San Francisco is not a pizza town.

Yes, there is very good pizza in town and throughout the Bay Area. We’ve got a plethora of different styles, from crunchy, cheesy Detroit-style square slices at Square Pie Guys to the soft, chewy Neapolitan-style pies at Del Popolo — and Arinell’s has previously been the best New York-style slice shop in of the city it closed last year. But we don’t compare to the Big Apple when it comes to grabbing a bite on the way home, for a quick lunch, or late at night.

Now there’s a new spot at the top of my personal rankings for the best slice house in San Francisco – a no-frills place that welcomes everyone and focuses on serving up naked slices of pizza with great texture and flavor at a great price. Whether you call it the NYC-esque pizza or a hell of a San Francisco pie, the best slice in this 7-square-mile metropolis is at Outta Sight Pizza.

I recently ventured to 422 Larkin Street to give this place a shot. Between a casual Chinese restaurant and a cute Vietnamese restaurant, the big bright orange gold-rimmed letters spelling out “PIZZA” above the large front window definitely gave me New York vibes.

Customers enter Outta Sight Pizza in San Francisco on March 7, 2023.

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

A case on the counter held about six or seven different pizzas, and it smelled delicious. An eclectic selection of music, from hip-hop to jazz to death metal, pumped through the vintage-looking but essentially digital boombox perched on a mantle over the seating area. Everyone nodded their heads while chewing, no matter what kind of music they preferred. Behind the counter, a small vintage letterboard displayed the menu with slices ranging from $4.15 for cheese to $6 for sausage.

Affordable rates for San Francisco.

My order on what was a fateful day for me was a slice of cheese, a slice of pepperoni – the classics – and a slice of white mussel cake, the dish of the day. Each came on a fluted paper plate, that’s the only way they do it in New York City.

My first bite was of course the cheese slice. The mix of low-moisture mozzarella melted into San Marzano tomato sauce was utterly classic. Visceral food memories immediately flooded my brain. It was a late-night tune at Joe’s in the West Village, after the last note played at the nearby Smalls Jazz Club. Or I might be sitting on the sidewalk on a warm summer evening eating a piece of Scarr’s on the Lower East Side. Even hazy, drunken memories of Proto’s, the Slice store around the corner from my New York City apartment, suddenly became clear again with a piece of Outta Sight in my hand.

The cheese slice at Outta Sight Pizza, as simple as it sounds, tasted like a great New York slice.

A Madonna slice of pizza at Outta Sight Pizza in San Francisco, California on March 7, 2023.
Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

A customer at the counter of Outta Sight Pizza in San Francisco, California on March 7, 2023.
Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

A customer waves goodbye after dining at Outta Sight Pizza on March 7, 2023 in San Francisco, California.
Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

A slice of pepperoni pizza at Outta Sight Pizza in San Francisco, California on March 7, 2023.
Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

Outta Sight Pizza in San Francisco. (Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE)
Outta Sight Pizza in San Francisco. (Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE)

Then came the wonderful pepperoni. When the little bowls of cured meat ripple around the edges, some with a crispy burnt hue, and the bright orange oil drips down your index finger as you fold the slice in half at the crust…that’s the stuff of dreams are made of. The saltiness of the pepperoni, which sometimes contained little mozzarella lumps, is the perfect complement to the cream and flavor of the cheese and tomato sauce.

Least reminiscent of New York, the clam pie was a delicious ode to the pie often associated with Frank Pepes in New Haven, Connecticut. The mussels were fresh and with a hint of brine, while the ricotta cheese matched the faint saltiness of the molluscs. The chopped parsley and generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice brought it all together.

The main difference between Outta Sight Pizza and the Big Apple stars is the crust. A tried-and-tested recipe from owner-chef Eric Ehler bridges the two worlds – the amazing bread culture of the West Coast coupled with the history of East Coast pizza.

(Left to right) Eric Ehler and Peter Dorrance, co-owners of Outta Sight Pizza in San Francisco, on March 7, 2023.

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

“I wanted a thin pizza with a little crust — easy to chew and eat like bread,” Ehler said. “But it’s tough enough to hold pads.”

He said he wants his crust to have the texture of a baguette. As our interview wrapped, a customer who was eating in the store walked by and said, “I heard you, and it definitely tastes like baguette,” and then punched Ehler.

