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Gioia Pizzeria
Category: Restaurants Pizza Pizza [Edit]
1586 Hopkins St(between California St & Mcgee Ave)
Berkeley, CA 94707
Neighborhood: North Berkeley
(510) 528-4692
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 11 am - 8 pm
Sun 12 pm - 7 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
469 reviews for Gioia Pizzeria
Review Highlights
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"Praise the Lord for New York style Pizza." In 25 reviews -
"It's also in the Monterey Market area, which is great." In 18 reviews -
"The mushroom is my personal favorite." In 90 reviews
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- A Yelpy Insight: Vegetarians go nuts for this spot. See more places they like.
469 reviews in English
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Review from Robin K.
Berkeley, CA
4/23/2012
I needed to get pizza for 5 for yesterday's Dallas/Giants game. I had lot's of choices of pizzerias, but nothing would rise to the occasion but Gioia"s pizza. I jumped in the car, drove 2/3s the way there, when I realized I left without $$$ or credit cards. I was prepared to drive all the way home and back again. Now there are plenty of pizzerias closer to El Cerrito, but I have to say the taste of Gioia's Radicchio e Pancetta as the Giant's blocked Dallas's game winning field goal, made the whole effort worthwhile. BTW, you can get a mixed pie of any of the following:
Pepperoni
cheese pizza with Molinari pepperoni
Funghi
cheese pizza with roasted cremini mushrooms, thyme, parsley and garlic oil
Radicchio e Pancetta
radicchio, gorgonzola, Fra' Mani pancetta, red onion, mozzarella, grana padano
Butternut Squash
butternut squash, gorgonzola, gremolata with mozzarella and grana padano
Salsiccia
formaggio pie with housemade sicilian sausage and pecorino
Acciughe
cheese pizza with Sicilian anchovies, Calabrian chiles, and fresh oregano
Broccoli Ricotta
broccoli, ricotta, garlic, capers with mozzarella and pecorino
Salads, Drinks, etc.
BTW, the rematch of the Giants and Cowboys is New Years Day. Guess what I'm bringing. -
Review from I Be E.
Pasadena, CA
5/11/2012
cheeseboard, schmeezeboard. that's not real pizza over there. it's been berkeley'd and people think its good pizza, but its not new york style pizza.
people who tell you to go the cheeseboard are diluted.
gioia is new york style pizza, but with berkeley type toppings. i only go for pepperoni myself, just like in new york. im not into the special cheeses, gourmet onions, spinach, etc. although they do it well here. i can tell a pizza place by just tasting the pepperoni pizza. when you can make the simplest, most copied pizza at any joint as good as possible - you get my vote.
ive had my fair share of pizza in a lifetime. this place is one worth coming back to. -
Review from Petri Y.
San Francisco, CA
5/6/2012
We had high hopes for this place. After being discouraged by the long lines at cheese board, we found this place and decided to give it a try. Typical NYC style pizza, takeout only place.
It could have been that we just got the wrong type- pepperoni, but it was so salty we had to take off almost all of the pepperoni to eat it.
Also the bottom was so greasy we felt gross afterwards. We were starving after swimming at the pool all afternoon and just scarfed it down on the benches in front.
Will give it another try another day...maybe the funghi but the pepperoni ruined it--my hubby said it wasnt pepperoni but salame instead. SO salty i drank like a gallon of water when i got home!
I see they opened one in sf, so will try that one since its closer to our home.
GO to cheese board instead! Healthier, cleaner and better tasting! -
Review from Carmen L.
Berkeley, CA
4/22/2012
The sausage pizza is AMAZING! I want to eat it again!
The pepperoni one was too salty, ok I know is pepperoni but they need to find a balance, maybe with the sauce.
The cheese is SO GOOD! it's not a cheap Parmesan is a strong a delicious one!
I paid $14 per 4 slides.
Definitely I'm going to try to eat there often. -
Review from Shimmy L.
Sacramento, CA
3/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
Julian Pizza= Yummy, greasy, mildly spicy.
GREAT pizza place. Perfect for any occasion! -
Review from Emily E.
