DJ COMMUNITY

HIP HOP PIZZA SHOP DELICIOUS PIZZA OPENS IN WEST ADAMS

FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 2015 | 7 HOURS AGO

Sarah Bennett

Even in the entertainment industry hub that is L.A., West Adams' new pizza joint Delicious Pizza might be the only pie shop in town with a heap of silver and gold records stashed next to an authentic '80s ghetto blaster above the server station.

That's because Delicious Pizza is a restaurant and coffee shop co-owned by Mike Ross, co-founder of iconic L.A. hip hop record label Delicious Vinyl, the name behind acts like The Pharcyde (Bizarre Ride), Tone Loc ("Funky Cold Medina") and Young MC ("Bust a Move"). Ross teamed up with Fred Sutherland, a restauranteur, real estate developer and designer (Fred 62), and Fred's son Travis, a young, creative chef, to create a clean, high-ceiling eatery that's one part neighborhood hangout and one part art gallery for nostalgic Delicious Vinyl memorabilia.

Officially open since Monday, Delicious Pizza has a pizza-only menu of upgraded basics — like house-made sausage and gourmet mushroom medley — and invented combinations, like the Soulflower (eggplant, roasted peppers), the Yacht Club (anchovy, garlic, shallots, arugula) and the Rick Ross (ricotta cheese, shallots, olives). Keeping with the music theme, the bianchi pizza — topped with five different kinds of Italian cheese — is called the Varry White.

Sarah BennettCheeba Cheeba with mushrooms, sopressata, shalltos and pesto

Pizzas come in two sizes, 12-inch small and 16-inch large and can be upgraded to "supreme" for a few bucks, which adds whole fresh basil leaves, big slices of garlic and more fresh mozzarella.

Each is made with Travis' custom naturally fermented pizza dough, too, which he makes with an organic grain mix and a home-grown sourdough culture. The resulting crust isn't enough to get East Coast natives hot and bothered, but it's a fitting complement to the old school West Coast hip hop that the restaurant exclusively pumps through its sound system. (Dip a piece of your crust in the house chili oil for a kick of flavorful spice.)

The West Adams Boulevard outpost also doubles as an early morning coffee shop for the neighborhood, opening at 7 a.m. to serve espresso pulls and drip coffee from City Bean, roasted nearby on Jefferson Boulevard. Closing times are currently not posted since it's been closing whenever the day's dough runs out (usually around 7 or 8 p.m.). Delivery is slated to start in the near future, as is a liquor license, which will allow Delicious Pizza to begin serving its signature alcoholic drink — the Funky Cold Sangria.

Delicious Pizza, 5419 West Adams Blvd.; (323) 424-3014;deliciouspizza.com.