Boot and Shoe Service

Recommends

Catherine Price

Joined 3 years ago

Citysearch Editorial Review. Fans of Pizzaiolo, Charlie Hallowell's locally beloved, critically acclaimed Neaopolitan pizzeria in Temescal, will be happy to find the Chez Panisse alum's outpost near Lake Merritt. The restaurant, Boot and Shoe Service, welcomes patrons into a candlelit dining room with exposed brick walls and a wood-beamed ceiling; a wood burning fireplace stands in the middle of the open kitchen, and a dish of olives waits on each table. Bustling, with a Brooklyn-esque vibe, Boot and Shoe Service has an even smaller menu than Pizzaiolo--just pizza, several appetizers, and two or three desserts--but devotees won't be disappointed. In addition to starters including Monterey Bay sardines cooked in the wood oven, Boot and Shoe Service offers more pizzas than Pizzaiolo--a pie featuring wild nettles, ricotta and pecorino, or another embellished with butternut squash, roasted chicories and gorgonzola (the menu changes frequently). If the restaurant, which gets its non-sequitur name from an old sign salvaged during renovations, is anywhere near as popular as Pizzaioli, you'll want to make sure to call ahead.