Nothing inspires foodie passion quite like pizza; one of the world’s most popular yet varied dishes. Because different people have different tastes and emphatic preferences in crusts, cheeses, toppings, shapes and even cooking fuel sources, there can be no such thing as the “best pizza.” But pizzerias are another story altogether. I remember the pizzeria of my youth, where we concergated after games, for birthdays and just about every Friday night. These places welcomed families; a pitcher of beer for dad, and a nice glass of rose for mom, and pizza that satisfied everyone. I am happy to say that such a place exists in Grover Beach. Run by one of the nicest woman, Margarita is a jewel of a pizzeria owner. She welcomes you to Margarita’s Pizza with a kind smile and a most accommodating flare.
Margarita’s was brought to my attention by my friend Suellen of Abbey Home Loans. She is a bastion of finding my favorite little eateries. On our first visit we had the salad bar that was full of crisp and fresh vegetables and charming dressings. Gary ordered the California Philly Sandwich that was served on the softest and best hoagie roll. Tender slices of roast beef, sautéed onions and bell peppers topped with mozzarella and jack cheese permeated the bread and melded together in an appealing combination. Most everything is made in house, from ranch dressing to pizza dough.
We came back for lunch and had the Beach Club Sandwich again on that delicious roll with oven roasted turkey, crispy bacon, lettuce and tomato. It was busier during the day than at night, but Margarita still was gracious, kind and laughing through out our time there. I tried the Meatball Sub Sandwich with saucy homemade meatballs with just the right amount of spices, topped with mozzarella and jack cheese.
We came back for dinner and “Nana” juice after a full day playing with our Grands. I settled on Dos Equis as my beer and Gary shared sips with the hot and spicy Buffalo Wings that are oven baked and tossed in an alluring hot sauce. They are served with celery and homemade ranch dressing. Our pizza that night was the Mediterranean topped high with artichokes hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh spinach, feta cheese and lightly sprinkled with oregano. The sauce was pesto sauce and added a deeply satisfying layer to this pie. 