I agree. Casa Bianca is bizarrely overrated. Mamma's Brick Oven is good for NY style pizza. Settebello is good for Neapolitan style.

I've been to about half of the places on the list. For me, Bulgarini is tops and closest to the Gelato I had in Rome and Florence. Of course, you'll have to overcome the drive to BFE, the depressing mall in which its located, and the "am I really paying this much for Gelato in Altadena...or anywhere else!?!" mindset. If you can get over those three hurdles, you're in for a treat.

I guess I made the mistake of ordering mushrooms on my pizza. They were canned, not fresh. There's nothing special about the crust, sauce or any of the other toppings I had on my second visit. It is a lot like Pink's (Hollywood) or La Super-Rica Taqueria (Santa Barbara), in that I'm totally baffled by long lines for what is a mediocre product.

Regarding Casa Bianca-- I just don't get it. The pizza is average at best; the notoriety it gets is a total mystery to me. Anyway, for NY style pizza, the best in the area is Mamma's Brick Oven on Fair Oaks in South Pasadena. The crust only stays crispy for a few minutes, so eat it there by the slice or take it home and re-heat the bottom quickly on a hot grill or skillet.