One of our not-so-secret favorite places. Nothing beats a warm sunny day eating on their back patio with an aperitif, spicy Caesar, Old Faithful or She Wolf pizza, and a chocolate dessert. It's perfection and bliss all at once! I'm grateful every chance I get to have a meal there. read more

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To be honest, I yelped this while driving, to look for an alternative to Zachary's and knew nothing about it other than getting good reviews. It was late afternoon on a Sunday and apparently the patio is very popular because it was full the entire time we were there, but some tables in the front where we sat. Somehow we wanted a pizza that wasn't too salty so we nixed the pepperoni and sausage and also not spicy so that eliminated the spicy ones and the spicy Caesar, although it appeared popular. We had the margherita and the beans appetizer. The beans appetizer was more of a wintery dish but we enjoyed it. It had interesting combination flavors, was indeed hearty, and went well with a light pizza. The server did a good job of helping us with our choices and explained things well. The pizza was really good. We polished off the entire thing and we are not big eaters. Just came piping hot and had the right balance of everything. Had a good body, and a non overwhelming crust. As we ate, my kid kept saying she thought she was done, but kept eating and eating and that was that. One thing that we really enjoyed as an add on was the Zab's hot honey. We'll have to try it again on the patio next time. As sat by the window, throngs of people came by and it was barely 5pm, so it seems very popular. read more

We just spent 15 minutes fighting the website and were unable to successfully check out. We tried two different phones and four different payment methods. There's no way to call them. Frustrating. read more

Super solid thin crust pizza. We tried the champione and the original pep, both of which were delish! The champione was a white sauce base with rich mushrooms and the original pep had pickled jalapeños which added a nice bite. We loved how crispy the crust was and they give you hot honey to dip your pizza in. The spicy Caesar was a great salad. The wait is super long every day around dinner time so I recommend getting there early. The inside is super small but there's a larger patio area in the back. Service was great and I would definitely come back! read more

Rose Pizzeria - Champione and original pep - Pizza Near Me - Berkeley, California

Finally got the chance to pickup a long overdue pie from Rose's. They advise you to be on time for your pickup, and I would too, as the longer your wait and time to you destination will change your experience. Ate the first slice without any reheating, it was good. Threw the whole box in the oven at 250 for a few mins, changed the game for flavor and texture! The pizza lived up to the hype, and will definitely be in my rotation of local pizzerias. Perhaps maybe even dine in next time around. read more

Rose Pizzeria - Pepperoni and basil - Pizza Near Me - Berkeley, California

Wow...fantastic pizza! Had the Spicy Fig and a Margherita pizza. Just top notch pizza. We started with the strawberries and burrata which was spectacular. Overall just an amazing meal! read more

The service is great & the food is even better ! Wowowow I lovedddd this place & enjoy that they have a bunch of vegan options . The wine & the pizza were stellar & I already can't wait to come back to this place ! We made a reservation , which I highly recommend doing , so we were seated right away . You can't go wrong w any of the wine selections . We ordered two vegan pizzas & added the honey & chili peppers they have on the table -- 10/10 recommend adding to your pizza . They also have a really cute patio area in the back , but it was too cold when we went to enjoy the outdoor space . They have one gender neutral bathroom that was pretty well kept . read more

Rose Pizzeria - vegan pizzas -- 10/10 ! - Pizza Near Me - Berkeley, California

CLASSIC PEPPERONI Ezzo pepperoni, pickled jalapeño, sicilian oregano, tomato, mozzarella & pecorino - On special $22.00 TIRAMISU A big slab of classic tiramisu, lady fingers, whipped mascarpone cream, coffee soak, cocoa powder & sea salt. $12.00 Birra Moretti I don't remember : ) An amazing dining experience and the best pepperoni pizza I've ever had full stop - Priceless! My second time here and much more of an intimate experience because I was by myself killing some time before I met friends at the Freight and Salvage. My pizza was cooked perfectly - just the way I like it with some of the edges of the nickel sized pepperoni's a bit charged and bursting with flavor. The sauce, obviously an old family recipe had been cooking for hours and had a deep rich flavor. And the crust- ohh the crust held up well to the tomato sauce and had a chewy and crisp texture. The kind young lady who was serving me was confident I could finish the Tiramisu no matter how full I was. She was right. Matt says if you find yourself headed to downtown Berkeley either for a Cal event or to the Freight and Salvage, be sure to make reservations in advance and feast on some of the best pizza in the Bay Area. It's a small space and fills up fast I can hardly wait to go back. read more

