When it comes to pizza, Los Angeles has made eye-catching strides with all manner of New York, Neapolitan, Sicilian, Detroit, and Californian styles rising from every corner of the city. Southern California is undergoing a bona fide pizza renaissance,
and the new Folks Pizzeria adds a strong contender in Culver City. Originally hailing from Costa Mesa and known for garnering big lines, Folks comes from former Cafe Birdie chef Joey Booterbaugh, who ventured to Orange County in 2019 to create puffy-crusted, modern Neapolitan-style pizzas using high-hydration dough and a Mozza-esque cornicione. The Los Angeles outpost opened earlier this year in Lustig’s former space, where it hums nightly with excited pizza aficionados (even those with day-of reservations often have to wait for their coveted table to free up). Don’t just fixate on the pizzas, though — other parts of the menu, like spicy chicken wings and Caesar salad, remain worth exploring.
What to order
- Are the crispy Korean-esque fried chicken wings some of the best in Los Angeles? In lieu of a syrupy sweetness that Korean fried chicken brings, this one’s more of a savory Italian approach that hinges on the almost fruity notes of Calabrian chile. There’s an umami edge from fish sauce that makes these very difficult to stop eating before the pizzas come out.
- Folks seems to know that Angelenos are sick and tired of weak, measly salads, because the Caesar salad, laden with Grana Padano cheese and breadcrumbs, comes large enough for four people to share. A tangy, creamy dressing properly coats each of the little gem leaves, while a small ramekin of anchovies allows those who might not like the tiny fish slivers to manage their intake.
- Estimate one pizza per two diners. The crusts arrive wide and airy, slightly sturdier from the team’s artisanal approach to proofing. There’s a nuttiness from the freshly milled flour, but the flavor isn’t overly sour (which is a good thing). Fennel sausage pizza comes with roasted basil, Pecorino, Parmesan, aged mozzarella, and healthy studs of fennel sausage. Toppings meld together like a proper New York pizza instead of sliding off like it would on an average Neapolitan. The crust has minor leopardy blisters but nothing that tastes burnt.
- White mushroom pizza gets absolutely blanketed by ‘roni-sized mushroom slices, along with buttery roasted garlic cloves. A black truffle bechamel amplifies the heady aroma of the pie while fresh thyme adds a surprising brightness.
Best for
People who love to debate the best kinds of pizza (and argue over regional supremacy); sports fans who want to catch a baseball game while having a top-flight pie; Los Angeles’s chicken wing obsessives, who can count Folks’ version among what the best sports bars and pochas in Los Angeles have to offer.
Insider tip
The restaurant doesn’t necessarily accept reservations ahead of time, but you can reserve tables on the Yelp app the day you plan to dine there. If you show up and put your name down, expect to wait at least 30 minutes for a table. The menu doesn’t really have any kid-friendly dishes (unless, of course, they enjoy fancy pizza), so it might be good to pick up a plate of pasta at Pasta Sisters next door afterward.
The takeaway
Folks Pizzeria adds to the burgeoning conversation of modern California pizza happening around Los Angeles. Fans of Nancy Silverton’s Pizzeria Mozza will appreciate the somewhat traditional topping mix and airy, artisanal crusts.
