Top that: The best thin crust pizzas in Shanghai

Some like to do strange things with the food in pizzerias. But all true pizza lovers know that the appeal of a truly delicious slice of pizza is far more than the hot, gooey cheese, deliciously spiced sauce and tasty toppings adorning its steamy exterior. What truly determines the caliber of a quality piece of ‘za is the texture of its crust. Thick, thin, doughy, crispy -- crust choices are as varied as the people that crave them and each offers a markedly different piece of pie.

China-based writer (and avid pizza lover) Dan Washburn once wrote that personal taste in pizza is linked to one’s geographic origin: “If you grew up near Chicago, you probably like a thick crust. If you grew up near New York, thin is your thing. If you grew up in Shanghai, I am sorry -- your country’s pizza is appalling.”

Well, wait just a minute. I did grow up near the Big Apple and thin crust pizza is indeed my fancy. But six months ago I upped and moved to downtown Shanghai -- am I destined for years of “appalling” thin crust slices? I was eager to find out. 

With camera in tow, I put my thin crust cravin’ taste buds to the test and found out where one could really find a true slender slice in this town.

Below is a list (in no particular order) of the top 5 thin crust pizzas in Shanghai and tips on where to get them. 

Il Giardino's formaggi pie.

Il Giardino 

Il Giardino offers a variety of authentic Italian-style pizzas, breaking down its pizza menu to authentic subsections such as Pizze Classiche, Pizze Con Affettati, and Le Pizze Speciali -- each offering its own selection of 12-inch wheels of paper-thin goodness. We preferred the basic formaggi pie, which is mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese and gorgonzola cheese (cheese anyone?) all melted atop a lovely skinny dough. But herein lies the secret of a good wood-fired slice with superior ingredients to boot: the thin crust never falters under the weight of its toppings, retaining its crusty, ever-so-delicately crispy exterior throughout. Il Giardino proved that its crust can take on the power of three robust Italian cheeses and still maintain its base function. Now consider the fact that Il Giardino’s ingredients are fresh, its wine list robust, its prices affordable and its outdoor portico charming for warm-weather feasting… well, this New Yorker is sold.

Slender slice price: An average 12-inch pie (which can serve two persons) costs between RMB 48 – 88, depending on toppings.

607 Beijing Xi Lu (Located at the previous pizzeria joint / kitchenware shop, Jimix.) 北京西路607号; tel: +86 21 6253 3399

Alexander Pizza Fabbrica

The art of thin crust pizza is the thinner the better, right? Wrong. Sometimes a paper thin crust can be crunchy, air-bubbly dough that tastes like, well… paper. Alexander Pizza Fabbrica understands the science of thin crust and while your pizza may be as light as a feather, it will pack a robust and savory crust to boot. The fresh flour on the bottom of these pies attests to the fact that they are fresh and not over-crisped. Our favorite is the 12-inch Capricciosa pie (78 RMB), with homemade tomato sauce, mozzarella, cooked ham, mushrooms and artichokes. The ingredients are fresh and the pizzas are made specifically to order. An additional plus is that Alexander delivery services are a well-oiled operation, providing piping hot pies to your door that don’t skimp on what makes these thin slices so special. 

Slender slice price: Pies start at RMB 58 (basic Margherita) and the average for a specialty pie is approximately RMB 78. The most expensive pie is RMB 88 (Montanara pie and the Gorgonzola pie).

757 Jiaozhou Road, Jing'an District( Near Yu Yao Road) 静安区胶州路757号(近余姚路); tel: +86 21 5256 7233
www.pizzafabbrica.com

Pane e Vino

For the most traditional thin crust, why not go straight to the source? The owners of Pane e Vino, husband and wife team Echo Zheng and Antonio Sciaraffa, do just that by importing all of their major ingredients straight from Italian distributors. The most important? “Definitely the Italian flour,” states Zheng. The combination of authentic ingredients and their in-house wood-fired oven creates a thin-crust experience that can’t be beaten. Zheng states: “Our slices are so thin that you must eat the pizza within the restaurant. Once you take it outside, it changes its taste.” This thin-crust lover agrees, as there’s nothing like a hot Margherita pie straight from the oven at Pane to make you want to stick to that seat. Try the ultra-fresh arugula salad as a starter or a side to your slender slice.