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One of my goals for 2025 is to eat more pizza and Chinese food. Rose was first since the Amex Gold has a $50 Resy Credit here twice a year so figured to get it done with first. This restaurant is really small inside, it can seat maybe 20 people max but they have a heated patio I didn't see to accommodate more. They run a really lean operation with two people handling the whole room and walk-ins service. They probably should add one more since we were done with our pizza and waited about 15 minutes for someone to check on us, but hey, they are busy and turning the table quicker is up to them. Even if it looks empty, prepare to wait 30+ minutes for a table since empty tables are likely for a reservation The pizza here is good - we ordered the She Wolf and a special that was hot honey, figs, and arugula as well as the spicy caesar salad. The She Wolf was really good, burrata, capers, olives, which begs the questions as to why are we not using burrata on more pizzas in the world. Some questions have no answers. The dough on these pizzas is really toothsome, you really have to work to bite it. We added anchovies since they're really pushing those on their pies and even the caesar salad. The Hot Fig special was also very good, again more arugula on pizza is better for the world. Arugula and burrata on a pizza? Sign me up immediately. This pizza was also very good and toothsome, the figs and the hot honey was maybe a little too much sweetness for me but to each their own. Took some exception to the caesar salad, I like a strong dressing and it needed a bit more oomph, perhaps adding anchovies was the move but not for $4. It's a really popular item and you'll see it at all the tables around you, the breadcrumbs were a miss for me and they add no crunch and counter to the salad that I wanted. Overall, pretty good spot, but my pizza journey in 2025 is going on a tough Dave Portnoy scale. read more

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This place has one of the best Caesar salads that I have ever had! I absolutely lovvveee Caesar salads so when I find a spot with good salad, it makes the experience so much better. The pizza was also some of the best I have had in the Bay Area, I loved how thing and flakey the crust was, yet the pizza itself was super flavorful. The service was great too, friendly staff and lots of seating. The ambiance was nice, we sat by the window in a cute nook. read more

Rose Pizzeria - Caesar salad - Pizza Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I had been wanting to check this spot out for a while as there's been a lot of hype surrounding it online. The food was mid. The Caesar salad was awful-- it was soggy and wilted, weighed down by their underwhelming dressing. I'm not one to leave a Caesar salad behind, however I couldn't finish it and left about two thirds of it; it just wasn't edible. I ordered the Margherita and it was eh. Sauce lacked flavor, dough was okay. We arrived as soon as they opened and we didn't have reservations. We requested to sit outside and the host kept trying to convince us sit inside because there was only one unoccupied table outside and it was reserved for 1pm. Sir, it's noon, there's still an hour left until the table needs to be handed over to the folks who reserved it. He was insistent and then appeared to be annoyed that we still wanted to sit outside. Like, my guy, relax, we'll finish eating in an hour (and we did btw!). My people over at Guantonio's in Lodi have set the bar pretty high for me and Rose Pizzeria just did not make an impression. I'm bummed because I was very excited to try it, and I honestly would have returned to give it another shot, but the passive aggressive employee attitudes, it killed it for me and don't believe I'll be returning. Attitude matters y'all, be mindful about this. read more

She Wolf pizza: It comes with Tomato Sauce, Garlic Confit, Olives, Capers, oregano and of course Burrata, but no traditional mozzarella. To get the most flavor in every bite, I folded each slice with a dollop of burrata in the middle. Yum! Spicy Caesar salad: Big pieces of lettuce with lots of their spicy Caesar dressing. They offer anchovies on the salad, and we got them on the side. My friend loved them. I liked the salad on it's own, but the spice before the pizza wasn't my style as it turned out. The outdoor back area was comfortable on a warm day. The staff was super nice. read more

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I had heard about this pizza for a while and was in Berkeley at an art show and right across the street was Rose pizzeria. I went in ordered the take out pizza easily. Came back in 20 minutes for pick up. There was no line I picked up my pizza and spicy Caesar salad. They were both excellent a cut above and it was a very enjoyable and tasty experience. read more

