Flour + Water Pizza Shop continues their legacy of great pizzas - Review - San Francisco - The Infatuation

"The pizza-making gene must be a dominant one in the Flour + Water family, which includes Flour + Water Pizzeria (one of our Best New Restaurants of 2023) and another Pizza Shop location in North Beach. Flour + Water Pizza Shop at Mission Rock is just another opportunity to eat their fantastic red and white pies with chewy crusts that are charred right until the edge of tasting burnt. Minus a couple of foibles, Flour + Water Pizza Shop maintains its solid track record here. For pizzas, our go-tos are the classic margherita with dollops of mozzarella and the pepperoni with crispy, curled-up slices of pork. The soft serve and trademark mozzarella sticks are also great, as is the tradition of this mini-chain that excels in dairy products. But this location has a couple of things that its restaurant siblings don’t. First, parmesan-covered fries served with a guzzleable cacio e pepe dipping sauce. And second, a 10-minute walk to Chase Center. So if you’re not just swinging by for the pizza (or, just to try those fries), plan a visit before tip-off or a concert. The restaurant is far enough removed from the crowds that you usually won't need to fight for a table. And, even if this spot is full, there’s plenty of public seating around (and China Basin Park is a two-minute walk away). Just know it'll almost certainly be loud in here, either because of the people in the dining room on a game day or because Tove Lo is blasting at full volume. So if you require lower decibels, get a seat outside or grab some slices to go. Food Rundown Pizza You’re in good hands. At this location, they only offer a couple of options by the slice, but they’re good ones. If you’re going the whole pie route, our favorites are the mushroom- and garlic-forward Conrad that deserves a headlining credit at the Gilroy Garlic Festival, and the Meatza with three kinds of meat. Some slices can be greasy, but it’s never enough to turn us off. photo credit: Kristen Loken Mozzarella Sticks We’re long-time fans of Flour + Water’s mozzarella sticks. Just like what’s served at the other locations, these have a thin, crispy coating and enough cheese to inspire a dairy. Just stick to the marinara that comes alongside and skip the option to add house ranch. While it’s good on it’s own, it’s too rich with the cheese. PlayMute video credit: Patrick Wong Ballpark Garlic Fries On the off-chance we’re not in the mood for pizza, we’d come here just for these fries. As plain fries, they’re already a perfect specimen, fried until golden while still fluffy on the inside. But they’re made even better with the cacio e pepe dipping sauce. Leave some sauce for any leftover pizza crusts. Future you will be so thankful. PlayMute video credit: Patrick Wong Soft Serve Solid, though just a tad icy. Better cups exist in the city, but this is a good way to end a meal or an easy pick-up when you're passing through the area. Flavors rotate, but we’re vanilla loyalists. photo credit: Patrick Wong" - Patrick Wong