D'Amore's Pizza Connection — The Valley

Transplanted East Coaster? Visiting Cali and hungry for a slice of home? Owner Joe D'Amore, a Bostonian yearning for a traditional North End pie, established this chain in 1972. His house specialty, Pizza Bianco, starts with a base of fresh spinach and adds a layer of rich mozzarella, chunks of ricotta, and roasted peppers — not a tomato in sight. Veggie lovers will adore the grilled vegetable pizza with zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms, and whole cloves of garlic. Meat lovers, never fear: there's something for you too. In fact, the Meat Lover's Special combines sausage, Canadian bacon, pepperoni, meatballs, and salami in a red-meat bonanza!