Quality pizza with many different flavors. They are 14" and can easily be shared with another person. Their crust is exceptional and light. Highly recommend their Old Faithful, but their Caesar Salad is also great. There is a nice interior and a lovely back patio for dining read more

Food is great, we love the spicy Caesar salad and the pizza is also very good. The mushroom pizza in particular was delicious, the finely chopped mushrooms were not soggy at all, they were nicely crisped and seasoned perfectly. The service is okay, servers quickly provided what we needed upon request. The dining room is small and only a handful of groups may be seated indoors, though the take-out side of the business seems to be brisk. Positives: the restaurant takes reservations, which we like (and are necessary if you are on a schedule because there aren't very many tables) - and opens early enough that we can grab dinner before the theater, around the block. Also, the house red wine is locally produced by Broc (of Berkeley). read more

Rose Pizzeria - Each pizza is sliced into six pieces. Three of us share two pizzas with a couple slices leftover to take home :) - Pizza Near Me - Berkeley, California

This compact pizzeria completely flew under my radar since it's been thriving in Downtown Berkeley for the past two years. Jamie W and I just happened to be strolling by, read the enthusiastic Yelp reviews, and thought we could just drop by. Alas, without a reservation, there would a 90-minute wait. We shrugged and left in an inaudible huff. A couple of Saturdays later, we had the wherewithal to make a reservation in advance and returned. This time, we went for a mid-afternoon meal and found ourselves in a quandary over which delectable pizza to select. We decided to share one since they all come in one size - 14 inches divided into six slices, no half & halfs. We settled on the $23 Champione, basically their signature mushroom pizza with roasted mushrooms, cream, mozzarella, sherry vinegar, pecorino, and green onion (photo: https://yelp.to/rEsSMCuAXx). It was a genuinely delicious white pizza as good as the one we got at Cheeseboard recently. We supplemented our pizza with two excellent starters. The first was the simply named $14 Tomato Salad populated with fresh heirloom and early girl tomatoes, mozzarella, Sicilian oregano, basil, red wine vinegar, and a new one on us, blood orange olive oil (photo: https://yelp.to/sTkViUQmfp). We could easily had a second serving, so fresh. The other was the $15 Gigante Beans mixed with dollops of sheep's milk feta, pickled artichokes, fresh sumac, parsley, and red onion (photo: https://yelp.to/sVPR_IaSJK). There was a strong Mediterranean flavor in this sour-savory dish. With no Coke Zero in sight, the $5 can of Sicilian Blood Orange Soda hit the spot with carbonated fruitiness (photo: https://yelp.to/V7-CdG1SOj). A delightful Italianate meal can be had here with friendly staff and very little resistance from us. FOOD - 5 stars...a grand mushroom pizza with even better starters AMBIANCE - 4.5 stars...compact spot but room enough to enjoy SERVICE - 4.5 stars...quite attentive TOTAL - 5 stars...when an artisan pizza works RELATED - Exploring Berkeley? Here's my collection of places l've patronized and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2CbVh8u read more

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My sister and I ordered the She Wolf and Alpine pizzas, and we split an Italian blood orange soda. The blood orange soda - a must if you like blood orange. It was still too sweet for me, but lovely when diluted with some water. It also came out with cups of the GOOD ice. IYKYK The She Wolf - disappointing. It did have a nice tomato flavor, but the capers and olives made everything too briny/salty/unbalanced. I wish they had at least chopped up the olives to more evenly sprinkle them around. The Alpine - very tasty and surprising! It's a bit heavy to eat ONLY this flavor, if you were only going to order one pizza. Service was great: the waitresses and hostesses were very nice and pointed me to the hand washing station when I asked if they had hand sanitizer (they did but were running low). I was paying with Berkeley Bucks and couldn't figure out how to tip, and they said just to tip them next time! The pizzas also came out very fast and were piping hot. The bathroom was clean and functional. The space is a little small, but they did their best with it. The patio was closed for a private event, but it looks very cute. I would definitely return to try their other pizzas. read more

