As one of L.A.’s most popular restaurants, Pizzeria Mozza is packed from noon until midnight every day. If you’re lucky enough to nab reservations, you may still wait a while. Without them, it could be a long while. But most people agree the food will be worth the wait.

The joint venture of three noted restaurateurs, Mario Batali, Joseph Bastianich, and Nancy Silverton — whose way with bread made her La Brea Bakery the best loved artisanal bakery in the country — Pizzeria Mozza is the casual cousin of the more expensive Osteria Mozza.

On Highland just off Melrose, the restaurant is compact, although high ceilings make it seem larger. It’s usually loud, and you’ll be very close to your neighbors, where you sit at one of the bars or in one of the tables in the main dining room. A smaller room lined with wine bottles is a little quieter.

There are about a dozen seats at the counter in front of the bar. And another twenty or so in front of the exhibition kitchen, where you can see the pizzaiolo sliding the pizzas in and out of the wood-fired oven. And what pizzas they are.

With puffy edges — called cornicione in Italian — the crust looks dense, but it’s actually light as a feather. It also has the requisite char marks on the bottom. All the salumi are made on site, so if you’re a meat eater, indulge in toppings like fennel sausage, speck, guanciale, prosciutto, bacon, or salami. The list of cheeses is equally impressive with pecorino, fontina, taleggio, stracchino, goat cheese, and bufala mozzarella in addition to regular mozzarella.

The pizzas are about 12” in diameter, and are enough for two light eaters. They range in price from $10 to $23.

But as good as the pizzas are, it’s the antipasti that are truly exceptional. At $12 per plate, they can add up quickly, particularly when portions are small. The ricotta-stuffed, fried zucchini blossoms are absolutely sensational, but our recent order had three 3” blossoms — not really enough to share. Mozza’s version of a caprese salad is another fantastic dish with burrata cheese, oven-roasted tomatoes, and pesto. Baked meatballs, fried potatoes with rosemary and garlic, grilled asparagus, baked pork ribs, and gratinated cauliflower are other options.

As you’d expect with Nancy Silverton’s participation, the breads here are absolutely world class, and they make it possible to soak up every last vestige of sauce, juice, or oil.

Although you’ll likely be full and extremely satisfied after your meal, get dessert anyway. They’re also stellar. Stone fruit coppetta with mascarpone combines all the best flavors of summer — cherries, peaches, and nectarines — and crowns them with a crunchy, nutty topping. Butterscotch budino with salt caramel sauce and rosemary/pine nuts shortbreads will have you licking the glass.

There’s a different special each day, such as roasted veal breast or softshell crab, which you can also order fried.

Service here is very good. And you can trust their recommendations, especially regarding the wine list. The Centu su Centu Primitivo our waiter recommended was perfect. Many good Italian wines are available by the half or quarter liter. And the wines by partner Joseph Bastianich are a good value.

Come early or late and bring an appetite. Pizzeria Mozza serves some of the most delicious Italian food this side of Naples.

Read about the other Top 10 Italian Restaurants in Southern California here.