spice blend.
Taking a bite causes an immediate jolt to the senses. The ultra-crunchy crust of the pork belly does a little jig against the soft interior of the baguette, highlighted by shredded carrots and daikon, fresh cucumber spears, and thin rounds of jalapeño that drive the whole thing home. At $8.99, it’ll get you where you need to go — and fast.
Carrot & Daikon Banh Mi on Bolsa Avenue in Westminster.
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Location: 9016 Bolsa Ave., Westminster Hours: Open daily 6 a.m.–7 p.m Instagram:@carrotanddaikon
Mama Hieu’s
Chicken wings feel like another no-brainer when it comes to Cheap Fast Eats. Perhaps it’s because they’re a bit of an Achilles heel for yours truly — whenever there’s a new spot to try, I’m always there, licking my lips, ready to sink my teeth in.
Nho Thi Le and her son Jimmy started Mama Hieu's out of their home in 2020. The neon inside their Westminster restaurant now reads "Your Neighborhood Chicken Dealer."
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What sets Mama Hieu's apart is the technique. Forget buffalo-style wings slathered in sauce — here, the flavor comes from dry rubs and fresh aromatics, the kind of approach that lets the chicken do the talking. Think dressed-up Southern-style fried chicken with a Vietnamese accent.
What started as a home pop-up launched by Nho Thi Le and her son Jimmy in 2020 has since grown into one of Little Saigon's most talked-about spots — a testament to what happens when a family recipe meets an insatiable neighborhood appetite.
The House Box Specialty at Mama Hieu's Vietnamese Fried Chicken.
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Mama Hieu’s keeps it simple with four wing flavors — original garlic, spicy garlic, fish sauce glazed, and salted egg yolk — but simple is doing a lot of heavy lifting here. I went with the House Box Specialty ($15.99), splitting it between original garlic and spicy garlic, served with two scoops of white rice, a fried onion garnish, and housemade pickled veggies on the side.
Biting into the tooth-shatteringly crisp skin, it's easy to see why the lines haven't stopped since they opened. Two flavors at once, each distinct and confident — a chicken wing powerhouse of the highest order.
There’s a lot to be said about the charm of a place like Le Croissant Doré. The name alone suggests a French-inspired bakery, which wouldn’t exactly be out of place in these parts, given Vietnam’s French colonial history.
Le Croissant Doré on Bolsa Avenue.
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Gab Chabrán
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And while yes, there are pastries to be had, that’s not why I came. I was here for the bò kho ($13.95) — Vietnamese beef stew. Originating in South Vietnam, it’s a dish whose influence spans beyond its home country to China and France, having evolved from French stews like beef bourguignon: slow-braised, served alongside a crusty baguette, and warmed by star anise, cinnamon and five spice.
It’s a surprisingly elegant dish given the humble café surroundings, but it feels entirely appropriate for Vietnamese cuisine — a culture shaped by years of colonization and mass migration that somehow produces some of the most comforting food on earth.
Bò kho at Le Croissant Doré French Bakery & Restaurant.
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Dipping the warm baguette into the deep crimson sauce — almost velvet-like in its consistency as it coats the soft inside of the bread — you layer delicately cooked, slightly sweet stew and fresh veg into each bite. It’s the kind of dish that makes you slow down, which, on Bolsa Avenue, is saying something.
Location: 9122 Bolsa Ave., Westminster Hours: Open daily 7 a.m.– 6 p.m. No website or Instagram
Mai Phát Mì Gia
Occasionally when I’m out trying new places, I’m struck with a feeling of instant familiarity — a sense of having been somewhere before, despite never having set foot in it. On this particular trip, that place was Mai Phát Mì Gia.
Maybe it was the large table of ten or twelve people in the middle of the room, working their way through what looked like the entire menu. A picture of a family who had carved out a Friday afternoon, apparently not for any special occasion, but simply to be together — catching up about everything and nothing in particular, all generations bonding over bowls of noodles and dumplings.
Inside Mai Phát Mì Gia on Bolsa Avenue.
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I was there for a similar reason — not with family, but with an appetite and a mission. The order: Mì Sủi Cảo Khô ($15.99), dry egg noodles tossed in soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and chili, deep golden in color, topped with thin slices of char siu pork, crispy bits of lard, green onion, garlic chives, and lettuce. And tucked just underneath, like an Academy Award-winning supporting performance, a fried wonton that holds its own on this stage of deliciousness.
Alongside it, a small bowl of sủi cảo — plump dumplings filled with minced pork, fresh shrimp, wood ear mushroom, green onion, and shallot, scattered with more green onion and dusted with white pepper that makes each bite almost pop. A small, clear broth comes on the side, a quiet palate cleanser that earns its place.
By the end of it, I found myself in quiet awe — not just of the food itself, but of how balanced and nourishing it all was. Every element of the dish carried a deep sense of welcome and comfort, the kind that hits whether you’re sharing it with a colleague or an entire family, every single time.
Location: 9191 Bolsa Ave., Westminster Hours: Open daily 10 a.m.–10 p.m. Instagram: @maiphatnoodlehouse
Bánh Khọt Lady
Just a few minutes off Bolsa on McFadden Avenue, Bánh Khọt Lady is the kind of place that rewards the detour. One thing that becomes abundantly clear after spending a few days eating here: there's a deep level of understanding when it comes to street food.
Bánh Khọt Lady on McFadden Avenue in Westminster.
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Perhaps the best example is Bánh Khọt Lady, which specializes in miniature savory pancakes from South Vietnam. Made from rice flour mixed with turmeric and coconut milk, and topped with shrimp and ground pork, they have a rich, savory flavor and a crispy exterior, all packed into one or two small bites.
Don't let the size fool you — the combo box at Bánh Khọt Lady in Westminster packs five crispy bánh khọt, two egg rolls, and a generous bundle of fresh herbs.
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And as if the bánh khọt alone weren’t enough, there’s a combo box ($13.99) that comes with five of them alongside two crispy egg rolls, a bundle of fresh herbs — cilantro, purple Thai basil, lettuce — for wrapping, and a fish sauce dipping sauce that ties everything together. Eat them at one of the tiny bamboo tables out front and you’ll understand immediately why street food culture in Vietnam doesn’t need a dining room to make a lasting impression.
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Destiny Torres
is LAist's general assignment reporter and brings you the top news you need for the day.
Published June 4, 2026 5:00 AM
California’s newly redrawn District 40 will likely be represented by a Republican congressperson.
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Trevor Stamp
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LAist
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Topline:
Despite the state’s redistricting efforts, California’s District 40 will likely be represented by a Republican congressperson. As of Thursday morning, Ken Calvert is about 15 percentage points ahead of Young Kim and both appear to make the November ballot in the race to represent the newly redrawn region.
Background: Last year, California voters allowed the state to use new congressional maps for this year’s elections in response to the congressional redistricting in Texas powered by Republicans. Kim represented the old version of District 40.
How did the district change? California’s 40th District was originally made up mostly of Orange County cities. In the new maps, the district includes more of the Inland Empire, including Murrieta, Lake Elsinore and Menifee.
Read on … for what the Primary Election could mean for November.
Despite the state’s redistricting efforts, California’s District 40 will likely be represented by a Republican congressperson. As of Thursday morning, Ken Calvert is about15 percentage points ahead of Young Kim and both appear to make the November ballot in the race to represent the newly redrawn region.
Last year, California voters allowed the state to use new congressional maps for this year’s elections in response to the congressional redistricting in Texas powered by Republicans. Kim represented the old version of District 40.
California’s 40th District was originally made up mostly of Orange County cities. In the new maps, the district covers more communities in the Inland Empire, including Murrieta, Lake Elsinore and Menifee.
What do the early results say about the region?
Mike Moodian, a Chapman University lecturer and public policy analyst, said District 40 was always an uphill battle for Democrats because of registration numbers.
“The powers that be that drew those lines basically figured that … they would concede that more or less to a Republican, so that they could allow for comfortable margins. They could allow Democrats to pick up some seats elsewhere in the state,” Moodian told the LAist.
Moodian said Calvert’s significant lead ahead of Kim could be because more than half the District is Calvert’s old district.
The 40th was redrawn as a “Republican voter sink,” Christian Grose, USC professor of political science, told the LAist.
“I think it's the only Republican district remaining in all Southern California,” Grose said. “So, in some ways, it's not that surprising that two long-term impressive incumbents are fighting each other in the general.”
The person who comes in first in the primaries typically advances, but not always, Grose added.
“Kim will presumably try to get some of the Democratic and independent voters who didn't vote for either one of them,” Grose said. She might be better positioned for that.”
Is this a loss for Democrats?
