Chain serving hearth-baked pizza with innovative toppings and other California-style cuisine. Loop location features beer and wine only.
Average cost: $10-$20
Gourmet pizza chain offers an eclectic, even silly, selection of toppings. Who knew nuts and mayo-tossed lettuce would taste so good mixed with cheese and dough?
Try the wood-fired Thai pizza, loaded with pieces of chicken breast marinated in a spicy peanut-ginger and sesame sauce, mozzarella cheese, green onions, bean sprouts, julienne carrots, cilantro and roasted peanuts. Go gourmet with the caramelized pear and gorgonzola, or exotic with the vegetarian pie with Japanese eggplant.
Though pizza is the main event, there are still plenty of appetizers (like baked tortilla spring rolls), soups (try the half-and-half soup, two soups served in one bowl!), giant salads and dessert...surprisingly enough, none of them pizza-inspired.
California Pizza Kitchen official website: http://cpk.com