Ehler, who is originally from Iowa and moved to San Francisco around 2008, began developing his pizza recipe about 10 years ago. A skateboarder who humbly said his favorite trick was a standard kickflip, Ehler has been to New York City a number of times to explore its famous skate spots like Coleman Park under the Manhattan Bridge. Scarr’s, a few blocks away on Orchard Street on the Lower East Side, was one of his favorites. While he shies away from the fact that everything must have a label, he understands that his pizza is inherently judged against others and his recipe was actually influenced by his travels to New York City.

Sorry, your browser doesn’t support embedded videos.

Douglas Zimmerman SFGATE

Before running his own shop, Ehler held various restaurant jobs in San Francisco, but none with a formal education in bread. He learned to bake bread by watching YouTube videos after his shifts on the assembly line. Ehler met Outta Sight Pizza co-owner Peter Dorrance in 2017 while working at Mister Jiu’s, chef Brandon Jew’s magnum opus, in San Francisco’s Chinatown. The two hit it off quickly, they said. After running an Outta Sight pizza pop-up at Fig & Thistle in Hayes Valley, they finally opened their own space at Tenderloin last year.

“I think if you dig deep with someone, everyone has a story about pizza [from] grow up,” said Ehler. “Baseball games – get pizza afterwards; bowling lanes – pizza; Overnight stays – Pizza. It kept coming back to pizza.”

Dorrance, a former boat captain, doesn’t see himself as a big pizza fan. He loves pizza, but cooking it was never his thing. Growing up in Arroyo Grande, California, and even after moving to San Francisco 10 years ago, he always favored pizzas with a doughier crust, almost spongy, from places like Haystack Pizza on 24th Street in Noe Valley.

A slice of pepperoni pizza at Outta Sight Pizza in San Francisco on March 7, 2023.

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

“I’ve grown to appreciate pizza a lot more,” Dorrance said of working with Ehler on a day-to-day basis. “But I wouldn’t say I’m an expert [like he is].”

“It sells below value,” Ehler quickly intervenes. “Now he’s like a pizza snob.”

Each week Outta Sight Pizza has two new specials announced on Instagram. The thing about a sturdy, baguette-like crust is that it can hold a lot of toppings, and Ehler is always experimenting. Many of the specials are influenced by the California Pizza Kitchen, an Ehler’s favorite, such as a BBQ chicken pie that was on the menu this week. Or they’re influenced by foods Ehler loves, like an Al Pastor cake that’s now on the menu.

As for his wildest special? It is in the research and development phase, but he assures that it should be available soon.

(Left to right) Eric Ehler and Peter Dorrance, co-owners of Outta Sight Pizza in San Francisco, on March 7, 2023.

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

What is special about a Slice shop is that it welcomes everyone who enters. In New York City, you can often see a Wall Street guy in a full suit next to a skater lugging a board around, both with contented smiles on their faces. A slice of pizza is a humble gift. It’s taken to another level at Outta Sight Pizza, but it still welcomes everyone.

Because, as Ehler said: “Everything always comes back to pizza.”

Outta Sight Pizza, 422 Larkin St., San Francisco. Open Monday to Friday 11am to 9pm, closed Saturday and Sunday.

The post San Francisco’s Outta Sight Pizza presents actual New York-style pizza appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Gasoline Prices Pierce Record With No Ceiling in SightDrivers across the country are feeling pain at the pump as gas prices hit a record average high Friday. Maria Cid Medina reports. (2-4-22)

7 hours ago

Winter Storm Roars Across US, Upends Flight SchedulesA major winter storm disrupted flights at major hubs in the US on Friday and ice threatened to wreak havoc on road travel and electric service across much of the midwest and eastern states. Betty Yu reports. (2-4-22)

7 hours ago

CoCo County Drops Proof of Vaccination at Restaurants, GymsHealth officials in Contra Costa County say certain businesses, including restaurants and gyms, are no longer required to check patrons for proof of vaccination or a negative test. Andrea Nakano reports. (2-4-22)

7 hours ago

SoFi Stadium Video Appears to Show Injured 49ers Fan Was First AggressorLegal experts say it may be hard to bring charges against the man arrested for shoving a 49ers fan to the ground given early reports of the content of surveillance video. Sara Donchey reports. (2-4-22)

