Photos by Asia Morris.
No matter where you are on 2nd Street in Belmont Shore, you won’t have to walk very far to find good pizza. From Rance’s recent opening to the plethora of long time pie makers like ZPizza and Domenico’s, pizza can and will be found whether you’re searching for it or not.
Touted as Southern California’s fastest growing build-your-own pizzeria, the latest pizza parlor to join the shore’s pizza battalion will be The Pizza Press, replacing Ramen Yeah! It’s a widespread franchise known for what’s expected from an established eatery: high quality ingredients and a wide selection of local craft beer, but what sets it apart is its play on a 1920s newsroom.
Starting at the “press” station, you choose your pizza from menu items such as “The Chronicle” with mozzarella, artichoke hearts, grape tomato, crimini mushroom, red onion and bell pepper or “The Times” with mozzarella, chicken, grape tomato, smoked gouda, finished with fresh cilantro and Sweet Baby Rae’s BBQ Sauce. Next up is “publishing” and “editorial” where the toppings are placed, followed by “proofing” where the finishing touches are selected after your pizza is slid through the oven, emerging in just four minutes “hot off the press.”
Customers can also “publish” their own pizza by picking and choosing from the eatery’s extensive selection of toppings.
And it’s not just a gimmick, the pizza is delicious, with its thin crusted crispiness and symphony of sweet and salty flavors. The Post tried “The Sun” with honey smoked ham, bourbon bacon, aged sharp cheddar, pineapple, grape tomato and scallion, finished with a little vinaigrette and basil sprinkled on top. Diners can also grab an on-the-go salad, or dig into the fresh baked cookies, custom ice cream sandwiches and floats, tiramisu and other seasonal desserts.
The new Belmont Shore location will have 14 taps with a rotating selection of local craft beer, as well as serving two varietals of wine, Stumptown Cold Brew Coffee and Virgil’s sodas.
The Pizza Press will celebrate its grand opening next week on Thursday, August 17. In celebration, 1,000 free pizzas will be given away with the purchase of a beverage. Make sure to sign up on the website here to receive, print and present the voucher for your free pie. The Pizza Press will be open from 11:00AM to midnight daily.
“We are excited to introduce The Pizza Press to Long Beach,” franchise owner Yogi Patel, who also owns The Pizza Press in downtown Huntington Beach, said in a statement. “We know this is a great fit for the area and look forward to becoming an integral part of the community, from supporting local schools and charities, to meeting those who live and work nearby, and will regularly come to enjoy our great pizza, craft beer and fun atmosphere.”
The Pizza Press can be reached at (562) 434-0034. For more information, check out the website here.
The Pizza Press is located at 5242 East 2nd Street.
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