1000 Degrees Pizza - Cupertino

Cupertino welcomes the latest fast-casual pizzeria, 1000 Degrees Pizza, from New Jersey. The chain is a franchise and the Cupertino location is currently the only one in California. I was invited by the chain for a complimentary meal. Here are my thoughts.

They serve personal sized pizzas made from authentic Neapolitan flour. The dough is never frozen and is made fresh. It bakes in this very stylish round oven with a rotating stone base. The stone turns around like a Lazy Susan and it evenly distributes the heat. The pizza is done within about 2 minutes.

($7.95) 10" Classic Margherita with Pepperoni - I ordered my favorite, the Classic Margherita with pepperoni. It was very satisfying. I could not be more pleased with the dough. They actually spin it out by hand and the shape is endearingly not a perfect round. It had just the right amount of air but was still thin.

($8.95) Customized 10"- Sriracha marinara, mozzarella, all meat except ham, mushrooms, jalapeno, onions

They allow unlimited toppings here. Phil always loves that because he adds almost all the meat then a few choice vegetables. This was an excellent combo.The Sriracha marinara sauce does add a bit of zing to the pie.

Between the two fast-casual pizzeries I have tried so far, Blaze and Pieology, 1000 Degrees has the best dough. It rises a bit more than Blaze's and it has a crust unlike Pieology's.

Check out 1000 Degrees in Cupertino

20589 Homestead Rd.

Cupertino, California

(408) 861-9495

Willow Glen Pizza Factory + Giveaway - San Jose

Willow Glen Pizza Factory specializes in fresh, handmade pizzas, salads, and calzones. The store is located in a new plaza off Meridian Ave. The Pizza Factory chain started an initiative called the "No Bully Zone" program which raises awareness about bullying in schools and the community. They also offer a number of fundraising opportunities for local schools and community groups. 

I was recently invited to try a complimentary meal and here are my thoughts.

($7.95) Antipasto Salad - I thought the portion of this salad was very nice for antipasto. There is enough meat and cheese here to form an entree. 

Pizza Factory also has an All-You-Can-Eat salad bar for $6.95 which is very popular for lunch.

($7.99) Willow Glen Special in mini size - mozzarella, peppers, onions, bacon, pepperoni, mushrooms

The mini is a personal sized pizza, perfect for one person. The pizza crust was perfect. Crispy at the bottom, a bit fluffy but not too much like Pizza Hut's crust tends to be. Not a thin crust but not a thick one and I'm very happy with the toppings on the Willow Glen Special. The bacon bits were especially satisfying.

They have a super cool soda machine in the store like the one I've seen in Coke commercials. There's only one faucet and you press buttons on a computer screen to choose your drink.

The space is very large and there is a private dining room which can be reserved. It's perfect for kid's birthday parties or sports team lunches.

Willow Glen Pizza Factory is sponsoring a $25 gift card giveaway so you can try their menu items. I highly recommend the Willow Glen Special pizza. To enter, you just need to follow them on Instagram and fill out the widget below. The contest will end on 5/12 at midnight. Open to Bay Area residents only. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pieology Pizzeria Introduces New Flavors

Pieology Pizzeria in San Jose gave me an opportunity to try their new pizza combinations, three-cheese Alfredo sauce and Rustic Veggie. In the same manner as Blaze Pizza, where customers can choose from flavor combos or make their own combinations, Pieology is like Chipotle for pizza. Options are house-made, whole wheat, or gluten free dough and any and as many toppings on an 11'5" pie which is served within less than 10 minutes after ordering.

($7.95) I chose a half and half Alfredo sauce and Rustic Veggie and added pepperoni all over.

I was really pleasantly surprised with the three cheese Alfredo sauce. It was cheesy and garlicky. I only wish there were more tomatoes and toppings in general. As you can see the photo looks a little bare.

On the Rustic Veggie side, I added jalapenos as well. The red sauce on this was a little plain and veggies are just standard. There is an option to add herb garlic butter on the dough before adding the sauce. I suggest skipping this step because the butter melts and the sauce does not stick onto the pizza. I had a problem with the toppings sliding off. Otherwise, the pizza was quite tasty.

Phil customized his own pie with pretty much all the meat available. He was very satisfied and full from his pizza as a result. 

Overall, I liked my first experience at Pieology. It's closer to San Jose than Blaze Pizza in Fremont. It makes a quick and affordable dinner.