7 hours ago

PIX NowHere’s the latest from the KPIX newsroom. (2-4-22)

11 hours ago

Market Analysts Give Zuckerberg Thumbs Down for Meta GuidanceIt was a terrible week for Facebook parent company Meta, its investors and for CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Trouble is, there’s no obvious way the company can bounce back soon. Kiet Do reports. (2-4-22)

12 hours ago

CoCo County Rolls Back Proof of Vax OrderIt could be the first step towards a post-pandemic life: Contra Costa County announced it’s rolling back a health order requiring some businesses to check vaccination status. Shawn Chitnis reports. (2-4-22)

12 hours ago

Man Shot Confronting Auto Burglars in SF SoMaSan Francisco police are asking for the public’s help after a man was shot south of Market Thursday night and it all started with a car break-in. Wilson Walker reports. (2-4-22)

12 hours ago

East Bay Battle Brews Over Trail Use by Mountain BikersThe East Bay biking community plans to protest recent citations they’ve received for trail violations at Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park. Len Ramirez reports. (2-4-22)

12 hours ago

First Alert Weather Friday Night ForecastChief meteorologist Paul Heggen has a rain-free Bay Area weekend forecast. (2-4-22)

12 hours ago

Return-to-Office Plans Pushed Back by Omicron OutbreakBefore the omicron variant, a lot of companies figured they’d be in their new normal by March or April. Now, many estimate they’ll be there in May or June. Max Darrow reports. (2-4-22)

13 hours ago

Arrest Made in SoFi Stadium Attack on 49ers FanA suspect has been arrested in connection with a violent assault outside SoFi Stadium during the NFC Title game last weekend which left a 49ers fan in a coma. (2-4-22)

13 hours ago

Alameda Steps Up Surveillance, Will Track Cars Entering/Leaving IslandThere will soon be a temporary record of every car that comes in and out of Alameda. The city just approved installing license plate readers at every entry point to the island. Da Lin reports. (2-4-22)

13 hours ago

Milpita’s Police Arrest Suspect After Finding Woman’s Body in BackyardA Milpitas woman who had not been heard from in several days was the victim of a homicide and police said her body was exhumed Thursday in the backyard of a man who resided near her. Andria Borba reports. (2-4-22)

13 hours ago

Interview: What’s Behind Facebook Meta’s Staggering Stock Plunge?Jon Swartz, Senior Reporter for MarketWatch speaks to KPIX 5 anchor Allen Martin about the factors involved in Meta Platform’s staggering stock plunge and looks at Facebook’s digital advertising model amid evolving privacy restrictions.

15 hours ago

Raw Video: CHP Helicopter Over Snowed-In Sierra Cabin Where Residents Were TrappedTwo people were rescued from a Sierra cabin after being snowed in for nearly 2 months.Video from CHP.

17 hours ago

Raw Video: Scene of Shooting, Auto Burglary in San Francisco SoMaA 38-year-old man was shot and injured while confronting someone who was trying to break into his vehicle in San Francisco’s South of Market neighborhood on Thursday night, according to police.

17 hours ago

Suspect Arrested In SoFi Stadium Assault Of 49ers Fan Daniel LunaAnne Makovec reports on new details emerging in the arrest of a suspect in the assault on 49ers fan Daniel Luna outside SoFi Stadium (2-4-2022)

18 hours ago

East Bay Woman Pays It Forward After Getting Help Along Difficult Path To SuccessOver the years, Brenda Paz Alvarez has seen her role at Students Rising Above grow from student to mentor and now advisor. Elizabeth Cook reports.

18 hours ago

Slain Alameda County Sheriff’s Deputy Recruit David Nguyen Honored at Academy GraduationJocelyn Moran reports on recruit who died in an Oakland freeway shooting being made an honorary Alameda County Sheriff’s Deputy (2-4-2022)

18 hours ago

PIX NowFriday noon news update from KPIX 5

18 hours ago

Cupid’s Undie Run In SF Brings Awareness To NeurofibromatosisCupid’s Undie Run is coming to San Francisco on Saturday, February 12th. The event raises money and awareness for neurofibromatosis. KPIX 5’s Anne Makovec sits down with organizer, Rachel Steinberg, to find out what this means to people affected by the disease and what we can expect at the event.

