When it comes to pizza, California Pizza Kitchen isn't afraid of getting weird with the menu.
Whether you're in the mood for something plant based or feeling carnivorous, the choices
almost seem endless. So we've ranked all of their pizzas from best to worst to make it
easier to choose.
We really have nothing against a good cheese pizza. How can you not enjoy this classic?
But when it comes to the traditional cheese pizza you'll find at California Pizza Kitchen,
we think you should pass it up in favor of one of the more interesting pies on the menu.
That's because, in all honesty, this pizza is pretty boring. In fact, it might remind
you of something that you would get at a place like Domino's or Papa John's, which isn't
exactly a glowing recommendation.
This pizza comes with sauce and mozzarella cheese on the crust, and that's it. No other
toppings, nothing. And while we love a good mixture of carbs, cheese, and tomatoes, this
combo misses the mark when we compare it to other pizzas in the lineup.
True pizza lovers are likely to opt for something a bit more exciting. Let's leave traditional
cheese to the kiddos.
Look, we know that some people absolutely love Hawaiian pizza. And in theory, it should
taste amazing. It has a great combination of sweet and savory flavors, which usually
taste great together. But in practice, Hawaiian pizzas, in general, are just not that good.
"Dad's an acquired taste, Lis. Like Hawaiian pizza."
"Dad never judged a pizza by where it came from."
Uh, yeah, we said that. The Hawaiian pizza at California Pizza Kitchen features massive
chunks of pineapple along with applewood smoked ham. Honestly, we just think that the flavor
of the pineapple is too strong — it blocks out almost every other flavor.
One thing we do like about this pizza, though, is the slivered scallions on top. That gives
it a fresher, more interesting taste, and it also just looks good to add a bit of green
to the mix. But don't get us wrong: The scallions don't make up for the fact that the pineapple
on this pie is really overwhelming.
You might get excited when you see the plant-based BBQ chicken pizza on the menu. But we're here
to tell you that it doesn't really live up to the hype.
First of all, the barbecue sauce on this pizza is pretty sweet. In fact, we think that it's
way too sweet, as it distracts from all the other flavors. But the worst part of this
pizza is the plant-based meat. If you're not used to eating meat on a regular basis, you
might not mind this stuff too much.
But if you're accustomed to eating real chicken and then take a bite of this, you'll realize
that it has an odd texture and a less-than-desirable flavor. We wish CPK would've chosen a different
protein to replace the chicken on this pizza. Kinda like this guy wishes he didn't have
whatever that was.
Who doesn't love a pepperoni pizza? It's a classic — almost as classic as a cheese
pizza. But that doesn't mean you should order one when you're at California Pizza Kitchen.
While this may be a good order at a restaurant that doesn't have a wide selection of pies
to choose from, it's not as good of a choice when you consider the other options you have
at this spot.
The pepperoni itself is good, and it has a nice sprinkling of oregano on top. But when
you get down to it, this pizza is kind of boring.
There aren't any veggies on it, so you're not going to get any freshness to break up
all the fattiness from that pepperoni. And since the slices of pepperoni are so huge,
they can be kind of overwhelming. Plus, if you really want the flavor of pepperoni, there
are other, better pizzas that have those meaty slices you love plus a ton of other delicious
ingredients.
Here's another one that's not bad, per se, but just not that interesting when compared
to the other pizzas on the menu: the Five Cheese + Fresh Tomato. Let us just say this:
This pizza is really, really cheesy. They weren't lying when they said "five cheese."
Unfortunately, all that cheese overtakes the sauce, resulting in a pie that feels kind
of dry. The tomatoes add a hint of freshness that the pizza needs, but they're hard to
eat: Once you take a bite out of one, you might accidentally pull it off the pizza and
eat it all in one bite.
Again, this is the kind of pizza you can get just about anywhere, so it's not the best
idea to get one when you're at a place that has pizzas you've never tried before.
While the mushroom pepperoni sausage pizza still doesn't even come close to our favorite
pizza on the menu, we think this one is slightly more interesting.