Not quite, Moodian said. The two Republicans will now have to spend a significant amount of money to beat each other in November, he added.
“Obviously, local Democrats and Democrats in District 40 are certainly not excited about the fact that two Republicans have advanced, but to me this is what the statewide Democrats had in mind when they redrew the lines,” Moodian said. “This allows them to attempt to pick up more seats, and at the same time basically eliminate one Republican congressmember by having these two face off against each other.”
What do the candidates say?
In a statement, Calvert said Tuesday night’s early results show "that voters want an effective and consistent conservative who has been with President Trump from Day One.”
Chris Pack, spokesperson for Young Kim, said in a statement, “Despite being outspent 10 to 1, we are confident that Congresswoman Kim will be advancing to the November election and that she’ll put an end to Ken Calvert’s 30-plus years of failing to deliver for the people of Southern California."
What’s next?
The two top candidates will likely face off in the November election. It could take days for results to finalize in California. Keep up to date with the Primary Election results here.
Gab Chabrán
covers what's happening in food and culture for LAist.
Published June 4, 2026 5:00 AM
A pizzaiolo finishing a Neapolitan-style pie.
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Susana Capra/L.A. LIVE/Capra Photography
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Courtesy Pizza City Fest
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Topline:
From Westwood to Long Beach, L.A.'s pizza renaissance is in full swing. We've rounded up ten spots serving inventive, crust-forward pies that reflect the city's multicultural identity just in time for the World Cup.
Why it matters: L.A. pizza doesn't follow anyone's rulebook. Sourdough starters, five-day fermentations, Crab Rangoon slices, NJ-style pies made in Montecito Heights — the city's pizzaiolos pull from every direction, which is exactly what makes the scene worth paying attention to.
Why now: Twenty million visitors are expected in L.A. for the World Cup. Many locals will be passionately rooting for their teams. All will likely be looking for a slice at some point. This guide makes sure you find the right one.
Los Angeles is in the midst of a pizza renaissance. Pizzaiolos across the city are slicing up unique takes on pies that pull from multiple influences — local, global, and everything in between, just like Los Angeles itself.
It's like that playlist you make for your friends — a little jazz, rock, hip-hop, country and pop. That's L.A.-style pizza. Because the region isn't beholden to any specific pizza standards, chefs can use all the best parts of what makes a great pie.
Which means I’m fully prepared to say that L.A. is currently making pizza better than any other city across the globe. Fighting talk, I know, but this is a hill I'm willing to die on.
With soccer fans from around the world descending on L.A. this summer, as well as passionate locals cheering on their favorite squad, there's a chance that many will work up an appetite. From the Eastside to Long Beach, the city is ready with inventive takes on crust and toppings, served up fresh to satisfy all your melty, cheesy cravings.
Westwood
Danny Boy's Famous Original
A spread of slices at Danny Boy's Famous Original in Westwood, including pepperoni, white with mushrooms, sausage, and cheese.
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Chef Daniel Holzman has been told he's doing it wrong. His New York-style pizza at Danny Boy's Famous Original — with locations in DTLA, Westwood, and Woodland Hills — relies on a four- to five-day fermentation, well beyond what's customary for the style. But the proof is in the slice: buttery, flaky, soft and chewy, with a crust that develops a complex structure most pizza makers never bother to chase. Don't sleep on the sausage and mozzarella slice, made with freshly ground in-house meat, you can taste with every bite.
Location and hours: Westwood: 10889 Lindbrook Dr., L.A. | Mon–Sun, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
DTLA: 330 S. Hope St., L.A. | Mon–Tues, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Wed–Fri, 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Sat–Sun 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
The best of both worlds : a cheese slice with arrabbiata sauce and a vegan slice made with spicy crushed tomatoes, cashew mozzarella, red pepper, white onion, almond parmesan and fresh basil.
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You'll find the quasi-vegan pizzeria called Hot Tongue Pizza in Silver Lake. I use the term quasi because they started as vegan only and then added meat options later. Each slice costs around $6, but Hot Tongue also offers a great combo lunch option: two slices and a canned soda for $10.
If you're an omnivore like yours truly, you can go both ways. Get one vegan slice, such as their Arrabbiata with cashew mozzarella, spicy tomato sauce, roasted red peppers, white onion, basil and almond parmesan. It's saucy, sweet, and filled with fresh flavors. Then get their cheese slice, with grated parmesan cheese and mozzarella. The vast, sizable slices hit the spot with their chewy, sweet crust. If you're dining in, douse your pizza slices with Zab's Hot Sauce for a bit more sweet heat.
