| Pizza Port – Ocean Beach 1956 Bacon St. | Ocean Beach, CA 92107 (619) 224-4700 www.pizzaport.com |
Siblings Gina and Vince Marsaglia opened the first Pizza Port location in March 1987 on the famous Pacific Coast Highway in Solana Beach, just north of San Diego, California. The restaurant offered a funky storefront and a classic menu of pizza and wings with a “San Diego twist.” Pizza Port quickly became a local favorite.
In 1992, Vince used the excess space in the restaurant for homebrewing. After much encouragement from friends and patrons, Vince and Gina started offering their own craft-brewed beers that same year.
A second Pizza Port location opened in 1997 a few miles north in Carlsbad. A third location opened in 2003 in San Clemente, the same year the original location won Small Brewpub of the Year at the Great American Beer Festival.
Growth continued in 2008 when they opened a bottle shop offering over 600 craft beers next to the Carlsbad location. In 2009 more accolades rolled in as they won nine medals at GABF, and the Carlsbad location won Large Brewpub of the Year.
Seemingly unstoppable, the pair opened the fourth Pizza Port location in Ocean Beach in 2010 and a location in Bressi Ranch in 2013. The Bressi Ranch location includes a brewhouse, brewpub, commissary, and corporate offices.
Pizza Port features hand-built picnic tables, a decor of surf-related items, and a view of the brewhouse, the perfect atmosphere for enjoying a pint and a slice by the beach. All Pizza Port locations are just blocks from the beach and reflect the beach towns where they are located.
We visited the Ocean Beach location during our California trip. Some of the Pizza Port beers you can enjoy on tap there include…
- Skidmark Brown – 4.1% ABV Brown or Dark Mild with lots of malt character but no extra sweetness; brewed with Maris Otter malt and all English hops.
- The Old Ball & Chain Pale Ale – 5.6% ABV Pale Ale brewed to celebrate the head brewers wedding; brewed with Maris Otter malt and Citra hops.
- Chronic This Amber Ale – 4.7% ABV year-round Amber Ale brewed with English malt and American grown noble hops offering a nice malt backbone with just the right amount of hops to keep it balanced.
- No Surf Cream Ale – 4.3% ABV Ale that’s like a lager; Light, crisp, and refreshing for when there’s no surf.
- Newbreak Pale Ale – 6.2% ABV house Pale Ale brewed with a mixture of American and English hops and grain. Dry hopped for extra aroma.
- The Jetty IPA – 7.6% ABV house IPA brewed with a mixture of Simcoe and Chinook hops that give it its hoppy flavor and aroma.
- Cho-Saiko Double IPA – 9.7% ABV house Double IPA; a big beer with big hop character. Dry hopped with five different hops to add to the hop experience.
In addition to Pizza Port beers, you can also enjoy beers on draft and in bottles from other local breweries including Stone Brewing Company, Almanac Beer Company, and Russian River Brewing Company.
While the beers at Pizza Port were my motivation for stopping in, the pizza cannot be missed. A few of their “Anti-Wimpy Gourmet Pizzas” include…
- BBQ Chicken Pizza – Tangy BBQ sauce, mesquite grilled chicken, light mozzarella cheese, and red onion topped with fresh cilantro.
- Pizza Port Food Bacon Cheeseburger – BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza Tangy BBQ sauce, seasoned meatballs, bacon, mozzarella & cheddar cheese with red onions.
- Port Food Garlic Veggie – Garlic Veggie Pizza Spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, garlic, feta & mozzarella.
- Pizza Port Food Classic – Freshy Margherita Classic Fresh basil, fresh tomatoes, fresh mozzarella with a light spread of marinara.
- Pizza Port Food Extreme Meat – Pepperoni, meatballs, Canadian bacon, salami, and sausage.
In addition to a large selection of “original pizzas,” Pizza Port also offers salads, chicken wings, cheese sticks, “portzels,” and mac and cheese bites.
Pizza Port is open Sunday to Thursday 11 AM to 10 PM and Friday to Saturday 11 AM to midnight.
Whether you stop by before going to the beach, after going to the beach, or both, don’t miss out on Pizza Port during your trip to California.
