Gioia Pizzeria

2.5 stars. Gioia Pizza used to be a lot better a couple of years ago. It’s gone downhill. The pizza used to be mind blowing now it’s just ‘meh’.

The pizza here is great, but it is a bit pricey at $ 3 a slice. I had a mushroom pizza and it was delicious, just not worth $ 3. The shop is quite small and feels a bit claustrophobic when you’re waiting for your order and more people file in.

Duuuuuuuuuude this is good. I became acquainted after the weekly stroll through Monterey Market. It’s odd — although I love pizza — I’ve never picked up a slice. This changed three weeks ago, now Monterey Market is the second place I hit. It started with a slice of margherita and then continued about 7 minutes later with the sausage. Deal with the line, grab a slice and try to move on with your life.
Just when I thought I was out — they pull me back in.

I’m that New Yorker that moves out of New York City and complains to anyone who’ll listen about how the pizza anywhere outside of New York City is garbage. I find it isn’t always JUST the pizza that I crave. I can grab a slice out of desperation anywhere really. What this place delivers is not only the closest thing to New York pizza that I can find, they deliver an authenticity that you don’t get anywhere else. I read the article on the wall the first time I was there and the owner has roots in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Nice area. So no wonder the place itself has that Brooklyn pizzeria vibe. Plenty of dough tossing happening. Also, this is really nitpicky of me but no other joint has the garlic powder and oregano. That is what really got me to come back. Damn good slice with little touches of home here and there. Already craving my next slice!

My friend had ordered us all a pizza from here, and I tried the sausage piece. The pizza was only decent, nothing that blew me away. It was a bit oily though. There’s definitely better, more flavorful pizza out there for a better price.

Had a pepperoni and a sausage slice. Nice and quick, crust was thin with a little crunch.
For some reason a good fast slice is hard to come by around here, but these folks deliver.

So sad! Quality is still top, but customer service definitely not their forte. In the 35min I was waiting for a cheese pie and four slices they messed up four orders, forgot mine, mixed up two more orders. And still don’t have the drinks. But then of course one of the guys was too busy checking texting on his phone all the time, and then went back to handling the pizzas and grabbing a handful of parsley. Who needs hand washing anyways?!
Cannot recommend anymore.

Really chill, laid back place that’s in-​and-​out. There’s about 7 – 10 bar seats, but it’s a pretty narrow walkway that’s really not meant for sitting long. You basically go in, line up to order your pizza, they heat it up, and you scarf it down.
It was fun seeing them toss the pizza dough right in the back though, and the place smelled soo good from the toasting dough.
The flavors were pretty interesting — they had the standard cheese and pepperoni as well as spinach, asparagus, cremini mushroom, and anchovy pepper. My favorite was probably the cremini mushroom. The spinach pizza was quite oily for some reason and the anchovy one was pretty salty (unsurprisingly). All of the crusts were really good, though some crunchier than others. None of the pizza was too soggy and the dough held up pretty well to the toppings.
The slices aren’t cheap at $ 3.50 a pop, but I guess there isn’t enough supply of competitive pizza places in the area to drive down the prices. There’s a student special for $ 4 for a slice of pizza and soda, but you are limited to a pretty standard choice of four sodas. Most people just choose to drink the ice water they have sitting out.
All in all, pretty good New York (Brooklyn) style pizza with a delicious crust.

I am sicilian and I was eating pizza in new york in the 70’s, this is about as good as you will find in the bay area. It’s not overly expensive either.
It is not like a vera pizza w double zero flour, it is what i would call new york street pizza. but it is excellent at being that

The best NY style pay-​per-​slice pizza I’ve had since moving to the Bay Area. I’m almost embarrassed the number of times I’ve procrastinated on buy groceries or starting dinner just so I could have an excuse to grab a slice (or 5).
As a vegetarian, I haven’t tried the meat pies, but love the cheese, spinach and garlic, and now the asparagus ricotta. Noms

Highly recommend for a quick and delicious meal.
I had the Funghi, multiple bites of the Cheese and Spinaci Aglio slices, and cannoli. Overall, I was quite impressed. Like everyone else, I loved the Funghi – it was perfectly done – mushroomy, but not so much that it overwhelmed all of the other flavors in the pizza. I needed to exercise a lot of self-​control not to buy a second slice. I liked the cheese pizza, very flavorful. The spinach pizza was the only one that gave me any pause. It was too spinach-​y. The spinach overwhelmed the other flavors in the pizza, and was only really balanced out by the chili that was in the spinach. I have a feeling all of that could have been very easily balanced out by simply upping the cheese-​to-​spinach ratio.
I also tried the cannoli. It had pistachios. I love pistachios. I could have done without the chocolate chips; they didn’t really add anything to the equation. The roll was a ginormous, very rich dessert, and I could not finish all of it. I did, however, do my best to eat all of the cream, which was lovely.