As the name suggests, in addition to pepperoni, you'll also find mushrooms and sausage on
this pizza. The sausage adds another layer of meatiness, and the mushroom shares a similar
texture.
While we love that this pizza has more on it than just slices of meat, it's still got
a bit of an overwhelming flavor to it. With two different types of meat coming together,
this pizza feels really heavy. While they could've decided to add a refreshing vegetable
to the mix to make it a little lighter, they chose to add mushrooms instead. Don't get
us wrong — we love mushrooms — but they're not exactly the most refreshing plant food
out there.
If you do want something really hearty, though, this pizza is not a bad way to go.
Here's a fun fact you may not have realized until now: the BBQ chicken pizza was actually
the invention of California Pizza Kitchen. That's right — this famous chain came up
with this pizza that's now in different restaurants across the country.
Therefore, you might expect that the original BBQ chicken pizza would be out-of-this-world
delicious. But while it's definitely better than the meatless version, we don't think
that this is really the most fantastic option on the menu.
Again, the BBQ sauce they use on this pizza is super sweet — and so much so that it
really takes away from the other flavors. Since the chicken is quite bland, it can't
really stand on its own. The result is a pizza that's kind of dry, kind of sweet, and overall
just pretty lackluster. While California Pizza Kitchen definitely does this pie better than
most of its competitors, it's still just not the best concept in the world.
However, if you want to get a taste of how the BBQ chicken pizza got its start, then
this is a must-order meal.
The Margherita pizza is one of the most all-time classic pies out there. Perhaps that's because
it's a super simple recipe. Crushed tomatoes, cheese, and basil come together on a pizza
crust to make a timeless flavor combination that just about everyone will love.
And just for the record, the Margherita is way, way better than the plain cheese pizza.
To be honest, they don't even really compete. That said, we still wouldn't recommend this
pie at California Pizza Kitchen.
The best Margherita pizzas are not going to be found at a big chain like California Pizza
Kitchen. Instead, you'll want to go to a small Italian neighborhood and find some nondescript
pizza spot. You'll have much better chances there finding a perfect Margherita pizza.
"What do you mean you can't? This is pizza margherita in Napoli. It is your moral imperative
to eat and enjoy that pizza."
The one you'll get at California Pizza Kitchen isn't bad, per se, but it's not the best you'll
taste either. In the meantime, you'll be passing up all the amazing pizzas this chain does
so well, like this avocado super green pizza.
We love a pizza packed to the brim with vegetables. And that's why we love CPKs California veggie
pizza.
If you're a true veggie lover, you're not going to believe this list of ingredients:
broccolini, Cremini mushrooms, eggplant, roasted corn, sun-dried tomatoes, and red onions.
Add either mozzarella or goat cheese into the mix, and you have a completely veggie-friendly
pizza.
This pizza is definitely a solid choice, especially if you're trying to get more veggies into
your diet. However, there's nothing about this pie that's particularly interesting.
The combination of veggies just feels kind of random, like there's nothing to really
tie the ingredients together. It's not a fantastic pizza, but those who love a wide variety of
veggies are likely to eat this thing up.
If you're really at a loss for what to get at CPK you might want to consider The Works
pizza. With this order, you get to taste a wide variety of ingredients all together on
one pie. There's a nice balance of meats and veggies, so it's the kind of thing that will
please everyone.
On this pizza, you'll find pepperoni, spicy Italian sausage, red onions, green peppers,
olives, Cremini mushrooms, mozzarella, and plenty of oregano. We think that this is a
solid combo, though it does seem like a lot of ingredients for a single pizza.
Now we're getting into some of the more interesting pizzas on the list. When have you ever seen
a Thai chicken pizza before this? If you want to try something completely new, then this
may just be the pizza for you.
It all starts with Thai peanut sauce in place of the red sauce. It may not taste the best
on the pizza crust, but we have to give them points for creativity. Then, mozzarella, bean
sprouts, carrots, fresh cilantro, chicken, and slivered scallions all come together to
create a super light, fresh pizza.
