Pizza My Mind: Recently Converted Vegan Gets His Pizza Fix at Cloud Kitchen, Gung Ho!, Annie's

In the run-up to the Beijinger's 2015 Pizza Cup (mark your calendars for the launch party on October 17-18), we've asked Beijingers to tell us about their favorite pizza places.

Today, we talk to seven-year Beijing resident Mike Shaw, who hails from Boston, and went vegan last year, a lifestyle choice that continues to surprise him. "If you'd asked me last spring if I would do this, I would have called you crazy – but here I am, one year in and going strong. And I love it. But I also refuse to give up going to the places that I've always enjoyed going to. So I'm kind of a defiant vegan in that way."

Shaw, who works in PR and lives in Sanlitun, says he went into pizza culture shock upon his arrival in Beijing. "I remember when there were only two or three places where you could get a pizza even worth mentioning in this city. I used to eat A LOT of pizza back home in Boston, so it was like culinary whiplash to come to a place where my go-to staple food was almost nowhere to be found. But it's been awesome to watch the food scene mature through the evolution of the pizza scene."

Here's Mike's picks for some of his favorites:

When you want a pizza but your dining companion wants something else:
"Cloud Kitchen (formerly Shangsu Vegan Pizza 尚素比萨) gets top marks because their pies are bold, both in choice of toppings and taste – creamy hummus! spicy red curry! Tangy barbecue lamb! – and also because everything on their surprisingly extensive menu is totally vegan, including the cheese! Getting their Supreme Pizza with pepperoni and red peppers is the ultimate comfort meal. Other homey choices include a pork chop sandwich, shakes and ice cream. Going there reminds me that I don't have to give up eating my favorite foods just because I want the ingredients to be plant-based."

For a date with a significant other:
"The somehow-warm feeling of Annie's, especially the upstairs at the China View branch, makes for a nice place for dinner with my lady. Vegan or no, the true test of a pizza's quality is how it stands up with no cheese – and Annie's is tops on that score. Their sauce has a decently strong flavor and the crust is sweet and chewy enough that it could almost be eaten naked and still be satisfying. But adding black olives, onions and green peppers and you get a tangy, sweet and savory pie that absolutely satisfies. The one drawback is that they don't offer many DIY ingredients and only nine of them are vegan."

For a pint out with the gang:
"Gung Ho! is one of my favorite places to hang out with friends. I even kicked of my seventh Chinaversary party there this year. They offer a great array of DIY toppings, including their sensational smoked tofu and jalapenos. Their sauce is good and I enjoy the crunchiness of their wheat crust. I've actually brought in my own dairy-free cheese, and when they added it to that combo it was one of the most delicious pizzas that I've ever had. No joke. If they offered that dairy-free option I might be tempted to eat there almost every day. Super bonus points for a gluten-free crust that is as good as you'll find anywhere."

Would you like to be profiled as part of the Pizza My Mind series? Fill out our online questionnaire here. Prefer to respond to these questions orally? Send us an email at info@thebeijinger.com with your phone number and a good time to reach you and we will call you back to interview you over the phone.

Photo courtesy of Mike Shaw