This charming pizzeria is NY style pizza. I compare it as the meat version of cheeseboard/​sliver even though they also offer only vegetarian options. The pizza just melts in your mouth. It’s that good.
There’s very little seating. I’d advise just calling in for pick up. Last time we got the julian pizza and discovered it was even more delicious when we dipped it in pesto at home (sorry but not sorry we’re not pizza purists bcuz it was just so damn good)

I’ll admit that the first time I tried Gioia, I wasn’t too impressed. If you’re used to the garlicky olive oil-​laden slices of Cheeseboard and Sliver, the contrast is severe.
I’ve now been to Gioia a handful of times and although the slices are a bit more expensive, they’re satisfying on an entirely different level. Gioia is the place to go if you want a slice that’s not going to weigh you down (in spite of the fact that some slices have meat) and has a killer crust: it’s thin and airy and has that beautiful bold bread flavor that can’t be put into words.
Plus, if you’re a fan of variety, here you can choose from more than one option per day. West Berkeleyans have it made with this joint.

Come here for authentic New York style pizza!
Although I’ve only visited NY for a week of my life, I spent two years working every position at a NY style pizza place in the east bay.
The only thing I’m picky about at Gioia is that the crust is way on the thicker side of being thin crust pizza, but it still hits the spot.
It’s not THE best thin crust pizza I’ve had (Idk if that’s what they’re aiming for) but it’s authentic NY style pizza where everything is made in house.
Come here instead of Lanesplitters CA style (true) and cheeseboard flatbread (yup).
The cost per slice is legit.
The toppings ARENT the same as chain shops– AWESOME.
It’s a hole in the wall.
It could be the
but Idk why they’re holding themselves back from 5 stars.
It’s great pizza still though and I wish there were more shops like this to go around!

Love this place! I think this place is under rated!(not too much reviews comparing with other pizza store in Berkeley area). It is my favorite pizza spot in Berkeley/​Albany.
It is a small store. But the pizza come out perfect! It is not too greasy too salty.
My personal favorite is their kale pizza, but it is seasonal. I think it is only available during spring/​summer time. In fall and winter, they offer butternut squash pizza which is my 2^nd favorite.

Love Gioia! Just went for the first time and will definitely be back. Yes, NY style pizza right here in the Bay Area.
It’s small inside with a few chairs and counter. They don’t have a table so it would be hard to find space for a group would split a whole pizza. That’s what we wanted to do but as soon as we walked in, we knew we had to bring them home. Yep, we bought 2 whole pies!
Salsiccia — tomato sauce, homemade sausage, pecorino cheese. This was our favorite.
Butternut Squash — slices of thin butternut squash, gorgonzola, mozzarella. This was good but much better the next day heated on the stove.
The crust is very thin and blistery. We’ll try the Fungi next time. I love cremini mushrooms. The Spinach and garlic looked good too.
Was rocking out to 80s tunes while waiting for our pizza. Can’t wait to go back!

My favorite pizza in all the Bay Area. I drive 20 miles to get me some G’s with no hesitation.

As someone who lived in New York for a number of years, I can attest to the fact that Gioia definitely serves authentic New York-​style pizza, albeit the fairly average yet dependable sort that you can find at corner pizza shops throughout New York City. Just as in New York, the crust is reasonably thin — even somewhat spongy — while the amount of toppings are reasonable given the prices.
The overall result is merely OK. Not necessarily something I’d go out of my way for, but if you are a native New Yorker out here on the Best Coast who craves a taste of home once in a while, this place does the trick.

The Bay Area’s pizza game is real.
It seems like gourmet pizza spots are popping up all over the place, and with staples like the Cheeseboard, Lanesplitter, and Arizmendi, new pizza spots need to bring their A game.
My old roommate raved about Gioia, and it’s right by my bestie’s place. I called in a whole Funghi pie and asked to add sausage, but they don’t do any additions or substitutions. Not a big deal.
I also picked up a caesar salad. The salad was… not what I had in mind. Large pieces of gem lettuce, a couple croutons, and a side of dressing that was unlike any caesar dressing I’ve had. I don’t mean that in a good way.
The pizza was pretty good, but as others mentioned, on the salty side. They have a good crust, but overall the pizza wasn’t anything extraordinary. I’d still prefer Lanesplitter for NY style pizza.

Maybe a bad night? Let’s start with the cons. Texture wise it wasn’t good. It was very oily, not at all crispy, soggy base, but crunchy crust. Pros: great flavor, better than cheeseboard– only flavor wise though. Cashier was smiling and kind. They made our pizza very quickly. Bottom line: cheeseboard. Since texture is huge to me.