Richmond, CA
3/9/2012
Finally a great pizza place in Berkeley you don't need to get a reservation for or wait in a long line! I will definitely be coming back to this place.
I had the pizza formaggio, it was great but I think I'm going to try their funghi next time. -
Review from rinaldi w.
Berkeley, CA
4/23/2012
The pizza is overrated.
Cold.
The place is disgusting
Arinell is much better. Or go to the cheeseboard. -
Review from X-topher B.
San Francisco, CA
2/29/2012
This is THE best pizza I've had in the bay area. New York does California, and does it well. Great chewy & crunchy crust meet fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients. The funghi, the butternut squash.
I'm an east coast guy, and I've had a lot of pizza in San Francisco, but none of it is as good as Gioia Pizzeria. -
Review from Tim W.
2/21/2012
Excellent pizza.
As great as Cheeseboard is, this place just might be better. The funghi pizza is extremely good, chewy mushrooms, herby seasonings, not too oily and perfectly fold-able. Even though the pizzas are pre-made and re-heated, they are still fantastic and the cheese is still nice and stretchy.
Still need to come back and try the butternut squash and the sausage.Listed in: Pizza Pizza, Best Food
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Review from John S.
San Francisco, CA
1/23/2012
The pizza's pretty banging. I've only had it once. It was some nice fuel after helping someone move. (It was also the first thing I ate that day, but don't tell anyone.) It's not a very well kept secret, however, because the line is quite a line. It's an honest-to-goodness queue, in fact.
I don't spend much time in North Berkeley, but if I had a pizza place this good within walking distance of where I lived, I'd be fatter than I already am, so maybe my scarcity is actually good for me.
I think they use two kinds of cheese. Yummalicious.Listed in: Vegetarian Parents in Town?
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Review from Nick B.
2/18/2012
Been here two times now while visiting. The pies are very tasty. The ambiance is non-existent which is quaint in and of itself. It doesn't try to be some fancy restaurant but instead focuses on the whole "get your pizza and let's keep the line moving" motif.
I had the funghi pizza which was AMAZING. Nicely spiced so that you don't get that funky mushroom taste lingering in your mouth. I also tried a slice of sausage and Julian's pizza which weren't nearly as impressive as the funghi.
I think this has a lot to do with the fact that the funghi pizza was fresh (as we ordered a whole one in advance) and the slices had been sitting out for a while. Overall, great food but I highly recommend you order in to get a fresh one because that makes all the difference! -
Review from Randal M.
San Leandro, CA
2/6/2012
Searching dinner options from my list, I stopped my tracks when my friend said the word "pizza." Wow! I love pizza. But where?
Barely one turned around the block, thanks to Yelp, and we found an awesome parking space! Just when we think it can't get any better...it didn't. We hopped outsideour tracks and told we were going to have to WAIT for a table. wow!! Luckily we were only tapping our feet for a few minutes before being shuffled into a nice corner spot at the window. The windows were really clean, too. Seats were kinda hard.
Combo slice + drink menus were the perfect way for us. I got the two slice + soda combo. First slice - pepperoni. Sounds boring ? No. Any good Italian joint has gotta make a great slice of pepperoni, am I right?! Scanning down the specialty menu, I see something amazetabulous, the HEART-STOPPER - bacon, gorgonzola, roasted garlic, spinach. Glamour!!!
In fact, the Heart-stopper sounded so good that my friend tried to switch her order after we'd already ordered. Waiter seemed skeptical but went to try. And here comes the real heart-stopper - when our slices come out, it's our original orders plus a BONUS slice of Heart-stopper. Bon Appetite!! -
Review from Marlon O.
Benicia, CA
Updated - 3/14/2012
One of the best slices in thee Bay Area! Definitely makes my top 3 in the East Bay!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/22/2010
Place is good! Had a slice of anchovie and a slice of pepperoni. Gioia ranks in my top 3 Bay Area… Read more »
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Review from Andrew S.
1/28/2012
This place was REALLY REALLY good. My only complaint was that they were out of a lot of flavors at first. Their oven had broken down earlier in the day and so they were backlogged with orders for full pies. However, I was able to try the mushroom pizza and it was absolutely divine. Everyone here seems pretty friendly. Not that much seating but not that many people either (at least when I went).
