Some restaurants begin with a business plan.
Pietrini Pizza began with pizza nights, a backyard oven and a family that became increasingly obsessed with making better pizza.
That story eventually led to a restaurant on Katella Avenue in Los Alamitos, where Pietrini Pizza Napoletana now serves wood-fired Neapolitan pizza alongside sandwiches, salads, craft beer and wine.
It is a restaurant with a genuine family story—and the pizza is at the center of it.
FROM BACKYARD PIZZA TO LOS ALAMITOS
The story starts with Gene Pietrini experimenting with pizza at home.
A pizza stone led to a backyard wood-fired oven. Dinner parties followed. Eventually, the family decided to take the idea further.
In 2017, Gene registered for Tony Gemignani's International Pizza School, but back problems made it difficult for him to complete the program.
His son Landon stepped in.
Landon completed the program and became a Certified Pizzaiolo.
The family pizza hobby was becoming something much bigger.
THE RESTAURANT'S NEXT CHAPTER
In 2019, Gene and Blair Pietrini signed the lease for what would become Pietrini Pizza Napoletana.
The restaurant eventually opened in January 2021, during a particularly difficult period for the restaurant industry.
The family pushed forward.
Today, the restaurant continues the pizza dream that started at home.
WHAT MAKES THE PIZZA SPECIAL?
Pietrini describes its pizzas as authentic Neapolitan pies made with hand-selected ingredients and baked in a wood-fired oven.
The result is a style built around the classic characteristics of Neapolitan pizza: a soft, airy center, charred edges and a combination of fresh ingredients that doesn't need to be overloaded.
And according to the restaurant, Neapolitan pizzas are best enjoyed immediately after coming out of the oven.
That is a good reason to eat them at the restaurant rather than waiting too long.
PIZZA IS THE MAIN EVENT—BUT NOT THE ONLY EVENT
Pietrini's menu also includes housemade breads, sandwiches and fresh salads.
For beverages, the restaurant offers rotating craft beers and wines from California and Italy.
That makes the restaurant an easy choice for a relaxed dinner rather than simply a quick pizza pickup.
A RESTAURANT WITH A STRONG FAMILY CONNECTION
The family connection remains visible throughout the restaurant.
Blair Pietrini serves as co-founder and CEO, while Landon Pietrini is head chef and pizza maker.
The restaurant's own story emphasizes its commitment to bringing people together and building relationships within the community.
That philosophy is reflected in the restaurant's approach to dining, events and hospitality.
LOS ALAMITOS MEETS NAPLES
Pietrini Pizza occupies an interesting place in the Orange County pizza scene.
It brings a traditional Italian pizza style to a Southern California neighborhood without trying to turn the experience into something overly formal.
The address is:
5262 Katella Ave.
Los Alamitos, CA 90720
The restaurant can also accommodate larger gatherings and private events.
THE SOCALEAT TAKE
The best family restaurant stories aren't manufactured.
They happen over years—sometimes over a backyard pizza oven, sometimes around a kitchen table, sometimes through a leap of faith during a difficult time.
Pietrini Pizza carries that history into every pie.
For Orange County diners looking for Neapolitan pizza with a strong family story behind it, Los Alamitos has a destination worth discovering.
VISIT PIETRINI PIZZA NAPOLETANA
Pietrini Pizza Napoletana
5262 Katella Ave.
Los Alamitos, CA 90720
(562) 318-3050
Visit Pietrini Pizza Napoletana
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