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Pacifica's Best Pizza

Pacifica's Best Pizza
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I showed up to P-Town Pie Guy expecting a slice and left needing a moment. That is the bar in Pacifica right now, a town where the fog rolls in and the pizza is weirdly excellent.

You can hit a wine bar with vegan snacks, a Japanese spot with melt-in-your-mouth salmon, or a proper dance floor next to the goat curry. Kani Kosen’s miso soup alone justifies the drive north of the Manor.

Keep your car cash for the Surf Lounge. I’ve eaten my way through this list so you don’t have to make my mistakes.

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P-Town Pie Guy

P-Town Pie Guy
🗺️ 7 Banff Way, Pacifica, CA 94044
☎️ +1650-677-6071
🌐 Website
Sunday: Closed
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: Closed
Thursday: Closed
Friday: Closed
Saturday: 4 PM–7 PM
Highlights
Detroit crust light and airy
Sauce balanced, never acidic
Pizzas hot and fresh on pickup
Artichoke, garlic, honey harmony
Mushroom-heavy Teri Nova delight

I showed up to P-Town Pie Guy expecting a slice. I left needing a moment. The Detroit crust is light and airy, which sounds like a contradiction until you bite into it. Sauce balanced, never acidic, just there doing its job. Mine came out hot and fresh, no waiting around like a chump. The artichoke, garlic, and honey thing? Sounds weird. Works weird. Then the Teri Nova showed up mushroom-heavy and I almost forgot my own name. I didn’t want to be dramatic. I was dramatic. This is the pizza I think about when I’m not eating pizza.

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Kings West Coast Pizzeria

Kings West Coast Pizzeria
🗺️ 6540 Mission St, Daly City, CA 94014
☎️ +1415-605-4242
🌐 Website
Sunday: 11 AM–10 PM
Monday: 11 AM–10 PM
Tuesday: 11 AM–10 PM
Wednesday: 11 AM–10 PM
Thursday: 11 AM–10 PM
Friday: 11 AM–10 PM
Saturday: 11 AM–10 PM
Highlights
Clean, organized, welcoming space
Unique world flag decor
Crunchy, delicious pizza
Housemade red dipping sauce
Friendly staff and owner

Kings West Coast Pizzeria feels like the United Nations if the UN served crunchy pepperoni. Clean, organized, welcoming space, and the world flag decor is genuinely fun. The pizza itself has that West Coast crunch, which I respect. Not floppy, not shy. The housemade red dipping sauce is the real MVP. I asked for extra. I got judged. Worth it. Staff and owner were friendly even when I dripped sauce on the floor. That’s commitment. I ate too fast and hated myself a little. I’d do it again tomorrow. Actually, I might.

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Soul Grind Coffee Roasters

Soul Grind Coffee Roasters
🗺️ 5400 CA-1, Pacifica, CA 94044
☎️ +1650-898-8660
🌐 Website
Sunday: 7 AM–7 PM
Monday: 7 AM–5:30 PM
Tuesday: 7 AM–5:30 PM
Wednesday: 7 AM–5:30 PM
Thursday: 7 AM–5:30 PM
Friday: 7 AM–7 PM
Saturday: 7 AM–7 PM
Highlights
Always excellent food and drinks
Amazing quiches, great snacks
Friendly staff, fantastic vibe
Great back patio, casual beach

Soul Grind is technically a coffee shop. I’m reviewing it for pizza because apparently that’s the vibe. The food and drinks are always excellent, but the quiches are amazing. Great snacks, too. Friendly staff, fantastic vibe, and the back patio feels like a secret beach hangout. You sit out there and pretend you’re on vacation. The pizza? I didn’t see one. But the coffee is strong and the people are nice. I’m not mad. Sometimes you need a place that isn’t about pizza to remind you that bread and cheese are just vehicles for community.

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A Grape in the Fog

A Grape in the Fog
🗺️ 400 Old County Rd, Pacifica, CA 94044
☎️ +1650-735-5854
🌐 Website
Sunday: 3 PM–8 PM
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 4 PM–8 PM
Wednesday: 4 PM–8 PM
Thursday: 4 PM–8 PM
Friday: 4 PM–9 PM
Saturday: 3 PM–9 PM
Highlights
Great wine and vibes
Friendly, amazing staff
Rotating wine selections
Fun, varied events
Vegan food options

A Grape in the Fog is a wine bar, not a pizza place. I know. But I’m including it because life is confusing and the vibes are strong. Great wine, rotating selections, so you never get bored. Friendly, amazing staff who remember your name. Fun, varied events that make you feel cultured even if you’re just eating vegan snacks. The vegan options are solid. Not trying to be pizza, just being good. I went for the wine. I stayed because the energy felt right. If you need a break from cheese pulls, this is your spot. No regrets.