Although there are amazing pizza spots all over Berkeley, this is the hidden gem. Pizza is fast and easy. They always have delicious new slices to try. Not the place to go if you want to sit down and relax, but perfect for anyone on the go. Super salty pizza which I like but others may not.

This place is awesome! At first I was a little hesitant on how the pizza would turn out, but after my first bite I knew how this place quickly won the likes of others. Although the pizzas seemed to be sitting and not quite fresh out of the oven, the pizza tasted freshly made after they quickly reheated it for you, maintaining the crispiness of the thin crust. They had both standard and unique flavors, including the Julian and a Butternut Squash one! Although it didn’t seem filled with many toppings, the pizza slices were bursting with flavor! Overall, I really liked the pizza — it would be great if there was more room to sit though!

The pizza here is excellent. The service unfortunately leaves a lot to be desired.
On a Friday, I called in a pizza at 4pm for a 6pm pickup. Arrived at 6 to pick it up and the line was out the door. Another customer told me that she was told by the staff last time when she ordered ahead that she could go ahead to the counter. I proceeded to the counter and was told pretty directly by the woman there that there was only one line. Ok. The line was about fifteen people long, and I did order ahead 2 hours ago and now my pizza is getting cold, but I sort of understand. (Years ago, I worked in pizza and I know it can be really hard work.)
For the next 20 minutes, I stand in line waiting for my pizza, arriving at 6:30. When I finally (!) get to the counter, another gentleman comes up, having skipped the line to pick up his pre-​ordered pizza. The woman who told me earlier to get back in line, hands him his order and lets him pay in front of me. After I stood in line for 20 minutes. Great.
Gioia, I have other good pizza options in the area and I think I’ll be giving my business to them instead.

Holy crap! This pizza is fantastic.
I am very impressed. Nothing even close since I moved to California twenty years ago.
W O W

Stopped by here yesterday and was very well satisfied with the two slices I purchased, the homemade sausage and the julian. The julian was especially good, great combination of flavors. One slice is pretty filling and price is very reasonable.

I love this place. It’s a small hole in the wall, a variety of selection and plenty of people. i used to come here way in the day. I love getting the combo with a soda. The pizza here paired with a sprite is simply AMAZING.
I remember the first time I tried the pizza here; in simple words, it melted in my mouth. it was so great and the oil, the crust. My best friend loved the crust from here and claims it has the best crust in Berkeley.
The lines can get long during the weekday during lunch hours as high school students around the area love getting pizza here. I’m impressed by how fast they can serve you. The only downside is that parking is limited in this area. If you are around you should definitely give this place a try!

I was a bit scared to give them a 3-​star seeing that everyone is giving this pizza place very good reviews (thought that I was missing something), but then I found another reviewer who felt the same.
The slices are usually never fresh unless you get lucky (meaning that, you come right at the moment that they are all out of the specific pie you want, waiting on it to be made again). I mean as the other reviewer (the one who inspired me) mentioned, when they make the fresh pizza they won’t give a slice of the fresh pizza to you, instead they give a slice of the older one. In my opinion $ 3.50 for a slice of pizza that is probably made 1 or even 2 hours ago is not fair. And no the slice is not big at all. I ordered 2 slices (Funghi, and Julian) plus a drink, and it costed me around $ 8. When I walked out I was still hungry. So, I would say this place is actually very over priced and overhyped.
I liked the Julian (kale and sausage) better than the Funghi. The pizza tasted good, however the idea of them not giving you a slice of the fresh pizza (when they actually do have fresh pizza) sort of bothered me, and couldn’t really enjoy my pizza because of that.
+ I liked how their pizzas are thin crust. The toppings were pretty good, the pizza itself was not greasy at all (which I liked). That’s why I’m still giving this place a 3-​star.
— The inside is very tiny, and there are only 5 or 6 seats.
— The staff is not friendly (a bit rude and aggressive).
— No refills for sodas, you have to pay full price if you want another soda (which is not fair again because you pay $ 1.25 for a small soda that comes out of a fountain machine).
— Minimum of $ 5 if you are paying with card.
I really did my best to like this place, but my first time experience was not so good.

