Bay Area Bite

Amici's East Coast Pizzeria

Every time I walk past the Giants gem of a ballpark, Pacific...err SBC Park, I always pass Amici's. Every time I pass it, its always filled to the brim with baseball fans – but most importantly, Pizza fans. Yes, Amici's Pizza is to pizza what SBC Park is to ballparks--its trendy, makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside and is filled with amazing food. For those who don't feel like being surrounded by baseball (like one of the reviewers of this site), Amici's has several locations including a very popular one on Castro Street in Mountain View.

Like SBC, Amici puts an old fashioned product in a very modern, appealing setting. The decor is nothing fancy, but is similar to a place you would find in a mall. Everything looks new, is clean and is appealing to the eye. Nothing is spectacular, but there is really nothing to complain about either. I sat at the counter where I could watch the artists craft my pizza. The ambiance is nice and relaxing and makes you feel comfortable as you sip your drink and wait for the food to come.

The service is nice and too. The food gets to you right out of the oven. The waiters are happy to make recommendations for you. The place does get a little crowded, but unless you have a huge party, you will probably be able to get a table. Amici's is probably best as a lunch spot because of its ambiance and style of food.

Speaking of food, let me just give a brief word about pizza before I dig into Amici's food. To me, there is standard pizza (Round Table, Pizza Hut, etc) and there is specialty pizza. Specialty pizza is divided into two categories: deep dish or thin crust. Thin crust originates out of Italy and is highly popular in New York. However, in Chicago, pizza chefs boldly mastered the deep dish pizza, which is my personal favorite. Amici's pizza falls under the traditional New Yorker style pizza. However, the crust is cooked in such a way that it really cannot be considered a traditional Italian or European pizza. So it is unique in its own way.

If you visit Amici's with a crowd of people, I would recommend ordering an appetizer since there will be a mad grab to the pizza which will possibly leave several people hungry. The Garlic Breadsticks are the way to go. However, if you're in a smaller party, I would suggest trying one of their extremely fresh salads. Or you could Minestrone if you're the soup type. While not amazing (and really how amazing can a salad be?), the appetizers are fresh and tasty and will hold you over until the pizza comes. Amici's has typical soft drinks plus a killer lemonade. For those over 21, Amici's does sell wine and nice beers as well.

Now, the pizza is something else. The crust is extremely thin but is not too crispy like many other "thin crust pizzas." The texture is also smooth and the tomato sauce is clearly fresh. The pizza is so inviting that once you take one bite you'll finish the rest in record time. At Amici's, you have the option of creating your own pizza with your toppings or ordering one of their specials. Unless you are particular about what goes on your pizza, I would recommend the specials because the ingredients compliment each other giving each pizza a truly unique taste. Most of the specials are named after a particular region (Boston, New Haven, Philly) or based off of the ingredients (pollo, Veggie). The Philly pizza is pretty special with excellent Italian Sausage mixed with Caramelized onions. However, if you're like me and you like the kitchen sink on your pizza with that traditional pizza taste (no pesto, Thai flavors, sour cream, nothing crazy), then the Amici's Combo is for you. It’s got the meats (pepperoni, meatballs, bacon) and the token veggies (olives, mushrooms) to make a really excellent pizza. Of course, you should order according to your taste and I'm sure Amici's will make it just right.

If you don't order a Pizza and really if you go to Amici's this part of the review ain't for you, you can order a sandwich or pasta. The pasta's are relatively standard--they're fresh and tasty but honestly nothing amazing or worth skipping to the pizza for. The sandwiches are a different matter. A bit overpriced, but the Italian and Meatball sandwiches are well worth it. I'm not a big fan of eggplant, but I've heard good things about their eggplant sandwich as well. Still, if you want pasta, go somewhere else. The desserts are limited (Chocolate Cake or Cheesecake) but are pretty solid. Nothing spectacular, but will satisfy your sweet tooth. If you go to the Castro street or SF location, you might be better off finding dessert somewhere else.

Recommendations:

All in all, Amici's is pretty solid all around. There is nothing you will not like about the place. However, the only part of the cuisine that is spectacular is the pizza which is one of the best thin crusts I have had. The food is reasonably priced for a pizza place and the portions are pretty nice. I would recommend going in a party so you can try multiple types of pizza. Comparing it to other Bay Area pizza joint, I prefer it to Pizza Antica, but enjoy Cicero's more, even though Amici's has a better atmosphere. It's no surprise that this San Francisco favorite (constantly ranked as one of the top pizza places in the city) is constantly packed by people.

Rating 3.5/5

Health: Ingredients are fresh and pizza is not especially greasy. Also depends on how you order.

Cost: $$ (not too pricey)

amici's

posted by Raghav @ 1:01 PM