Emilia’s Pizzeria

A lot of rules to get pizza… but it’s worth it! The crust is thin yet doughy, perfect amount of sauce and toppings, and it’s even good the next day! My personal favorite if you like it a bit spicy — Calabrian peppers, Aleppo chilies and Pepperoni!

You need to call ahead of time to reserve a pie — if you call too late, he might be sold out for the night! I usually call staring around 4pm and keep trying until he picks up. The pies are delicious, fresh and use the best ingredients. I can’t really think of any pizza in the Bay Area that’s better than this! Cash only — make sure to bring extra for a tip.

LLLOOOOOOOVVVVEEE THIS PIZZA! I heard about it from friends and had to try it. The first time I left with my standard pizza, it smelled so good I had to pull over on the way home to eat a slice. I’ve been a believer ever since.
Ahhh perfect combination of chewy crisp crust, fresh tomato flavor and fresh cheese in just the right proportions. I ate a lot of pizza when I traveled to Italy, not to mention exploring pizza at great restaurants like Mozza and Pizzaiolo, and Emilia’s is right up there in flavor. The proportions of the crust/​sauce/​cheese/​toppings are well balanced.
I love this little place and that it’s a one man business built on his passion for the perfect pie.

This place is worth the hype! You have to plan ahead for this pizza… I have Emilia’s on my contact list so I’m prepared to call at 4pm– hoping that my call will go through. It takes some patience, but once you get through and put your order in, getting that pizza at the end of the day is worth it. The crust is amazing! The pizza is delicious. One of my favorite places!

I am pretty surprised that this guy can get a crist like this out of an oven like that, I think he’s probably doing something special with a combination of flour.
anyway a pizza like this is going to be very hard to beat. i’d say it’s somewhere between vera pizza and a New York street pizza, but it is remarkably good.
good sauce

4.5 stars.
Really good, if overhyped, pizza. The flavors were lovely, and you could tell by looking at it that careful hands had crafted it. The pizza was ready when the owner said it would be. There was just nothing about it that made it perfect, so I cannot say it’s «as good as it gets.» I confirm that the crust was very good, and the sauce tasty. Indeed, I ate FOUR slices (yikes!) It simply didn’t blow me away as I thought it would, even though my son proclaimed it as the best pizza in Berkeley. In Berkeley proper, that honor still goes to Zachary’s.
Nonetheless, I’ll likely be back, after having four slices, it’s fairly obvious I liked it and would recommend it.

1-​man pizza genius. The crust is perfect combination of crispy and chewy. Toppings are simple and flavorful. Love the sausage, pepperoni, onion, & mushroom. We call between 4−5pm to get pizza by 8pm! We’re still trying to figure out how to score a 6pm pie! It’s totally worth the wait.

After hearing the hype for so long, we just HAD to try Emilia’s. The pizza did not disappoint! I have to say it was a good pizza, all the ingredients seem like good quality. If you want a classic pizza, this is the place to go.
Sorry to compare, but we felt that the pizza was definitely less greasy than our other Berkeley favorites (cheeseboard and sliver) but it also was not as flavorful. As not a big fan of the extra cheesy extra greasy, I really liked Emilia, though others preferred the other alternatives.
My experience: I called at 4:03pm on a Wednesday and the phone was already busy! I called again a few minutes later and got my order taken. I got a little lost looking for the shop because I had never been before but it’s on the shattuck side at the corner of shattuck and ashby (next to where the Roxie’s deli is).
Random note: friend and I had imagined the owner to be an old Italian man with a mustache and grey hair and an accent (no reasonable explanation of how we imagined this imaginary pizza chef). turns out the guy who runs Emilia’s was none of those things, besides a extraordinary pizza chef. To say the least, he was younger than expected. Haha.

So it’s cash only, and that sucks. And the restaurant keeps weird hours (wed-​sat? Okay…). And you have to plan your dinner around being able to spam phone calls right at 4pm.
But you know what? None of that actually matters after the first bite. After that, you’re transported to a pizza heaven, beyond all earthly concerns.
My go-​to is onions and soprasotta. Although I’m pretty sure it’s impossible to get a bad pizza at Emelia’s.
All in all, a perfect pizza. ¹⁰⁰⁄₅ stars. If they added ricotta as an option it’d go up to ¹⁰⁰⁰⁄₅ stars.

