We are, as a city, spoiled when it comes to pizza. From the beautifully precise Neapolitan pies of Masullo to the old-fashioned beauties at Luigi’s, the New York-style grease-gorgeous slices at Giovanni’s Old World Pizzeria, the California cuisine pizzas of Zinfandel Grille, the new American masterpieces of OneSpeed Pizza and the perfect family pies of Roma II Pizzeria, all make Sacramento a pizza-pie wonderland.
Is there room, then, for newcomers to the pizza landscape? Is there space in our stomachs and hearts for new slices and squares? Of course! Why would we even ask such silly questions!
PIZZA SUPREME BEING
Tucked away in a sleepy Downtown intersection, yet only a half block from Capitol Park, Pizza Supreme Being has been putting out pies, slices and squares for a little over a year. In that short time, founder Ben Roberts has garnered quite the reputation. Before COVID, the shop would sell out of pies most evenings or even in the late afternoon.
I asked Roberts where the name came from and he was refreshingly frank. “There’s nothing really special to the name,” he said. “Simply put, we wanted something that would be one of a kind. Finding a web domain and social media handles is hard. It is a play on words that didn’t exist anywhere and I thought that was perfect.”
The rest of the operation is tongue-in-cheek as well, from the witty social media posts featuring Garfield the cat and retro ‘80s flair, to the riffs on well-known pizza chains and their popular specialties. For example, a recent special, barbecue chicken pizza, was a takeoff on the California Pizza Kitchen offering that’s now ubiquitous in frozen grocery aisles. Supreme’s pie, however, bore little relation. With sharp notes of heady parmesan over smoked chicken and roasted onions, this pizza was something special.
During the pandemic, Pizza Supreme Being is only serving whole pies for takeout or delivery, with craft beer, natural wine and sometimes cookies. They are working on getting their by-the-slice protocols down. Also, Roberts occasionally makes pizza squares, sometimes known as Detroit-style or Grandma-style pizza. Keep an eye on his social media for those special occasions. Pizza Supreme Being is at 1425 14th St.; pizzasupremebeing.com; (916) 917-5559.
MAJKA PIZZERIA + BAKERY
Not too many blocks away, you’ll find an even newer pizza joint, Majka Pizzeria + Bakery. The elegant creations put out by husband and wife team Alex Sherry and Chutharat Sae Tong are something special. Both are alumni of Berkeley’s famed The Cheese Board Collective. And both are alumni of UC Berkeley. Go Bears!
Serving only naturally leavened sourdough pizzas, all made from their “mother” starter, gives Majka a deliciously interesting crust unlike any that I’ve had before. The toppings are equally novel, from corn and sour cream to butternut squash and brown butter.
Also of note, Sherry and Sae Tong only make one kind of pizza per day, a nod to the Cheese Board’s same policy. However, additional items like salad, cookies, wine and beer are also available. At this time, only pickup is offered with ordering done online or over the phone.
Sherry told me they will be putting together curated cheese boxes for the holidays, perfect to bring to any soiree. Given Sae Tong’s long experience with international cheese buying, I’m going to go out on a limb and say these cheese boxes will be something special.
As far as the unique name goes, it’s pronounced “Mi-cah” and it is the Serbian word for “mother” (Sherry traces his family roots back to Poland and Serbia). Given how both Sherry and Sae Tong honor their mothers’ cooking with everything they make, and that everything they bake relies on their mother sourdough starter, the name seems like a perfect fit. Majka Pizzeria + Bakery is at 1704 15th St.; majkabakes.com; (916) 572-9316.
SLIM & HUSKY’S PIZZA
One more pizza joint to add to the mix is Oak Park’s Slim & Husky’s Pizza. The small chain (six locations) out of Nashville serves baked-while-you-wait small pies with a host of creative ingredients and sauces.
Featuring a hip-hop theme and spacious patio along Broadway, S&H brings some energy to the space that formerly housed Oak Haus, the short-lived German restaurant by owner Dave Schnetz. Slim & Husky’s Pizza is at 3413 Broadway; slimandhuskys.com; (916) 744-7546.
No matter where you turn in this town, you’re bound to find good pizza. If you’re eating bad pizza, it’s your own fault! Get out and support our local pizzerias and their exceptional pies.
CORRECTION
Last month I wrote that Mr. Rogers shared a pool with his postman. My good friend and local personality, Peter Petty, reminded me that it was Rogers’ local police officer, played by actor and singer Francois Clemmons, and not his postman, with which he shared a cooling foot bath. My apologies.
Greg Sabin can be reached at gregsabin@hotmail.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento.
