Dinner at Michael’s Pizzeria (Long Beach, CA)
When it hits 6:00 p.m. and our “work day” is over, we’re always in a scramble to find somewhere delicious to fill our stomachs. Luckily, we had some of our lovely colleagues a couple cities over in Long Beach recommend us a new spot we simply “had to try”. Cut to: Michael’s Pizzeria.
A new concept from Michael Dene, owner of the renowned Michael’s On Naples location just a few steps away, takes the concept of well-constructed pizza and presents it in a slightly more casual, less-intimidating setting. Armed with some casually sexy decore, ambience and a menu constructed from ultra-fresh ingredients, this place has a ton going for it.
[Michael’s Pizzeria Photo Gallery]
All the pizzas are priced between $8 – $16. It’s gonna be tough for me to go back to my Domino’s and Pizza Hut diet after this visit. Pretentious enough for ya?
Did we mention they have an oven that reaches temperatures of 800 degrees Fahrenheit? That means your pizza spends as little as 90 seconds under the flame before its primed and ready to eat. Not mad at that!
The stories surrounding this place are plentiful. One charming story is the acquisition of Vito Iacopelli. Imported straight from Italy, he is the resident Maestro Pizzaiolo – a master pizza craftsman whose family has been making Napoli-style pizza for generations.
Catch him tossing pies in the back of the house next time you come in to eat.
Another fun anecdote? The restaurant’s decor and color scheme was fashioned entirely around the following orange chair:
And yeah, this is what we’re here for. The food. The pizza.
We got a few clips of the dinner, so feel free to peruse through them and get a feel for what dinner at Michael’s Pizzeria is like on a Tuesday night:
