Bizza, San Francisco, California

Walking around the streets of Haight and Ashbury in San Francisco is always filled with a less-than-typical experience. The other day, amidst the Burning Man costumes and heavily incense-scented streets, I stumbled upon Bizza.

Similar to everything else located in “the Haight” (as locals call it), Bizza is a unique pizza shop different from what you would normally expect. The name Bizza is unique in its own right. It also translates to some of the flavours. The name “Bizza” is derived from how Mediterranean people tend to pronounce pizza. As a family-owned restaurant, their love of pizza and Mediterranean cuisine shines through the menu.

One of the most interesting choices on the menu was the “Falafel”, made with homemade falafels, tahini sauce, mozzarella, tomato, green olives, Mediterranean pickles, a drizzle of shatta (homemade hot chili pepper sauce). I was also tempted to try this, and it was really good!

Aside from the extremely unique pizza options, the most interesting part of my experience at Bizza was the fact that almost every pizza is available by the slice. At a New York City shop, this is standard to find pizza by the slice, but usually, there is only an option of four to five pizzas. At Bizza they have more than 17 options available by the slice. They even offer vegan options such as the “Planet Earth” using vegan cheese, spinach, mushroom, bell pepper, onions, olives, and oregano to create the perfect earth-friendly pie.

If you are in a big group or super hungry, and you would rather create your own whole pie, look no further than “Create your own pie”. Featuring vegan meat options, tons of veggies, and multiple cheese choices, it is truly customizable. Meat eaters can choose from 12 unique types of meat, such as Halal ground beef, hot linguica, meatballs, lamb gyro, and even Angus steak!

Sirved Must-Try Bizza options:

  • Don’t be a Chicken: Grilled chicken, house pesto sauce, mushrooms, red onions, jalapeno, and fresh garlic, for the person who loves lots of flavours!
  • The Breakfast: Eggs, American bacon, ham, cheddar, and mozzarella cheese…because breakfast is the best meal of the day!
  • Lamb Gyro: Tzatziki base, lamb gyro slices, onions, feta cheese, fresh tomato, great if you want to try something new, or if you really just want Mediterranean food. (The Falafel is a great vegetarian version of this).
  • Mona Lisa: Homemade meatballs, mozzarella, basil, a splash of oregano…because you can’t go wrong with meatballs.

If you are looking for a truly San Francisco experience, then walking through Haight and Ashbury is one on its own. Heading to Bizza will leave you with both Meddeterianian thoughts and a full stomach of goodness. I loved choosing multiple slices so I didn’t have to commit to one pizza (commitment issues?) It’s true, falafel or gyro on pizza might sound…different…but I was very pleasantly surprised. Check out Bizza’s restaurant menu in San Fransico, California here.