Pizza Pronto: The Beijinger's Unofficial Pizza Delivery Race

Admit it, when Chinese doesn’t quite cut it and the kitchen seems just too far away, most of us reach for the pizza delivery menu. But which number should you call if time is of the essence? As part of the 2014 Pizza Cup, we decided to put some of the city’s premier pizza players to the test in an unannounced pizza race. Read on to see which pie prevailed.

RELATED: Battles Get Saucy as Pizza Cup Marches On

The Rules
The timer started when we picked up the phone to order. We ordered a large of the simplest pizza available from each restaurant. We attempted to place the order in English, apart from clarifying the address (our office is notoriously hard to find). Distances were calculated based on the suggested driving route provided by Baidu Maps.

THE WINNER
Annie’s
Nearest branch: China View Building, Gongti Donglu
Phone number: 8587 1469
Distance from office: 1.7km
Pizza ordered: Large margherita
Price: RMB 48
Time: 20 mins 57 secs

Verdict
Annie’s swept in at first place with a lead of more than five minutes. We had barely even put down the phone after ordering (from an English-speaking, if perfunctory, staff member we should add) when the pizza arrived. Is this the best pizza you can get in Beijing? Perhaps. Does it do the job? Certainly.

SECOND PLACE
Gung Ho! Pizza
Nearest branch: China View Building, Gongti Donglu
Phone number: 8587 1404
Distance from office: 1.7km
Pizza ordered: Large thick crust margherita
Price: RMB 86 (minimum RMB 65 delivery)
Time: 26 mins 20 secs

Verdict
Speedy, ever-reliable Gung Ho! Pizza took second place. There was some confusion over the request for a fapiao but otherwise their staff, from ordering to delivery, were as delightfully chipper as we have come to expect from these pioneers of good customer service in the capital. The pizza itself was divisive – some liked the lighter topping, some thought it dry – but overall a strong contender.

THIRD PLACE
Pizza by LMplus
Nearest branch: Central Park
Distance from office: 2.0km
Phone number: 6597 0108
Pizza ordered: Large margherita
Price: RMB 55
Time: 30 mins 46 secs

Verdict
The black sheep of the competition, none of us had ever ordered from Pizza by LMplus but we were all very pleasantly surprised by their efficient phone answering, quick delivery and crisp base. A solid delivery choice, if only for CBD dwellers – their delivery service is limited to the vicinity of Central Park.
 

FOURTH PLACE
Pizza+
Nearest branch: Shizipo Jie
Distance from office: 3.1km
Phone number: 6413 0991
Pizza ordered: 13-inch round margherita + 1 slice of margherita
Price: RMB 55 (minimum RMB 50 delivery)
Time: 46 mins 52 secs

Verdict
Pizza+ struggled to make sense of our address in either English or Chinese, which may account for their lengthy delivery time, although they are also the farthest away from our office. The pizza itself arrived hot and cheesy despite the delay. Props as well for sheer variety of pizzas: the delivery menu runs to six sides of vegetarian and carnivorous options.

FIFTH PLACE
Tube Station
Nearest branch: Workers' Stadium North Gate
Distance from office: 2.1km
Phone number: 400 8989 177
Pizza ordered: Medium Classic
Price: RMB 105 (minimum RMB 100 delivery)
Time: 1 hour 18 mins 14 secs

Verdict
Admittedly, had we not had four other pizzas to plow through the more than one-hour wait for Tube Station might have been a bit off-putting, but the pizzas are also larger than most coffee tables so probably take a while to cook. However, the huge slices with their ample cheese and slightly sweet tomato sauce made this the unanimous favorite once we got down to the eating. Best to order in advance, but you will not be disappointed.
 

Photos: Ken, Tom Arnstein