Rated: ♣♣♣♣
I think pizza has become one of my favorite things to eat. That and ice cream… which is why I am in love with Zero Zero, a gourmet pizza joint in SoMa famous for serving Neapolitan style pizzas and homemade Strauss Creamery soft serve ice cream. Zero Zero is actually owned by the same company that owns Pizzeria Picco in Larkspur which pretty much serves the exact same items, only Zero Zero is better because it’s near my work and home. Let’s get into the food.
We started with the fried brussel sprouts with bacon and pears. So crisp, salty and bacon-y. Who would’ve thunk such a healthy vegetable could taste like a potato chip. I came back to Zero Zero last night and they already took this off the menu! Perhaps they’re a seasonal item.
Next, we had a very woodsy bruschetta with wild mushrooms, ricotta and prosciutto. I couldn’t identify the mushrooms, but they were meaty, earthy and tender. The toast was so buttery and crispy, it melted in my mouth.
Between 4 people, we shared 3 whole pizzas - the margherita extra, the Townsend, and the special of the day. Let’s talk about the crust of the pizzas first. I’d say it’s my favorite crust out of all the pizza restaurants I’ve been to. While still thin, the crust wasn’t wet and flimsy like other Neapolitan pizzas. The margherita was actually okay. I have yet to try any other restaurant can beat Tony’s award-winning version. It seemed like it was missing a little something, like it didn’t have enough flavor.
The Townsend, however, is uh-may-zing! I rate it #1 against other potato pizzas like this one. The pizza is topped with roasted garlic, young organic potato, prosciutto cotto, mozzarella, parmesan and rosemary oil. Such an orgy of flavors. Think a side of roasted potatoes with bacon and cheese on a pizza.
The special of the day is by far my favorite. The sad thing is.. it’s a special. So, I probably won’t be able to have this again any time soon. The pizza was topped with a broccoli raab pesto and mozzarella cheese. Nutty, sweet, creamy. Yum, just my kind of pizza.
To make the night extra special, we ordered some soft serve ice cream made from Strauss Creamery milk. You’re able to build your own sundae with their special soft serve menu. Just pick a flavored ice cream, a base and a topping and you’ve got yourself your own creation. Everyone talks about the vanilla ice cream with olive oil and sea salt, but I got the vanilla with caramel sauce and warm spiced apples. Our creation was the perfect balance of tart to sweet. I’d come here every day if I could, but it’s hard to get a table. Make sure you make reservations here.
Zero Zero
826 Folsom St
(between 4th St & 5th St)
San Francisco, CA 94107
Neighborhood: SOMA