San Diego’s Best Pizza: Buona Forchetta
Fun Diego Family is on a quest to find the best pizza places in San Diego. One place that pops up on most best of lists is Buona Forchetta. After visiting multiple locations of Buona Forchetta over the past five years we can say with confidence they do make one of the best Neapolitan style pizza in San Diego.
Original Location South Park
WEBSITE: http://buonaforchettasd.com/
Officine Buona Forchetta Liberty Station
WEBSITE: https://officinebuonaforchetta.com/
We have divided pizza into four broad styles. Buona Forchetta falls firmly into what we call Fancy Italian/California pizza. This is individual Neapolitan style pizza that ranges on the pricey end. The pizza is very good but it can be hard to fit into our budget.
Buona Forchetta originally opened in 2011 in the South Park neighborhood. We have been going to that location since 2015. However, our new favorite location is the Officine Buona Forchetta in Liberty Station. This is a larger location with seating both indoors and on large outdoor patios.
There are also locations in Encinitas and one at Petco Park. The Encinitas location is even smaller than the South Park location. On our one visit, we had server issues and have not been back.
The Petco Park location is actually one of our favorite places to eat during Padres game. At the Petco location they serve a thicker Roman style pizza. Personally, I like that style better than Neapolitan.
The issue I have with Neapolitan pizza is I simply don’t like it as much as a good NY-style pizza. I first tried true Italian pizza in Naples, Italy in 1978. I was extremely disappointed. Going back to Italy several times in my adulthood I have a better appreciation for this style. However, I still think the U.S. does a better pizza than they do in Italy.
This opinion is not as controversial as it seems. In a 2009 article for GQ, pizza expert Alan Richman argued this exact point in saying American pizza is simply better than true Italian Neapolitan pizza.
Richman had this to say about pizza in Naples:
“Water drains from the tomatoes. Oil joins the flood. All that excess liquid has to go somewhere, which is why the bottom crust turns to mush, not that it was ever particularly crispy. This is why Italians need a knife and fork. This is why our pizzas are better than theirs.”
With that in mind, I can say that the pizza at Buona Forchetta reminds me of being in Italy. I have yet to find a place in San Diego that serves a more authentic Naples style pizza.
There are all kinds of pizza options at Buona Forchetta. However, you will not find standard American toppings like pepperoni.
The lack of pepperoni is another nod to Italian authenticity. A funny and memorable experience occurred when I tried to order a pepperoni pizza in Naples in 1978. The wait staff was extremely confused. They brought out translation guides and eventually served us a pizza with red bell peppers.
The closest thing to pepperoni is the spicy salame calabrese which comes on the Angela pizza. Like most pizzas the Angela is $15. My daughter is a big fan of the Sergio which has prosciutto and argula. My son likes the plain margherita which is only $10.
The pizza are all named after people. Even the pizza ovens at Officine Buona Forchetta are named Sergio and Augusta.
Pizzas are cooked at blazing speeds. On our last visit I ordered a pizza and immediately went to the bathroom to wash my hands. When I returned the pizza had already been served.
The thing with Buona Forchetta is it is also a full-service Italian restaurant. This is a problem we have with this style of pizza. The other menu items can be more enticing. They not only have a large menu but they have intriguing daily special boards.
It has been a couple years since we have been to the original South Park location. That location was getting crowded and we found we prefer Officine Buona Forchetta in Liberty Station. At all locations we have been to our servers have been Italian.
In the nearly ten years since Buona Forchetta opened, Neapolitan pizza places have sprung up all over San Diego. I can say with confidence that Buona Forchetta still makes the most authentic version of this pizza I have found in San Diego. Whether that is a good thing depends on you personal preference.
To see our full guide to San Diego’s best pizza go here.
UPDATE: In 2020 a location of Buona Forchetta opened in Coronado. We have not tried this location.
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