We got a large pizza to go from here and it was just ok. Dough was soggy and there just wasn’t anything to write home about. We would not go back for pizza.
Yo Yo

Emilia’s is one of the most authentic NY style pizzas I’ve ever had. Unfortunately, it’s not a sit down restaurant and you’ll have to either enjoy your pizza at home or at one of the 3 tiny tables in the front of the shop.
The pizza is simple and delicious. There’s no fancy ingredients like truffle shavings because it’s unnecessary. The homemade dough is chewy yet light with little air pockets inside. The cheese is fresh mozzarella and has great consistency. The sauce has just the right amount of acid.
A basic pie costs $ 18 and you can add additional toppings for around $ 3-​$ 4 each. It’s a bit pricey and it’s about what you’d pay at Delfina, Zero Zero, and the like… (but without the atmosphere).
The process of ordering a pizza is a bit of a hassle. You have to call right when the store opens at 4pm to get a pizza by 6pm. If you call later, you might not get a pie until 7 or 8pm. Every pie is made to order so there’s no slices available.

Solid East Coast style pizza, it’s probably the best I’ve had in the Bay Area. I fully appreciate the solemn one man operation. Three things you should keep in mind:
1) Frank Sinatra
2) Jeffrey Tambor
3) punctuality.
If that you can’t understand that then just head to the nearest Golden Corral and order a trough of garbage.

Friend’s going to give me hell for this 4/​5, but I gotta dud.
First, no doubt this is a quality pizza place. The process of getting the pizza is a little inconvenient, but isn’t that big of a deal for pizza like this. I’ve always ordered the Gina Calabrese (calabrian chiles, onion, sopressata) with sausage and it’s always been good. One or two times it’s stuck out to me as being especially good (⁵⁄₅), but the other times have always been solid i.e. you always know you’re getting something good. Anyway, despite how good it’s been, I don’t feel like it’s 5 star pizza. 4.5÷5 prob. I’ve never really craved for it and have only gone when a group of friends decide to go. Better than cheeseboard, but that’s about as much as I can say. It’s also kind of pricey, going up to ~26 bucks per pizza so save up thos dolla dolla bills if you’re planning to go.

Emilia’s is the real deal. Hoboken with added Sopresseta was our choice. The crust is perfect; thin and crisp but just sturdy enough to hold the delectable juicy confluence. Every ingredient tastes of excellent provenance, like the house made sausage. Simply pizza bliss.
Yea, there is a bit of a process to follow to get this pizza in your piehole, but I think it is a fantastic story and well worth the small effort. This is a one man operation.
Many reviewers speak of «they» this and «they» that… there aint no «they» at Emilia’s just a single human who is thankfully passionate about his trade. The only way a business like this can be successfully operated is by following a daily ordering process and pick up routine.
A little effort is paid off in spades… read the reviews, it’s about the pie!
celebrare la pizza

The value isn’t much (Anywhere from $ 19 to 27 for cheese no topping pizza to 3 topping pizza) but the quality of the ingredients and care put into the pizza are two traits you can count on.
You order pizza ahead of time, then go in and pick it up.
This is a one-​man operation it seems. Apparently the owner can be quirky but he was friendly and accommodating to me.
I got 3 ingredients and it ran to $ 27 (ouchie) but the pizza was lovingly crafted.
There are only 2 small tables in the restaurant and it doesn’t look like a place you can really sit down and eat with a group.

I’m from Flatbush, Brooklyn and we know a little bit about NY style pizza. I HAD been a fan of Arinell and Amicis when a friend and neighbor introduced me to Emilia, for whom this pizzeria is named and informed me of the existence of this place in Berkeley.
Needless to say it wasn’t long before I had my family meet me there after work one day to sample both plain and pepperoni pizzas.
I’m ruined. The only ‘Za for me is sadly a 35 minute drive from my Marin home, yet I will make this trip gladly and often to recapture the ecstasy of that first bite. Every time I taste an Emilia pie it brings to mind the best pizzas of my youth in Coney Island, Flatbush and Bay Ridge.
Crust: perfect. Sauce: sweet, tangy, aromatic. Overall: The best pizza the bay area has to offer bar none.
Thanks, Keith.