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Rose's food was PHENOMENAL. It is such a shame that their service is terrible -- it would totally be 5 stars otherwise! The first time my friends and I tried coming here, we walked in as a group of 6 on a Saturday afternoon, around 1:30pm. The server said we'd have to wait a bit but handed us one menu to look at. She glared at me and with an annoyed tone said, "wait outside, and only have one person come back inside to order." We found her attitude a bit strange, but carried on. One minute later, she came up to me and yanked the menu out of my hand (YANKED! It was comical!), telling me that they ran out of dough since they had to keep enough dough for tables with a reservation. We were understanding, but she kept glaring and speaking in a mean tone. Nonetheless, all the high praise for Rose led us to make a reservation this time, a month later. When we went to the host to check in, we were greeted by a different waitress who also had an attitude -- what joy! At least she was a bit nicer than the first. I have never been to an establishment with consistently rude service like this and, from the bottom of my heart, I hope Rose improves on this front. Now, onto the food: I was buzzing with excitement before the food came, though I still didn't think I would like it as much as I did! First, the spicy Caesar salad. Totally exceeded my expectations, well dressed yet not too salty. The spice added a nice kick, and the breadcrumbs instead of croutons was a remarkable decision. Burrata & cherries was fun, especially with the pistachios. The herbs on top were dry and felt like an additional salad in a not so great way. Fantastic pizzas: Old faithful was hearty and juicy. I always love broccoli on pizza and the Green deluxe was amazing, but I feel they went a little heavy on the cheese for this one. Pepp & Basil's basil took the pizza from a 6 to an 8 For the full experience, you need to add hot honey. I added hot honey to the two meat pizzas and it really elevated the experience. Especially after that hostile service... read more

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I think it's understood that Rose has great pizza but we need to take a moment to appreciate their non-pizza offerings. Their Caesar salad will continue to be one of my favorite salads ever. I love a heavily dressed salad with lots of texture and flavor, and if that's not your thing don't get it! But if you're like me, please don't skip out on this. It's also a miso based dressing so it's vegan friendly and packed with umami. Also, their tiramisu might be one of the best ones I've ever had in my life?? I don't know what it takes to make a delicious tiramisu, but they definitely do. The sea salt flakes on top give it the extra oomph and brings out the sweetness of the dessert. Yes, go there and get pizza. But also save room for salad and dessert!!! read more

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Although the food was tasty, Rose should focus on its customer service. From the time we walked in until the time we left, the experience was unsettling. I'm not asking for the typical Berkeley kiss-@ss service, but it should, at the very least, be cordial. The servers were dismissive and didn't make eye contact, making us feel like they didn't really want us there. I saw one of the owners was working that evening and noticed a constant grimace on her face from the moment we arrived until we left. I have scanned other reviews and can see a similar theme regarding the attitude of the people working here, which isn't good. Would I purchase food from here again? Yes - but I wouldn't want to repeat the dine-in experience. Food - Good Decor - Good Service - Poor Value - Good Overall - Fair BB read more

Not as good as I was expecting :/ The space is cozy, but cute (would recommend the patio area for ambiance, but best during a quiet/off time). Quick service although not super attentive after our food arrived. The outdoor tables are placed very close together and I wish they had sat the next group in one of the 3-4 other open tables instead of right next to us. I got fully sprayed when they squeezed citrus at the next table. As for the food, it was fine but not groundbreaking. The spicy Caesar was good (not that spicy though). It's a pretty large portion, so better if 2+ people are wanting to split. We both the strawberry/rosé spritz and it was pretty good, but tiny sized for a spritz (with all that ice). Also, the water was warm. We ordered the pepperoni pizza with pickled jalapenos on the side. The jalapenos were definitely necessary to add flavor. There was a LOT of pepperoni, but the sauce was really blah. We both liked the hot honey provided on the table. It was a little burnt but not in the nice super thin way, just a little tough. There are much better pizzeria options in Berkeley :// read more

Rose Pizzeria - Pepperoni Pizza + Spicy Caesar Salad - Pizza Near Me - Berkeley, California

I came with a group of 3 and we were debating getting one or two pizzas, but ended up choosing two since we wanted to try more flavors! If you're in a group of 3, be prepared for leftovers if you're getting two pies (the slices were heftier than we thought!) Champione - get this if you're a mushroom lover! I love mushroom pizza and the Champione is near the top of the list. They give a lot of mushrooms and they gave it the right amount of white cream sauce (not too heavy or overpowering like other mushrooms pizzas) Old Faithful - also really yummy! I thought it actually paired well with the Champione because this one was more salty and spicy. I was surprised about the little kick it had! It's a great option if you like a little spice. The restaurant itself is pretty small and the pizza can take quite a bit of time. I'd recommend coming with a small group during off hours! read more