Location: 2590 Glendale Blvd., Los Angeles Hours: Mon–Fri, noon to 9 p.m.; Sat 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sun 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
LaSorted's
A slice of pepperoni pizza amongst slices of burrata and cheese and Adriana from La Sorted's Pizza.
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Tommy Brockert was an L.A. event photographer when his then-girlfriend, now wife, gave him an Ooni pizza oven. That led him to enroll in a one-day pizza-making class, where he was hooked and began stumbling down the rabbit hole of crafting his own naturally leavened sourdough pizza crusts. When his income dried up at the start of the pandemic, he had the crazy idea of selling his homemade pizzas off the front porch of his home in Echo Park. It was so successful that he now runs his own pizza shop, LaSorted's, in Silver Lake, just down the road from where he used to sell his porch pizzas — with a second sit-down location in Chinatown.
A good place to start is the Mamba, prepared as a regular cheese slice or with pepperoni. Its name comes from the late Laker great Kobe Bryant, who once said he ate a pepperoni pizza before scoring 81 points in a single game in 2006. The Upside Down Mamba is perhaps the most texturally interesting pie on the menu — their cheese pizza flipped, with a three-cheese blend serving as its base, then topped thoroughly with tomato sauce, sprinkled with flaky sea salt, and Sicilian oregano. Think about how a producer takes a snippet of a song and creates a new song based on it. Brockert accomplishes something similar with his pizza — it's both specifically Los Angeles and distinctly his own.
Location and hours: Silver Lake: 2847 Sunset Blvd., L.A. | Daily, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Chinatown: 984 N. Broadway, L.A. | Mon–Thurs, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Fri–Sat 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.; Sun 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Old Gold Tomato Pies
A tray of slices at Old Gold Tomato Pies in Los Feliz, including the Crab Rangoon slice, the Godson with burrata, and the Moral High Ground vegan option.
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Gab Chabrán
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LAist
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Old Gold Tomato Pies feels like the older punk sibling who got really into the Grateful Dead — adorned with the kind of hippie-meets-hardcore energy that jives perfectly with its Los Feliz surroundings. The classic slice shop vibe is immediately welcoming, and the menu rewards the adventurous. The Crab Rangoon slice is the one to try. Premium lump crab from Indonesia — no imitation stuff here — tastes fresh and pairs well with a cream cheese topping for a rich dairy element. The party doesn't stop there: sweet chili sauce mingles with crispy wonton skins and fresh scallions in a combination that might sound like too much. But the Sicilian crust — light and airy on the inside, crispy on the outside — ties it all together and makes any apprehension about your choice go right out the window.
Location: 4681 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles Hours: Mon–Thurs 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Fri–Sat 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sun 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Mid-City
Apollonia's Pizza
Some of the best pizza you can find in L.A., and it's sold by the slice at Apollonia's Pizzeria on Wilshire Boulevard.
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Brian Feinzimer
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LAist
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Justin De Leon, owner and head pizza maker at Apollonia's Pizza, grew up on pizza. His first job was working at a pizza restaurant when he was 13. The modest menu might make you wonder if this is really some of the best pizza in Los Angeles. But you'll quickly understand why after your first bite — or encountering the long lines outside his standing-room-only, cash-only pizzeria off Wilshire Boulevard.
De Leon has been a lifelong student who has broken down pizza into its fundamental elements. If you ask what defines his pizza craft, he'll say his job is to "simplify it." Start with a traditional slice of De Leon's cheese pie. "I was looking for something thin, light, and crispy," De Leon said. Well, he found it. Next, try the square slice — notice the crispy, frico cheese crust that rises along the sides, giving it a 3-D effect. De Leon describes L.A.-style pizza as a mixture of various styles. In his own words, "To me, L.A. pizza is a mix of everything." Now with a second location on Crenshaw.
Location and hours: Wilshire: 5176 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles | Wed–Sun noon to 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Crenshaw: 3860 Crenshaw Blvd. #101, Los Angeles (behind Earle's) | Wed–Sun noon to 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Closed Monday and Tuesday
Northeast LA
Bub and Grandma's Pizza
Bub and Grandma’s Pizza in Northeast Los Angeles offers East Coast–style slices on sourdough crust with fresh toppings.
