What precisely was done by whom and where that was racist ? I did see some reports of sketchy Yelp responses but I’d like to know the details specifically. I didn’t find that online myself.
The two times I had Berkeley’s Arinell’s many years apart were sub-Domino’s grease-on-cardboard level duds, and given their reputation for being NY-accurate slices, had me write off the entire style (and state of NY) as being bananas in pajamas bonkers until I had Emilia’s.
I always wondered if there was a viable business model in buying up whole pizzas from Emilia’s and selling them by the slice (perhaps to passersby at the cannabis club down the block).
They’re definitely not NY style, but I’ve become a big fan of the slices that Acme Bakery started selling relatively recently, though I like their new jam biscuits even more. I definitely prefer Acme’s slices over the thinner Cheeseboard/Sliver style, though someone I shared one with complained that it was too bready… which I guess I don’t mind since it’s Acme bread.
I like the tomatoes sort of surrounded by cheese that’s old school
Their pizzas are pretty great if you’re ever in the area
Can’t have some thin ass San Francisco special up in the country now can we ? Kidding of course looks solid !
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Rose Pizzeria, Berkeley CA
Strong sourdough flavor on the crust, thin crispy bottom. Good but the pies tasted pretty salty, must be the cheese they use. I would like to have seen the tomato sauce a little brighter to stand up to it. Cute little place with outdoor garden seating in back.
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Inviting pies nice
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They had a unique flavor profile and I’m not sure if it was from the crust or cheese or both. Worth checking out if you are in Berkeley.
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That’s quite the char on the crust. Usually it’s just a few leopard spots against golden base.
I wonder if they are heavily dusting the crust and bottom before baking and that’s causing the white and black color. Might also be part of the flavor profile you’re tasting.
It looks very tasty
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Yeah I’m not sure what is going on there, the second pie was definitely charred but the first one the crust was still chewy but dark, not charred. I looked at the photos on Yelp and all of their pizzas seem to have that dark crust, maybe the flour they are using for the dough - I don’t know.
It’s Berkeley - lots of herbs in the kitchen?
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We went in March of this year (I posted it somewhere in a different thread, don’t remember) and the crust was better:
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This thread inspired me to go to Il Casaro Pizzeria in North Beach. I’ve walked by a million times but never gone in. The photos online look good enough but haven’t heard anything to make me really want to go. We had the Diavola — tomato sauce, mozzarella, Italian salami and Calabrian peppers. It was alright. Every individual part was good enough but the pizza just didn’t come together to be really good or great. If I had to guess it wasn’t cooked hot enough. It was ‘correct’ in style but we both agreed it wasn’t the best. Nice prices though. Also maybe cause we’d just eaten at Roberta’s (in Montauk even) the week before, we were expecting too much? But definitely not on the same level as Roberta’s or Pizzana in LA.
Adding the other photos since you can tell just from looking at them which are the better pies.
Il Casaro:
Roberta’s:
Pizzana:
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I like that last one nice and fresh looking sauce maybe borderline too much char for my taste nothing that can’t be cured by dipping it into some garlic oil or such or not.
I had lunch today at Pie Punks in SoMa, which opened in July. They have tiki-ish cocktails and grandma slices, for me a winning combination. They also have Detroit style pies and round pies as well, and wine (including a few natural wines) and beer.
I had a classic grandma slice and a pepperoni grandma slice. Both were quite good - they had a thinner crust than Detroit style with nice crunch on the bottom and nice texture. The tomato sauce tasted fresh and a little sweet. The pepperoni slice had that pepperoni that curls into crispy grease cups and was a little spicy.
Classic ($5)
Pepperoni ($6)
Also had a Zombie Punk Drink ($16)
and a Painkiller ($12)
I liked the Painkiller more. They ran out of space in the glasses and served up the difference in another little glass.
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Is this what a grandma slice is?
Yes. Thin crust, baked in an oiled pan so that it sizzles and crisps up, minimal sauce and cheese. It’s amusing they call it “classic”–it was first sold on Long Island in the 1990s.
ETA: In San Francisco, Golden Boy has sold this style for years before it got the name “grandma”.
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It’s a little sad that I just discovered this pizza Instagram only a few days before it’s going to shut down. Many, many SFBA pizza photos.