We love that this pizza isn't heavy and the fact that it presents us with so many flavors
we've never had on a pizza before. The bean sprouts are nice and crunchy, and the carrots
are surprisingly tasty when combined with the mozzarella cheese.
Generally, we would say that chicken doesn't really belong on a pizza. However, we can't
not enjoy the roasted garlic chicken pizza from California Pizza Kitchen.
When you put roasted garlic on anything, it's probably going to taste pretty fantastic,
after all. This pizza also contains caramelized onions, mozzarella, Parmesan, slivered scallions,
and plenty of cracked black pepper.
It seems to have just the right combination of rich and fresh ingredients to bring the
whole pizza together nicely. The caramelized onions and the garlic are a bit sweet, while
the scallions add a nice lightness to the pizza.
Admittedly, the chicken isn't amazing apart from the fact that it is doused in all that
roasted garlic goodness, but we'll give it a pass here since the rest of the flavors
in this pie are so good.
This CPK pizza has a much-needed kick that takes the chicken from just blah to something
you might actually crave. It's the Spicy Chipotle Chicken Pizza, and if you love a lot of spice
but not super fatty meat, then this pizza is a fantastic option.
The first thing you'll notice when you order this pizza is its appearance. It comes out
looking really beautiful because of all the bright colors. It includes adobo sauce, shaved
poblanos, Monterey Jack cheese, a salsa made of black beans and roasted corn, lime crema,
and fresh cilantro.
This pizza definitely has some spicy components to it, so if you're sensitive to spice, you
might want to skip it. Overall, the spice level really isn't too intense. Most people
can probably handle it. Most, but not all.
If you're looking for a standard, traditional pizza, you're not going to want to order the
Carne Asada Pizza. For example, instead of the classic red sauce you're used to, you're
going to get cilantro pesto instead. Instead of pepperoni, you'll find marinated steak
that falls apart when you bite into it. And the Parmesan is replaced by Monterey Jack
cheese.
All of these changes might be unconventional, yes, but that doesn't mean that they don't
taste amazing. Add in the fire-roasted poblanos, the yellow onions, and the fresh cilantro,
and you can see why we love this menu item. It has just the right amount of spiciness
and a whole lot of savory goodness from the steak, the onions, and the cheese.
Though this pizza tastes really good, it's the kind of thing you might get tired of after
a while. It's nice as a novelty, but do you really want it for your entire meal?
We suggest ordering this one when you're going to be ordering a lot of different pizzas and
sharing with friends. That way, you get a slice or two and then get to move onto something
else.
If there's one pizza on this list that you could immediately recognize as a creation
of California Pizza Kitchen, without a doubt, it's the California Club. Brace yourselves,
because this pie is really out of the ordinary.
First, it starts somewhat normally with applewood smoked bacon, chicken, and mozzarella cheese.
That's not too wild, right? Well, after it's baked, the chaos begins. The pizza is topped
with tons of arugula, avocado, fresh tomato, romaine lettuce, and torn basil. There's basically
a whole salad on top of this pizza. It's all finished off with a lemon-pepper mayo that
really brings the flavors together.
For those who love eating fresh foods, this pizza is a dream come true. It may be a pizza,
but it almost feels like you're making a healthy decision by eating it.
Here's a pizza we know you're going to love from California Pizza Kitchen. It's the wild
mushroom pizza, and it's beautiful to behold. This pie boasts three different types of mushrooms:
Cremini, portobello, and shiitake.
They all have very different textures, which means that when you eat them all together,
they create a lovely, unexpected texture combo. The pizza is finished off by romano and mozzarella
cheese as well as slivered scallions and cracked black pepper. You can also ask for white truffle
oil on this pizza as well, if that's your kind of thing.
Overall, we love the simplicity of this pie, and we think that using three different types
of mushrooms really sets this apart from your average mushroom pizza. Of course, not everyone
is going to love mushrooms — they have a really specific texture that not everyone
can get down with.
But if you're the type who never turns their nose up at mushrooms, this is a seriously
glorious pizza.