From what I remember, prices reflect the quality. Street parking is ample -
Review from Jessica L.
Fair Oaks, CA
1/28/2012
I read on yelp to call in before I come if it is near their closing time to order a slice of pizza because after a certain amount of time they stop selling slices and only sell whole pizzas.. well i did just that and the worker on the other line said that i can not hold slices of pizza from a phone order but did notify me that a few slices of the butternut squash pizza and one sausage slice was available.. so i drive over there and see that only two butternut squash slices were available and the sausage slice was gone :( (not the man's fault tho)..
i ordered the butternut squash (only was like $3 so thought that was a decent deal) and a caesar salad... MISTAKE.. if possible AVOID THE CAESAR SALAD.. that crap was $7 and came with crap salad dressing and huge unproportional pieces of romaine lettuce with lumps of Parmesan cheese.. the butternut squash pizza did not taste good to me either.. felt awkward with their choice of stinky cheese and sliced butternut squash.. wish they had their sausage slice still available :(
the good thing about their pizza is their crust is pretty good.. i think i just made bad choices.. I wouldn't mind giving some of their other slices a try.. just not their salad (I know why would someone order a salad at a pizza place -___- I've learned my lesson) -
Review from Marcos K.
Albany, CA
1/24/2012
I walked by once, saw the pizza, and decided to stop by. And so I did on my bike ride back home. "Just one slice", I said to myself, knowing I still had to pedal uphill quite a bit and it wasn't easy to do on a stomach full of pizza.
I didn't keep my word, and the ride back was rough. But the pizza delicious. -
Review from David H.
Berkeley, CA
3/12/2012
These guys make the best thin crust gourmet pizza in Berkeley, in my opinion. It's better than Cheese Board and with less of a wait. You can find cheaper pizza in Berkeley (Blondies is my favorite cheap by-the-slice spot), but Gioia's quality is worth the couple extra dollars. I recommend their broccoli ricotta or the butternut squash (seasonal?) pizzas.
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Review from Marlon T.
1/8/2012
I came at a time the local middle school or whatever just got out so there was a lot of kids. That was sort of annoying. There was some kid there with a foreign sounding (East European) grandmother who didn't know how to discipline him or something. The kid was chewing on a paper plate and he screamed really loud and hurt someone's ears. He might've been autistic or something.
Anyway, the pizza was delicious. I'd come back here for sure. I like their combinations of toppings.
This epitomizes a hole-in-the-wall pizza joint. It's so narrow inside with hardly anywhere to sit. Try to time it so that you get a slice fresh from the oven instead of them re-heating one. -
Review from Jack J.
Oakland, CA
3/31/2012 1 Check-in Here
Friendly staff. Hands on owner. Great crust (not drowning in cornmeal like some others we know) At the top as far as pizza pie in the East Bay.
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Review from carter f.
Oakland, CA
2/4/2012
Great New York style pies. Super-tasty when fresh. Pies are HUGE, unlike Delfina or Dopa - for the same price.
We ordered a salad, which I wouldn't do again - says little gem but wasn't and was bitter and yellow.
I also wouldn't count of leftovers. Pie didn't hold up on reheating.
Great takeout and really amazing staff! -
Review from Gary C.
El Cerrito, CA
4/18/2012
Overrated and overpriced. I'm a new yorker and the slices are just OK. I much prefer the thin crust at Zachary's to the pizza's here.
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Review from a d.
Wichita Falls, TX
11/13/2011 1 photo
There are so many amazing options for pizza in the Bay Area. Gioia's is one of the best with its fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients and wonderfully crunchy NY style slice. Every time I return home to the East Bay, I make sure to visit Gioia's several times.
I'm especially fond of the butternut squash pizza. If only it was available all year, but I guess it wouldn't be fresh and local if that was the case. All of the slices are delicious, and there are usually two seasonal flavors. They have veggie options and meat options.