Rose Pizzeria - Champione, Old Faithful - Pizza Near Me - Berkeley, California

I learned about Rose Pizzeria from a "best pizza in the country" list and thought it was a must visit while I was in Berkeley. It's a cute spot: the front is an unassuming short brick building lodged next to boutiques and other college town businesses. Despite being a solo diner, I snagged a reservation, which I recommend as the restaurant is small and doesn't have much dining space. It was a gorgeous day out and I sat on the patio. The patio is covered and offers heating lamps for when the temperature drops and overlooks the back of the nearby buildings, including another cafe's outside patio. It's a chill vibe, but then again I was there on a Friday afternoon. I was seated immediately and my server came to my table quickly with water. I already knew I wanted a margherita pizza and was tempted by the starters, but knew I couldn't eat that much on my own. The server helped me choose a wine to go with my pizza which complemented it well. My pizza came out fairly quickly and was delicious. It had all the hallmarks of a good wood-fired pizza: some char on some spots with natural bubbles in the dough. The crust was the right amount of chewy and crispy, the sauce was flavorful, and the cheese and basil were fresh. I really enjoyed the pizza but it didn't blow me away; I love this style of pizza and think it was on par with other upscale wood-fired pizzas I've had elsewhere. Definitely worth a visit when you're in Berkeley! It's easy to get to from campus and there is a lot of street parking available. read more

Rose Pizzeria - Margherita pizza - Pizza Near Me - Berkeley, California

We were in the Berkeley area and decided to try Rose. It was about 1pm on a Sunday and we had to wait about 5 minutes for a table, since the place is tiny! We ordered the old faithful and champione and man it was delicious! I'm a big crust person, so I loved how crunchy the bottom was and then crust was the perfect balance of crunchy and fluffy. 2 pizzas for us 3 girls was a little too much, so we had leftovers. However, I don't think 1 pizza would have been enough. Too bad I don't live nearby, otherwise I'd go here often! Next time I'm in Berkeley, I'll be back! read more

Rose Pizzeria - Old faithful (bottom) and champione (top) - Pizza Near Me - Berkeley, California

I've come to Rose numerous times and it truly never disappoints! The spicy Caesar salad is very saucy each bite has the perfect amount of flavor and crunch from the breadcrumbs with a little spice. I've tried the mushroom pizza and the pepperoni with jalepeno and both were so amazing. It did take a little bit to be seated as I went on busy days but it's so worth it! It's such a cute little place with a cozy vibe! read more

Cozy and quaint--warm lighting, a cute patio out back, and the perfect mix of casual and special. Keep in mind - you need a reservation, and they make sure you stick to an eating time slot. Not the place to lounge around and hang for hours. We started with the Spicy Caesar Salad ($13), which had a bold, tangy dressing with just the bit of heat in the aftertaste. The crispy breadcrumbs and pecorino tied everything together for a super satisfying bite. The toppings felt pretty crumbly while eating, and the leaves were full baby leaves instead of chopped. For the main event, we got the Old Faithful pizza ($24)--thin, crispy crust with the perfect char. The fennel sausage and Mama Lil's peppers brought a little kick, more than I was expecting but not overwhelming! The red sauce was light and flavorful, I can see why this spot is famous for their pizzas. To finish, we shared the Tiramisu for Two ($12), which was light, creamy, and had the most amazing touch of sea salt on top. Such a simple detail but so good and made the flavors so much more rich. Service was just okay, it felt pretty minimal. Of course we weren't expecting anything over the top, but it felt cold at times. read more

