Pizzaiolo
Italian restaurant · Temescal ·
Wood-fired pizzas, seasonal Italian eats, lively atmosphere
Wood-fired pizzas, seasonal Italian eats, lively atmosphere
"Beloved for wood-fired pizzas and pasta, this Telegraph Avenue restaurant has reopened morning service, operating Wednesday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to noon, and is offering breakfast items such as seven-grain amaranth porridge and Persian breakfasts of labneh and pickled vegetables." - Paolo Bicchieri
"Wood-fired, blistery crust pizzas are the stars here, with options ranging from the simple, spot-on margherita and pepperoni and spicy honey, to a combo of sweet corn, cherry tomatoes, and ricotta salata. Petite primi and secondi lists change regularly; jump at the chance for housemade pasta with any sort of ragu, especially pork. Grownups should sample the cocktail menu — some drinks feature housemade tonic — and kids should try alcohol-free specialties like elderflower soda. Open every day of the week for dinner, plus weekend afternoons for burgers in Temescal Alley, there’s a reason this neighborhood gem has persisted over the years and is still going strong." - Justine Jones
"Pizzaiolo is a casual Italian spot with a wood-fired oven, specials written on a chalkboard, and vintage posters. The pizza is delicious, the service is excellent, and they do a really good caesar salad. It’s small, but never too crowded if you decide to have your entire family or group of friends meet you for dinner. Or come with a date and split the margherita and pesto sausage." - Aimee Rizzo
"Hallowell’s breakout restaurant in Temescal became mega-popular after opening in 2005 and is known for seasonal, wood-fired pizza and pasta; he retained Pizzaiolo even as he sold stakes in other businesses, and Anthony Lee, the current executive chef at Pizzaiolo, is slated to run the new restaurant Hallowell plans to open at 3724 MacArthur Boulevard. Pizzaiolo was also among the restaurants named in the 2017 report in which more than a dozen former staff members made allegations of sexual misconduct and verbal abuse." - Paolo Bicchieri
"The folks at Pizzaiolo value their suppliers as much as they value their customers—an obsession Chef Charlie Hallowell picked up during his tenure in the kitchen at Chez Panisse. And it's this belief in good ingredients (organic flour, responsibly raised wild stock from local ranchers) that manifests itself in some of the best casual food in Oakland: veggie-centric antipasti, incredible proteins, and pretty epic thin-crust pizza. Oh, and the breakfast is not to be missed."