Best Pizza in Taipei

All I want is some decent pizza in Taiwan. Why can’t someone open up a decent pizzeria?

Here are my recommendations (in alphabetical order):

Amaroni’s
Alleycat’s
Cosi O’ Cosi
Osteria Lido
Osteria Rialto

Amaroni’s is the closest to NY style pizza that I’ve had. The last 3 are more “upscale restaurant style”, as opposed to good old “American” style Pizza. Alleycat’s is somewhere in between. The last 2 are also the same restaurant, but in different locations.

There’s also a place near the corner of AnHo Road and DunHwa South Road, inside the lanes that is not bad, but I can’t think of the name right now. It’s run by a family, and is actually an Italian Restaurant, as opposed to a pizzeria. Apologies if anyone’s favorites were left off this list, as I’ve not been to all the pizza places in Taipei yet. :wink:

I’d suspect it’s harder than most people think to open an authentic pizzeria in Taiwan for the following reasons:

  1. Authentic ingredients (cheese and meats at the very least) need to be imported. Taiwanese substitutes don’t taste right.
  2. Imported ingredients mean higher prices. I get the impression that Taiwanese generally see pizza as cheap fast food, and won’t pay the premium for an authentic pizza.
  3. To be profitable in the long term, they need to cater to the needs of Taiwanese customers, as opposed to a niche foreigner market. Or, they need to supplement the pizza with other things, like Pasta, Salads, beer, etc.

Alleycat’s is by far the best. Try goat cheese as one of your toppings some time and you’ll wind up craving the damn stuff every day.

Followed by Cosi o Cosi.
Amaroni’s is very ma ma hu hu as it’s rather bland and roller rink “common”.

[quote=“Alien”]
Amaroni’s is very ma ma hu hu as it’s rather bland and roller rink “common”.[/quote]

The draw of Amaroni’s for me was the fact that it’s “common”. It’s the closest to a good, no nonsense, American style pizza that you can get in Taipei. No nonsense meaning the kind of pizza you might get in a typical street corner mom and pop establishment in the states, no exotic ingredients, no special decor, no salads, condiments all in small jars at the table, etc.

The other places I mentioned all serve an excellent pizza, but the taste is more like what you’d find in a more upscale restaurant in the US. But, if that’s what you are looking for, then they are great.

I do love the personal service you get at Alleycat’s though.

The name Osteria Lido was mentioned as one of the good pizza places. Anyone know the address please? tks

It’s in NEO 19 next to Chilies on the 2F.
Building beside Warner Village

Off the subject of best pizza. But for us lazy people who order pizza delivered, has anyone noticed that Pizza Hut pepperoni is no longer pepperoni but some weird other stuff? If not, please tell me as I will take a taxi from Yung He to Alleycat’s to get it to go…

And it’ll be worth every penny.

I’m thinking about doing a review/comparison of pizza places in Taipei. If you don’t like any of the options I put forth in the poll, don’t hesitate to promote a place you like in the thread.

I’ve been to all of those places and your poll is a no-brainer. Maybe you should change it to “After Alleycat’s, which the next-best pizza place.”

God, people are going to think this is some KMT-style vote buying operation.

I am, to say the least, most enamored by the results so far. Thanks all.

Wot no Pizza Hut ? :loco:

[quote=“Alleycat”]God, people are going to think this is some KMT-style vote buying operation.

I am, to say the least, most enamored by the results so far. Thanks all.[/quote]
I assume my cheque’s in the mail as usual? NT$3,000, didn’t we agree upon, yes?

Truthfully, no shit, I really do believe Alleycat’s the best place in Taipei for pizza. Hands down.

Why isn’t Domino’s on the list??

Or Pizza Hut, or Napoli or that new NT$50 pizza chain, for that matter. Although anyone who’d describe any of those as Taipei’s best pizzas doesn’t deserve to call himself a pizza-eater. :wink:

I did consider for a few heartbeats putting Pizza Hut, Domino’s, Napoli, and other chains – especially the recently ubiquitous Pizza Hot – in the poll, but I figure they’re in a different category. Maybe there should be a separate poll for them.

Like the “pizza-in-the-loosest-possible-sense-of-the-word” category?
I have a special place in my heart for Domino’s as “emergency food for when you’re too wasted to get off the couch but just gotta have some carbs,” but I have a hard time calling it pizza.

Hand’s down, Alleycat’s has my vote. :notworthy:

Mary Jane’s is a good pizza too, but we’re not comparing like with like. MJ’s does cheap, but good pizzas. Alleycat’s are more than twice the price (well if you eat them the way I do) but are simply the best bar none.

I would vote MJ’s the best cheap pizza in town because they have proper toppings, thin crispy bases, and are baked properly in an oven.

I would alsho like to point out the ridiculously low price of wine in theshe two eshtablishmentsh. Hats off to Alan and to Jane.

Now. We need delivery. Nick a scooter and box from Pizza Hut, paint it, pay some bloke NT$80 an hour to ride it and off you go.

I tried Maryjane’s for the first time a few days a go. It really is decent cheap pizza, but Alleycat’s is still much better, and still cheaper than Pizza Hut or Dominos.

Brian