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Gab Chabrán
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LAist
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The newest kid on the block on York Boulevard in Highland Park, Bub and Grandma's offers East Coast-style pizza on a sourdough crust that's thin, but don't let that fool you — it's airy and chewy with light char marks throughout. The pepperoni slice is the one to get, with perfectly cupped edges that create a level of synergy with the crust's char you won't soon forget. The meatball onion slice is a close second, with perfectly seasoned meat working harmoniously with caramelized white onions. Does this pizza have any business being this good? Either way, we're all better for it.
Location: 5101 York Blvd., Los Angeles Hours: Sunday–Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday–Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Wallflour Pizza
The $10 lunch special at Wallflour Pizza in Eagle Rock comes with a drink and and house salad.
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Gab Chabrán
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LAist
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Brandon and Carolina Conaway started selling pizzas out of their backyard in Highland Park during the pandemic under the name Quarantine Pizza Co., drawing from their diverse backgrounds — Brandon is Asian and white, Carolina is Latina — to create inventive, sourdough-forward pies that developed a cult following on the pop-up circuit. Now brick-and-mortar for about a year on Colorado Boulevard in Eagle Rock, Wallflour is the next chapter. The naturally leavened, Neapolitan-inspired pies are the main event, but don't overlook the $10 lunch special — available daily from noon to 4 p.m. — which includes a focaccia square slice pepperoni and cheese options, a side of house salad, and a soda or sparkling water. And keep an eye on their seasonal specials, check their Instagram for before you go.
Location: 2128 Colorado Blvd., Eagle Rock Hours: Wednesday–Sunday, noon to 8:30 p.m. Closed Monday and Tuesday.
Secret Pizza
What happens when an East Coast transplant starts making pizza on the Eastside of L.A.? You get Secret Pizza, Sean Lango's New Jersey-style pizza, with a variety of options available daily.
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Gab Chabrán
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LAist
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New Jersey-style pizza might be a product of the Garden State, but it's one of my favorite East Coast-style pies, New York or otherwise. Secret Pizza was founded by Sean Lango, who began cooking pizza out of his Hollywood apartment before opening his pizzeria in the foothills of Montecito Heights. He calls his pizza New Jersey-style because he's from there and wanted to protect himself from the wrath of purist New Yorkers, who weren't happy with outsiders laying claim to their turf. What makes his pizza so memorable? Its simplicity. The thin crust gives way to a stellar crispy underside, providing an excellent texture, topped off by a tangy sauce. Sure, you could add different toppings, but Lango's pie — crushed tomatoes, a small amount of mozzarella, topped with aged pecorino — is perfect as it is. Sometimes, when you rely on a good, uncomplicated formula, good things happen.
Location: 3501 Monterey Rd., Los Angeles Hours: Wednesday–Sunday, 4–9 p.m. Closed Monday and Tuesday.
DTLA
Pizzeria Bianco
The red sauce and green sauce slices at Pizzeria Bianco are both bursting with flavor and textures.
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Gab Chabrán
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LAist
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Chris Bianco's temple of pizza cookery, Pizzeria Bianco at The Row near downtown is always worth seeking out. Plus, you can't beat free two-hour parking. Grab either their red or green slice: the red slice showcases their all-killer, no-filler approach with only house cheese blend and tomato sauce. The green contains caciocavallo, a soft Italian cheese, parmesan, and spinach cream sauce. Both slices come in a signature pizza crust that's well-cooked with a tight pull on each bite.
Location: 1320 E 7th St. #100, Los Angeles Hours: Monday–Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Note: Located at ROW DTLA. Entrance off Alameda & Center St. (not 7th Street). Free two-hour parking in the garage.
Long Beach
Milana's New York Pizzeria
The Sheepshead Bay slice from Long Beach's Milana's always hits.
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Gab Chabrán
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LAist
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I could not make a pizza list without mentioning one of my favorites in my hometown of Long Beach, Milana's The New York-style pie joint specializes in a series of East Coast-style pies, but the standout for me is the Sheepshead Bay, made with house-made meatballs topped with pillow-soft dollops of ricotta and sprinkled with bits of basil. This exceptionally piled slice features a great combination of flavors — the soft creaminess of the cheese, with just a hint of sharpness that perfectly cuts through the fattiness of the sliced meatballs, and both soft and crispy elements that defy categorization and drive the whole thing home.
Location: 165 E. 4th St., Long Beach Hours: Mon–Thurs, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Fri–Sat 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sun 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