19 hours ago

Raw Video: Inglewood Police Announce Arrest in Beating of 49ers Fan at SoFi StadiumInglewood police have arrested a 33-year-old Los Angeles man for the assault of 49ers fan Daniel Luna, an attack that took place in the SoFi Stadium parking lot prior to the kickoff of the NFC Championship Game between San Francisco and the Los Angeles Rams .

20 hours ago

Booster Required: Proof of booster shot required at San Jose owned facilitiesSan Jose health mandate goes into effect requiring proof of a COVID booster at city-owned facilities

23 hours ago

The post Gasoline Costs Pierce File With No Ceiling in Sight – CBS San Francisco appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

No rain in sight for the next 10 days in the San Francisco Bay Area, a worrying dry spell for a drought-stricken region.

Although there is evidence of a shift towards wetter and cooler conditions towards mid-December, some experts say the rain forecast doesn’t look convincing.

“We look after 10-14 days, and even after that, it doesn’t look like there’s any significant rain falling on the horizon,” said Brian Garcia, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. “It’s just me. I really don’t think we’ll get any significant rain for the rest of the calendar year.”

Local forecaster Jan Null from Golden Gate Weather Services is more hopeful. Zero said we have more than a full month to go to rain before the end of the year.

“I wouldn’t go that far,” he said of the possibility that it wouldn’t rain in December. “I would be surprised if we didn’t see rain.”

Null found that 1997 models when he was working for the weather service showed a high pressure over the region with no rain in the long-term forecast. Then, two days before the New Year, the models suggested storm activity. “It was an atmospheric river, the way to Hawaii,” said Null. “In two days the models have changed a lot. The models are obviously better now.”

Strong, cross-model ensemble agreement that the very dry and unusually warm pattern in the western US will continue for the next 10+ days. Indications of cold / wet shift towards mid-December, but nothing convincing yet. In some places (especially in CO) the last snowfalls are recorded. #CAwx #COwx pic.twitter.com/dIxwToUbWa

– Daniel Swain (@Weather_West) November 27, 2021

The weather service is looking at a dozen forecast models that will help to determine the weather exactly within two weeks. It is difficult to predict the weather with accuracy greater than seven days, but these models can suggest conditions beyond a week. Garcia said the models were in a pattern where each rain signal was postponed until the end of the forecast period. They let them run one day and they give a weak signal for 14 days of rain. The next day the probability of rain is still 14 days off.

“When that happens, the models try to turn to a climatological solution because we’re supposed to see rain at this time of year. But it doesn’t happen, so it keeps pushing him back,” Garcia explained. “When we see this continual setback, we know there will be no rain.”

Look out for plenty of sunshine and cool mornings and warm afternoons over the next few days. It still seems we will stay rain free until the end of the month. #cawx pic.twitter.com/67cOaNzChV

– NWS Bay Area (@NWSBayArea) November 28, 2021

The San Francisco Bay Area got off to a promising start to the rainy season.

A historic atmospheric river soaked Northern California in October, and rainfall totals shot out above normal. It was a monstrous storm rarely seen this early in the rainy season, and the humid season in Northern California put an end to the wildfires. Another storm swept the region in November, weaker than in October but still rich in moisture. It has rained little in the Bay Area since then.

In October the total rainfall was hundreds of percentage points above normal. Downtown San Francisco recorded 7.04 inches of rain in October – that’s 750% above the average. Santa Rosa Airport was 10.76 inches (647% of normal) and Oakland Airport was 5.32 inches (605% of normal).

November will likely be drier than normal in the Bay Area. San Francisco has recorded 1.28 inches of rain since November 1; The normal rainfall for the month is 2.6 inches.

“It’s the time to give, but the atmosphere won’t bring us rain,” said Garcia. “It will give us sunshine.”

This is bad news for the Bay Area, where the drought persists after two consecutive dry winters.

The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission declared a water shortage on Tuesday and urged nearly 3 million of its customers in San Francisco and three other Bay Area counties to take shorter showers and conserve water.

The commission supplies water to residents of San Francisco and wholesale water to customers in parts of Alameda, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties. The statement calls for a 5% reduction in water use in San Francisco and a 13.7% reduction in wholesale customers. The cuts are based on fiscal year 2019-2020 levels, the commission said.

The post No rain in sight for San Francisco Bay Space appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.