Acclaimed Chef Daniel Holzman Brings New York-Style Pizza to Westwood
Daniel Holzman, celebrated chef and industry veteran, will open the second location of his acclaimed pizzeria, Danny Boy’s Famous Original, on July 17 at 10889 Lindbrook Drive in Westwood Village. This new location, the first standalone for the brand, will offer New York-style slices and pies, hot hero sandwiches, salads, and classic appetizers. The restaurant will have a seating capacity of 56 and will provide options for dine-in, takeout, catering, and delivery. Additionally, the new location will feature beer and wine, along with an expanded appetizer and entrée menu in the future.
“When we opened Danny Boy’s, we had a simple goal: create a great place to work and make the best damn NYC-style pizza we possibly could,” said Holzman. “Over two years in, we have an incredibly committed and passionate team, we are extremely proud of what we’re producing, and customer feedback has been incredibly positive. We couldn’t be more excited to join the Westwood community, make more great pizza, and grow our family of guests and teammates.”
The menu will include a variety of pizzas that Holzman and his team have perfected over the past two years, such as Cheese, Pepperoni, and White Pie with ‘Shrooms. There will also be limited-time specialties and collaborations, all made with three-day cold fermented dough. Customers can enjoy hot hero sandwiches like Meatball and Chicken Parm, salads including Caesar, Greek, and Italian Combo, and classic appetizers such as garlic knots, hot wings, and meatballs. The Westwood location will eventually offer a more extensive menu than its Downtown LA counterpart, featuring cold sandwiches, stromboli, spaghetti and meatballs, and more. The beverage program, which will include beer and wine, will be led by certified sommelier Cameron Mahlstede, an alum of Osteria Mozza and Jon & Vinny’s.
“Making great pizza is easy. Making great pizza consistently is a labor of love,” reflects Holzman on the evolution of the pies at Danny Boy’s. “We’ve worked incredibly hard to perfect our pies. Nothing that we started with looks the same because we’re constantly learning and improving. And now more than ever, the quality of the pizza speaks for itself.”
Holzman, a fixture in celebrated East and West Coast kitchens for the past 25 years, began his career at 15 at Michelin-starred Le Bernardin in New York City. After working there for four years, he attended the Culinary Institute of America at the suggestion of chef Eric Ripert. Holzman went on to work in some of the finest restaurants across the country, including Palladin (NYC), Jardinière (SF), and Axe (LA). In 2010, he co-opened The Meatball Shop in New York, which became an instant sensation and catapulted him to culinary fame. Holzman has since authored two best-selling cookbooks, including “Food IQ: 100 Questions, Answers, and Recipes to Raise Your Cooking Smarts” (2022), and launched “On the Line,” a podcast with celebrity chef Amanda Freitag.
“After moving to LA and doing some culinary soul searching, I realized my heart was set on the food I most constantly, and nostalgically, craved,” says Holzman of his venture into making pizza. “Danny Boy’s epitomizes the slice joint of my childhood dreams. ‘Danny Boy’ is what my pop called me, and ‘Famous Original’ is an homage to Ray’s Famous Original, the shop he brought me to growing up. There was nothing fancy about it, just consistently delicious pies and a welcoming ‘How you doin’?’ from behind the counter.”
The 2,300 square foot pizzeria’s design, conceived by NCA Studio, features red, white, and green tile walls and blond wood tables accommodating both two-top booths and large communal groups. Customers will have a view of the pizza production kitchen, and the walls will be adorned with photos of classic NYC pizza storefronts.
Danny Boy’s Famous Original’s new location will be open for lunch Monday through Friday from 10:30 AM to 5:30 PM, with weekend and expanded hours coming later this summer. For more information and updates, visit www.dannyboysfamousoriginal.com and follow @dannyboysfamousoriginal on Instagram.
