Blue Ribbon Artisan Pizzeria

Jason here. While we were visiting family in San Diego, we were brought to one of our host’s favorite pizza places, Blue Ribbon Artisan Pizzeria.

As an appetizer, Kayleigh and I split a peaches, blackberries and prosciutto salad, which came topped with goat cheese, hazelnuts, and sherry vinaigrette. The blackberries, fresh greens, and prosciutto were delicious. I enjoyed the salty prosciutto mixing wonderfully with the black berries and vinaigrette. The hazelnuts and cheese added a bit of an earthy and, of course, nutty flavor to the whole salad. It’s a shame, but the peaches were really overwhelmed here and added very little to an otherwise great salad.

For our main course, Kayleigh and I split a “My Father’s” pizza with a gluten free crust substitution. While they do have the obligatory cross contamination disclaimer, I can confidently say I had no issues with my meal. We went with this particular pizza, as I wanted some form of meat and Kayleigh wanted to try something with fresh mozzarella. It turned out to be a great choice.

The mozzarella was placed on the pizza in large pieces, so biting into it offered not only a burst of mozzarella flavor, but also added some texture to the pizza. As a fan of extra cheese, I definitely enjoyed the liberal helpings of the large melted mozzarella pieces. The pepperoni came in extra-large pieces, which was also a nice surprise. While Kayleigh likes red onion, I’ve never been a fan of them on my pizza so these I could have done without. The fennel sausage on the other hand, was my favorite part. The bits of sausage were heavily seasoned with herbs which added to the overall pizza. As opposed to blending together, I could taste each ingredient in the pizza individually with each imparting its own distinct flavor.

Kayleigh here. This pizzeria was fairly small and quite busy when we arrived, but we were seated quickly and served just as fast. The pizzas were a beautiful example of fresh foods done right- a simple thin crust covered with an even distribution of ripe vegetables, barely melted cheese, and heavily seasoned meats. Each bite was a well-rounded combination of flavors and textures, complimenting each other so well that I enjoyed even the strong fennel flavor from the sausage because of how it enhanced the sweetness of the tomato sauce. When a restaurant can get me to actually enjoy the meat in a dish instead of resigning myself to it, I know I found a winner.

If you’re looking for a fun little pizzeria with a gluten free crust offering, then Blue Ribbon Artisan Pizzeria may just be the right fit for you.