Blue Ribbon Pizzeria

Got in last minute on a Friday night and was able to sit immediately, it also happen to be during happy hour. The vibe is laid back and fun for meeting with friends after a work week for sure, and is probably a one of the top pizza hang out spots in north county. It is probably one of the few places open slightly later in Encinitas. We tried the fig, goat cheese and arugula appetizer, this was fantastic! The personal pizza’s had nice flavor too. I didn’t enjoy anything off the wine list however it seemed to have quite a selection for a pizza spot.

Dude! This place is the best! The wood oven pizzas are just delightful! The combination of toppings and the really good cheeses they use, coupled with crispy-​smoky wood baked crust is just epic! Plus you have to try the fried ravioli — you can get this at other places, but the sauce here is delicious! Add a pint of beer — honestly a great place to eat! Also, want to add I always go with my kids — staff is nice and the place has cool crayons for them! The kids love that the train thunders by occasionally! Go to the beach before or after — but don’t skip this place if you are in Encinitas!!!

Spent an enjoyable dinner here yesterday. My gfs and strolled in at 6:30 and got sat immediately. They have the cutest décor and set up both on the patio and inside. We ordered the truffle popcorn, organic salad with apples and some kind of pear vinaigrette, the classic pizza with fennel sausage and criminology mushrooms, and topped it all off with the pudding. Everything was delicious and we were extremely satisfied!

Quite possibly one of the more memorably pleasant experiences I’ve ever had at a restaurant.
There was a huge group of us who came in
Now looking back we should’ve called and given them a heads up for a party of 9.
We waited outside for a while and got some drinks
I’m pretty sure people were camping out and not moving and that’s why we had to wait.
I could be wrong though.
when we sat down they had popcorn waiting for us and apologized for the wait! So nice
Our server Timmy was fantastic, made it such a good experience.
Food was amazing as always.

Outstanding! Food and service were perfect. Shared a pizza (the lemon/​white one) with a friend and each got our own salad. And of course the butterscotch pudding! Everything was excellent, even the salad dressing. Perfect lunch and so nice to just walk in and get a table which is pretty impossible in the evening I’ve heard. So glad this place lived up to the hype. Now if only they could close down Craftsman and open a bigger «Blue Ribbon» in it’s place!

We are In town visiting from Phoenix, like every summer, like half the people in San Diego county right now. we come to Blue Ribbon Pizza every year, at least once and sometimes twice. And what a difference a year does make! I don’t know if they were having an off night, if they were understaffed for what was a busy Monday night or what, but we left sorely disappointed.
We were seated outside and it was a little chilly, but with heaters we figured it would be ok. First Heater they tried – broken. After three requests to try a different one – broken. After two more requests to try a third heater was ignored, we just gave up and the heaters and resigned ourselves to being a little cold. Could be worse – it’s in the 110’s in Phoenix right now.
The food:
Deviled eggs: B. Pretty much the standard deviled eggs with a little chili oil thrown in for a kick
Meatballs: A. Nice flavor, nice texture, smokey flavor from the wood fired oven. The star of the night
Burrata: C-​. The cheese was decent enough, soft and silky with a mild nutty flavor. But it was buried in this odd humongous pile of arugala. And the epic fail – the bread that accompanied the dish was stale. No, not crusty Italian bread with a chew… stale. Like several day old stale.
The pizzas:
The Abe Froman-​C–
Yes, the Abe Froman – the sausage King of Chicago of Ferris Beuhler fame. I had been craving this pizza all day, if not all week. And they blew it. The crust was good enough… smokey, small bit of char, nice chew. But the sausage, oh the sausage. Abe Froman’s name is being used in blasphemy. It was desert bone dry and crumbly. So… dry…even my 10 year old son who will eat pretty much anything anywhere at any time had to pick the sausage off his pizza.
The stinking rose – B
Meatball, garlic, pesto, mozzarella cheese. This was much better. Again, meatballs, as above, the star of the night. Without the meatballs, we might have had to blitz the kitchen or picket in the streets or something. Anyway, good crust, good flavor.
For dessert – their famous butterscotch pudding budino – B. I think at this point I was so annoyed and angry that I couldn’t enjoy this desert which I had remembered as being the dessert to end all desserts.
Service – F. Epic fail. Dismissive of requests for a table side heater. No clean plates on transition from apps to pizzas. I actually went to the bussing station to get my own clean plates. We stacked the dirty app plates neatly at the edge of the table and no one even bothered to remove them until we were done with our entire meal. I had to go to the bussing station to refill our own water – and we needed lots – see dryness of sausage on pizza above. I even saw the owner or manager walk by our table several times – he didn’t even stop by to check on us despite the daggers I was throwing his way.
In summary: blue ribbon, I used to love her but I had to kill her, as Axl Rose once famously sang. I don’t know what happened to you. I know north county is a chill place with a slow pace and in general hipster waitstaff that’s too cool for school. I get it. But this is too much. And the pizzas – they used to be on par with the original pizza bad ass Chris Bianco – now not even in the ballpark. I hope this was just a really bad off night, but blue ribbon, you are so far down my s**t list right now, we need a long time apart.

