Benchmark Pizzeria
Pizza restaurant · Thousand Oaks ·
Artisanal Neapolitan pies, pastas, soft-serve, beer & wine
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/68668206/1185672203.0.jpg "Benchmark Pizzeria by Photo Illustration by Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images")
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22234241/cmp_4085.jpg "Benchmark Pizzeria by Benchmark Pizzeria")
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22234962/benchmarkpizzeriaportraits2018_13.jpg "Benchmark Pizzeria by Nan Phelps")
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22234267/IMG_6032.jpg "Benchmark Pizzeria by eater.com")
Artisanal Neapolitan pies, pastas, soft-serve, beer & wine
"Among the several wood-fired pizza options in the East Bay, Benchmark is one of the best. The crust is superb even when reheated, and the wide selection of local veggies and herbs that adorn the pizzas is impressive. Any pizzeria that tops pizza with fried sage is doing something correctly, and Benchmark is one of those places. The shop also serves excellent antipasti and pastas." - Noah Cho
"I reported that Benchmark Pizza in Kensington closed for the night as a result of power outages tied to the stormy conditions." - Lauren Saria
"A small East Bay wood-fired pizza restaurant in Kensington, CA, Benchmark Pizzeria makes wood-fired pizzas from natural starter and serves antipasti, soft-serve, and local wines and beers on tap. I learned from owner Melissa Swanson that the restaurant’s ingredient-focused Cal-Italian style didn’t mesh with bargain-seeking Groupon customers back in 2013, who tended to want the biggest pizza for the lowest price and left slightly disgruntled. Last week Groupon allegedly reactivated that same 2013 voucher ($20 for a $40 meal or $40 for an $80 meal) without the owners’ consent, sold seven vouchers marked “dine-in only” despite Bay Area lockdowns, and sent angry customers to the restaurant—some refused to pay or only bought half their order, forcing food to be thrown away. After difficulty reaching support, Groupon removed the coupon, refunded the seven vouchers, deleted Benchmark’s account, and called the launch “inadvertent” (a rep later said an earlier explanation “misspoke”), but Swanson worries about potential Yelp reviews and sees this as part of a troubling pattern of platforms making changes or listings for restaurants without permission (she previously dealt with Grubhub posting a fake listing and menu)." - Luke Tsai
"I like Benchmark Pizzeria’s hybridized crust — a bit thicker and more substantial than certified Neapolitan — because it’s flavorful, well‑blistered, stands up to a 15‑minute car ride, and reheats beautifully; the meatball pie and the margherita are favorites, especially with a crisp Caesar salad on the side." - Eater Staff
"Benchmark’s original Kensington location is offering its full menu of pizzas, pastas, and other Cal-Italian dishes for takeout 4:30–9 p.m. Soft-serve ice cream and bottles of wine are also available. Order online, call 510-647-9724 to set up curbside pickup, or get delivery via Caviar." - Luke Tsai