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I came here on a Friday night with my friend and we were told that it was a two hour wait before we would be seated! And so we left and made a reservation in our car for the following Friday. I have been meaning to try all the pizza spots in Berkeley, and after hearing this was in New York Times's best pizza spots, Rose Pizzeria moved to the top of my list. We were immediately seated after showing our reservation, and waited about ten minutes before our server introduced herself. The place is incredibly small inside, but there is a patio outside with more seating, overall intimate vibes. We ordered the pizzas on the Special Menu: L.A. Friend's and Spicy Fig. They were delicious. I have tried so many pizza slices from so many different places, but these flavors were so decadent, yet not heavy. L.A. Friend's is a white sauce pizza with sausage, cabbage, green onion, mozzarella, and this tangy, spicy sauce called chojang. I loved the texture of the cabbage with this pizza, and the sausage tasted much better than the conventional sausage on combo pizza. The sauce reminded me of sriracha, and it added such a nice spice and pop to the overall flavor. The Spicy Fig pizza was equally as delicious! Having a sweeter pizza complemented our palettes so well. The fig was gooey and with the thin, crispier crust, the pizza had such a nice bite. The arugula complimented well with the cheese and fig as well, and the spice was very mild. I did not regret ordering these pizzas whatsoever! Both with such great textures, crusts, and flavors, I enjoyed every bite. Unfortunately our pizza got cold fairly quickly, so I asked our server if we could heat it up again. She said she could not bring the pizza back to the kitchen, which was a little upsetting. Having the pizzas warm tasted significantly better than when it cooled, and 3/4 of our meal was cold essentially. Although I love the pizzas, I would definitely get the dishes to-go next time so that I can heat it up again at home. Regardless, we had a great time overall! read more

Rose Pizzeria - L.A. Friend's - Pizza Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I was super excited to get to try Rose Pizzeria before leaving Berkeley! My friend and I came in on a Sunday around 3. There was a 15 minute wait before we were able to get seated. We were able to order quickly and our food didn't take too long to come out! We decided on the champignons pizza which was an excellent decision! The crust was perfectly crispy and soft. The toppings were plentiful which, as a mushroom lover, I was super grateful for. The mushrooms were beautifully seasoned and were complimented by the crunchy green onions. The tables had red pepper available but no parmesan (could've used a little parm). The service is the main reason I knock it down a star. The servers didn't check in on us at all aside from bringing over our food and the bill. When they brought over our pizza, our water was empty and they didn't ask if we needed a refill. We had to flag someone down afterwards to get a refill. I understand it was busy, but water isn't usually something I need to ask for when I am at a sit down restaurant and find that servers are very attentive to when customers need refills. That was not the case here. In summary, I would come back for this DELICIOUS pizza!! However, the service could be improved. read more

Rose Pizzeria - Pizza Near Me - Berkeley, California

Heard about them in the news being best pizza in US! Well that's debatable but they can stay in top. Good selection and variety of wines and beers and desserts. Salads are great! Tomato salad was fresh and refreshing. Pizza was fine but I had better. Dough was crunchy and real pizza bread. Fresh basil in top rather than baking with pizza was a serious touch. Indoor and cute outside patio in the back. Ambience is casual relax set. No harm to make a reservation! Staff are welcoming and warm. Good for small group, meetup and kids. read more

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East coast pizza snob here. This is no New York or New Haven pizza, still it's a good approximation. First the pros, crust was good and you can eat it folded like a proper human being and not forced to use a knife and fork like some baboon. I got the pepperoni and basil and both toppings were good. Cheese was a decent amount. Oil does not flow off the top of the pizza onto your plate. Some may view this as a pro, some as a con. Con was that it was hella salty. I like salt but this was a bit extreme. Not sure where all the sodium was coming from. Part was crust. Part was cheese or sauce. Anyway, it turned a five star into four. Amount of pizza per dollar is in this crazy economy very good. We ate takeout so we can't rank service or ambiance but both seemed very good. Seems like a nice place to take a friend for a casual evening out. All in all, very good. Lower the sodium and I'd be a fan. Four stars means I'll eat here if I'm in the hood but not good enough to make my way across town to eat here. Still way better than Cheese Board though. read more

Berkeley's pizza game is quite strong, but Rose has to top the list of best pizza in Berkeley for me. The spicy caesar salad is super creamy and a nice take on the classic salad. Not only is their pizza delicious, crust crunchy, sauce hearty, and options plenty, but their Tiramisu is oh so heavenly. The cream, the textures, the flaky sea salt on top--just perfect. I'd recommend making a reservation for evenings/weekends. I love sitting on the outdoor patio, which is beautifully decorated with lights. read more