Yes, yes, I know there’s one on Polk in the city, but I just happened to be at the Berkeley Horticultural Nursery checking out some plants and such with a friend when I suggested we grab a bite to eat. Now on a Saturday morning, this part of North Berkeley is actually quite packed with parking at a premium. In other words, I didn’t feel like losing my space just to find a place to munch. Fortunately, just around the corner on Hopkins, we came upon Gioia, and even though it was only 11AM, a slice of pizza sounded like a good nosh. It’s an absurdly tiny space with the side counters already occupied by hungry local kids with their parents.
The glass case to the left of the entrance spotlighted the various pizza they were serving from their ovens (photo:
). Each slice was $ 3.50 although the pure cheese one was three bucks flat, reasonable enough for North Berkeley though nothing compared to the 2-​for-​1 deal at 2 Bros. Pizza in NYC’s East Village. I went for the Funghi with roasted crimini mushrooms, garlic oil, thyme, parsley and pecorino cheese (photo:
). It was a satisfying Saturday morning nosh, New York-​style in its thin crust but truly NorCal at heart with the fresh farm toppings. This family-​friendly hole-​in-​the-​wall is actually the first location that Karen and Will Gioia opened and well worth a stop even if it ain’t Grimaldi’s. Capeesh?
FOOD — 4 stars… solid slices with NY-​style thin crust and loads of toppings
AMBIANCE — 3 stars… just a walk-​in closet but the bench outside provides salvation
SERVICE — 3.5 stars… they warm it up for ya
TOTAL — 4 stars… tiny spot but a nice slice

With all of the pizza places around the area I am pretty picky — I have 3 or 4 favorites, each of them different in style but all excellent. Gioia is among that elite group for its’ no-​nonsense NY style thin crust pie, great selection of options for toppings, and serving slices (perfect for us solo pizza seekers). Have been here multiple times, last visit was on pi day (3÷14÷15 — geek day of the century) for a get together hosted by some good friends who do this on an annual basis for their friends and business customers. Despite a line out the door you might only wait 5 – 10 minutes for a piping hot slice of goodness. My choices this day were the sausage and kale, and the three-​mushroom, both excellent. Wash it down with a fountain sasparilla for good measure.
If you haven’t been, git!

Can i start off by saying that these people only have one full pizza size? 18 inches. Oh, and that I ate half of one in my car by the time I made it home.
I picked up a pizza here the other night. I wasn’t actually aware that they had orders by the slices/​half/​quarter pizzas, so I am on notice for next time. Either way, ordering a full pizza was way worth it. Having a slice (or two) of Gioia for a next day meal is going to be super duper clutch.
I ordered the Julian, an 18 inch pie of cheesy, tasty deliciousness with proscuitto and two cheeses. Note: on their website it advertises mozzarella, provolone, and proscuitto, but it actually has all the above plus red onions and chili pepper flakes — which was absolutely fantastic by me. The ONLY thing I didnt like about the pizza was that the proscuitto was thick sliced, and slightly fatty; it was more akin to ham than the thin slice proscuitto i am used to on my pizza. Either way, t’was bomb af!
Okay so, lets get to the point. I came here expecting one of the best pizzas I’ve ever had. Did I get it? Yeah, definitely. But the best pizza in Berkeley/​East Bay? I would have to say no. It beats out Pizzaolo, Rotten City and maybee even Cheeseboard and North Beach Pizza (SF location). But my favorite in the East Bay, hands down thus far, is Hot Italian in Emeryville. I have still yet to try Emilia’s and Nick’s pizza (yes I know — forgive me Unilocal,for I have sinned) but this place is definitely one of the best, if not the best pizza in Berkeley. Pick up a pie from this place, or have a slice or two, or five… it will be well worth it.
Will be back! (most importantly, to try the funghi)

Gioia is a NY-​style, by-​the-​slice pizzeria located in north Berkeley on a block not unlike a corner of West Village. The tiny café, opened in 2004 by a couple from Brooklyn, has a display case with pizzas ready to go, seating for 7 inside (facing the wall) and a sidewalk bench out front. It’s a must-​go if you’re looking for an authentic NY pie.
Gioia is best visited as a «grab a slice and go» spot, and with its location on Hopkins St., you can walk your dogs anywhere in Berkeley and right up into Tilden Park, Lake Anza, the Merry Go Round, and more. Plan to spend the day in this oft-​overlooked city (note: bias) and discover why Berkeley surprises, and charms travelers from around the planet. This planet, at least.
If you can’t make it to John’s, Motorino, Totonno’s or Di Fara to the east, stay on the left coast and sink your teeth into the delectable crust right here in beautiful, quirky Berkeley.
At a Glance:
Food: 5 — Ooooaaahh that crust — and it was by-​the-​slice!
Service: 4 — Fast and friendly!
Setting: 5 — Bring your dogs and spend the day walking around the bay’s best kept secret.
Value: 5 — Get me some more!
Date worthy: 5 — She’ll be yours forever after the day you planned in Berkeley!
Dogs: Of course, you’re not gonna eat inside anyway!