We’ll admit it, Los Angeles has never been known for its pizza. Despite the proliferation of chef-driven pizza restaurants in the past decade or so—thank you, Nancy Silverton—the humble pie still exists in the shadow of tacos, that other affordable casual food. The burgeoning growth of pizza spots in just the past year, however, represents something of a moment in this city. And we need to talk about it.

The restaurants of Nancy Silverton, unofficial pizza ambassador of L.A., are perhaps the most nationally known. After debuting Mozza in 2007—reservations were reportedly booked for a solid year—she just last month opened Triple Beam Pizza in Highland Park.