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.

The taste of the sweet tomatoes complemented the light flavors of the sausage. I enjoyed each bite down to the crispy crust.

Currently, you can find Uncie Ro’s Take and Bake Pizzas at seven farmers markets from Santa Cruz to Menlo Park. The best way to find out if he has pizzas at your local farmers market is to email Roland and ask.

Coverage of the 29th Annual Santa Cruz Clam Chowder Cook Off & Festival Saturday wasn’t your typical day at the Santa Cruz Beach...

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).

Zachary’s is no stranger to notable awards and achievements it has gained through the years. I, on the other hand, was unfamiliar to Zachary’s. I knew that it was different in that they were known for a Chicago deep dish stuffed style pie, but that was it. Since the opportunity was there, we made sure to make a stop.

Thankfully, parking was a breeze. The first thing we noticed when we stepped inside the restaurant was the line of customers waiting to be seated. Of course long lines at restaurants usually equals good food. We dashed to the counter to order a classic Zachary’s Special to go. The server asked us if we wanted the pie fully or half baked. We still had a long drive back home and wanted to experience a fresh-hot-out-of-the-oven pie, so we opted for the half baked version.

We rushed home after we got the pie and quickly opened up the box. Your eyes would have lit up the same way ours did. I threw it into the oven so that we could try it. This thing was heavy, unlike the Neapolitan pizzas we were used to. After a quick 15 minutes we begin to slice it up.

The tall towering crust that surrounds this pie will leave you in awe. Thick chunks of sausage, crisp slices of onion, and fresh green bell peppers, were mixed into the oozing cheese within each slice. The pie was deep, so you were sure to get plenty of the ingredients with your slice. There was plenty of sweet tomato sauce to go around.

I couldn’t have asked for a better first time experience with a Chicago style pie. If you haven’t, Zachary’s is your best bet in the Bay Area to give it a shot.

It’s a spot for dates because…
This just may be your chance to enjoy an authentic Chicago style pie on the west coast.

Zachary’s gives you two ways to enjoy their pies. With the option of getting the pies half baked, you can still experience a freshly baked Zachary pie by finishing it in your oven at home. If you’re not in a rush just dine in to experience their award winning pies. Go ahead and see their awards scattered against the walls. Just make sure to get there early. You will sure to see the crowds of customers waiting to grab a seat.

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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.

The other pizza we ordered was the Saliccia. This pizza combines juicy fennel sausage, onion, tomatoes, red bell peppers, and mozzarella cheese. I loved the way that the mozzarella cheese stretched when I got in to grab a slice. Flavor wise, this was completely different from the Carbonara Pizza. The Saliccia had the flavors of tomatoes and spicy sausage jumping at your palate, while the Carbonara was more of a smooth and creamier pizza.

The bubbling crunchy crust can be a highlight of this pizzeria in itself. It can make or break the pie itself. Pizzeria Delfina does a great job on pizza crust. It wasn’t bland and had a nice bite to it. I had no complaints at all. In fact, if you were there to see our pizza trays, you wouldn’t have seen anything. Every slice, down the crust sat happily in our stomachs.

It’s a spot for dates because…
Pizzeria Delfina is a top choice for a casual dining experience if you find yourself in the area. Although seating is limited, you do have a choice of dining al fresco or indoors. You’ll be delighted to see daily changing specials of antipasti and pizza, so there’s something new to try all the time.

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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.

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