Rose Pizzeria - Tiramisu - Pizza Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Really amazing pizza with some of the thinnest crust I've ever experienced. Got a pepperoni pizza and one of the fennel sausage pizzas with white sauce. The pepperoni was recommended by staff and I could totally see why! It was super flavorful, there was a generous amount of pepperoni, the pepperoni was thin and crisp, and the pickled peppers were a really nice element that brought everything together (as a spicy fan I wished there was a bit more). I would definitely come back again. I didn't make a reservation next time, but it seems like usually they are so I'd do that next time. read more

Rose Pizzeria - Fennel sausage pizza w/ white sauce - Pizza Near Me - Berkeley, California

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After reading about Rose Pizzeria in The New York Times Best Pizza Places in the United States list and seeing how close it was to home, I knew a visit was in order. I had lunch here today, and it didn't disappoint. Showing up without a reservation is not recommended, as they've experienced a surge in popularity post-the aforementioned Times article. Sometimes, when a restaurant gets a lot of hype from the media or by word-of-mouth, I avoid it simply because many places don't live up to the hype, but this wasn't one of those times or experiences. When we arrived, Elle gave us a warm and friendly welcome and promptly seated us. After perusing the menu, we decided to split a Spicy Caesar Salad and the Classic Pep Pizza. The salad was good-- nice and fresh with a creamy dressing that wasn't too rich. I wouldn't say it was spicy at all, but my perception of and desire for spice differs from most people's. I'm glad I experienced it, but I will opt instead to order a second pizza over a salad in the future. The Classic Pep Pizza was delicious and the best pizza I've had in recent memory. It came to us, piping hot out of the oven, crispy but not burnt, salty and savory, but not so much that I had to chug water to rehydrate. I would order it again for sure. I added some hot honey to the first slice, but I found it didn't add anything to the slice (especially in terms of heat), so I ate the rest without honey. I left feeling full but not stuffed- I often feel full to the point of sickness after eating pizza, but that's not the case here. I would love to try more of their menu in the future. The total for the meal was under $50, which felt very fair- much better quality and service for a far lower price than I'm used to paying in Marin or The City when I eat out. The ambiance is cute and casual. I saw couples of all ages out on dates, a big family eating together, and a couple with a baby, so I'd say it's a welcoming atmosphere for all. Our server, Elle, was excellent. She was attentive without being overbearing and timed things like bringing the check perfectly. I watched her take care of the whole restaurant with ease, and it was busy, so props for that. I loved the simple decor and relaxing color scheme. Very cutesy, very mindful, very demure all-round. TL;DR: - Book a reservation for prompt service or expect a wait (we took under 35 minutes to order and eat and there was only one table open by the time we left)- they only accept reservations for up to six people per group. - GF is not an option due to lack of space in the kitchen. - Pets are not welcome, but service animals are - Tables are held for 15 minutes after your reservation time, and as a party of two, we had our table for an hour and a half. - Non-alcoholic drink options are limited. - All pizzas are the same size: 14 inches, cut into six delectable slices. They don't do half and halves, they don't do parbakes, and they don't do a "make your own" option. They also don't serve pizza by the slice. read more

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Rose Pizza makes an incredibly tasty pizza--so good that we planned to take it home but ended up devouring it in the car instead! The arugula salad had fresh greens but was pretty sparse, with just parmesan cheese. Luckily, the amazing pizza more than made up for it. The store itself is small, but the employees were very friendly, making for a great experience overall. Definitely a spot worth visiting! read more

Rose Pizzeria - Delicious pizza - Pizza Near Me - Berkeley, California

I've been craving pizza for months and this hit the spot! Reservations are easy to make on Resy and can choose between indoors or outdoor patio. I recommend the outdoor patio when it's warm out. I got the spicy caesar salad and the old faithful for 2 people and it was more than enough. The salad was good and had a nice kick to it but wasn't spicy to me but still good. Old Faithful was delicious! Sometimes sausage on pizza is too salty but this was a good balance of salty and sweet (from the peppers) and tasted fresh. I also ordered a tiramisu to go for my friend and it was also really good. I'll definitely be back to dine in and also order to go! read more

