Pinsa romana · 72-hour dough
Not pizza. Pinsa romana.
Rome has been making this for years and most of San Diego has never had one. The dough is three flours, not one, and it rests seventy-two hours before it ever sees the oven. What comes out is oval, blistered, and light enough that a whole one does not sit on you.
Ten of them, twelve inches, made to order. The Parma Prestige is where most people start and never leave.
What makes it a pinsa and not a pizza
Three differences, and you can taste all of themThree flours, not one
Wheat, rice, and soy, mixed the way they do it in Rome. The rice flour is what gives the crust its shatter, and the blend is why the whole thing eats lighter than a dough made of wheat alone.
Seventy-two hours of rest
The dough goes cold for three days before it is stretched. Long fermentation, high hydration, and a slow rise are the whole trick. It is why the crust puffs at the edge and stays crisp underneath instead of going soft halfway through.
Stretched by hand, oval
No roller, no pan, no perfect circle. Each one gets pressed out by hand, which is why yours will not look exactly like the last one. Twelve inches at the long end, and a border you should actually eat.
The board
All twelve inches, made to orderThe Queen Margherita
17.95San Marzano tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, imported extra-virgin olive oil.
The Parma Prestige
21.95Melted mozzarella, garlic confit, 24-month Prosciutto di Parma, arugula, balsamic glaze.
The Spicy Sicilian
18.95San Marzano tomato sauce, hot soppressata, spicy Sicilian sausage, ricotta, hot honey glaze, red pepper flakes.
The Classic Pepperoni
18.95San Marzano tomato sauce, grated mozzarella, cupping pepperoni.
The Pistachio Prince
21.95White pinsa, creamy stracciatella, mortadella, garlic confit, arugula, crushed pistachios.
The Tuscan Spinach & Mushroom
18.95A trio of mushrooms with mozzarella, roasted garlic confit, thyme, sage, spinach, extra-virgin olive oil, pine nuts.
The Chicken Florentine
18.95Roasted garlic confit, pesto, roasted red peppers, mozzarella, chicken breast, artichokes, spinach, lemon olive oil, fresh basil.
The Bella Vita
19.95Olive oil, fresh mozzarella, roasted garlic, cherry tomatoes, handpicked basil, balsamic glaze.
The Crying Pig
20.95Olive oil, garlic confit, caramelized sweet onions, crispy bacon, Romano cheese.
The Purple Package
20.95San Marzano sauce, fresh mozzarella, fried eggplant, fresh basil, Romano cheese.
Every pinsa is twelve inches and made when you order it. Extra toppings are $2 each, and anything on the board can be built without meat.
Pinsa party, cut in squares.
Six to twelve pinsas cut in squares on boards, a mix of red and white, with the vegetarian ones marked. Twenty-four hours notice and they come out of the oven timed to when you asked for them.
See cateringCut in squares, priced per pinsa
From our guests
A few words about our pinsas
“We both had pinsa and loved it! I had The Tuscan Spinach and Mushroom Pinsa.”
“I was so pleasantly surprised with Buon Cibo! We ordered the Tuscan spinach and mushroom pinsa and the artichoke and red pepper caprese sandwich, which were fresh, tasty and flavorful.”
“The Pizza Margherita was perfect!”
Questions we get at the counter
If yours is not here, call and ask. Somebody who actually makes the pinsas will answer.
(858) 265-6702What is a pinsa, exactly?
A Roman flatbread. The dough is a blend of wheat, rice, and soy flour instead of wheat alone, mixed wetter than pizza dough and left to rise cold for about seventy-two hours. It is stretched by hand into an oval, so it is lighter, crispier underneath, and airier at the edge.
Is it just pizza with a different name?
No. Different flour blend, much higher hydration, a three-day cold rise, and no roller or pan. The result eats differently enough that people who say pizza sits heavy on them tend to be fine with a whole pinsa.
How long does one take?
About fourteen minutes from the moment you order, because it is stretched and topped when you ask for it. Call ahead and it will be boxed and waiting.
Which one should I get first?
The Queen Margherita if you want to judge the crust with nothing in the way. The Parma Prestige if you want the one people come back for. The Spicy Sicilian if heat is your thing, and it is genuinely hot.
Can I change the toppings?
Extra toppings are $2 each and anything on the board can be built without the meat. We will not do half and half, because the bake times do not line up.
Do you do pinsas for a party?
Yes. Six pinsas cut in squares feeds about fifteen people standing. Give us twenty-four hours and tell us the hour you want them out of the oven. Details are on the catering page.
Order one and find out.
Call it in and it will be boxed and waiting, or eat it at a yellow table while it is still too hot. Fourteen minutes either way.
New on the counter
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Seasonal specials and new bakes, plus the week’s Friday dinner, Sunday lasagna and events. One email a week.
- New specials
- Friday Dinner for Two
- Lasagna Sunday
- Events