Blue Ribbon has the tastiest Truffle oil popcorn
Be prepared to eat the entire basket!!!

Wow. Really. If I could write a review and just write «wow» that would be all it needed. We have wanted to go here for awhile but there’s usually a wait and we are usually too hungry when we think about it. This time we went on Saturday night of Memorial Day weekend and were able to get a table right away, perfect!
The pizza is the best pizza we have had in North County. The service was phenomenal and the pizza was better. Can’t wait to go back, worth the wait!

Blue Ribbon Pizzeria is not the cheapest date, but worth every penny if she’s a keeper. She better be a keeper. Around $ 50 bucks with tip for two if you’re not drinking alcohol. Pizza is the bomb dot com. Didn’t get to try the famous butterscotch pudding. Will save that for next time. There will be a next time. Oh yes! :)
BONUS TIP: Head over to Gordy’s in Encinitas when you finish your dinner for a coffee and a gourmet cookie if you really want to spoil your date.

Sadly this was our second time here and we had to wait so long for our food. Other parties that came in after us got their food before we did. These folks had appetizers as well, we were told by the staff that if we get appetizers it could delay our meal.
It’s unfortunate that when we asked to speak to the manager about the situation that person did not come speak with us but sent another server out with our single pizza and he explained the kitchen was backed up.
I recommend a rework of the pizza orders and that the manager take the time to speak to guests that are not happy. We didn’t need nor did we request free food. Honestly it’s not how I felt the situation should have been handled.
Hopefully in the future others do not have this unfortunate experience because the food is very good.

The pizza is super addictive!!! The BEST ones are Staff’s, My Fathers, Rosa’s (add mozzarella). Save room for the award-​winning-​best-​freakin butterscotch-don’t-try-to-share pudding. Happy menu (3−6pm) has great prices plus you’ll get a table easily even on a Friday. Stuffed again, thanks Blue Ribbon!

I’m from New York so I am a huge pizza snob and am extremely picky about pizza. There are lots of different types of pies in Encinitas, but this is tops. New York style thin crust, all fresh ingredients and wood fired oven. Awesome. Also, a really nice location and great ambiance, so definitely a good date night spot. Thumbs way up.

My boyfriend and I live just 5 minutes away. We came one night after a long drive home from LA just a few weeks ago and we’ve come once a week since then. ONCE. A. WEEK.
To say we love pizza is an understatement. I would pay top dollar for really really good pizza (I also have a super soft spot for Costco pizza, but I digress…) and Blue Ribbon was no exception.
We ordered pizza and the goat cheese stuffed piquillo peppers and an Epic pizza. Absolutely blown away by everything. From the service to the food to the ambiance of the restaurant, this place does it all for us.
Make sure you stop by for happy hour that lasts until 6pm on weeknights. The pizza is a tad smaller than normal but it’s also only $ 8 for the same fresh ingredients.
There’s an outdoor and indoor area and both have their own charms. The inside is a bit darker with a bar area and a little more intimate. The outdoor patio is casual and light.
This is a must for anyone living in Encinitas.

The best pizza in San Diego hands down. Go for the happy hour before 6 and you get a generous personal pie. Just delicious. Great beer selection as well as well selected wines by the glass. Everything on the menu is fresh and well prepared. These folks know how to cook and please customers. Hats off!

A little tough to find and parking is no picnic, either, but it’s worth the effort.
It’s a very cute and cozy little spot tucked into a corner of the Lumberyard complex. Signage could be a little better but no matter.
They serve very gourmet pizzas and appetizers, salads and desserts are all carefully made, too.
We tried the terrifically-​named Abe Froman (a couple of different sausage toppings and onions) and the Cheesy Garlic Bread Pizza (which does taste like a cross between pizza and garlic bread) and they were both very good. They are of the very thin crust variety.
Service was a little spotty (not many folks were there while we were dining) but it was still very friendly and accommodating.
I’d say 2 pizzas feed 3 people. At about $ 15 a pie ($ 17.50 for the Abe Froman), these are fairly expensive items and not that large but they are made to order and the ingredients are very fresh. The freshly-​shaved parmesan comes in a small dish (you have to request it) and it is an excellent idea and attraction. Fresh parmesan really is a treat.
The beer and wine selections are interested and well-​selected.
The menu is very interesting, the food is made with care and it’s a very cozy spot. Five stars for the food and décor but the prices really are on the high side so I’m going with a strong 4.

