You would be hard-pressed to find a food quite as iconic as pepperoni pizza. In Marin County, there are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to pizza. This variety, naturally, leads to one timeless question: Who offers the very best pepperoni pizza? It can be overwhelming when choosing a good pizzeria, so I decided to help. I ordered a pepperoni pizza from three different local restaurants, and here are my thoughts.

Stefano’s Pizza

While Stefano’s may be a popular pizza place for Redwood students, I was unpleasantly surprised with my order. The pizza arrived unevenly cooked, with one side being crisp and the other more doughy. Stefano’s didn’t skimp on the pepperoni, with a near-mountain dumped onto a thin crust. The cheese was drippy and gooey, making for a fantastic cheese pull. However, it was pretty greasy, with a sparse yet flavorful sauce. Stefano’s is a good option for lunch, but there are better options when looking for a full-sized pie.

Red Boy Pizza

Famous for their sourdough pizzas, Red Boy offered a flavorful pepperoni pizza. The cheese was thick and plentiful, though not the most elastic. Red Boy’s pepperoni has more spice than others, giving a burst of flavor with every bite. The crust was thick and well-cooked, though I noted it detached from the pizza without much force. It was extremely greasy, and the sauce was relatively bland, though the sourdough more than made up for this. Overall, Red Boy’s pepperoni pizza is a delicious twist on a classic favorite.

Waypoint Pizza

With a tangy sauce and a healthy portion of cheese, Waypoint’s pepperoni pizza had an overall pleasant flavor. The pizza was slightly undercooked for my taste, but it comes down to personal preference. Even so, the texture was delightful, and the crust was chewy and filling. It wasn’t too greasy, unlike the other pizzas I tried, and it was tasty enough to satisfy. The pepperoni was run-of-the-mill, with no particularly extraordinary qualities, though the amount given was plentiful.

If you’re looking for the best pepperoni pizza experience, I’d recommend Red Boy’s over other local restaurants. While all options were tasty, I enjoyed the most flavor per bite from Red Boy’s sourdough pepperoni pizza. I ordered online from all restaurants to keep my judgment unbiased by decor – a dining experience in the restaurants could potentially have shifted my rankings, pulling my attention away from the flavorful pepperoni pizzas.