10 California Pizzerias Using Sourdough And Long Fermentation

California pizza culture has evolved beyond the traditional quick-rise doughs to embrace the complex flavors of sourdough and long fermentation techniques.

I’ve spent the last year touring the Golden State’s best pizza spots, tasting my way through crusts with that perfect balance of chewy interior and crispy exterior that only patient fermentation can create.

These eleven pizzerias have mastered the art of slow food, creating pies with depth of flavor that will make you rethink everything you thought you knew about pizza.

1. Goat Hill Pizza: San Francisco’s Sourdough Legacy

Holy mother of pizza! Goat Hill has been slinging sourdough pies since 1975, way before it was trendy. Their starter is older than most of their customers, giving their crusts that distinctive tangy flavor that’s become their calling card.

Last summer, I stumbled in after a foggy day exploring the city and ordered their combo pizza. The crust had these gorgeous air pockets and a crackly exterior that still haunts my dreams. Their 48-hour fermentation process creates this magical texture that’s simultaneously light and substantial.

What really sets them apart is their communal vibe—the Potrero Hill location feels like you’re eating in someone’s living room, if that someone happened to make phenomenal pizza and had vintage arcade games.

2. Speak Cheezy: Long Beach’s Mobile Sourdough Sensation

Never thought I’d chase a food truck across Los Angeles County for pizza, but Speak Cheezy changed that for me. Chef Jason Winters ferments his dough for a minimum of 72 hours, creating these gloriously puffy crusts that have the perfect chew-to-crisp ratio.

Their truck-turned-brick-and-mortar operation serves Neapolitan-inspired pies with California swagger. The ‘Mushroom Party’ pizza I devoured last month featured local fungi on that incredible sourdough base, with flavors so intense I actually closed my eyes while eating—embarrassing my girlfriend in the process.

Catch them at their permanent Long Beach spot or follow their food truck schedule online. Just be prepared to wait—these slow-fermented treasures draw crowds, and trust me, the line moves slower than their dough develops!

3. LaSorted’s: Downtown LA’s Sourdough Pizza Revolution

Tucked away in downtown LA’s Arts District, LaSorted’s feels like a delicious secret I shouldn’t share. Chef Tyler Curtis developed his sourdough starter during lockdown (didn’t we all try?), but unlike my sad pancake attempts, his experiments blossomed into pizza perfection.

The 96-hour fermentation creates these mind-blowing crusts with complex flavors that change subtly with the seasons and ambient temperature. My first bite of their ‘Honey Pot’ pizza—topped with spicy sopressata, honey, and pickled jalapeños—made me actually giggle out loud.

What’s wild is how they’ve combined traditional fermentation techniques with modern California toppings. The space itself mirrors this blend—industrial concrete meets warm wood, with dough proofing in clear containers like science experiments you can’t wait to taste.

4. Jules Thin Crust: Lower Haight’s Healthful Sourdough Approach

Stumbled into Jules during a downpour in Lower Haight and discovered sourdough pizza heaven! Unlike the Neapolitan-style pies dominating the artisanal scene, Jules rocks a thin-crust approach that still captures all the sourdough complexity through their 36-hour fermentation process.

The owner—who caught me photographing my slice like the pizza paparazzi I am—explained that their sourdough isn’t just about flavor; it’s more digestible and nutritionally available. Science aside, their ‘Farmer’s Market’ pie with seasonal vegetables made me forget I was technically eating something healthy.

Their rectangular slices are perfect for grabbing on the go, though I recommend sitting at their communal tables where you’ll inevitably end up in conversation with a local who has ‘strong opinions’ about the best pizza in the city. (Spoiler: they’re eating at Jules, so…)

5. Pizzeria Mozza: LA’s Celebrity Chef Sourdough Institution

Nancy Silverton doesn’t mess around with dough. The legendary baker behind La Brea Bakery brought her sourdough expertise to Pizzeria Mozza, creating what might be the most analyzed crust in California. Walking into their Highland Avenue location feels like entering pizza church—reverent voices, focused eating, occasional moans of pleasure.

Their sourdough-based crust undergoes a two-day fermentation that results in this magical contradiction: crispy yet chewy, substantial yet light. I nearly fainted when I tried their squash blossom pizza, which perfectly balances the delicate flowers against that robust crust.

