eat oakland

Zachary's Chicago Pizza in Rockridge

Narrative
Sunday night after spending an afternoon at Stern Grove dancing and listening to the salsa stylings of the Spanish Harlem Orchestra and admiring AT&T Park on the San Francisco Bay, my father and I decided that pizza would hit the spot. I told him decent New York Pizza was not to be found in the Bay Area, but I could point him to a DIVINE Chicago deep-dish pizza experience. We drove across the bridge, and braved a 45 minute wait to an awesomely filling meal that was PERFECT after a long day. There was a huge crowd spilling out on the sidewalk from inside. Most were chatting with one another, one woman was practicing poi. It was a classic Zachary's pizza evening.

Contact Information
Zachary's Chicago Pizza

Oakland Location
5801 College Ave.
Oakland, California 94618
Phone: 510-655-6385

Berkeley Location
1853 Solano Ave.
Berkeley, California 94707
Phone: 510-525-5950

Zachary's San Ramon is opening late 2006.

Hours
Oakland: Sun-Thur: 11am-10pm, Fri-Sat : 11am-10:30

Berkeley Sun-Thur: 11am-9:30pm, Fri-Sat : 11am-10:30pm

San Ramon Opening Fall 2006

Cuisine
Zachary's Chicago Pizza offers two styles of pizzas, a selection of salads, and half-baked pizzas for those who want to bring the experience home!

Price Range
Moderate. A medium deep-dish pizza can make 3 adults very happy. The slices are ridiculously filling. Thin crust and salad will also make for a satisfied diner.


SUMMARY
Watching the Zachary's staff work is fascinating. Here is an amazing restaurant and the machine just works extremely well. While sitting at the counter I noticed a kitchen, waitstaff, host, and manager work with precision. Orders were taken, people were seated, tables were cleared and the turnover from one set of customers to another was seamless.

It's always good to go to a restaurant with a wait when they give you a time estimate, a way to order your food, and call your name within the given wait time.

We were then met with smiles, an apology for the wait, and our beverage orders were promptly taken and served. The only tortuous part of our meal was watching the pies fly from the kitchen and being served to other customers who were ahead of us on the cue.

Our lovely pie was served on a pedestal, steaming. The signature marinara sauce and oregano formed a beautiful sea of red. It was surrounded by a hand-formed, golden crust. The first bite revealed a gorgeous burst of tomato, cheese, and mushroom. I enjoyed my first slice sans condiment and then enjoyed a decadent second slice with some spice!

I have been enjoying Zachary's for eight years now, and they have yet to disappoint. Their consistency of service is excellent.

When you go, you will be greeted by a fabulous crew that mirrors the Bay Area. The music is varied (if you can hear it above the buzz of all the customers). Yesterday my father commented it was a song by The Freshman from his youth. Then it moved on to a Buddy Holly song and evolved to some early 70s Brit-punk.

Service
Excellent service. You will become acquainted with a team that will greet, seat, and serve you by the time your meal is done. If you're lucky enough to get a counter seat, you'll watch the amazing machine work.

Rest Rooms
Basic, clean public rest rooms. Separate for boys and girls. The art from the restaurant is carried through.

posted by wrki @ 8:03 PM