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Pizza Party: 30 Can't-Miss Pies

As Chef Alice Waters said, “Good food depends almost entirely on good ingredients.” And when it comes to pizza, that sentiment certainly rings true. We rounded up 30 of the region’s best pizza purveyors: heroes doing heroic deeds with fresh veggies, homemade sausage, fruit (yes, fruit), maybe some fish (yes, fish), jalapeños, hot links, truffles, or heck, just a good San Marzano tomato sauce. So, put down that fork (we have standards, even in California), grab a handful of crushed red pepper and parmesan packets from the stash you’ve had since 1990, and bring on the slices!

Danette’s Brick Oven Pub in Placerville makes good on their promises: When they say their Spicy BBQ pizza is spicy, they mean it. Hand-rolled to order, it comes with a kickin’ BBQ sauce and jalapeños, plus grilled chicken, red onions, sweet pineapple, and salty bacon to balance the heat.
2875 Ray Lawyer Drive, Placerville, 530-622-7420, danettesbrickovenpub.com

Dannette's Pub Pizza

 

Sacramento Pizza Company takes the Glenn Frey approach to our favorite pizza: The heat is on! Order the Mouth on Fire if you dare—topped with house-made marinara, ghost pepper cheese, red peppers, spicy pepperoni, spicy sausage, jalapeños, and pepperoncinis. Hoo-boy, hot enough for ya? (Glass of milk cooldown not included.)
2700 East Bidwell Street, Suite 500, Folsom, 916-673-9754, sacpizzaco.com

Sacramento Pizza Company

 

The Margherita Flatbread at Wise Villa Winery is an example of delicious simplicity: handmade, oven-crisp flatbread topped with San Marzano tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, just-picked basil, and a balsamic reduction for that perfect balance of sweetness and tang. It’s even better when paired with the gorgeous view and their Wise Villa Sangiovese and Tempranillo, natch!
4200 Wise Road, Lincoln, 916-543-0323, wisevillawinery.com

Wise Villa Winery Margherita Pizza; photos by Taylor Gillespie ©stylemediagroup

 

El Dorado’s Pizza Norcia is named for a medieval town in Umbria, Italy, famous for its prosciutto, truffles, and, uh, monks! Their Benedict pizza is the very essence of Norcia in a single, delicious slice: black truffle sauce, fior di latte mozzarella (a delicate cow’s milk mozzarella), shaved prosciutto, fresh basil, and a soft-cooked egg. Mangiamo!
6180 Pleasant Valley Road, El Dorado, 530-622-3593, pizzanorcia.com

Benedict Pizza Norcia Pizza; photos by Taylor Gillespie ©stylemediagroup

 

As a pickle lover, I believe there should be more pickle pizzas, and Folsom’s Corner Tavern & Grill agrees with me. Pickle hive let’s go! Check out the Dilly Dilly Bacon Pickle: lots of bacon (the magic word), dill pickle slices, tomatoes, olive oil, red pepper flakes, fresh herbs, mozzarella, parmesan, and Romano cheese. We’re riding this train all the way to flavor town, baby.
700 Glenn Drive, Suite 170, Folsom, 916-467-7800, cornertaverngrill.com

Corner Tavern Dilly Dally Pizza

 

Bowling demands pizza and Folsom Lake Bowl provides a great slice after you’ve worked up a hunger knocking down strikes (but remember, it takes just as much effort to hit the gutter: shoutout to my #guttertribe). Order up their pizza with The Works, literally, as it’s topped with sausage, bacon, ham, pepperoni, mushrooms, olives, bell peppers, and onions. Roll on!
511 East Bidwell Street, Folsom, 916-983-4411, flb365.com

Folsom Lake Bowl The Works

 

Citizen Vine in Folsom has a Meaty, Sweety, Spicy Flatbread that I think they should totally call the “Meaty, Beaty, Big and Bouncy” after The Who’s 1971 compilation album, but they’ve stopped returning my calls. Anyway, who wants hot honey sauce on their flatbread? Everyone! Doesn’t that sound insanely delicious? As does mozzarella, pepperoni, bacon, pineapple, and green onions. This flatbread is a bonafide taste sensation.
609 Sutter Street, Folsom, 916-932-4234, citizenvinefolsom.com

Citizen Vine Meaty Sweety Flatbread Pizza

 

Pizza purists, walk on the wild side with Heyday Café’s Spicy Prawn pizza, which comes topped with wild prawns, sriracha garlic cream sauce, red onions, pineapple, a blend of three cheeses, and honey cider slaw. This mouthwatering combination of spicy, sweet, and tangy will awaken all your taste buds and have you rethinking pizza possibilities!
325 Main Street, Placerville 530-626-9700, heydaycafe.com

Heyday Cafe Spicy Prawn Pizza; photos by Taylor Gillespie ©stylemediagroup

 

Visconti’s Ristorante has been a Folsom favorite for 30 years, giving locals the best in Southern Italian cuisine using only the freshest ingredients. Their Combo—loaded with pepperoni, salami, Italian sausage, linguica, mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, and olives—ticks all the boxes (hello, four meats), but it’s the linguica for us.
2700 East Bidwell Street, Suite 700, Folsom, 916-983-5181, viscontisristorante.com

Viscontis Ristorante Combo Pizza

 

Vaiano Trattoria’s pizzas are like mini-Italian vacations, each rolled to order in the traditional Italian pizzeria style with a thin crust that manages to be both crispy and chewy (just how we like it). Our favorite is the Pizza con Pancetta with mozzarella, homemade San Marzano-style tomato sauce, and delicious pancetta (aka Italian bacon) topped with peppery arugula. Molto bene!
7160 Douglas Boulevard, Granite Bay, 916-780-0888, vaianotrattoria.com

Vaiano Trattoria Con Pancetta Pizza

 

Cameron Park mainstay Papa Gianni’s Ristorante has been serving up quality Italian cuisine to the good folks of the region for three decades, and their pizzas are no exception. It’s the high-quality custom toppings that keep patrons coming back, like Eggplant, Artichoke Hearts, Tomatoes, Zucchini, and Sausage (the perfect late-summer pie!). Fancy something fancier? They also offer anchovies, meatballs, salami, and every other topping under the sun. Go for it! You do you.
3450 Palmer Drive, Cameron Park, 530-672-2333, papagiannis.net

Papa Giannis Ristorante ; photos by Taylor Gillespie ©stylemediagroup

 

Humble! Terrific! Some pig! Celebrating pork isn’t just for spider webs: The Place (locations in Roseville and Placerville) honors pork and its many forms with a delicious, pig-centric (pig-forward?) slice that tastes better than a spiderweb (sorry Charlotte). The Prosciutto is topped with fresh mozzarella, prosciutto di parma, arugula, shaved parmigiana reggiano, and EVOO. You could even say it’s a veritable smorgasbord! (Come for the Charlotte’s Web references—stay for the delicious pizza.)
221 Vernon Street, Roseville, 916-742-5447; 1772 Pleasant Valley Road, Placerville, 530-621-1680, thatlittleitalianplace.com/placerville

The Place Prosciutto Pizza

 

Fancy a juicy steak? Order a pizza! Pete’s Restaurant & Brewhouse in Folsom has a Tuscan Steak Thin Crust that serves both masters: charbroiled strips of filet mignon for an explosion of flavor and juiciness, atop a thin crust bursting with pesto, mozzarella, onions, roasted garlic, crumbled gorgonzola, and balsamic glaze for a full taste sensation.
6608 Folsom-Auburn Road, Folsom, 916-988-8812, petesfolsom.com

Pete's Restaurant Brewhouse Tuscan Steak; photo by Ray Burgess ©stylemediagroup

 

Brazil’s favorite pizza is now available in Folsom! Check out Quick Dish’s eye-catching and hunger-smashing Chicken Catupiry: tomato sauce, mozzarella, house-made shredded chicken breast, tomatoes, catupiry cheese (a melt-in-your-mouth Brazilian cream cheese), onions, green olives, oregano, and olive oil. This is a fully loaded, delicious pie, so bring your best appetite!
322 East Bidwell Street, Folsom, 916-293-9374, quickdishfood.com

Quick Dish Chicken Catupiry; photo by Ray Burgess ©stylemediagroup

 

If you’re a fan of that addictive buffalo wings flavor, but in search of a homemade twist, take it to the next level with the Buffalo Chicken Flatbread at Brickyard: grilled chicken, house-made Sinner buffalo sauce, applewood smoked bacon, red onions, and mozzarella topped with green onions and the all-important cool hit of ranch. Like a tangy, spicy punch in the face and a dip in the waters of cool, cool ranch.
1475 Eureka Road, Suite 120, Roseville, 916-836-8406; 4364 Town Center Boulevard, Suite 128, El Dorado Hills, 916-772-9464, brickyard916.com

Buffalo Chicken Flatbread Brickyard Pizza

 

The deep-dish vs. thin crust debate rages on eternally, but honestly, what’s not to love about a pizza delivery system that gives you more filling per square inch? (That’s a rhetorical question: We are not taking calls currently.) Chicago Fire’s Da “New” Spin and Shroom Deep Dish is the best argument in the “for” camp and a little thing you might call a walk-off home run: Flaky crust, sautéed spinach and garlic, sliced mushrooms, white garlic or plum tomato sauce, with porcini mushroom dust. Consider this argument settled. But if you still think thin is in, then you’re in luck: It’s also available with their crackery thin crust.
310 Palladio Parkway, Suite 701, Folsom, 916-984-0140; 500 North Sunrise Avenue, Roseville, 916- 771-2020, chicagofire.com

Chicago Fire Deep Dish Pizza

 

Red’s Pizzeria & Taphouse—a veteran-owned, family-run restaurant in Rocklin—serves handcrafted wood-fired pies topped with organic, eclectic toppings, including wild game, plus rotating local drafts. What’s more, they source ingredients from local farms, make all their sauces in-house, and offer seasonal specials. Our go-to is the Cowboy Combo with pomodoro, mozzarella, smoked mozzarella, boar and bison sausage, house meatball crumbles, jalapeños, bell peppers, pickled red onions, and potatoes. A mouthful to say—and eat—it’ll have you coming back for more.
6696 Lonetree Boulevard, Suite 100, Rocklin, 916-872-1036, redspizzarocklin.com

Reds Pizzeria Cowboy Combo Pizza

 

Old Town Pizza has a die-hard local following and for good reason: Their service is good, pizza’s great, and they certainly don’t skimp on the toppings when it comes to quality or quantity. Check out the hometown favorite, the Caboose—loaded with superior pepperoni, sausage, linguica, salami, mushrooms, yellow onions, and black olives. All aboard!
120 Church Street, Roseville, 916, 668-7655; 599 Lincoln Boulevard, Lincoln, 916-645-7677; 510 High Street, Auburn, 530-888-7600, otpizza.net

Old Town Pizza Caboose Pizza

 

Let’s change some hearts and minds: Fruit on pizza is delicious and correct. Don’t believe us? Check out the Pear & Gorgonzola offering at Wally’s Pizza Bar featuring crisp Bosc pears, gorgonzola cheese, and red onions baked over a garlic cream sauce, and finished with arugula tossed in balsamic vinaigrette. See? Delicious, fancy, and correct.
4079 Cameron Park Drive, Cameron Park, 530-677-5205, wallyspizzabar.com

Wally's Pizza Bar Pear Gorgonzola

 

Stallionz Pizza sees you, meat lovers, and they’re here for you with their All Meat Combo: house red sauce and mozzarella piled (we mean piled!) with salami, ham, pepperoni, sausage, linguica, and Louisiana hot links. It’s all the best meat toppings together in one place, like the Wu Tang Clan of pizza. Or a supergroup, like the Travelling Wilburys. It’s dang good pizza, is what we’re saying.
1200 Cirby Way, Roseville, 916-755-4411, stallionzpizza.com

Stallonz Pizza All Meat Combo; photos by Taylor Gillespie ©stylemediagroup

 

We’ll keep saying it: Fruit belongs on pizza. Smith Flat House’s Polynesian will make a believer out of the most vehement fruit-deniers, thanks to delicious Canadian bacon, juicy pineapple, red onions, bacon, mozzarella, and the secret weapon: Mae Ploy sauce (that’s Thai sweet chili sauce of the gods, if you don’t know), and fresh chives. It’s got all the major food groups: spicy, sweet, salty, cheese. Anything that tastes this good can’t be wrong.
2021 Smith Flat Road, Placerville, 530-621-1003, smithflathouse.com

Smith Flat House Polynesian Pizza; photos by Taylor Gillespie ©stylemediagroup

 

As we’ve established, great pizza isn’t just the province of East Coasters. You can get it all over this great region, too, including Granite Bay at Dominick’s Italian Market & Deli. Pizza-wise, the local favorite is their Pizza Bianca, which shows just how sublime good ingredients can be: EVOO, fresh garlic, ricotta, and mozzarella. Boom. No bells, no whistles, just a greasy smile and a full belly. Isn’t that what life’s all about?
8621 Auburn Folsom Road, Granite Bay, 916-786-3355, dominicksmarketdeli.com

Dominicks Italian Market Pizza Bianca; photo by Ray Burgess ©stylemediagroup

 

Pizzeria Classico’s Pestatoes makes eating your vegetables appealing in a way that my mom never could (five-year-old me was not feeling the “steamed spinach” vibe). If she had served me a crispy pizza crust topped with spinach, roasted potatoes, red onions, feta, and pesto, it might have been a different story. Sorry for the tantrums, Mom. At least we can both agree that this pizza rules!
702 Sutter Street, Suite A, Folsom, 916-351-1430, pizzeriaclassicomenu.com

Pizzeria Classico Pestatoes Pizza

 

Flour Dust Pizza keeps it fresh and tasty, and their Okie Dokie is just a who’s who (or what’s what) of simple but unique ingredients: Italian grilled artichokes, Sierra Nevada whipped cream cheese, fresh basil, spinach, feta, smoked mozzarella, and parmesan. Served on a crispy, light thin crust, it all combines to create a memorable taste sensation.
5080 Foothills Boulevard, Suite 5, Roseville, 916-773-5080, flourdustpizza.com

Flour Dust Pizza Okie Dokie; photos by Taylor Gillespie ©stylemediagroup

 

Lox bagels are a deep favorite and when we heard that Placerville Public House had a Lox n’ Caper Flatbread, we knew we’d be fans. They pushed the boat out with this one and we’re not mad about it: smoked salmon, capers, arugula, and red onions on a jalapeño cream cheese flatbread. Basically, it’s everything you love about a lox bagel on a pizza with a good jalapeño kick. Waiter, can we have another?
305 Main Street, Placerville, 530-303-3792, placervillepublichouse.com

Placerville Public House Loxn Caper Pizza; photos by Taylor Gillespie ©stylemediagroup

 

Bene Ristorante Italiano in Placerville understands what the people want. Garlic on pizza? Heck yes. More garlic on pizza? Now we’re talking. Check out the Garlic & More Garlic—a delicious, Napoletano-style pie featuring a slightly charred, chewy crust topped with minced fresh garlic, roasted garlic cloves, mozzarella, and tomato sauce—cooked to pizza perfection in a brick oven. Garlic lover heaven is right here in Placerville, folks. And the garlic breath? Worth it.
423 Main Street, Placerville, 530-303-3415, eatpizzabene.com

Bene Ristorante Italiano Garlic Pizza; photos by Taylor Gillespie ©stylemediagroup

 

Most people will agree that garlic, ranch, and chicken are a match made in food heaven, so clearly the Garlic Ranch Chicken offering at Steve’s Pizza is a winner. In addition to the namesake ingredients, the pie is also piled high with sun-dried tomatoes, red onions, oregano, and a garlicky ranch sauce that’s so good you’ll definitely—positively—want more. Committed to serving the community and making quality pizza at an affordable price, Steve should be everyone’s best friend.
3941 Park Drive, Suite 100, El Dorado Hills, 916-939-2100; 1840 Prairie City Road, Suite 100, Folsom, 916-461-1500, stevespizzaca.com

Steves Pizza Garlic Ranch Pizza; photo by Ray Burgess ©stylemediagroup

 

Go 4 Pizza is doing homemade pizza right, and they have a Pesto Chicken that’s quietly rocking our world, thanks to creamy pesto, mozzarella, blue cheese, caramelized onions, and chicken. They also accommodate dietary requirements, thanks to a downright delicious cauliflower crust and vegan cheese. Another reason to check out this family-owned favorite? They often have live music and specials (give them a “follow” @ go4pizza2.0 for the “dish”).
4036 Sunrise Boulevard, Suite 100, Rancho Cordova, 916-353-2700; 7195 Murieta Drive, Suite 218, Rancho Murieta, 916-354-2700, go4pizza.com

Go 4 Pizza Pesto Chicken

 

Quality pizza reigns supreme at Ciro’s Pizza—thanks to fresh ingredients that are sliced and diced daily (many locally sourced) and dough that’s made in-house every morning. For a taste of NYC in Folsom (or Citrus Heights), order the Real Pisano: thin crust seasoned with olive oil and lightly sauced, then topped with mozzarella, Monterey jack, minced garlic, sliced tomatoes, grated parmesan, and fresh basil leaf ribbons (upon request). It’s the real deal for a real steal (especially on Tuesdays when all large pies are 15% off)!
1300 East Bidwell Street, Suite 120, Folsom, 916-983-5757; 7521 Old Auburn Road, Citrus Heights, 916-726-5757, cirospizza.com

Ciro's Real Pisano Pizza

 

Isn’t it funny that Celestino’s NY Pizza & Pasta has New York in the name when they’re in Rocklin? What do you mean they’re funny? Funny how? Funny like they’re a clown, they amuse you? Whaddya mean funny, funny how? How are they funny? (Pause for laughter.) Relax, we’re all friends here! It’s all part of the Joe Pesci pizza experience: an intensely flavored, mercifully non-violent pie topped with pepperoni, bacon, blue cheese crumbles, spinach, and red onions. (Note: Do not mention the shine box.)
6160 Stanford Ranch Road, Suite 900, Rocklin 916-771-8600, celestinospizza.com 

Celestino New York Pizza and Pasta Joe Pesci

 


by SHARON PENNY
Danette’s Brick Oven Pub photo by Sierra Springs Photography. Corner Tavern & Grill photo by Ray Burgess ©stylemediagroup. Wise Villa Winery and Pizza Norcia photos by Taylor Gillespie ©stylemediagroup. Sacramento Pizza Company photo courtesy of Sacramento Pizza Company. Heyday Café photo by Taylor Gillespie ©stylemediagroup. Other photos courtesy of their respective companies or organzations. Papa Giannis photo by Taylor Gillespie ©stylemediagroup. Pete’s Restaurant & Brewhouse  and Quick Dish photos by Ray Burgess ©stylemediagroup. The Place photo courtesy of The Place. Chicago Fire photo by Yarcenia Garcia. Brickyard photo courtesy of Brickyard. Red’s Pizzeria photo by Amie Shroyer @redspizzarocklin. Old Town Pizza photos by Anna Wick. Stallionz Pizza photo by Taylor Gillespie ©stylemediagroup. Wally’s Pizza Bar photo courtesy of Wally’s Pizza Bar. Smith Flat House photo by Taylor Gillespie ©stylemediagroup. Dominick’s Italian Market & Deli photo by Ray Burgess ©stylemediagroup. Flour Dust Pizza, Placerville Public House and Bene Ristorante Italiano photos by Taylor Gillespie ©stylemediagroup. Pizzeria Classico photo by Matt Litteral of Gemini Media Studios, geminimediastudios.com. Steve’s Pizza photo by Ray Burgess ©stylemediagroup. Go 4 Pizza photo by Kristopher Kendro. Other photos courtesy of their respective companies or organizations.