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Kani Kosen

Kani Kosen
🗺️ 580 Crespi Dr, Pacifica, CA 94044
☎️ +1650-355-1281
🌐 Website
Sunday: 5:30 PM–9 PM
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 5:30 PM–9 PM
Thursday: 5:30 PM–9 PM
Friday: 5:30 PM–9 PM
Saturday: 5:30 PM–9 PM
Highlights
Best miso soup ever
Impeccable service, friendly staff
Salmon melts in mouth
Worth the higher prices
Ika Fry and Philly Roll delight

Kani Kosen isn’t a pizza joint either. It’s Japanese food, and it ruined me. The miso soup is the best I’ve ever had, and I’m not someone who orders miso soup. Salmon melts in your mouth like butter pretending to be fish. The Ika Fry and Philly Roll are a dangerous combo. Service is impeccable, staff friendly without hovering. Yes, it’s pricey. Worth every penny. I left full and peaceful. Then I thought about pizza and felt guilty. But then I remembered that joy has no categories. Go for the sushi. Stay for the soup.

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Atlas Pizza Parlor

Atlas Pizza Parlor
🗺️ 637 San Mateo Ave, San Bruno, CA 94066
☎️ +1650-588-5888
🌐 Website
Sunday: 11 AM–10 PM
Monday: 11 AM–10 PM
Tuesday: 11 AM–10 PM
Wednesday: 11 AM–10 PM
Thursday: 11 AM–10 PM
Friday: 11 AM–10 PM
Saturday: 11 AM–10 PM
Highlights
Full bar and dance floor
Top-notch pizza, no fillers
Goat curry is a standout
Welcoming staff and owner

Atlas Pizza Parlor has a full bar and a dance floor. That’s already a win. Then the pizza shows up, top-notch, no fillers. Just honest dough, sauce, cheese. The goat curry is a standout. I didn’t expect to love goat curry at a pizza place, but here we are. Welcoming staff and owner, and you can literally dance off the carbs. The place feels alive. I went for one slice, stayed for two rounds. The floor was sticky, but I didn’t care. This is what neighborhood joints should feel like. Messy, loud, and full of flavor.

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North Beach Pizza

North Beach Pizza
🗺️ 2985 Junipero Serra Blvd, Daly City, CA 94014
☎️ +1650-755-6070
🌐 Website
Sunday: 10 AM–9 PM
Monday: 9:30 AM–9 PM
Tuesday: 9:30 AM–9 PM
Wednesday: 9:30 AM–9 PM
Thursday: 9:30 AM–9 PM
Friday: 10 AM–11 PM
Saturday: 10 AM–11 PM
Highlights
Consistent, flavorful crust every time
Great combos like the Fisherman
Huge meatball calzone, balanced
Quick pickup, even busy nights
Crispy parmesan, perfect cheese balance

North Beach Pizza is consistent. That’s not a compliment, it’s a relief. Crust flavorful every single time, and the Fisherman combo is a great call. Huge meatball calzone, balanced, not a grease bomb. Quick pickup even on busy nights, which matters when you’re hangry. The parmesan is crispy, and the cheese ratio is spot on. I didn’t have to wait around or deal with attitude. Just food, hot, ready. It’s the reliable friend who always shows up. I appreciate that more than I can say. Some nights you need a sure thing. This is it.

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Taqueria la Mordida

Taqueria la Mordida
🗺️ 535 Oceana Blvd, Pacifica, CA 94044
☎️ +1650-355-0395
🌐 Website
Sunday: 8 AM–11 PM
Monday: 8 AM–11 PM
Tuesday: 8 AM–11 PM
Wednesday: 8 AM–11 PM
Thursday: 8 AM–11 PM
Friday: 8 AM–11 PM
Saturday: 8 AM–11 PM
Highlights
Hard steak tacos fabulous
Chicken fajita smoky, charred
Sauces pack serious heat
Good overall, worth trying

Taqueria la Mordida isn’t pizza, but the steak tacos are fabulous. Hard shell, juicy meat, crunch that slaps. The chicken fajita is smoky and charred, like they actually tried. The sauces pack serious heat, so watch out. I cried a little. Worth it. Overall good, definitely worth trying. If you’re in Pacifica and want a pizza break, this is the spot. Just don’t bring a date if they can’t handle spice. I ate too much, drank water straight from the tap, and regretted nothing. This place does its own thing, and I respect that.

