Pizza Island

About

A longtime Hong은-dong takeout pizza shop known for its thick, generously topped pies with a blanket of mozzarella, especially the mushroom-rich Special.

In Seodaemun, Pizza Island makes a case for excess by putting its abundance where it counts: under a generous blanket of mozzarella. The signature Special is less a neat, flat-topped pie than a mound of cheese and toppings, with chunky button mushrooms, peppers, onion, ham and pepperoni layered over tomato sauce. The first impression is rich; the balance is gentler than the spectacle suggests. Reviewers describe a relatively mild, savory flavor, with vegetables bringing freshness and bite rather than a sharp, salty punch. The construction is part of the appeal. Toppings go onto the sauced dough before the cheese covers them, so each slice brings a little of everything, while the edge can bake crisp and the base stays pleasantly chewy. Mushrooms are especially prominent—enough to define the Special and the Combination, so they are worth welcoming rather than treating as a background topping. The house-made pickles, mentioned by more than one visitor, offer a bright counterpoint. Pizza Island’s setting is just as distinctive as its pie. It has been described as a long-running neighborhood fixture, with old visitor photos and a weathered, nostalgic feel. But this is not a linger-over-lunch dining room: recent accounts describe a takeout-focused operation, with a counter and waiting area rather than tables. Plan to carry the pizza away, and, if you can, eat it while it is still hot. One reviewer notes that the plentiful fresh vegetables can release moisture and soften the crust as the pie sits. This is a pizza for sharing, not for subtlety of appearance: large, crowded with toppings and especially generous with cheese. If you prefer a bracingly salty or heavily seasoned slice, its restrained seasoning may feel understated. If you want mushrooms, vegetables and mozzarella in the foreground—and a neighborhood shop with decades of local history—Pizza Island offers a memorable take-home feast.