On Sunday I visited the Menlo Park farmers market. Plenty of vendors were showcasing their produce. There was one booth that captured my attention, not because of fresh fruits or vegetables, but pizzas. Pizza at a farmers market? I had to check it out.

The man behind the pizzas was Roland Konicke, a New Yorker who moved to Santa Cruz to share his passion for pizza. It was here he founded Uncie Ro’s Take and Bake Pizza. First thing to keep in mind is Roland’s pizzas are far from being an ordinary take and bake pizza. I had a chance to talk with Roland about why his pizzas are so special.

I found out that his pizzas are focused on using locally available organic ingredients. Roland pointed towards the pizzas he had on display and said, “I just made these pizzas yesterday.”

His hand crafted pizzas use flour from a company out in San Francisco. What’s more impressive is that the toppings he uses are purchased at local farmers markets. His vision of supporting local farms seems to be the driving force behind the company. “Everything, but the cheese is locally grown. The cheeses on these pizzas were imported from Italy,” said Roland. I was sold. I took a Sausage & Pepper pizza home with me to try out for dinner.

The pizza was topped with four different cheeses – Provolone, Parmesan, Mozzarella, and Romano. The sausage was made from grass fed pork. What really catches your eye are the bright red bell peppers on the pizza. I was anxious to see how the flavors would marry together. I threw the pizza into oven and soon enough, the smell of the sausage and fennel filled the kitchen.

Continue Reading » Uncie Ro’s Organic Artisan Pizzas

Zachary’s
1853 Solano Ave.
Berkeley, CA 94707
(510) 525-5950
www.zacharys.com

After a day walking around downtown San Francisco, my pizza craving kicked into full gear. Since we were already in the city, a quick drive down to 18th Street to grab some slices of pizza from Pizzeria Delfina would fulfill that craving. So, that’s what Rose and I did. I thought that this trip to Pizzeria Delfina would be a quick one. I only wanted to order take-out this time. Looking for parking was a total nightmare during this visit. We literally circled the block too many times to count. I thought to myself, just to head back home. We could always get our pizza fix the next time we were in the city.

While on the Bay Bridge with my mind on pizza still, another thought hit me. We were close enough to Zachary’s in Berkeley to make a quick stop.

1. It’s not often that we’re out in the Berkeley area, especially for food. And 2. I still wanted pizza. Maybe not dining at Pizzaria Delfina was meant to be (so I thought… Or maybe that parking totally sucked today).

Continue Reading » Dig into a Deep Dish Bay Area Classic

Pizzeria Delfina
3611 18th St.
San Francisco, CA 94110
(408) 437-6800
www.pizzeriadelfina.com

Fans of Neapolitan style pizza are aware of Pizzeria Delfina in San Francisco’s Mission District. Since 2005, they have been serving their specialty pizzas to hungry mouths in the area. Pizzeria Delfina takes it a step further and offers changing daily specials like the Carbonara Pizza.

Chunky bits of salty pancetta, cheese, leeks, and fried eggs on top, are combined to make this beauty. I had never had egg on a pizza before, so when the server said that the Carbonara special had it, I was anxious to give it a try. The texture of the runny fried eggs mixed with the gooey cheese made for a richer pizza. Slice after slice, we devoured this so fast.

Continue Reading » A Slice of Pizzeria Delfina

Amici’s Pizza
69 Third Ave.
San Mateo, CA 94401
(650) 342-9392
www.amicis.com

I love pizza. It’s one of my favorite foods. I remember eating at Amici’s for the first time near AT&T Park with my cousin. The pizza was great. When I found out San Mateo had an Amici’s branch, I had to go back.

If you are a pizza fan, you must check this place out. Pizzas here are East Coast style. We ordered the Calabria pizza which had pancetta, provolone, mozzarella, and tomatoes. The pizza is baked in a brick oven. The crust is thin, so if you like that, then Amici’s is the place to go. We also ordered the lasagna with meat sauce. Both dishes are flavorful.

Atmosphere is very casual with old sports photos decorating the restaurant. It makes for a great conversation starter if your date is into sports. Amici’s has several branches in the Bay Area, so if you can’t make it to the San Mateo location, you might just have one near to you.

It’s a spot for dates because…
If you’re looking for a casual place to dine, Amici’s offers tasty food. Also, if you don’t feel like dining in, you can always have them deliver to you.