Montesacro Opens First East Bay Location In Walnut Creek

WALNUT CREEK, CA — Montesacro, the United States’ very first pinseria that opened in San Francisco’s SoMa neighborhood nearly eight years ago, opened the doors to its first East Bay location Nov. 26 in Walnut Creek.

Montesacro Founder and Owner Gianluca Legrottaglie brought pinsa to the United States in 2015, introducing America to the Italian delicacy of hand-pressed pizza straight from Rome. Legrottaglie then opened Montesacro locations in Brooklyn and San Francisco’s Marina neighborhood. Now, Legrottaglie has brought Montesacro and its famed pinsa to the Walnut Creek dining scene, paying homage to the team’s Roman roots.

At Montesacro’s Walnut Creek destination, guests will discover the artfully crafted, light and airy pinsa. Distinctly Roman and similar to pizza, pinsa is created using three different types of flour – soy, rice, and wheat (all GMO-free) — a proprietary combination imported directly from Rome. Once the dough is made, it rises for 72 hours before being stretched by hand with additional rice flour to give it extra crispiness. Due to its composition and long leavening process, pinsa is lower in fat, lower in calories, and easier to digest than most traditional pizza. With its crispier crust and unique flavor, a pinsa is meant to be savored.

Each pinsa at Montesacro is named after the working-class neighborhoods of Rome, paying homage to the neighborhoods and their authentic lesser-known restaurants and trattorie, where hungry locals eat, reflecting a view of the real food scene of Rome. Highlights include the Maranella, which is topped with fiordilatte, broccolini, spicy pork sausage and stracciatella di burrata, and the Garbatella with tuna in extra virgin olive oil, caper mayonnaise, Buffalo Mozzarella, hot chili, pickled red onion and parsley.

In the eight years since Montesacro’s inception, the team has greatly expanded its menu to include pastas, appetizers and entree courses with Executive Chef Mattia Marcelli at the helm. The Montesacro menu is focused on Roman culinary traditions and seasonality while sourcing sustainable ingredients from local purveyors.

At the new Walnut Creek location, guests can expect to see Montesacro staples inspired by beloved Roman dishes such as Abbacchio Scottadito (Cast Iron Lamb Chops, Rapini, Garlic Rosemary Oil); Carbonara (Rigatoni, Organic Egg Yolk, Guanciale, Black Pepper, Pecorino); Supplì di ‘Nduja (Tomato, Spicy Pork Spread, Risotto Croquettes, Molten Smoked Mozzarella); and Maritozzo con la Panna (Roman Sweet Bun, Whipped Cream) and dessert.

Brunch will be served on the weekends, featuring breakfast favorites, including Eggs Benedict al Prosciutto (House Bread, Smoked Mozzarella, Prosciutto di Parma, Poached Eggs, Hollandaise), Frittata di Carciofi (Roasted Artichokes, Shallot, Pecorino Crema, Nepitella) and the Montesacro Burger (8 oz. Grass Fed ‘Fassona Beef’ Burger, Tomato, Lettuce, Crispy Potato, House Bun).

Legrottaglie has leveraged his previous tenure in the wine industry to put together a thoughtfully curated wine list, featuring unique international wines, all of which are organic and made biodynamically.

Seasonally inspired cocktails supplement the bar program, which is spearheaded by Jacopo Rosito, with spirits and ingredients that represent Italy found in every single libation, specifically highlighting small producers and distillers.

Montesacro’s Walnut Creek restaurant at 1686 Locust Street was designed by Legrottaglie himself and is reminiscent of the brand’s other locations across the country. A nod to the Marina restaurant, it features a mid-century modern design with retro vintage touches of the 1960s and ‘70s with hints of rose gold throughout, along with an extravagant Italian chandelier as a focal point of the space.

The restaurant is open Sunday-Thursday, 5 to 10 p.m. and Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, visit www.Montesacro.com or follow along @montesacropinseria.