Blaze Pizza Awards

Blaze Pizza Restaurant Review:

Blaze Pizza, a chain co-founded by Elise and Rick Wetzel (Wetzel’s Pretzels), made its Los Angeles County debut in Pasadena. Blaze takes the assembly line burrito-making process from Chipotle and adapts it to pizza, which seems like a natural. The pies feature a light, crispy crust developed by Bradford Kent, whose wood-fired pizzas at L.A.’s Olio Pizzeria & Café are highly regarded. You can opt for pre-designed pizzas (e.g., the “Art Lover” with artichokes, mozzarella, ricotta, chopped garlic and red sauce), but most people can’t resist putting their creative powers to work. Choose from cheeses like mozzarella, ricotta or Gorgonzola (there’s even a vegan faux cheese); meats such as Italian sausage, crumbled meatballs, grilled chicken and apple wood-smoked bacon; and a wide array of vegetables. You end up with a generously portioned individual pie with a thin crust that elevates it above most fast-food pizzas. The high-ceilinged, brightly colored eatery is inviting, and there’s sidewalk seating, too.