Daily Slice gives a quick snapshot each weekday of a different slice or pie that the folks at the Serious Eats empire have enjoyed lately.
[Photographs: Lauren Sloss]
Having just relocated back to my home turf of San Francisco from Brooklyn, I've got a lot to do. There's furniture to find, art to hang, and of course, a new neighborhood to explore. And obviously, the first thing any serious Slice-lover will do is try out her local pizza joint. For me, that's Marcello's, located at 420 Castro Street, giving it maybe the most San Francisco-centric address, ever.
Marcello's bills itself as serving New York-style slices, and the large, foldable cuts speak to this. But, I didn't spend two years in Brooklyn for nothin'. I know what my California pizzas are great for: the toppings. So, I went for two of the greener looking selections available, a slice topped with sundried tomatoes, feta cheese, mushrooms, and baby spinach, and one covered in pesto, mozzarella cheese, and artichoke hearts ($4.20 each. Pretty pricey for a slice, but I do appreciate the numeric consistency).
Focusing on the toppings was a good call. The crust was a little too thick and far too pale to be termed true New York-style pizza, and didn't have a very distinct flavor. Both the tomato and pesto sauces, however, were excellent—they tasted fresh and packed a good amount of flavor in each bite. I loved the piles of fresh, just-browned baby spinach on the first, and found the salty funk of the artichoke hearts was an excellent accompaniment to the garlicky pesto sauce. A true New York slice? Not so much. But a solid neighborhood spot? Most definitely.
Marcello's Pizza
420 Castro Street, San Francisco CA 94114 (map)
415-863-3900; marcellospizzasf.com
About the author: Lauren Sloss is a bicoastal food-lover who is based in San Francisco. Some of her favorite things include The Black Keys, goat gouda, and guacamole. You can follow her on Twitter @laurensloss.