RIDE
04-02-2007, 12:49 PM
If you are anything like me and just LOVE a good pizza, or at the very least have kids (I have 2), then finding a great pizzeria is very important :D And once you do find THAT spot...it's hard to stray!
So in my quest to find a good pie, I have come across a few places that are on my must-eat-at list. I sometimes find myself driving an hour just to get a fix of one of these spots! Please allow me to share with you 4 places that my my mouth water just thinking about them :p
First up is Mangia Restorante Pizzeria which is located in Lafayette. I have been eating here for years now and don't even have to order when I sit down :) It's a very kid friendly spot and they make an amazing pizza. I best describe it as one of the most perfect versions of the good old standard pizza you will find. No frills, no fancy stuff...just a great pie. I particularly love their crust which is a bit thicker than most...especially around the edges. And me being a big crust lover, this is what hooked me from day one!
Oh and if you or someone in your group is not in the mood for pizza (is that even possible??? ;) ) Mangia has a great menu with a lot of other delicious choices. You can find them at 975 Moraga Road in Lafayette, located in the La Fiesta Square.
Next is arguably the most famous pizza place in all the Bay Area. Zachary's Pizza has been a Berkeley tradition since 1983! And I can honestly say that I have been eating there since the beginning :) With their incredible Chicago style deep dish pizza...you better come hungry! But be prepared to wait...especially during peak dinning hours...as Zachary's is FAR from being a secret anymore. If you have not tried a Zach's (that's what us regulars call it ;) ) then you owe it to yourself to try the deep dish. One piece is a meal in itself, so you are guaranteed to go home with leftovers. Not to worry...Zach's is great cold, which by the way is another measure of a good pizza...at least it is to me :)
But Zachary's far from being a one-trick-pony. They make an amazing thin crust pizza too, so you will have to go back to give it a try! From the slightly tangy sauce that's loaded with fresh oregeno, to the cornmeal dusted cracker like crust, to the fresh cheese that just oozes out...whether you order the thick Chicago style, or equally delicious thin...your taste buds are sure to be on cloud nine!
Zachary's has 3 locations...2 in Berkeley, and their newest store in San Ramon. http://www.zacharys.com
My next choice is in San Francisco and is a spot that I probably walked past hundreds of times without knowing it was there! Tommaso's (located in North Beach at 1042 Kearny Street) is like walking back in time to the early days of the city. They tout having San Francisco's oldest wood burning oven, which cooks their pizza's and calzones to utter perfection. It's a smaller spot, but does it's best to maximize space by offering family style seating in the middle of the restaurant. They do have few private booths, but be prepared to sit anywhere as the waits can be a bit long.
The pizza is great...thinner crust, with delicious sauce and fresh ingredients. It's a more simple pizza that is bound to please the masses. So if you find yourself in North Beach craving a good pie....take the time to find Tommaso's! http://www.tommasosnorthbeach.com
Last...and certainly NOT least...is my latest find. I happend to be watching the Food Network one evening when the World Pizza Championships were being shown. Being the pizza fanatic that I am...I just had to watch :) To my surprise and excitement, one of the competitors was a Castro Valley local named Tony Gemignani. Tony is the owner of Pyzano's Pizzeria (3835 E. Castro Valley Blvd.) and is a 7-time World Pizza Acrobat Champion! Yes...I said acrobat! The tricks, tosses, and throws Tony can do with a pizza dough will boggle your mind!
So I watched the show...and now had a rooting interest for the local Bay Area guy. And of course...Tony won again! But throwing dough is one thing....making a good pizza is another. Well you should know that most of the points received in the competition come from the final cook off where creativity and quality of pie are judged.
OK...so how good is the pizza you ask? Well let's just say that my fiance and I have eaten there 3 times in the past 10 days!!! Pyzano's makes a VERY delicious pizza, and aside from the great crust, I really love the sauce. Just slightly sweet and tangy, this is for me where Tony set's himself apart. Not to mention that he uses the older 3 tiered rotating ovens...not the blasphemous conveyor belt styled ones you see in most places :confused: ...which cook things just right. Great cheese, fresh veggies....Tony, you certainly live up to your billing! :D Check him out: http://www.pyzanospizzeria.com
So do you have a favorite spot that I missed? Don't keep it a secret, because there is ALWAYS room for another great pizzeria! Post your favorite in this thread and tell us why we should give it a try :)
Thanks for reading and here to good eating!
