THE OVEN
NEW YORK PIZZA COMES TO THE SOUTH BAY

You’ll often hear L.A. natives say “pizza is pizza” as they argue with New Yorkers, tired of hearing how you can’t get a decent “pie” in California. While that may not be entirely true (I will say New York pizza is king), fear not, because now, thanks to the folks at The Oven in Torrance, you can get a quality New York pizza just off the 405.

Billed as New York style, old recipe Italian food, with a bit of New York attitude throw in for good measure, The Oven is a cool, casual South Bay spot located next door to El Camino College—so you know it’s a popular joint with the college crowd.

Founded by four recent Southern California university graduates, brothers Supul, Lanka and Asanka Wick and former UC Irvine roommate Adarsh Shetty, the pizzeria boasts very unique and locally named NY-style pies, made with hand-stretched, homemade pizza dough, fresh mozzarella cheese and “Nana’s secret tomato sauce.” Due note that all made-to-order pizzas take 20 minutes to bake, and all pies are 18 inches and easily feed between three and four people.

During our recent visit, we sampled the very impressive pizza menu, starting off with the
Manhattan, a hearty and spicy pie made with pepperoni, meatball and hot sausage. This is a meat lover’s dream pizza offering a terrific taste of various meats.

Looking for something not as “guilty,” go with the fabulous Mott Street, a light and fresh pizza made with pesto sauce, ricotta and fresh tomato. As tasty as the Manhattan pie was, this pizza held its own and was probably our favorite. It’s simple and yet so savory.

Other menu favorites include the “Fugheta’boutit” with spicy sausage, hot peppers, tomato and mozzarella, and the “Goodfella” with grilled chicken, smoked Gouda, red onion and cilantro. Looking for a decadent pizza? Go with the Muto Pie made with Alfredo sauce, mozzarella, and ricotta. This is one rich and creamy pie. The extra ricotta really drives home the decadence and will make your spend another 20 minutes on the treadmill to take away some of the guilt.

“Our goal is to make The Oven the pizza spot in the South Bay and Los Angeles,” explained co-owner Adarsh Shetty. “We want to be the ‘hang out’ place for college students and local residents; especially with the vibe and ambiance the restaurant gives off.”

The Oven is located at 16300 Crenshaw Blvd in Torrance. Open daily from 11am to 9pm. Call 310-538-OVEN. Free local delivery offered.