Move over, New York. Step aside, San Francisco. If you're talking about pizza in 2025, there’s one city making serious dough: Oakland.
It’s bold. It’s creative. And it’s absolutely obsessed with pizza.
From wood-fired artisans to vegan flavor rebels, from street-side slices to perfectly blistered crusts fresh out of a brick oven, Oakland is where the true pizza party is happening. At Amici’s, we’ve had a front-row seat to the rise of this cheesy, saucy revolution, and we’re here to make one thing clear: the Bay’s real slice capital is across the bridge.
Whether you’re a crust connoisseur, a toppings maximalist, or just someone who respects a good cheese pull, Oakland’s pizza scene has something for you. Let’s dig in.
The Pizza Boom in Oakland: What Changed?
Just five years ago, Oakland's pizza story was solid, but now? It's leveled up in a big way.
The post-2020 food scene brought a fresh energy. Ambitious chefs and creative pop-ups moved in, choosing Oakland’s vibrant, open-minded neighborhoods over SF’s steeper rents and more restrictive dining scene. The result? An explosion of pizza joints doing things their own way and nailing it.
Pizza trucks park next to live music shows. Brick-and-mortar spots host slice happy hours. Ghost kitchens run late-night delivery with spicy innovation. There’s even pizza art and merch popping up around the streets.
Through it all, Amici’s has stayed true to its roots while embracing the new wave. We’ve kept the East Coast flavors strong, but leaned into the Bay’s spirit of experimentation, honoring the classics while making them 100% Bay Area.
What Makes Oakland’s Pizza Scene So Unique
Oakland’s pizza isn’t trying to copy anyone. It’s building its own legacy, slice by slice.
Here, you’ll find combinations that shouldn’t work, but totally do. Think jerk chicken and pineapple on sourdough crust. Or kimchi, mozzarella, and scallion oil with a fermented base. There are Detroit-style square pies. Neapolitan pizzas that bubble and blister to perfection. Even cauliflower crusts that somehow taste legit.
The best part? There’s no one “correct” way to do it. Whether you're a deep-dish loyalist or a thin-crust minimalist, there’s a place for you in Oakland’s pizza ecosystem.
At Amici’s, we love that energy. We honor the brick oven traditions of our roots, but always look for the next flavor wave. That means seasonal specials and surprise toppings that make you do a double-take, then immediately grab another slice.
Battle of the Bay: Why Oakland > SF When It Comes to Pizza
Let’s get real: San Francisco has history. But Oakland has hunger.
Hunger for flavor. Hunger for community. Hunger for new ideas.
While SF pizzerias sometimes lean into the polished, white-tablecloth pizza experience, Oakland’s about soul. It's about sharing slices on your stoop, supporting your neighbor’s pop-up, and finding the best pie at 4 p.m. on a Thursday, sometimes even scoring 20% off Amici’s monthly specials and on half-baked pizzas for pickup and delivery from the Oakland ghost kitchen.
Oakland pizza is gritty, generous, and full of heart. The chefs care. The ingredients are thoughtful. The crust is never an afterthought.
And sure, we’re a little biased. Amici’s has called the East Bay home for years, and we’ve seen the passion here firsthand.
Our fans? Loyal.
Our ingredients? Fresh and bold.
Our ovens? Always hot.
We serve up slices with personality, and in Oakland, that’s exactly what people want.
Must-Try Pizzas in Oakland (Besides Ours... But Seriously, Try Ours)
Oakland’s pizza map is dotted with gems, and while we’d love for you to live on Amici’s alone, here are a few other must-try classics:
New York
The timeless classic. Just cheese and tomato sauce on that perfect, foldable crust. Simple, satisfying, and always a winner.
Margherita
Fresh tomatoes, basil, olive oil, and mozzarella over tomato sauce. Light, flavorful, and bursting with garden-fresh vibes.
One Step Beyond
Beyond Meat sausage, roasted red bell peppers, red onions, and baby arugula make this plant-based pie a flavor powerhouse. Vegan cheese is available, too.
Philly
Roasted green peppers, caramelized onions, and housemade Italian sausage (hot or mild) bring the East Coast energy. Hearty, bold, and an instant crowd-pleaser.
But when you want that tried-and-true, NY-style slice with the brick-oven crunch and the perfect cheese pull? Amici’s has your table ready.
Pizza Trends We’re Loving in 2025
Here’s what’s hot (literally) in the pizza world this year:
Spicy drizzles like chili crisp and ghost pepper oil are dominating.
Unexpected sweet-savory combos: grape and pancetta, pineapple and jalapeño. Honey drizzle.
Plant-based meats and alt-cheeses that don’t compromise on taste.
Half-and-half pies for twice the flavor.
Thoughtful pairings: breweries and pizzerias teaming up for epic beer + slice nights.
At Amici’s in Oakland, we’ve leaned hard into the movement by crafting classic pies, rotating heat levels, and working with local farms to bring freshness you can actually taste. We call it pizza with purpose and plenty of flavor.
Pizza Is Culture in Oakland
Oakland’s not just building a food scene, it’s building a pizza movement.
There are muralists painting pizzas. Bands dropping songs named after their favorite slice spots. Even fundraisers and food drives are led by pizzerias that give back.
Amici’s is proud to be part of it all. We believe in using great food to fuel a bigger impact. Because in this city, pizza is more than a meal. It’s how we connect.
Oakland Is the Bay’s True Slice Capital
Let’s call it like it is: Oakland owns the pizza crown in 2025.
Why? Because it’s got flavor, community, creativity, and fire (both literal and metaphorical). It’s where chefs take risks and customers cheer them on. It’s where the crust is never soggy, the toppings always matter, and the pizza game just keeps getting stronger.
So next time you’re craving a slice that hits all the right notes, make it Oakland. And better yet, make it Amici’s.
We’re here with the brick-oven magic, the classic recipes, the bold experiments, and the community love that earned Oakland the title.
Bring your appetite. Bring your friends. Be ready to taste what makes Oakland number one.