Fair warning: you’ll need reservations weeks in advance unless you’re willing to dine at odd hours or squeeze in at the bar. I’ve eaten dinner at 4:30pm and 10:45pm just to get my Mozza fix, and I regret nothing.

6. Bestia: Arts District’s Rustic Italian Sourdough Mastery

Bestia isn’t just a restaurant; it’s a full-blown religious experience for pizza lovers. Hidden in LA’s Arts District, this industrial-chic spot houses a wood-fired oven that’s hotter than my first crush on a pizza delivery guy (don’t judge).

Chef Ori Menashe’s sourdough undergoes a 48-hour cold fermentation that creates this impossibly light yet structured crust. When I bit into their bone marrow pizza—yes, BONE MARROW PIZZA—I had to sit in stunned silence for a full minute. The contrasting textures of that tangy, airy crust against the rich marrow nearly broke my brain.

Getting a reservation requires setting calendar alerts months in advance or befriending the bartenders (my preferred strategy). The prices might make your wallet wince, but one bite of that perfect fermented crust will have you calculating how much plasma you can legally sell to fund your next visit.

7. Ospi: Venice Beach’s Sourdough Pizza Paradise

Ospi had me at ‘sourdough pizza in a beach town.’ Chef Jackson Kalb’s Venice hotspot combines SoCal chill with serious fermentation science. Their dough room maintains precise temperature and humidity control—like a spa retreat for yeast.

The 72-hour fermentation creates these ethereal crusts that somehow capture Venice’s essence: laid-back yet sophisticated. My friend actually slapped my hand when I tried to discard my crust—sacrilege when the edges are this flavorful! Their ‘Vodka Sauce’ pie with stracciatella cheese made me temporarily forget my name.

Between bites, you can people-watch through the windows as Venice Beach characters stroll by. The contrast between the meticulously crafted sourdough and the free-spirited beach vibes creates this perfect LA moment that makes you understand why housing costs a bazillion dollars here.

8. Great White: Venice’s Aussie-Inspired Sourdough Creations

Surfboards and sourdough make perfect sense at Great White, where Aussie cafe culture meets California pizza innovation. Their breezy Venice location feels like you should be sandy-footed and sun-kissed just to enter (though they’ll still serve you if you’re tragically office-bound like I was during my first visit).

Their 24-hour cold fermentation might be shorter than others on this list, but the results are no less spectacular. The crust develops this gorgeous honeycomb structure that’s simultaneously light and substantial. I demolished their prosciutto and arugula pie so quickly the server asked if I’d actually received my order.

What makes Great White special is how they’ve seamlessly integrated serious sourdough craft into a casual beach setting. You can watch surfers through the windows while discussing fermentation temperatures with their passionate staff—a uniquely Venice experience.

9. Rose Pizzeria: Berkeley’s Farm-To-Table Sourdough Haven

Berkeley’s food scene takes no prisoners, so when locals rave about Rose Pizzeria’s sourdough, you know it’s legit. Opened by a husband-wife team who met working at Chez Panisse (because of course they did), Rose embodies Northern California’s obsession with perfect ingredients treated perfectly.

Their naturally leavened dough ferments for 48 hours minimum, developing complex flavors that change with Berkeley’s foggy/sunny microclimate. When I visited last fall, I watched the owner adjust hydration levels based on the day’s humidity—this level of dough nerdery made my heart sing.

The ‘Fungi’ pizza I ordered featured mushrooms foraged that morning, their earthiness perfectly complementing the tangy sourdough base. Students from nearby UC Berkeley fill the simple space, many taking notes on their pizza experience—whether for class or Instagram remains unclear.

10. Goldenroy: San Francisco Sourdough Techniques In Singapore

Technically cheating since Goldenroy operates in Singapore, but its soul belongs to San Francisco where founder Roy Ng perfected his sourdough techniques before exporting them abroad. I stumbled upon this gem during a work trip and nearly missed my flight home because I couldn’t stop eating there.

Roy’s 30-hour cold fermentation method creates crusts with that distinctive San Francisco sourdough tang, adapted for Singapore’s tropical climate. The pizza that changed my life was his ‘California Dreaming’—topped with avocado, crab, and citrus—a perfect fusion of West Coast flavors on that spectacular sourdough base.

What’s fascinating is watching Singaporean diners experience sourdough pizza for the first time, their expressions mirroring my own pizza epiphanies. Roy walks around explaining fermentation to curious customers, spreading the sourdough gospel 8,500 miles from its California inspiration.