Arizmendi Bakery is a worker owned collective of people who serve muffins, scones, breads, salad, and a different pizza each day starting at 11am. It opened in 2004. They use a lot of organic ingredients. It is located in North Berkeley’s Gourmet Ghetto. They also serve coffee drinks. Cash or check only. They are somewhat related to the Arizmendi locations in Oakland and San Francisco, as well as to the Cheese Board.
Decor, Vibe - Clean small shop with lots of baked goods. Little seating inside and much more outside. Lots of workers on lunch break were getting food. Pixar is around the corner.

Menu Pictures

Picks:

Mushrooms, Red Onions, Gorgonzola, Rosemary-Thyme Oi Pizza ($2.50 slice, $18 entire pie)
This way the pizza of the day. It had crunchy crust throughout. Cheese was high quality, strong, but very good. This is one heavy pizza even though it had no meat and was not thick crust. Good stuff. We did not miss meat when eating this pizza.

Fruit Scone ($2) changes daily and tasted great. Tender yet firm texture. Not too sweet, no big layer of sugar, but lots of apple in it.

OK:
None

Pans:
None

This is very good pizza in a interesting venue. Arizmendi Bakery and Pizzeria’s pizza was almost identical to the Cheeseboard’s version. The bakery had lots of good looking fresh bakery items.
We would come back if we were in the area. The choice of Cheeseboard or Arizmendi location is more geographic than quality.

Related locations:
Arizmendi Bakery
1331 9th Avenue (Between Irving and Judah)
San Francisco, CA 94122
(415) 566-3117
http://www.arizmendibakery.org

Arizmendi Cooperative
3265 Lakeshore
Oakland, CA 94610
(510) 268-8849

Cheeseboard Pizza Collective
1512 Shattuck Ave (Between Cedar and Vine)
Berkeley, CA 94709
510-549-3055

http://cheeseboardcollective.coop

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Pizzaiolo opened in 2005 and has been packing them in for pizza since. The Chef-Owner used to work at Chez Panisse.

Decor, Vibe - Dimly lite, exposed brick with lots of wooden booths. Hipsters in their 30’s, couples, and a couple families were eating.

Menu Pictures

Wine List

Menu

Cocktail Menu

Dessert Menu

Website menu

Picks:

Annabelle’s Chicories ($9) with persimmons, walnuts & gorgonzola was a very good salad. Some bitter greens balanced with fruit, cheese, and a light dressing.

Margherita Pizza ($13) was a classic pizza with very good cheese and very thin crust. Crust was just right when it arrived, but it got soft after about 5 minutes. Flavor was very good. Size was pretty good.

Rapini & Housemade sausage Pizza ($17) was heavily flavored by the Broccoli rabi. Crust was similiar to the other pizza. Make sure you like broccolli. You can always add Sausage to another pizza instead.

Mojito cocktail ($9) was strong and well balanced. One of the better ones around.

OK:

Pasta con le sarde ($14) was well cooked al dente pasta with sardines. Tiny bones, very buttery. Good but the pizza overshadows this.

Pans:
None

Pizzaiolo’s service was adequate but not as attentive as we expected. Servers were pretty casual. The pizza here is the draw and it is good. The Margherita pizza was better at Gialani in San Francisco.
Be sure to make a reservation as a line is present before they open. Glasses of wine start at $6.50, with bottles from a reasonable $16.
Bakesale Betty is down the block. Be sure to visit them before your meal.

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Nico Restaurant is a Mediterranean restaurant in touristy downtown Carmel. It has a main dining room and a small patio in the back. We were in town doing the tourist thing and found this place in the middle of the shopping district.

Decor, Vibe - Big wine racks in the middle of the restaurant, acting like a room divider. Mostly tourists and couples dining here.

Menu Pictures

Picks:

Grilled Portabella Mushroom ($10) with Rosemary and Roasted pine nuts had good quantity and was cooked correctly.

OK:

Crab Ravioli ($18) in a Champagne Creme Sauce with Sun dried tomato, and scallops was recommended by the waiter but was too creamy and had just average raviloi quality. Not many scallops.

Margherita Pizza ($10) Basil, Tomato, and Mozzarella had soggy crust and was not as flavorful as most Margherita pizzas.

Salsiccia Pizza ($11) Fresh Italian Sausage, Arugola, and Mozzerlla had the same soggy crust and average sausage on it.

Rosemary Smoked Salmon Sandwich ($10) with Roma Tomato, Pecornio Cheese, and Onion was average. It was also recommended. Good salmon but too soggy due to the tomato sauce.

Pans:
None

Nico Restaurant is typical of a restaurant in a touristy destination, prices are relatively moderate, but quality takes a back seat. Next time we’ll try a different restaurant. Any suggestions?

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