If you want a pizza that's going to make you feel like you just ate a salad and drank a
kale smoothie after your 5 a.m. run, we've got just the thing for you, without all the
hard work. It's the avocado super green pizza, and it may be a little over the top.
It's not even technically what you would think of as a pizza. Instead, it starts off with
that signature cilantro pesto that we love, along with baby greens, smashed avocado, red
onion, cucumber, salsa verde that's made in-house, fresh lime, and toasted sesame seeds.
See what we mean? It's basically just a salad on a piece of bread. But you know what? It
tastes great. While we hesitate to actually call it a pizza, we think it's one of the
better items on the menu at California Pizza Kitchen.
Not everyone likes a spicy pizza, but if that's your thing, then the spicy Milano is definitely
worth checking out. Just be warned: This one actually is really spicy. First, it starts
out with a spicy marinara sauce.
Then, add on Italian sausage, serrano peppers, Cremini mushrooms, spicy pepperoni, and yellow
onions. It's finished off with romano and mozzarella cheeses as well as fresh oregano
that brings the whole dish to life. With all of these ingredients working together, it's
clear why it's such a good option.
There's a perfect meat-to-veggie ratio on this pizza. You've got the Italian sausage
and spicy pepperoni, but they're balanced out by the serrano peppers, the mushrooms,
and the yellow onions. And once you add in the extra spiciness of the marinara sauce
into the mix, it all comes together to make a fantastic pizza.
Fair warning: This pizza isn't for everyone because of its intense spice.
"Are you OK? Cuz you're sweating pretty profusely."
"Yeah, no, I'm fine. I always react this way to spicy food."
We absolutely love that this pizza is so simple and so delicious at the same time. The Sicilian
is a perfect option for those who don't want something that's going to be overwhelming
but still want lots of flavor — without too many toppings.
That's because it comes with Italian sausage, spicy capicola ham, and salami. All of that
is placed on top of the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses as well as that same spicy marinara
sauce that's also in the spicy Milano. This stuff really is amazing, and with its fresh
basil, oregano and thin crust, it takes every pie it touches to the next level.
It's questionable what authenticity really means when it comes to food. But we know one
thing for sure: The Tostada Pizza from California Pizza Kitchen is probably not what comes to
mind when you think of either authentic Italian or Mexican food.
But just because it's the new kid on the block doesn't mean that it's not super tasty. It
contains black beans, herb ranch sauce, tortilla strips, lettuce, and Monterey Jack cheese.
It's also served with salsa. And if you want to make it even heartier than it already is,
you can add lime chicken or carne asada.
Shrimp on a pizza? It almost sounds sacrilegious. But when it comes to the Shrimp Scampi Pizza
you'll find at California Pizza Kitchen, it's clear that this recipe is a real winner. The
lemon-garlic shrimp packs a ton of flavor, but it doesn't end there. This pizza also
features mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, red chili, and fresh arugula and oregano.
And perhaps the most important part: the caramelized onions. All of these flavors come together
perfectly. While the shrimp is light, it has that meatiness you want in a pizza. The fresh
herbs offer brightness to the dish, while the caramelized onions add that perfect amount
of sweetness.
California Pizza Kitchen recommends that you order this pizza on cauliflower crust, but
we still think you can't beat real pizza dough.
The Spicy Honey Bee Pizza is definitely our favorite one on the menu. Why? Well, to start
off, the spicy marinara and capicola ham go so well together: It's a match made in heaven.
Then, we love the fact that they used both mozzarella and gorgonzola cheese — it's
something different that we haven't seen in most of the other pizzas on the menu. The
Mediterranean herbs add a nice kick of flavor and freshness that we can't get enough of.
And all of those ingredients are amazing, but the most important one is something you
may not be expecting: red chili honey. This honey is red hot, and it complements the spicy
marinara sauce really well, even if you have leftovers!
Plus, with that savory and sweet push and pull going on, this pizza is awesome. And
while most kids would enjoy the honey taste of this pizza, the spiciness might not be
their cup of tea.
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