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 "sn't looking to reinvent the wheel, but to carry on a tradition."
In 2005 Art Kinsey joined Gioia Pizzeria as General Manager. His "passion for people and pizza" permeates the place as much as the enticing smell of pepperoni and cheese. Art started early in the restaurant business, working in a neighbor's restaurant in the 8th grade. He made a career detour as an options market maker on the Pacific Stock Exchange in San Francisco, but eventually returned to "normal hours" and "the love of good food and good people" when he joined Gioia. He and Will share a love of family and cooking which is why Art says, "Our customers are like family. Kids, adults and even the dogs that beg for crust are why we love delivering the pies and the slices. It's more than a slice of life, it's a slice of heaven."
Read more about Will and Karen
