Day 4: Angelina’s Pizza

Editor's note: Michael Barber is eating his way through San Leandro. We caught him on Day 4 of the job. 

Alright, this is the second to last post of a restaurant that I’ve actually been to before I decided to start this blog. Then it’s off into the wild blue yonder; the other side of Dutton Ave.! 

We’ve been getting our pizza fix at  for a while now, because is, well it’s Round Table. Angelina’s Pizza has been consistently good every time I’ve ordered to go, with a few glitches that were fixed before I left the shop.  The main glitch that I’ve actually seen repeated a total of three times, is that they make something different than you asked for, notice it, make what you ordered, and then give you the mistake if you want it for free, as well as your order.  Once they made the calzone that we usually get in pizza form, and so we had twice the food!  Not a bad thing all all except from a business standpoint. Tonight they accidentally made an extra large pizza for a take out customer instead of a large.  Good for that guy!

We decided this time to actually stay there and eat in this time around to get the full effect of the place.  It’s cozy, and quiet, with neat wood paneling (I could recommend to them a good electrician that could put all the electrical conduit inside the walls though), a cool old-timey fireplace and a spot to dump your kids. If I had screaming, hungry kids I’d totally take them there and let them play with Pizza Time Elmo.

Our waitress recognized me from my previous visits, which is always awesome.  There is nothing better to make a customer want to keep coming back again and again.  We ordered beers, a salad and a calzone.  A meal fit for 4 people!

The beers are served in chilled mugs, and are pretty freaking large.  They also serve them in half yards, but I don’t really feel the need to relive college days, and look dumb.  Plus the mug can be refiled when your beer is broken, and it won’t get warm!

The chef’s salad (big enough for 4 people to have seconds!) had slices of ham, salami, bell peppers, olives, and cheddar cheese over romaine lettuce.  Yum-a-dum-dum. 

I’m no expert on calzones, but every other place I’ve had one usually only has the ricotta cheese plus your toppings, but here at Angelina’s you get mozzarella too.  I especially like pepperoni and mushroom filling.  They have the usual toppings to choose from, with a few fancy toppings to choose from too.  The calzone was much better eating it at the restaurant, instead of taking it home.  I guess that 7 minute walk back to my house make a huge difference!

Probably the thing that is missing from this place is great customer service. The one person in the front is in charge of the seated guests, the phone, and the counter all by herself, as well as getting the delivery orders put together.  This often leaves people looking for the waitress, for soda refills, etc., and having to get up to ring the bell for service.  Not the best.  Also our waitress was training some one that I’m pretty sure was in her pajamas. 

I’ll keep going back for sure, but maybe they should look into getting people’s orders right, and that extra revenue might allow them to hire a second person to help out during their busy times.  Better pizza, lower price, and a sense of community.  That’s what it’s all about.