About Gioia Pizzeria

Gioia Pizzeria was founded in May of 2004 by Will and Karen Gioia. Located on Hopkins Street in North Berkeley, Gioia is nestled in a food-lover's paradise frequented by neighborhood residents partaking of the delights of the street. For Karen and Will being part of the community is essential. They feel that a connection with a community is ideal for their business, which they envision as a family run joint selling the thin crust, east-coast style pizza of Will's childhood, with a focus on the organic, sustainably raised local ingredients so ready available in California.

A defining childhood moment of Will's is going down the street for a slice and a Coke. Will wanted to bring that tradition to the kids of his Berkeley neighborhood, as well as working families and anyone who can appreciate grabbing a slice or a pie on the run, or sitting on one of the stools in the store watching the pizza makers spin dough and their neighbors coming and going.

Gioia Pizzeria takes the best of pizza traditions from the old world and the new. Classic flavors and ingredients such as artisanally made sausage, fresh mozzarella cheese and arugula come together in inspired traditional ways, seasoned with the influence of Bay Area kitchens such as Zuni Café, Chez Panisse and Oliveto. A staunch classicist when it comes to the fundamentals of making pizza, Will says he "isn't looking to reinvent the wheel, but to carry on a tradition".

In 2005 Art Kinsey joined Gioia Pizzeria as manager. Here's how Art found his way into pizza.

Started working in a neighbor's restaurant in 8th grade. Grew up in a family that loves food, cooking, and celebrating any holiday together (a convenient excuse to cook together). Spent nearly ten years as an options market maker on the SF trading floor. His two greatest loves, other than his child, good food and good people. His favorite things about Gioia: enjoying the company of all of our customers when they come to our "house" to eat, being an integral part of a great "food" neighborhood, seeing all the smiles that a slice of good pizza creates.

Read more about Will and Karen