PizzaHacker

As you walk up to beige brick facade, you might think you’re about to walk into a firehouse, not one of the best pizza restaurants in San Francisco. The only giveaway is a white 2 foot sticker on the right front window reading PizzaHacker. Once inside the red double doors you are greeted by the smell of sourdough pizza crust char.

Crust is what makes this pizza special: consistent right balance of crispy bottom, chewy crust, leopard spots, and sourdough tang. Everything about the Pizza screams quality, from the 30+ hour fermented sourdough crust to sauce canned from raw early girl tomatoes over the summer.

What to eat at PizzaHacker

I judge a pizza place by its plain or Margherita pie, and PizzaHacker’s is so good that it could be the only one they sell. They stretch and form their mozzarella in house, then portion it precisely on each pizza for the perfect bite. A few other great pizzas to try: the Yo Vinny (Marinated Onions, Mama Lil’s Pickled Goat Horn Peppers, House-Made Hot Italian Sausage, Tomato Sauce, Fresh Mozzarella), the Get A Room (Spanish Chorizo, Kalamata Olives, Marinated Onions, Fresh Mozz, Tomato Sauce, Oregano), and the Rocket Man (Arugula, Garlic, Fresh Mozzarella, Farm egg, Lemon Juice, chili paste). Don’t forget to dunk your crust in the Calabrian chili paste at each table.

I like to start my meal with a kale Caesar that’s sometimes more Parmesan cheese than kale, each bite coming with a healthy crunch from garlicky croutons.

The vibe here is family-friendly. A store-length chalkboard wall runs along the left side of the restaurant and a gaggle of kids are sure to be running there, squiggling chalk drawings and designs up and down the wall. At the same time, all the neighborhood skateboard hipsters come to the bar to have a beer and a pie. The tables are orange and picnic style, with benches and metal chairs straight out of my 5th grade classroom. The ceilings are high, giving the place an open feel, while still feeling intimate due to the dim lighting from hanging string lights.

PizzaHacker captures a magical dichotomy: serious pizza-chops countered by serious amounts of children; tattooed hipster Pizzaiolos countered by classroom chairs and colored chalk. It’s approachable yet serious, sorta like the owner Jeff.

Original post by Pizzaman