History

Charlie Hallowell opened Pizzaiolo on Telegraph in 2005, codifying the Bay Area's wood-fired Cal-Italian template. A16 brought Naples to the East Bay with the Rockridge branch in 2013. Pizza in Oakland has since been a College Avenue institution, with each room running its own version of seasonal Cal-Italian and Neapolitan.

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Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 30 minTotal 24 hrDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 500g 00 pizza flour
  • 350ml water
  • 10g salt
  • 1g instant yeast
  • 400g San Marzano tomatoes, crushed
  • 300g fresh mozzarella di bufala
  • Fresh basil
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Sea salt

Method

  1. Mix flour, water, salt and yeast in a large bowl until shaggy. Rest 30 minutes.
  2. Knead 5 minutes until smooth. Cover and rise at room temperature 18 to 24 hours.
  3. Divide into 4 balls, rest 2 hours.
  4. Heat oven to maximum, ideally 290 C, with a pizza stone or steel for 45 minutes.
  5. Stretch each dough ball into a 25cm round on a floured peel.
  6. Top with crushed tomato (no pre-cooking), torn mozzarella and a drizzle of olive oil.
  7. Slide onto the hot stone and bake 4 to 6 minutes until the crust is charred at the edges.
  8. Finish with fresh basil and sea salt.

Tip from the editors. The oven temperature is everything. Home ovens cap at 290 C; preheat the stone for 45 minutes minimum or you get bread, not pizza.

Where to eat rockridge college avenue pizza

Rockridge College Avenue pizza in Oakland

A16 Rockridge ★ 4.3

$$$ ItalianRockridge

A16's Rockridge dining room runs the wood-fired Neapolitan pizza and southern Italian menu the brand built in San Francisco. Pizza is the entry point.

SignatureMargherita pizza, Maccaronara, Burrata

Directions

Pizzaiolo ★ 4.1

$$ ItalianTemescal

Pizzaiolo on Telegraph in Oakland's Temescal runs wood-fired pizza and pasta with organic locally-sourced produce. Dinner only, daily happy hour 5 to 6.

SignatureWood-fired pizza, Seasonal pasta, Antipasti

Directions

Marzano ★ 4.3

$$ ItalianGlenview

Marzano in Oakland's Glenview district runs wood-fired Neapolitan pizza and handmade pasta from a full bar. Family-friendly, full Italian trattoria menu.

SignatureWood-fired Neapolitan pizza, Handmade pasta, Tiramisu

Directions

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