Hands some of the best pizza I’ve tasted in the bay yet. It definitely has something unique about the design of this masterpiece. Took a bite of the first slice and just couldn’t stop myself, straight up fat attack! Inhaled that joint, destroyed, slayed.

My friend hyped up this place for days, and when it was finally «Pizza Night», he didn’t hesitate to break my diet. (And of course I was curious as to how good this place could be.)
Oh boy… where do I start?! I’ve always had generic pizza places: Costco (my all time favorite), Papa John’s, Domino’s, BJ’s, Regent’s pizza… and I’ve always settled down because I couldn’t find any good pizza places in New York either.
The system here is unlike other places, since it is a family run (or should I say one-​man) show. Keith basically calls when he wants to open (it’s usually at 4 pm like it says on the menu outside), but sometimes he might take a day off.
If you plan to barge in and expect a slice… not going to happen! Keith makes everything to order, so if you walk in and get rejected, don’t write biased reviews just because you don’t play by the rules of the house!
We ordered:
–3 whole pizza with soppresseta
Pros:
–AMAZING thin crust! I am eating my left over thin crust cold as I write this review… and it is STILL amazing! I can’t even begin to describe how delicious it is when you can dine in and eat it ON THE SPOT! Even someone who came for a pick up asked Keith if he could sit down and eat a slice because he saw how much we loved our pizza. I really like that the crust is not oily at all and also it is fluffy and light. It has a nice burnt flavor, and isn’t topped off with flour like some places do.
–DELICIOUS flavors! I love that every bite is just perfect piece of everything. You taste the freshness of all the ingredients, and each bite leads to the next. I’m not a huge sausage person, but I really enjoyed the soppresseta! I am IN LOVE with his tomato sauce too! Just the right amount! And the basil is super fresh, and not too burnt!
–Home-​y ambiance! When people described the location, I was thinking of a super run down place. Alas, I can only see with my own eyes! This place is definitely well kept, and the kitchen is very clean. I love the cute art pieces posted on the wall, and the paper plate «reservation» signs. I felt like I was just eating at a friend’s house! It definitely gets personal, since its only you and Keith, but it’s really what you make of it. If you get his humor, you’ll have a great time. If not, you’ll just enjoy the pizza?
–Consistent pizzas! We ate the pizzas straight off the plates, and ob boy of boy… each slice was unequal, but the flavor was always consistent! Props to Keith for creating such godly pizzas!
Cons:
–Why did you make me eat a whole box of pizza in one sitting? (Just kidding. I volunteer as tribute!)
Tips/​Observations:
–If you call in at 4, the pickup time is around 6 pm. If you call any later than 4:30 pm on a busy night, you may have to wait until 7 – 8 pm.
–CASH ONLY! I didn’t see any ATMs nearby… so make sure you come prepared!
–They also sell drinks (soda, water, etc) here as well!
–The tables are «reserved», and in order to do so, tell Keith when you call! Don’t expect to be seated if you walk in.
Overall, I really enjoyed my experience here. Keith knows what he is doing, and if you are a pizza lover, I am sure you will enjoy this place just as much as I do!

First of all, so much respect for the restaurant owner for running this amazing operation solo. While he must be super swamped with pizza orders all the time, quality is never sacrificed. I called in at around 7:45−8 to order and was told to pick up at 9:25. Totally reasonable in my opinion. For those complaining about waiting, go to McDonalds please. Quality is quality.
Secondly, I rarely like New York style or thin crust pizza in general… But Emilia’s pizzas are not TOO thin or flimsy like other thin pizzas out there. I would say it’s more of a medium crust? The FLAVOR though… PERFECT. Every ingredient complemented each other perfectly. The tomato sauce was especially refreshing. I would say this place is now my favorite pizza place in the Bay Area!!! I also love Costco cheese pizza… But that’s another story lol…

This pizza flies with the eagle elite of the East Bay — it is my favorite thin crust pie overall although it is tough competition from a couple of other local places. I love the website’s sarcastic tone and if you take life too seriously (see some of the other reviews) maybe you should stick to pizza hut. The owner is a really great guy who executes his vision for perfect pizza perfectly. I have had the chance to chat with him while waiting on my order and he is friendly with a great sense of humor. (See his comments about gluten on his website). Yes if you call at 5:30 on a Friday night you might have to wait 2 – 3 hours (he makes his pies one at a time by reservation only).
Plan ahead. It’s worth it.