Rose Pizzeria - Pizza Near Me - Berkeley, California

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we saw on some article that this pizza place was comparable to New York pizza so we thought to come and try and it was definitely pretty delicious. We got the champione pizza which had mushrooms, which sauce and green onion and it was quite scrumptious! The green onion adds a touch of flavor that I loved and hadn't had on a pizza before. We split one pizza between 2 girls and it was the perfect amount. Though we did have an interesting experience where we walked in asking for a table of 2 as we didn't think this was a place that needed reservation as it looked quite a normal and not a super fancy restaurant but a random customer that was about to get seated came up to my friend and I and was offended that we were just going to walk in and get a table because he said he needed to book 2 weeks in advance for a reservation. Mind you, we got there around 5:15pm and there was actually a few open tables at their outdoor seating when we got seated in just a few minutes. I was really taken it back but we were grateful we got seated really fast even though this place apparently needs reservations???? We had no idea but it was named top 22 pizzas in the country on New York times In terms of parking there's just street parking that you need to pay hourly so just keep that in mind. It's also downtown Berkeley so kind of hard to find parking, we were just lucky because we saw a car leaving as we drove in Also side note we saw a rat below the patio where the outdoor seating was when we were eating and we told the server and she was very nonchalant about it and just walked away lovely!!!! read more

Rose Pizzeria - Champione pizza - Pizza Near Me - Berkeley, California

Salty and overpriced! I am Italian and I know about pizza. We ordered the Champione and the She Wolf pizzas. Super doughy and VERY salty. Why American are uncapable to make pizzas just simple without constantly adding extra ingredient when is not necessary? They put shaved salt even on their tiramisu!! which was good but ruined with the salt on top. When we mentioned it to our server (about the salt on the tiramisu') she almost felt attack and she said "I like it!" .... I think her comment lack the capacity to take feedback from customers. The place and atmosphere is ok. Small and cosy but the busser kept moving us around from one table to another and he cleaned the tables tossing everything on the floor instead of collecting it. Lastly, we payed almost $90, $24 for each pizza!! (A PIZZA! $24!!) We drank tea which came in a bottle and a salty tiramisu'. Unbelievable! read more

Rose Pizzeria - Pizza Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Pizza was very good!! Very flavorful and just enough for two people. The ambiance was nice and love that they have indoor and outdoor seating. Service was quick and friendly. Will be back to try more! read more

Rose Pizzeria - Pepp and Basil - Pizza Near Me - Berkeley, California

Today was the day of finally making it to the Rose Pizzeria, after all this time this place has been marked as "to go to" on my maps. The atmosphere was simple and inviting, perfect for a casual lunch. The menu offered a wide variety of options, including some unique specialty pizzas that caught my eye. We were short on time, so ordered Old Faithful to-go. It came out deliciously soft, flavorful and just outstanding! The crust was perfectly crisp, and the toppings were fresh and generously applied. The service was prompt and friendly form the second we came up, without even ordering. From the expected 30 minutes wait time, it was cut to 15, which was presently surprising. Overall, Rose Pizzeria is a wonderful spot for pizza lovers at downtown Berkeley. I highly recommend it and will definitely be returning to try more of their delicious offerings. Four stars and from what I saw the interior was in need of renovation. read more

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I have questions: (1) What's with the purported gastronomers at the New York Times? (2) What's with the good folks of Berkeley? This place is vastly overrated. The ambiance is depressing and the food is slop, served with a hefty dose of hubris. I'm scratching my head in puzzlement as to how this little hole-in-the-wall made it onto the New York Times' list of top 100 pizza joints, when Berkeley's got other truly great pizzerias (the Cheese Board and Arizmendi come to mind). Despite our advance reservations, we were greeted by a haughty host who condescendingly informed us that there were no tables outside and we'd have to sit in the narrow, dimly lit and rather depressing foyer. Take it or leave it. Okay, so be it. The New York Times' adulation has clearly gone to their heads. Next came the food. We started with the much-ballyhooed Caesar salad. It was a mess. Soggy and over-salted, with a nasty aftertaste. Then came the pizzas. We sampled one from each of their two types of sauces, red and white. The were equally underwhelming. The toppings were slimy and slid right off the burnt-cardboard crusts. Both sauces tasted like they were straight out of the jar from Safeway. And, as with the salad, way too much salt. I'm crying salty tears that the pandemic killed the Brazil Cafe that used to be here. It was unpretentious, with delicious and affordably priced food. read more