The Best Pizza in San Mateo
Michelin-recognized Neapolitan, cult SF square slices, Detroit-style, and a late-night NY slice.
San Mateo covers just about every pizza style worth having, from a Michelin-recognized wood-fired room to a cult SF square-slice and a proper Detroit pan. Here's the range.
A guide to 11 pizza spots in San Mateo, put together by a local who eats here. Nobody pays to be on it.
The top of the list
Pausa Bar & Cookery
Michelin Bib Gourmand Italian from chef Andrea Giuliani, with wood-fired Neapolitan pies alongside house-made pasta and cured meats. The special-occasion pick.
Golden Boy Pizza
The San Mateo outpost of the legendary SF North Beach Golden Boy, serving thick focaccia-style Sicilian squares. The clam and garlic is the icon.
Rise Woodfire Pizza & Rotisserie
A family-owned spot inside the restored downtown train station serving wood-fired pizza plus rotisserie chicken and prime rib.
Fieldwork Brewing Company
A Bay Meadows beer garden pairing 20-plus rotating craft beers with made-to-order Detroit-style pan pizzas with crispy cheese edges.
Slices & classics
Aldo's Pizza
San Mateo's oldest pizzeria, a Shoreview institution since 1958, with a thin, crispy, tangy-sauced pie and old-school specialties like the Star of India. Nearly closed this summer; the neighborhood is keeping it open. Read their story.
Amici's East Coast Pizzeria
A long-running Bay Area independent doing crisp, East Coast thin-crust pies since the late '80s. A downtown standby for dine-in and delivery.
North Beach Pizza
The San Mateo location of the SF North Beach original, here since 1994. A family trattoria doing thin-crust and deep-dish plus Italian classics.
PJ's Pizza Co.
A family-run neighborhood shop (formerly Velo City) making dough, sauce, and sausage in-house, with toppings like fennel sausage and pesto.
Mateo Pizza
A newer hand-tossed New York-style shop, halal with a Turkish touch, open very late every night. The late-night slice.
New York Pizza
A longtime downtown slice shop popular with locals, open late, with slices plus pasta, sandwiches, and calzones.
Seniore's Pizza
An old-school Bay Area pizza-and-pasta spot known for fast service and generous slices. The no-fuss classic.
Frequently asked
What is the best pizza in San Mateo?
Local favorites include Pausa Bar & Cookery, Golden Boy Pizza, Rise Woodfire Pizza & Rotisserie. Browse the full guide above. Nobody pays to be on it.
How many pizza spots does San Mateo Local recommend?
11, all added by hand and refreshed regularly.
Is San Mateo Local a paid directory?
No. Nobody pays to be listed here, and nothing was scraped or bought. A business can sponsor a guide, and if one does, it is clearly marked as a sponsor.
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