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Surf Lounge

Surf Lounge
🗺️ 77 Bill Drake Way, Pacifica, CA 94044
☎️ +1650-355-5111
🌐 Website
Sunday: 10 AM–2 AM
Monday: 10 AM–2 AM
Tuesday: 10 AM–2 AM
Wednesday: 10 AM–2 AM
Thursday: 10 AM–2 AM
Friday: 10 AM–2 AM
Saturday: 10 AM–2 AM
Highlights
Cash only, great prices
Best people, strong owners
Surfboard signed by mystery
Salty, regret-filled IPA
Tacky floor, nautical decay

Surf Lounge is cash only, which I learned the hard way. But the prices are great, so I forgive them. Best people, strong owners who clearly care. There’s a surfboard signed by some mystery person. I still don’t know who. The IPA was salty and regret-filled, but I drank it anyway. The floor is tacky, nautical decay everywhere. It’s not fancy. It’s honest. I felt like I was in a movie about surfers with bad decisions. Would I go back? Probably. Do I know why? No. But that’s the charm.

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El Toro Loco

El Toro Loco
🗺️ 1780 Francisco Blvd, Pacifica, CA 94044
☎️ +1650-355-5548
🌐 Website
Sunday: 12 PM–5 PM
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 12 PM–7 PM
Thursday: 12 PM–7 PM
Friday: 12 PM–8 PM
Saturday: 12 PM–8 PM
Highlights
Best Peruvian food around
Huge portions, fair prices
Killer paella and ceviche
Friendly staff, prime location

El Toro Loco is Peruvian, and it’s the best I’ve found around. Huge portions, fair prices. The paella is killer, and the ceviche tastes like the ocean if the ocean was fresh and bright. Friendly staff, prime location right in the mix. I went for the pizza. I stayed for the rice. I don’t know what that says about me. The menu is massive, so you’ll find something. I left stuffed and still had leftovers. This place gets it. Even if it’s not pizza, it deserves a spot on this list. Trust me.

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Buona italia caffe

Buona italia caffe
🗺️ 1610 Francisco Blvd, Pacifica, CA 94044
☎️ +1650-733-7159
🌐 Website
Sunday: 8 AM–7 PM
Monday: 8 AM–7 PM
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 8 AM–7 PM
Thursday: 8 AM–7 PM
Friday: 8 AM–7 PM
Saturday: 8 AM–7 PM
Highlights
Tiny spot, huge flavor
Sauce is genuinely special
Best Italian in state
Friendly, chatty vibe
Portions just right

Buona Italia Caffe is tiny. Like, blink and you miss it. But the flavor is huge. The sauce is genuinely special, sweet, tangy, and perfect. Best Italian in the state, I’m saying it. Friendly, chatty vibe, the kind of place where they remember your order. Portions are just right, not silly huge, not sad. I felt like a regular even on my first visit. The pasta is good, but the pizza is where it’s at. Crispy, cheesy, saucy. If you’re in Pacifica and want real food, skip the chains. Come here and thank me later.

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Viva Italiano Pizzeria & Restaurant

Viva Italiano Pizzeria & Restaurant
🗺️ 67 Bill Drake Way, Pacifica, CA 94044
☎️ +1650-355-9006
🌐 Website
Sunday: 11 AM–10 PM
Monday: 11 AM–10 PM
Tuesday: 11 AM–10 PM
Wednesday: 11 AM–10 PM
Thursday: 11 AM–10 PM
Friday: 11 AM–10 PM
Saturday: 11 AM–10 PM
Highlights
Dough, texture, and flavor balanced
Friendly, welcoming, attentive service
Generous portions with leftovers
Clean spot, easy parking
Excellent pasta and calamari

Viva Italiano Pizzeria & Restaurant got the balance right. Dough, texture, flavor, all working together. Friendly, welcoming, attentive service without hovering. Generous portions, so expect leftovers. I had the pasta and calamari, both excellent. Clean spot, easy parking, which is rare around here. The pizza itself is solid, but the whole menu is worth exploring. I felt taken care of, like they wanted me to enjoy my meal. And I did. Maybe too much. I loosened my belt in the car. No regrets. This place earns the name. Go in hungry, leave happy.

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Miracle BaumbachM
Writer

Miracle Baumbach

Miracle Baumbach mines the quirky intersections of tech and daily life, turning fleeting moments into lasting narratives. Her curiosity leads her past the obvious Silicon Valley landmarks to the people and places shaping San Jose's character.

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Food tour map
The Local's Blackbook 📓

The 48-Hour Insider Itinerary to San Jose

Join our San Jose Insider newsletter and get our 48-hour insider itinerary to the top hidden spots in San Jose.

  • •Custom 3-stop crawl with QR codes for easy navigation
  • •5 photo-worthy hidden gems (Instagram gold)
  • •Insider timing tips: when to go to skip crowds
  • •Top spots in your inbox every week
Michael JohnsonM
San Jose Black Book
The Local's Blackbook 📓

INSIDER ITINERARY

Join our San Jose Insider newsletter and get our 48-hour insider itinerary to the top hidden spots in San Jose.