A Charming Pizzaria Opens Near Kezar

Sitting near Kezar Stadium at the intersection of several park-side neighborhoods, the location of Kezar Pizzetta might be considered by some to be no-man’s land. The only restaurant on the block, it’s evident the owners rolled the dice when selecting this location, formerly New Ganges, to open a restaurant last year.

Kezar Pizzetta is full of character, from the original art on the walls to the throw pillows lining the back benches. It’s a homey, neighborhood restaurant — perfect for groups of students to gather for weekday happy hours ($1 off draft beers from 4-7 p.m.).

Kezar Pizzetta offers eight beers on tap, including several from Speakeasy and Deschutes breweries, but the restuarant specializes, of course, in pizzettas—smaller, personal-sized pies that can be customized with an array of toppings. Patrons can order pies with simple layers of cheese and margherita sauce, or choose from the daily selection of gourmet meats and cheeses.

The menu also has a few appetizers, including eggplant parmigiana and broccolini mixed with diced pancetta.

These are no-frills appetizers. We ordered the eggplant parmisana starter, which was a straightforward example of this rustic dish done right—at least to this non-connoisseur of Italian food.  Thinly sliced and piled below a generous layer of melted mozzarella and marinara, the eggplant lacked the bitterness that I’ve often found when trying the dish at other places.

From the pizza menu we selected the Potato Medley, which promised an enticing combination of potatoes, brussel sprouts, prosciutto and homemade mozzarella.  While the pizza that arrived at our table had all of these elements, it was rather sloppily put together.  The generous shavings of prosciutto were piled mostly on one side, while the beautifully cooked potatoes and brussel sprouts were sparse and left me wanting more.  However, a rich roasted garlic flavor was present in each bite, as was the crisp, light texture of the crust. 

For dessert we returned to the basics with their Apple Galette.  While it tasted like a decent apple pie, it offered nothing special despite being recommended by the server. It was bizarrely garnished with sliced kiwi and a sweet red sauce.

Overall, the food at Kezar Pizzetta was not disappointing, but for the price point it’s a bit overpriced for the average UCSF student—$15 for the rather small pizza, $7-8 for everything else. Their lunch special—a salad and pizza— is priced at $20. 

However, because of the inviting interior and beer selection, I’m planning on dragging my lab members out here soon for its happy hour.