Roberta’s New Location Is in an LA Shopping Mall. Here’s Why That Hurts | Eater
"Opened in January 2008 by three friends with huge ambitions but no utilities, this early-era pizzeria survived months without heat or gas, relying on space heaters, banged-up community tables, and home-prepared stews and porchettas warmed in toasters. Its pizzas—fired in two blistering-hot ovens and described as “heretically creative”—became a beacon for artists and musicians drifting into Bushwick, who embraced its DIY, back-to-the-land aesthetic (complete with dumpster pools and backyard chickens). The kitchen’s rough-hewn, handcrafted approach—think ugly carrots in pickle jars, bulgogi tacos, and pizzas with playful names like Chicken by the Sea—helped define a generation’s craft-food moment, even as that ethos later collided with expansion, commodification, and pressures to sell out." - Meghan McCarron
