It’s safe to say just about everyone likes pizza. I’m partial to Italian style pizzas, with a thin and crispy base, topped with mozzarella and Parma ham. My kids favor margherita or ham and mushroom, with a thicker softer base. Pizza wouldn’t be my husband’s first choice of take-out, but if pushed, he’d go for one with a lot of cheese. Shunyi has plenty of great places to enjoy pizza, with both dine-in and take-out options available. Italian restaurants, western style restaurants, and fast food joints, we really are spoilt for choice. I’m guessing most of us have a favorite go-to pizza place, where we know the pepperoni will always be perfect, and the capricciosa crispy. If you have a favorite, why not cast your vote in the Beijinger’s 2014 Pizza Cup.
Sixty-four of Beijing’s best pizza purveyors are going head-to-head in this cup match, to determine Beijing’s best pizza. With voting already under way, there’s no time to waste. Go eat pizza, lots of it, and make that vote count. Here’s a round-up of some of the Shunyi contenders.
Annie’s serves up pizzas and unpretentious Italian-American fare. Steady winner of Best Italian in the Beijinger’s restaurant awards since 2004, their pizzas are tasty and easy on the wallet, with around 20 varieties to choose from.
Agrilandia Fireplace Restaurant’s fresh ingredients are grown on site. The Italian organic farm produces its own wine, along with authentic Italian pizzas.
Laker’s pizzas can be enjoyed at both their Pinnacle Plaza and Roma Lake restaurants. The menu offers over 14 varieties of pizza, including Mexican, four seasons, and a Laker’s special. Dine-in and delivery is available.
Loft Eatalicious Italian chain features authentic pizzas, using great quality fresh ingredients. Their most popular pizza is the Parma ham rucola. Dine-in and delivery is available.
Mrs. Shanen’s Bagels is a Shunyi staple, run by a Chinese-American native of Brooklyn, New York. Offering some of Beijing’s best artisan pizzas, using organic ingredients from the owner’s other venue Green Cow Farm.
New York Style Pizza is a Shanghai-based chain serving up, as the name suggests, New York style pizza pies, with fresh toppings and homemade crusts. Pizza by the slice is also available.
Pie Squared gives us the “Square pizza”, a Detroit-style that can be traced back to the 1940’s. The pizzas get their shape from being baked in square pans which, at the time, were commonly used as tool trays in Detroit factories. The result is a truly unique pizza, with toppings including Motown meatball, and chicken alfredo.
Domino’s is the popular American chain, serving up American-style pizzas. With classic toppings including pepperoni, and BBQ chicken, to the more unusual lobster salad and clam. Most people order delivery and indulge at home, perfect when you need deep dish pleasure.
Papa John’s is another US-based chain, serving up American-style thick crust pizzas, similar in taste and texture to those of Pizza Hut.
Pizza Hut is that very successful franchise that everybody’s tried. With an intriguing range of toppings, to suit local as well as international tastes, from sirloin steak to kungpao chicken.
beijingkids Shunyi Correspondent Sally Wilson moved to Beijing in 2010 from the UK with her husband and son. Her daughter was born here in 2011 and both her kids keep her happily busy. In her spare time, Sally loves to stroll through Beijing’s hutongs and parks. She is a (most of the time) keen runner and loves reading: books, magazines, news, and celeb websites – anything really. Sally is also a bit of a foodie and loves trying out new restaurants.
Photos: Mohammed Alsedda, Denise Krebs (Flickr)
