Hello Back Bay Bocconcinis, happy Friday!

We will be switching to a once weekly newsletter starting today, Perhaps occasional mid-week dispatches for PSAs and important updates if our editor ever stops making pizza dough and does his job.

To our new readers—welcome! The Back Bay Buzz delivers just the right amount of news and events for locals in Newport Beach and Costa Mesa. No crime, no politics, no spam—just the good stuff. We scan newspapers, blogs, social media, business journals, and Google alerts so you don’t have to.

In today’s Buzz:

— Jon Dougher, Publisher, Back Bay Buzz

It’s not Sgt. Pepperonis. But they are a heavyweight in the New York category. Below is our heavily researched and hotly disputed list of the best pie in towns. These picks are not random: they are curated from social comment sections, facebook groups, reddit posts and local food blogs. Let us know what you think in the poll below. For a full google map of these picks, click here.

The godfather of OC pizza. Since 1976, this family-run shop has been hand-tossing New York-style pies from scratch daily: dough, sauce, dressings, desserts. Named Best Pizza in Orange County by the OC Register, OC Weekly, and the Golden Foodie Awards. The meatball ricotta pizza is the signature move — housemade pork, beef, pancetta, and fennel meatballs with sweet ricotta. They also do garlic knots, wings, and baked desserts worth staying for.

Pro move: Hawaii Five-O. Don't overthink it.

📍 2300 SE Bristol St, Ste F, Newport Beach

The pizza that made Orange County line up. Tucked into the back of The Camp plaza, Folks turned a former wine bar into a natural-wine-fueled, blistered-crust party that's been drawing crowds since 2019. The dough is the star: puffy, bubbly, airy — not strictly Neapolitan or New York, just its own thing. The fennel sausage pizza is the crowd favorite. The potato pizza (white sauce, thinly sliced potatoes) is the sleeper hit for anyone who thinks they've seen every topping combination.

Pro move: Fennel sausage pie, then whatever the seasonal special is.

📍 2937 Bristol St, Costa Mesa

The beach pizza you actually want to eat. Steps from the sand on the Peninsula, this casual spot does something almost no one else does: they'll deliver straight to your spot on the beach. The calzones are the real flex here — locals describe them as "giant stuffed breadsticks" and they earn the comparison. Wings are a legitimate second menu (mango habanero gets mentioned as much as the pizza). Vegan and gluten-free options available, which is rare for a boardwalk slice joint.

Pro move: Calzone with chicken and artichoke, mango habanero wings on the side.

📍 2200 W Oceanfront, Unit B, Newport Beach

Since 1977. That's not a typo. The DiPietro family brought Abruzzo-style cooking from Italy to Costa Mesa nearly 50 years ago, and they're still at it. This is old-school Italian-American in the best way: massive portions, affordable prices, and food that feeds six people without breaking the bank. The house special pizza is the move. The 28-inch King Size Party Pizza is a statement piece. Customers who left for years come back and find it exactly the same. Gluten-free options available.

Pro move: House special pizza, half lasagna, half spaghetti. Come hungry.

📍 1145 Baker St, Costa Mesa

Two Italian high school friends reconnect 20 years later in the U.S. and open a Sicilian pizza restaurant together. The result: the Trenta Trio, a 30-inch rectangular pizza divided into three custom flavors — what Italians call pizza al metro. Beyond the flagship, the menu splits between veggie-forward options (the Ravenna with zucchini, bell peppers, mushrooms, olives) and meat-heavy pies (the Amalfi with 'nduja, salsiccia, and prosciutto). Happy hour runs Monday through Thursday, and the monthly Sicilian wine dinners are worth booking ahead.

Pro move: Trenta Trio with three contrasting sections. Book the wine dinner if the calendar lines up.

📍 1661 Superior Ave, Costa Mesa

When thin crust won't cut it. Rance's does Chicago-style deep dish the way it's meant to be: thick, stuffed pies that don't skimp on anything. The tomato-topped, cheese-pulled, fork-required kind of pizza that turns dinner into an event. If deep dish is what you're after in Orange County, this is the answer.

Pro move: Go classic Chicago-style stuffed. Bring a friend. One slice is a meal.

📍 1420 Baker St, Costa Mesa

Bear with us here: no indoor seating, open late on weekends, and focused on one thing: the spicy pepperoni square slice that made the original famous. It's a takeout-and-go operation — grab a square, walk the Triangle, or bring it home. While we don’t normally recommend chains, the late-night hours make it the answer to "where do I eat after everything else closed."

Pro move: The original spicy pepperoni square. That's the menu.

📍 1870 Harbor Blvd, Ste 104, Costa Mesa

Meet Ooni Halo Core Spiral Mixer, the home mixer finally built for breadmaking:

Watch Ooni Halo Core mix

Worth the Drive:

🌊 Water temp = 72º
Suit Rec: Spring suit 3/2

Thanks! Please ignore any typos, our editor thought now would be a good time for a stretch-and-fold.

PS: Feel free to let me know any feedback or inside scoops you have for the newsletter. Just reply to this email, I read every one. Thanks!