*review for restaurant week deal*
Blue Ribbon is a no-​rezzie typa gig, so after putting my name in the system I waited about 15 minutes and they found my friend and I a seat at the bar. The restaurant week deal went as follows:
1 app (choice of fried Brussels, pumpkin soup, or Cobb-​ish salad)
1 pizza (I’d say about 7 choices)
1 dessert — their «famous» butterscotch pudding.
All for $ 20!
I opted for the soup — I’m a sucker for a squashy soup and this was no different. Came with a chili oil drizzle which gave it a lil spice which I love.
Next I got the California pizza — mozzarella, EVOO, arugula. Yum! The cheese was nice and melty with other areas crisping up a bit. Their crust is fabulous! Chewy and perfect for scraping up extra cheese and olive oil. The pizzas are personal size so you don’t have to feel as guilty for eating one by yourself.
The butterscotch pudding is pretty good as well, the salted caramel for me was the best part. The actual pudding part was a little on the runny side. If you have ever had Pizzaria Mozza’s butterscotch budino, this does not compare. Still a nice note to end on.
Overall I was glad I chose this spot at my first restaurant week 2016 venture. Wish this place was closer to be so I could scarf down a few more pizzas.

I popped in during my lunch break and found a sweet little spot in the sun on the patio.
Brian was very attentive and steered me toward the pear, pomegranate, and prosciutto salad. Which was awesomely delicious. The arugula had a nice coating of the vinaigrette and there was ample prosciutto, goat cheese and roasted hazelnuts which were perfect with the sweet pear pieces. This is a new favorite.
Yipppeeeeeee.

I’ve been wanting to check out Blue Ribbon FOREVER! Luckily, the bf and I had time to stop in after a Sunday stroll in the mediation garden. We ordered a few pilsners on tap and shared a specialty pizza. It had onions, pepperoni, sausage, and fresh mozzarella cheese. The pizza is prepared in a coal fired oven which adds a great dimension of flavor.
The staff was very helpful and attentive in a laid back atmosphere. The restaurant is small but cozy at the same time. Can’t wait to go black and try the rest of the menu.

Almost three months later I’m still thinking about Blue Ribbon Pizzeria’s toppings as I write this review. My date and I went during San Diego’s Restaurant Week where we shared the meatball sliders, brussel sprouts with bacon, and the artisan pizza.
The meatball sliders weren’t all that impressive. The bun was a little flat in taste, but the meatball was juicy and flavorful. The brussel sprouts with bacon were tasty. I appreciated the generous amounts of large chunks of bacon scattered throughout. The real star of the meal was the artisan pizza. House made sausage equals a giant WOOT WOOT in my book! The other toppings, the spicy pepperoni and Canadian bacon were definitely some of the best that I’ve ever had.
To top it all off, I went with the turtle pudding for dessert. I think it could have sat a little longer in the fridge, as it was a smidge too soft for my liking, but nevertheless my taste buds enjoyed it immensely.
I recommend to go early and grab a seat outside if isn’t too cold outside. I sat inside and it was a little stuffy and loud.

Public service announcement for affluent white parents: if you have to yell so that your kids can hear you nag, it’s probably not a good place to bring them. I could also add that if about half of a restaurant’s area is taken up by a bar, same deal.
We came here for Restaurant Week, meaning that our meal consisted of several courses, beginning with deep-​fried brussel sprouts and meatball sliders. The former included bits of bacon, which when combined with the whole being fried thing, turns brussel sprouts into something actually edible. The latter didn’t work quite so well with the meatballs not boasting a lot of flavor and the buns needing to be a little fresher.
Appetizers, of course, aren’t really the reason to come to a pizzeria, and Blue Ribbon’s main product is excellent. We ordered the so-​called «artisan pizza,» which I guess is North County-​speak for lots of meat. Blue Ribbon claims to butcher their own meat, and the variety of meat (pepperoni, ham, and sausage) truly excel. I’m not usually a fan of wood-​fired crusts, and I initially felt the crust here too crisp, but then it grew on me, really completing an all-​around fantastic package that’s definitely a contender for San Diego’s best pizza.
We finished with the butterscotch pudding, which could have been tastier if it weren’t for the salted caramel bit. (Salted caramel is a food fad that I really wish would die a horrible, fiery death; I really don’t like my desserts salty.)
Summary: Definitely worthy of a blue ribbon.

Nous avons eu un peu d’attente, mais en échange on nous a offert un plat de pop corn au fromage gratuit, qui était très bon.
En appetizer, bruschetta, goat cheese, et excellent Sushis, puis pizza oak et peperroni. Tout était bon et agréablement servi.