Che Fico Pizzeria, located in San Francisco, is making waves with its unconventional take on wood-fired pizzas. The restaurant is set to debut at Thrive City in Chase Center on October 9, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle.
Despite receiving mixed reviews online, with some customers describing the pizzas’ charred crusts as “inedible” and “burnt to a crisp,” the staff at Che Fico stands by their method. They have earned national recognition, being named one of the best new restaurants by Bon Appetit shortly after opening. Celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and Anderson Cooper have become fans, praising their sourdough pies.
Situated on the second floor of Chase Center, the pizzeria boasts breathtaking views of the waterfront and the Bay Bridge. It features a large outdoor terrace complete with a bar and television, accommodating 146 patrons, while the cozy indoor area seats 44. A dedicated takeout window will offer pizza slices and ice cream. Beyond pizzas, the menu includes enticing options like sausage-stuffed olives, chopped salads, and chicken parm sandwiches.
The Che Fico team treats their pizza-making process like a scientific endeavor, diligently adjusting every variable, including the pH levels of the dough. Central to their approach is a sourdough starter that has been carefully maintained for seven years and requires daily attention. The starter is housed in a plastic container, and the team checks its pH level with a handheld meter every day. Che Fico is recognized as one of the few Bay Area restaurants that expertly crafts high-quality sourdough pizzas.
The kitchen is outfitted with a temperature-controlled dough room equipped with cutting-edge machinery. A digital clock monitors humidity levels, and a $9,000 device allows for precise temperature control of the water used in the dough. Chefs meticulously log the pH of the ingredients and monitor various temperatures throughout the fermentation process.
Dough preparation is a meticulous task that can take up to 31 minutes of mixing. The dough is folded with care before resting, and chefs shape it at specific intervals, storing it until it’s ready to be transformed into pizza.
At the new location, the pizzas are bigger than ever, ranging from 14 to 20 inches. The standout item is the Ananas pizza, featuring pineapple, along with other options like Italian sausage, mushrooms, and a unique vodka sauce pizza. Their classic cheese pizza pays homage to New York-style pies.
Chef and co-owner David Nayfeld highlights that while the team no longer intentionally burns the pizzas, they are committed to achieving the best results: “No more burnt pies, but always well-baked.”
