 |
|
|
Photo Amanda Kuehn Carroll
|
|
|
|
|
|
It's been a long day at work, traffic was a terror, the kids are hungry and you don't feel like cooking. You would, in fact, rather do anything else. It's a pizza kind of night. But where do you go? Who do you call? Never fear. There are pizzas of all varieties to be had in the Lamorinda area. From artisanal thin crust topped with caramelized onions and drizzled in truffle oil to a good old pepperoni from the shop at the corner, local pizza is where it's at.
Locally owned and operated, Lamorinda Pizza in Moraga's Rheem Center is happy to please. Topped with fresh veggies, high quality Molinari meats and Grande Italian cheeses, Lamornida's hand-rolled pizza crusts are anything but ordinary. Specializing in East Coast thin crusts, Lamorinda Pizza offers the traditional Meat Lovers, Combination and Spicy Hawaiian, as well as more adventurous sausage and pesto, spinach and artichoke options. Or you can build your own. Offering casual dine-in, takeout and delivery, customer service is a key part of the business. You can even order online. It doesn't get much simpler than that. Lamorinda Pizza is located at 382 Park St. in Moraga. For information, call (925) 376-4040 or visit www.lamorindapizza.com.
If "family friendly" is what you're looking for, look no farther than Orinda's Village Pizza. Opened in 1984, Village Pizza has established a local, small town feel that isn't going anywhere. Their combination pizza is the most popular order, but according to Morgan Gunn, manager for 20-plus years, "Everyone has their own favorites." Gunn's personal favorite is the chicken pesto with garlic, though he said that it really depends on his mood. He might just as soon opt for a chorizo-topped Mexi, a Puttanesca with anchovy or one of the feta cheese specials. From the checkered tables to the open kitchen, you'll be sure to feel at home sitting down at Village Pizza. Village Pizza is located at 19 Orinda Way in Orinda. Call (925) 254 1200 or visit villagepizzaorinda.com for info.
With a name like Pizza Antica, you would expect to see tables topped with crispy crusts and parmesan-powdered breadsticks, but this local restaurant does much more than pizza. For over a decade Pizza Antica has provided the people of Lamorinda with a family-style restaurant with upscale dining. "You can get pizza," said manager Heather Butler, "and the pizza is great. But you could just as easily order a steak and a glass of cab." Pizza Antica emphasizes the use of local, organic and seasonal ingredients. They're currently featuring roasted corn and heirloom tomatoes, which are beautifully paired with bacon, basil and arugula or caramelized onions and white truffle oil. There's a three cheese with shaved broccoli and pancetta, as well as a fennel sausage with Portobello mushrooms and roasted onions. If it's a pizza night out, you can even bring the kids. Pizza Antica has a menu especially for them. Pizza Antica is located at 3600 Mt. Diablo Blvd. in Lafayette. For more information, call (925) 299-0500 or go online to www.pizzaantica.com.
Say Pah-cheese! If you like your pizza to be more of a "pie" then you're sure to love the deep-dish of Paxti's Chicago-style pizza. Started in Palo Alto in 2004, Paxti's was opened by partners Bill Freeman and Francisco "Patxi" Azpiroz. The two had a dream to bring together delicious pizza and family hospitality. Though they specialize in deep-dish, they also offer pan crust, thin crust, whole wheat and gluten free - all made from scratch and each with their own specialties. From the basil-garlic-parmesan of the Bianco Verde to the garlic fennel sausage of the Matt Cann, it's hard to go wrong no matter what you choose. You can even order online if you're hungry or in a hurry. Paxti's is located at 3577 Mt. Diablo Blvd. in Lafayette. Call (925) 299-0700 or visit www.patxispizza.com for more info.
Buon appetito!
|
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA