These Bay Area Pizzerias Makes 'Must-Visit' List

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Well-regarded cooking magazine "Food & Wine" scoured the country to compile a list of bucket list-worthy pizzerias, and found two Bay Area restaurants that made the cut.

America is in a golden age of pizza, according to "Food & Wine," as chefs across the country came out of the pandemic itching to try out new tactics for making the classic dish. The magazine said American pizza has never been better than right now.

"Italian immigrants brought pizza to the States in the early 20th century, where it was popularized as an affordable and adaptable dish, leading to the rise of iconic regional styles in New York, Chicago, Detroit, New Haven and even California," Food & Wine said.

Coming in eighth and ninth on the list of 10 pizzerias, Outta Sight in San Francisco and Rose Pizzeria in Berkeley were lauded for their somewhat New York City-style pizzas.

Outta Sight takes inspiration was launched as a pop-up in 2020 before opening up a brick-and-mortar two years later.

"Some say it comes close to NYC, but chefs Eric Ehler and Peter Dorrance call their style San Francisco, taking inspiration from the flavors and cultures of the Bay Area," Food & Wine said.

Ehler and Dorrance use a conventional yeast but let it ferment the same amount as sourdough would take, creating a thin, crispy and complex crust. They also have experimental "Grandma-style" pies with toppings such as peking duck and chicken tikka masala.

Rose Pizzeria, meanwhile, is a "darling" blue cafe in Berkeley where husband and wife pair Alexis Rorabaugh and Gerad Gobel create a crunchy, artisan pizza that touches on the styles of Naples and New York City pizza. They like to pair each pie with a natural wine. One particular pizza, "She Wolf," which includes pepperoni with jalapeños or pork sausage with goat horn peppers and creamy burrata with capers, have become a cult-favorite.

Food & Wine gives the top nod to John's of Bleeker Street in New York

Rounding out the top five pizzerias are L'industrie in Brooklyn, New York; Bungalow by Middle Brow in Chicago; Buddy's Pizza in Detroit, Michigan; and Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana in New Haven, Connecticut.

The rest of the list includes:

• Razza Pizza Artigianale in Jersey City
• Quarter Sheets in Los Angeles
• Outta Sight in San Francisco
• Rose Pizzeria in Berkeley
• Lovely’s Fifty Fifty in Portland, Oregon