Santa Rosa Pizza joints
by
Tom Samarati
April 6, 2008
Over the past several weeks I’ve been scurrying around Santa Rosa to the pizza places that are NOT
chain franchise operations. During my youth, I fancied myself a romantic Italo-New Yorker pizza snob.
By the time I was 21 years old I had eaten tons of flat, crusty, dusty, crispy pizza slathered with canned
sauces and Polly-O mozzarella cheese. On almost every street corner I could find a pizza shop that
sold a slice. I’d swagger in, plunk down my 50 cents, get a wedge of Margherita (tomato sauce,
cheese, Basil leaves - that’s it) , fold it in half on the wax paper sheet, walk out and chew
simultaneously. The calorie load was enough fuel to support several hours of teenage mischief
making.
When I came to California in 1973 my constant chant was “There is no good pizza here”. Well, at
least there was no New York City style pizza. As years passed, my tastes and pizza expectations
evolved together. On the California food scene several factors conspired to improve pizza quality.
Like: Food elitists and gourmet chefs redesigning pizza concepts. Adding exotic topping ingredients,
using organic flour and non-commercial yeast. “Serious” restaurants started to add gourmet pizza to
menus. Wood burning ovens replaced electric ovens. Chefs flew off to Italy to learn how real pizza
was made. So this is the “high-end” of foodie pizza.
Keep in mind that Americans spend $10 Billion (yes Billion with a “B” ) on pizza every year. The
ubiquitous pizza chain franchises cover the retail strip malls. Pizza long ago replaced the hot dog as
America’s favorite snack food. Even in Santa Rosa there are neighborhoods where a pizza joint can be
found on every city block.
Here are a few Santa Rosa pizza makers I’ve visited recently.
like the one you enjoyed at EST! EST! EST! restaurant in Rome. Yet, Rosso Pizzeria & wine bar
makes the best pizza in Santa Rosa, it is very good even by Italian standards. And you will find a New
York City style Pizza at Mombos’ and I love NY Pie.
by
Tom Samarati
April 6, 2008
Over the past several weeks I’ve been scurrying around Santa Rosa to the pizza places that are NOT
chain franchise operations. During my youth, I fancied myself a romantic Italo-New Yorker pizza snob.
By the time I was 21 years old I had eaten tons of flat, crusty, dusty, crispy pizza slathered with canned
sauces and Polly-O mozzarella cheese. On almost every street corner I could find a pizza shop that
sold a slice. I’d swagger in, plunk down my 50 cents, get a wedge of Margherita (tomato sauce,
cheese, Basil leaves - that’s it) , fold it in half on the wax paper sheet, walk out and chew
simultaneously. The calorie load was enough fuel to support several hours of teenage mischief
making.
When I came to California in 1973 my constant chant was “There is no good pizza here”. Well, at
least there was no New York City style pizza. As years passed, my tastes and pizza expectations
evolved together. On the California food scene several factors conspired to improve pizza quality.
Like: Food elitists and gourmet chefs redesigning pizza concepts. Adding exotic topping ingredients,
using organic flour and non-commercial yeast. “Serious” restaurants started to add gourmet pizza to
menus. Wood burning ovens replaced electric ovens. Chefs flew off to Italy to learn how real pizza
was made. So this is the “high-end” of foodie pizza.
Keep in mind that Americans spend $10 Billion (yes Billion with a “B” ) on pizza every year. The
ubiquitous pizza chain franchises cover the retail strip malls. Pizza long ago replaced the hot dog as
America’s favorite snack food. Even in Santa Rosa there are neighborhoods where a pizza joint can be
found on every city block.
Here are a few Santa Rosa pizza makers I’ve visited recently.
- Mombo’s Pizza
1880 Mendocino Ave Ste B
Santa Rosa, CA 95401 (707) 528-3278
The place that makes New York City style pizza. Crispy & dusty crust. Saucy, cheesy, oily.
The “restaurant” is a dump. Hideously ugly. 4 tables. Get your “pie” to go.
- I love NY Pie
65 Brookwood Ave
Santa Rosa, CA, 95404
(707) 526-9743
The front door is actually on 4th street. Fun family place with 10 tables. Pizza is better than
most take-out places in New York. I had the double baked no sauce pizza. I liked it.
Borolo’s Gourmet Pizza
500 Mission Blvd. Ste B
Santa Rosa, CA, 95409
(707) 539-3937
Take out only. I’ve actually received hate mail from Borolo customers for my reviews on Yelp,
Yahoo. Like my mother said “If you can’t say anything nice, then…"
- La Vera Pizza
629 4th Street
Santa Rosa, CA, 95404
(707) 575-1113
A nice family full service restaurant. Pizza is fairly expensive. I found the crust to be cake like
and the ingredients unremarkable.
Rosso Pizzeria and wine bar
53 Montgomery Dr.
Santa Rosa, CA, 95405
The king of quality pizza in Santa Rosa. I ate here on opening day when they were still finding
their way. I’ve been back 4 times. My pizza lunch yesterday was augmented by a late of fried
calamari, & a caesar salad. The food here is FABULOUS! Rivals the food in any Roman
trattoria.
- Mary’s Pizza Shack
3 locations in Santa Rosa
Mary's Pizza Shack Locations
Family dining. Big portions. Lot’s of carbs. Food Factory mentality. Processed flavors & aromas.
- Starlight Wine Bar and Restaurant
6761 Sebastopol Ave
Sebastopol, CA, 95472
Cute concept railroad car restaurant. Romantic interior. Nice people. Some of the expensive
gourmet dishes are quite good. The pizza is too. Bring lot’s $$$.
like the one you enjoyed at EST! EST! EST! restaurant in Rome. Yet, Rosso Pizzeria & wine bar
makes the best pizza in Santa Rosa, it is very good even by Italian standards. And you will find a New
York City style Pizza at Mombos’ and I love NY Pie.
Or then again you can stay home and cook your own, like we do!