Be forewarned that Gioia's is rather small. There are a half dozen stools and bar table to eat at or you can sit on a bench outside. It's fun to sit on the stools that let you peer over the counter and watch the pizza being tossed. -
Review from Brent R.
Austin, TX
3/5/2012
Wife and I picked up a few slices passing through from Texas and it was just fantastic! Butternut squash and gorgonzola cheese was great, wife doesn't even like pizza and she thought it was the best she ever had, definitely in the top 3 for me. A great pie must have a great crust and this place gets it right, A+ !!
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Review from Megan F.
Irvine, CA
9/12/2011
I am visiting my best friends who have moved to north berkeley, a place of cleanliness and remarkably free of the filth that infiltrated our existence when we all lived in oakland together. I ESPY GIOIA.
we get pizza. we go back to their apartment across the street and drink beer and eat our pieces of pizza.
we realize we want more pizza.
we whine and wheedle with james, our lone male. we beg him to go, please, get us more pizza. we have to have more pizza.
"tell them we are having a party, james. don't let them know we are eating the pizza alone!"
"yeah lots of people, not two little girls sitting on a couch"
he gave in. got us more pizza. we gleefully stuffed ourselves silly.
all was right with the world. -
Review from Austin W.
9/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
Came here today at 6:30p and there wasn't a huge crowd to my surprise (though a flood of people came in at 7pm). My foodie friend recommended this palce cause of all the raving reviews on Yelp and what a great idea that was!
Came here and ordered a slice of the Radicchio (pancetta, red onion and Gorgonzola) and Julian (sausage, kale, red onion, garlic, and pepper flakes). It's very intersting how they do pizza here (though I am a pizza nooob so maybe it's not that interesting haha): the pizza's here are not sauced unless specified; the pizzas are premade and reheated. To be hoenst... I think with all the variation pizza has, this place could definitely be a hit (5 star) or a miss (1 star). For me... it's definitely hte former. I loved the pizza here! The the crust was perfect, and despite being reheated, the pizza tasted great! The ingredients I could definitely taste were very fresh and high quality ones (not your typical crappy ingredients from Little Caesars).
For $3 a slice and $20-$25 a pie, this place is more expensive than Berkeley's famous Cheeseboard, but I personally think that Gioia Pizzeria is in every way better. I might need to update my Cheeseboard to 4 star to reflect this actually.....
Another reason why Gioia is awesome!! My friend and I wanted to share a slice of the Radicchio. When the owner cut it, one slice slipped halfway onto the counter -- barely. He said "let's try that again with a new piece" and gave us a extra new piece :D I LOVE THIS GUY! -
Review from A E.
Berkeley, CA
Updated - 1/23/2012
The best damn pizza in the Bay Area! And the ppl working there are incredibly nice (they didn't used to be).
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/7/2009
Their pizza is GREAT! But...you have to get it hot because its not as good cold. The one less star… Read more »
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Review from oNEloVE C.
Dublin, CA
1/15/2012 1 Check-in Here
Yummy 4 1/2 stars good selections of fresh pizza in the Beserk!!!! Crust and ingredients are dee-lish!! My hubs fav food is Pizza and boy did he love me more for finding this lil' joint in the cuts!!!
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Review from Zack S.
San Francisco, CA
2/20/2012
Best pizza slice in Berkeley. Excellent foldable, crispy crust, toasted to perfection. Exactly what I want in a slice. No pretention, and no lines. Not too much saucy, and not too greasy.
Hard to trust, right? For the record, here's my stance on other pizza's:
1. Little Star over Zachary's any day of the week.
2. Cheeseboard has decent pizza, but they should stick to cheese, scones, and cheese rolls. Their pizza is a nice alternative, but would never go out of my way to get it. -
Review from Mike L.
7/4/2011
"I heard it's supposed to be better than Cheeseboard."
WHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAATTT??? Blasphemy! Pizza in Berkeley that's better than Cheeseboard? I just had to see.