CIAO!
RIDE
So in my quest to find a good pie, I have come across a few places that are on my must-eat-at list. I sometimes find myself driving an hour just to get a fix of one of these spots! Please allow me to share with you 4 places that my my mouth water just thinking about them :p
First up is Mangia Restorante Pizzeria which is located in Lafayette. I have been eating here for years now and don't even have to order when I sit down :) It's a very kid friendly spot and they make an amazing pizza. I best describe it as one of the most perfect versions of the good old standard pizza you will find. No frills, no fancy stuff...just a great pie. I particularly love their crust which is a bit thicker than most...especially around the edges. And me being a big crust lover, this is what hooked me from day one!
Oh and if you or someone in your group is not in the mood for pizza (is that even possible??? ;) ) Mangia has a great menu with a lot of other delicious choices. You can find them at 975 Moraga Road in Lafayette, located in the La Fiesta Square.
Next is arguably the most famous pizza place in all the Bay Area. Zachary's Pizza has been a Berkeley tradition since 1983! And I can honestly say that I have been eating there since the beginning :) With their incredible Chicago style deep dish pizza...you better come hungry! But be prepared to wait...especially during peak dinning hours...as Zachary's is FAR from being a secret anymore. If you have not tried a Zach's (that's what us regulars call it ;) ) then you owe it to yourself to try the deep dish. One piece is a meal in itself, so you are guaranteed to go home with leftovers. Not to worry...Zach's is great cold, which by the way is another measure of a good pizza...at least it is to me :)
But Zachary's far from being a one-trick-pony. They make an amazing thin crust pizza too, so you will have to go back to give it a try! From the slightly tangy sauce that's loaded with fresh oregeno, to the cornmeal dusted cracker like crust, to the fresh cheese that just oozes out...whether you order the thick Chicago style, or equally delicious thin...your taste buds are sure to be on cloud nine!
Zachary's has 3 locations...2 in Berkeley, and their newest store in San Ramon. http://www.zacharys.com
My next choice is in San Francisco and is a spot that I probably walked past hundreds of times without knowing it was there! Tommaso's (located in North Beach at 1042 Kearny Street) is like walking back in time to the early days of the city. They tout having San Francisco's oldest wood burning oven, which cooks their pizza's and calzones to utter perfection. It's a smaller spot, but does it's best to maximize space by offering family style seating in the middle of the restaurant. They do have few private booths, but be prepared to sit anywhere as the waits can be a bit long.
The pizza is great...thinner crust, with delicious sauce and fresh ingredients. It's a more simple pizza that is bound to please the masses. So if you find yourself in North Beach craving a good pie....take the time to find Tommaso's! http://www.tommasosnorthbeach.com
Last...and certainly NOT least...is my latest find. I happend to be watching the Food Network one evening when the World Pizza Championships were being shown. Being the pizza fanatic that I am...I just had to watch :) To my surprise and excitement, one of the competitors was a Castro Valley local named Tony Gemignani. Tony is the owner of Pyzano's Pizzeria (3835 E. Castro Valley Blvd.) and is a 7-time World Pizza Acrobat Champion! Yes...I said acrobat! The tricks, tosses, and throws Tony can do with a pizza dough will boggle your mind!
So I watched the show...and now had a rooting interest for the local Bay Area guy. And of course...Tony won again! But throwing dough is one thing....making a good pizza is another. Well you should know that most of the points received in the competition come from the final cook off where creativity and quality of pie are judged.
OK...so how good is the pizza you ask? Well let's just say that my fiance and I have eaten there 3 times in the past 10 days!!! Pyzano's makes a VERY delicious pizza, and aside from the great crust, I really love the sauce. Just slightly sweet and tangy, this is for me where Tony set's himself apart. Not to mention that he uses the older 3 tiered rotating ovens...not the blasphemous conveyor belt styled ones you see in most places :confused: ...which cook things just right. Great cheese, fresh veggies....Tony, you certainly live up to your billing! :D Check him out: http://www.pyzanospizzeria.com
So do you have a favorite spot that I missed? Don't keep it a secret, because there is ALWAYS room for another great pizzeria! Post your favorite in this thread and tell us why we should give it a try :)
Thanks for reading and here to good eating!
CIAO!
RIDE