Restaurant of the Month: Paisano's Pizza

South Bay Events presents its pick of the month for February 2011!

Finding a good slice of pizza in the South Bay often leads one through a juggernaut of mazes that twist around corporate franchises, frozen food aisles, and bad word of mouth. But pizza is a comfort food that is considered by many to be a fine art. That’s why SB Event’s Restaurant of the Month for February is arguably, no toss up, the best place in the South Bay to consume a slice of pizza or ingest a whole pie. Known informally as Paisano’s and located at 1132 Hermosa Avenue just south of Pier Avenue next to Greeko’s, Paisano’s Pizza & Pasta melts N.Y. style pizza into the mouths of all its hungry patrons.

East coast accents like the green awning above the entrance, red & white checkered tablecloths, and a wide range of New York memorabilia, from Robert Dinero to the Brooklyn Bridge, give the feeling of an authentic, family-run, pizza joint. The slices here are pre-cooked and are ready for immediate selection. Before choosing your favorite slice, be sure to peer into the rotating tower of slices where you’ll find traditional cheese & pepperoni slices as well as Hawaiian and vegetable too. Don’t leave without sampling the BBQ Chicken slice; it’s a late night favorite.

Be aware though, trying to lasso a slice at Paisano’s after the Hermosa bar crowd has drank their full and stampeded in line for a late night bite can often be like wrestling a drunken stranger for a glass of water at last call. The more conservative sit-down crowd can easily be seated during the day and families with kids are welcome. Order a whole pizza or a calzone and you’ll never regret it. The pizzas are N.Y. style, which means the pizza is thin, the slices are large enough to fill you up, and the sauce is critical. The pre-cooked slices are tasty but if you want a bite of the South Bay’s best pizza order a whole pizza fresh from the oven or call it in for a pick up. The array of pizza flavors is typical at Paisano’s but if you want a head start to pizza heaven, order the White Pizza and you’ll see the light.

Paisanos Pizza is located at 1132 Hermosa Avenue; Hermosa Beach, CA 90254. (310) 376-9983