More of a to-go/eat at a counter spot than a sit-and-order type of pizzeria, Gioia is a pretty modest operation. Essentially, you've got the open kitchen, the glass case with their pizzas, and a counter to eat on. Yet, they do an impressive job of churning out enough pizzas to keep up with the stream of people coming in to order. The day my friends and I went, there were about a half dozen types displayed in the case, and none of them were exactly mainstream. Other than their Cheese pizza, the ingredients and combinations aren't what you'll typically find at most pizza places. While they all sounded pretty interesting, I ended up getting slices of the Julian and the Radicchio to try.
The one thing I definitely liked about both was that neither had any red sauce. It's not that I hate the stuff (cuz I don't), it's just that sometimes there's too much of it, or the taste is overpowering. Plus, in some cases, I think the ingredients taste better without it. Between the two, I thought that the Julian was slightly better, but both were pretty good. Topped with sausage, kale, red onion, garlic and chili flakes, I thought the combination of everything gave it a really different kind of taste. Kale isn't exactly commonly found on pizzas, but I loved the crunch and texture it gave. As for the Radicchio (topped with panchetta, red onion, and gorgonzola), it was a little more like a "traditional" type of pizza, but with a slight twist. The salty, seasoned bacon gave it a lot of flavor despite the lack of ingredients.
Prices are pretty fair (they have deals for students), but I'm not certain if I would make it a point to go back again. The pizza certainly isn't the problem though; tucked away on the north side of Berkeley, it's just a little out of the way for me. At the same time, it's certainly worth the trip to try their pies and/or to compare it against Cheeseboard if you've never been. I'll give them credit over Cheeseboard for their unique selection of pizza (and for having one in general), but they can't top my favorite pizza spot.
"By the way, I also heard that Arnell's is supposed to be just as good as Cheeseboard too."
I guess I know where I'll be going soon! -
Review from Cynthia W.
Berkeley, CA
7/13/2011
This is a long overdue review for my absolutely positively current most favorite pizza place. For three years I'd fooled myself that Cheeseboard served the best pizza in Berkeley, and I finally saw the light after my first bite of Gioia's pizza. Since then, I have returned time after time and left with the same euphoric satisfaction. I think I can actually feel my salivary glands start up when I think about Gioia.
The dough is extremely thin (perfect for me), and the crust consists of huge crispy empty bubbles. The ingredients are always fresh and unique. My favorite would have to be the asparagus pizza, but the sausage/kale, spinach, mushroom, and pancetta pizzas are also delicious! Before giving you your slices, they pop them in the oven so that you get them right when they're mouthwateringly hot. So that you can hurl chili flakes and oregano onto your pizza as fast as you can before dangling the slice above your head and aiming the melty tip so that it literally dissolves into your mouth.
To my dismay, the asparagus pizza ended its seasonal appearance two days ago and will not be returning until next spring. Luckily, my anxious wait is slightly ameliorated ... by the new tomato/pesto and zucchini/pancetta "special" pizzas that are coming soon!!!
Seating is scarce but usually available, because after all, you'll have wolfed down your pizza within a couple minutes. That's not just me, right?
PROTIP: if you're planning to arrive near closing time, call in your order instead. after they run out of slices, they only sell whole pizzas! -
Review from Nick H.
Berkeley, CA
4/13/2012
There are two kinds of pizza in the world: deep dish, and New York Style. Gioia is New York Style, and it's the best of this type that I've had in the Berkeley area. Ingredients are fresh, the specials are interesting and flavorful, the people have always been nice. I'd give it 5 stars if they delivered, but alas, you'll have to drive down there if you want some of this delicious pizza.
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Review from Andy L.
Oakland, CA
1/13/2012
As a native New Yorker I have high standards when it comes to thin crust pizza. If you want an authentic NY thin crust pizza you need to go to New York. If you want a reasonable approximation without the airfare, I suggest Gioia Pizzeria.
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Review from Richard P.
Oakland, CA
1/19/2012
Yumbly pizza. Your tumbly will rumbly but still it's yumbly... so dumbly I ordered a cannoli... runny but yumbly... the crust was chewy... the ricotta gooey .... hit the spot on that I needed ... so Cheeseboard is greasy and after one bite I can't taste it anymore... this is much better... much much much much... get a whole one and really know what this pizza is.... yumbly.
