“Pizza City Fest is some serious pie put on by a bunch of nerds who know how to party.”
These are the words of Long Beach pizzaiolo and Speak Cheezy owner Jason Winters as five Long Beach pizzerias—Belmont Shore’s Colossus; Retro Row’s Due Fiori; Bibxy Knolls’s Nonna Mercato and Thunderbolt; and his own Speak Cheezy in Belmont Heights—will be reppin’ Long Beach at this year’s fourth annual Pizza City Fest, the region’s largest festival dedicated to the mighty pie.
“I’m so excited to bring Pizza City Fest LA back for a fourth consecutive year. The more I visit and eat around SoCal, the more I’m impressed with the quality. And it goes well beyond Los Angeles’ traditional boundaries. We’re finding great pizzas in Oxnard, Corona, the I.E., and of course, Long Beach.”
And Colossus? That was a last-minute score. “One of our pizzerias had to drop out last week. And we were able to secure Colossus, a fantastic sourdough bakery. Everyone is singing the praises of Kristin Colazas Rodriguez’s artisan pizzas.”
The array of Long Beach pizza talent being represented is indicative of the quick evolution of pizza in the city.
What makes Long Beach’s presence at this year’s Pizza City Fest especially satisfying is that it reflects something locals have been feeling for years now: the city’s pizza scene is no longer emerging. It has arrived.
For decades, Long Beach had dependable neighborhood pizza, but not necessarily the kind that drew regional attention. That has changed dramatically over the past several years, as a new generation of operators began approaching pizza not simply as comfort food but as craft. Thinking deeply about fermentation. Flour. Sourcing. Regional styles. And what kind of identity a pie can carry within a neighborhood. The result is that Long Beach now produces pizzas that are distinct enough, disciplined enough, and confident enough to stand comfortably beside some of Southern California’s most talked-about names.
The five Long Beach businesses represented at Pizza City Fest feel less like a surprise and more like overdue recognition.
Meet the pizzerias…
- Colossus has long embodied the idea that great pizza often begins with great bread. Before many local operators were openly talking about natural fermentation or dough development, Colossus had already built its reputation around naturally leavened breads and patient process. Its pizza carries that same philosophy: crust with depth, chew, and structure that reflects a bakery-first mentality.
- Due Fiori represents another important evolution: pizza as part of a broader culinary conversation, where a chef like Waldo Stout can comfortably step away from his own pizza pop-up to deliver something entirely different. Due Fiori’s pies are nostalgic, cozy, and messily elegant, fully integrated into a restaurant identity rooted in an Italian-Californian sensibility.
- Nonna Mercato deserves its place because it shows how pizza can emerge naturally from a larger food tradition. Known for its breads, pastries, and pasta culture, Nonna Mercato operates from a kitchen where flour is understood in its many forms. That matters, especially to Chef Cameron Slaugh: his pizza carries the same technical discipline found in everything else he produces.
- Thunderbolt Pizza helped shift expectations around what a modern Long Beach pizzeria could feel like. Its cold-fermented dough, crisp thin crust, and Brooklyn influence arrived with precision, but Thunderbolt also understood atmosphere—creating a place where pizza became part of a larger social energy.
- Speak Cheezy, perhaps one of the clearest examples of Long Beach’s entrepreneurial food spirit. What began as a pandemic-era mobile operation with Chef Jason Winters evolved into one of the city’s most recognizable pizza success stories. Its strength lies in adaptability through incredible sourdough.
So what is, exactly, Pizza City Fest?
There is no question that Steve and his crew have put on a spectacular event: Los Angeles’s Pizza City Fest is a nearly perfect, annual representation of what the region’s pizza scene is, how it is worthy of celebration, and how organizers can create an event that is worthy of attending.
Unlimited alcohol—including a full bar—along with dessert vendors, guests had a tasting card that was stamped as they explored the massive space (with VIP guests having access to special eats, like Chef Ludo Lefebvre’s private tent at the inaugural event).
The event is easily accessible, beautifully branded, and even thought-provoking: From deep discussions about what, exactly, defines “L.A. pizza” to meeting the crew behind Netflix’s “Chef’s Table: Pizza,” panel discussions have long been beautifully region-centric while also being more global—a tradition that has continued since it was launched in 2023.
