Since owner Chad Wells opened his pizza-pasta franchise in 2010, it’s been a family-friendly neighborhood spot to enjoy a slice of pizza…and a whole lot more. A year or so later, they expanded into the space next door to create Granite Bay’s first bona fide sports bar. Then, in March of 2016, Chad dropped the franchise, and GB Alehouse was born.

I chose to eat in the main restaurant on my last visit—a rarity, since the full menu is available in the pub side with the added benefit of viewing any of the day’s sporting events—and started with the Alehouse Knots. Trust me: Your kids, your parents, your friends, and everyone else you know will love these mozzarella-stuffed pizza rolls tossed in garlic, Parmesan, butter and Italian seasoning (seriously, they’re always a crowd-pleaser), so get the full order! 

Combining the knots with the apple gorgonzola chicken salad would be a satisfying meal for the whole family. The latter, featuring chopped romaine lettuce, crisp green apples, red onions, candied walnuts, grilled chicken and tangy gorgonzola in a champagne vinaigrette, is a must-order for lunch or dinner. 

If you’re craving a meaty sub, try the spicy Italian steak sandwich (or sangwich if you’re a Sopranos fan). I was expecting the usual version with thin, horizontally sliced beef, but instead was treated to thick-cut strips of filet mignon, cooked medium-rare (they’ll ask your preference), with mixed greens, onion straws, crumbled blue cheese and spicy aioli on a toasted baguette. Now that’s a sangwich! 

For a rich, comforting pasta, try the smoked chicken gorgonzola. Made with farfalle, smoked gorgonzola, grilled chicken, bacon crumbles, mushrooms, garlic, red and green onions, basil and rosemary—all bathed in a “light” cream sauce—it’s Italian-style mac-n-cheese on steroids. 

Pizza (available on thick or thin crust) is the specialty of the house, and the most popular is the aptly named Big Kahuna. It’s essentially a pork luau on hand-tossed pizza dough—smoked ham, bacon and pepperoni dancing the hula with pineapple, green and red onions, plenty of whole-milk mozzarella, and a sweet and spicy barbecue sauce. 

Wash your meal down with one of the 32 beers on tap (many from local breweries), tune into one of the TVs, and let the good times roll.    

By Lorn Randall   //  Photos By Dante Fontana

Hours:  11 a.m.-9 p.m. (Sunday-Thursday); 11 a.m.-10 p.m. (Friday and Saturday)

Try This: Alehouse Knots, Smoked Chicken Gorgonzola Pasta, Big Kahuna, Spicy Italian Steak Sandwich, Lemonade Cake

Alcohol: Full bar; beer, wine and cocktails

Tab: $$

Heads-Up: Live music (check their Facebook page for upcoming dates, times and artists); Happy Hour (3-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday); 32 rotating drafts (many from local breweries); catering available (both on- and offsite); spacious, picturesque patio

GB Alehouse, 5540 Douglas Boulevard, Granite Bay, 916-797-4992