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Review from Alice L.
Berkeley, CA
6/7/2011 1 photo
New York Style pizza with a heavy crust that was too crispy/hard relative to its thickness. I ordered 3 slices: the Funghi, the Acciughe, and the Julian.
Funghi - the only major component was the cremini mushrooms and they were skimpy on that. I had about 6 pieces; might as well have gotten the Formaggio.
Acciughe - They took the anchovies out of a container and put them on the pizza right before reheating it in the oven instead of the anchovies being baked into the pizza. I found the wetness of the fresh anchovies to be off-putting.
Julian - large chunks of homemade sausage with kale.
I talked to the employee there about their pizza specials and he told me about the new summer squash and pesto pizza the owner was planning on doing. Those happen to be my two favorite components on pizza. Can't imagine them together though, but will def be back to try it! The seating is a bar-type situation with limited chairs. -
Review from Chinmayi B.
San Jose, CA
7/31/2011
Possibly even 2.5 stars because:
a) Cheeseboard has tastier variety in their combination of gourmet ingredients on their pizza than Gioia
b) Despite having 2 pizza cutters on their counter, the guy at Gioia was using the same cutter to cut vegetarian and meat pizza. A turn off for me, especially for a restaurant in Berkeley
The vegetarian slices were not really all that, especially since Gioia was hyped as being even better than Cheeseboard (and less greasy). At least for me, it didn't live up to either of those expectations. I tried all of their veggie options (except for their cheese pizza): Funghi, Spinaci e Aglio, and Zucchini Pesto. Spinaci e Aglio probably had the most flavor amongst the three, but was quite greasy. The Cannoli wasn't that great either (not sweet or light enough). The best cannoli I've had was actually at Phil's Fish Market in Moss Landing (near Monterey)!
Although I should add that the others in our group who tried the meat pizzas said that the Radicchio e Pancetta was the best pizza they've ever had, and the other meat pizzas were very good as well. -
Review from julie a.
Berkeley, CA
2/4/2012
Mmmm. Nom nom nom. Hold on, my mouth is full. Ok. Gioia Pizzeria. Sadly no tables. And no delivery. But ohhhhh the pizza. Mmmmmmm. Thin. NYC style. Yummy toppings. Look no farther Yum. To the oh.
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Review from Kelvin Y.
Los Gatos, CA
8/27/2011
The pizza here was pretty good and the Fungi pizza! OMG...
5)3 crust was what made the pizza. Extra thin, just the way i like. Definitely up there for artisan pizzas. But the toppings i wouldnt say are too unique. A must try though if you're in the area. -
Review from David O.
8/3/2011 25 Check-ins Here
I like their selection. The Spinaci e Aglio, and good ol' Pepperoni are my favorites.There is one flavor that you should absolutely avoid, but I can't think of it... oh god what was it.... ... ..
Ah, yes - I just visited their website and it was definitely the Acciughe. AVOID IT AT ALL COSTS. Blagh. See how easily one can foist their dissuasive and trustless opinions here? It's OK, you probably didn't get past my first paragraph and skipped to the last. Good stuff, this Yelp.
I usually come here before a trip to Monterey Market so I don't start buying copious amounts of vegetables and produce on an empty stomach, which will inevitably rot and I'll feel so guilty about throwing out. Non sequitur, sub-paragraphical rants - also good stuff.
Anyway, the pizza is great. Perfect crust and pleasantly interesting combinations. Go. -
Review from Lara W.
7/7/2011
I dunno. I probably ordered something slightly less than their usual amazing: mushroom with fresh parsley.
The dough was fun to chew, and yes it was flat and charred, reminding me of Manhattan pizzas.
But I'm from Berkeley. And I guess that will always be my bias because I love Berkeley style pizza. Fresh is a major reason why people seem to like this pizza, and god forbid a pizza ever taste like its ingredients were anything but fresh! But Gioia was just ok. I'm not eager to go back for more. -
Review from Judy D.
Berkeley, CA
12/20/2011
Thank goodness for NY style pizza with fresh, local California ingredients. This place is amazing. Order a slice or a whole pizza.