Slender slice price: Margherita pies start at RMB 78.

207-7 Maoming Lu, near Yongjia Lu 茂名路207-7, 近永嘉路; tel: +86 21 5465 2177

New York Style Pizza

Here you get traditional thin-sliced pies, of the down and dirty variety. This Italian-American pizza chain made the cut list if only for its true likeness to New York City-style pizza: slices you grab on the go, stuff in your mouth and don’t think twice about the gastronomic merits (except that it’s damn good, of course). What these pies lack in culinary creativity, they make up for by the traditional greasy and oozy way they fold over in your hand and melt in your mouth. To cut to the basics, the pies satisfy the basic cheese and grease cravings in all us pizza lovers with its offerings of gooey toppings atop a flakey crust. So if thin crust carbs with traditional fixings are your thing, then I’d visit this little slice of down and dirty New York City and indulge.

Slender slice price: Pizza prices vary by size -- a 17 inch standard pizza is RMB 108, an 18 inch is RMB 118, and the 20 incher is RMB 128 (pizza size offerings vary by store).

Shop J16, 1699 Nanjing Xi Lu (near Huashan Lu, Metro Line 2 Jing'an Temple Station) 南京西路1699号静安寺广场J16 近华山路, 地铁2号线静安寺站; tel: +86 21 3214 0024
1272 Beijing Xi Lu, by Xikang Lu 北京西路1272号, 近西康路; tel: +86 21 3222 0150
No.23, Lane 248 Taikang Lu, Fuxing Park near Sinan Lu 泰康路248弄23号 近思南路;tel: +86 21 5466 0969
No.336 Hong Feng Lu, Pudong 红枫路336号; tel: +86 21 3872 6606

Velvet Lounge

As much as New York Style pizza is a “grab and go” affair, the pizzas at Velvet Lounge require a slower pace: one that can appreciate all the decadence of crystal chandeliers, plush velvet sofas and a sultry pie that pairs perfectly with that juicy cocktail. Not your typical pizza joint (to say the least), Velvet Lounge proves to be more than just a hipster hangout once patrons get a taste of the extra-thin pizzas fired in a stone brick oven in the back. All ingredients (including the flour) are imported from Italy, and like the patrons it serves, Velvet Lounge is highly selective of what ingredients make their A-list. As you groove to the DJ’s latest set, let the cracker-crisp dough break in your mouth, while the slightly salty cheese seductively slides down your throat. These delicately thin pies pack a brilliantly spiced sauce with exotic toppings to provide a dining experience that’s indulgent but light, ensuring you’ll still look ultra-fab lounging on that leopard-print couch. 

Slender slice price: A plain margherita pizza at Velvet Lounge starts at 88 RMB (toppings are extra).

Building No. 3-4, No. 913 Julu Lu (Jing An near Changshu Lu) 巨鹿路913号3-4号楼1楼, 近常熟路, 地铁1号常熟路站; tel: +86 21 5403 2976
www.velvetlounge.com.cn

About the author: Catherine Lewis is a freelance writer and a current master's student at the Fudan University School of Journalism in Shanghai, China. With eyes on the international horizon, she has spent her most recent years grappling with global media and communications in Vienna, New York City, London and Shanghai. Her hobbies include self-taught photography and digital editing. In her hand is either a pen or a fork -- both are equally as dangerous, and as fortifying. For more information, visit www.ForeignExposure1.wordpress.com.

Catherine submitted this piece as part of CNNGo’s CityPulse section. To find out what other stories we are looking for, go to our CityPulse page.

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