Arizmendi: Great No Matter Which Way You Slice It

Arizmendi Bakery on Lakeshore Avenue in Oakland is one of six worker owned co-operatives of bakeries that are part of the Arizmendi Association. The other bakeries are located in Berkeley, Emeryville, (two in) San Francisco, and San Rafael. I have been frequenting Arizmendi since I returned to Oakland in 2001. Arizmendi is a place where I can grab quality baked goods such as scones, breads, and cookies.

Most people including myself go to Arizmendi for their pizza. Their gourmet pizzas are thin, have a sourdough crust, and made with fresh seasonal vegetables. Their pizzas change daily, but one thing that doesn’t change is that they are always meatless.

Today’s pizza was a combination of spinach, roasted yellow onions, mozarella, green onion, goat cheese, and olive tapenade. I ordered a slice of pizza and a small soup. The benefit of getting a slice of pizza is that it always comes with an extra sliver. The pizza was crisp and delicious. I especially liked the tartness of the tapenade on the pizza. The soup of the day was a Mediterranean lentil rice stew. This was a rich hearty soup. I enjoyed the flavors of the cumin and the coriander.

I found out that the bakery in Emeryville will be selling King’s Cake this Tuesday for Mardi Gras. They are $20 and if you want one, you should place your order.