By Jeff
Growing up in Wisconsin and spending many summer days in Chicago, I never gave pizza a second thought. Oh, I ate it as much as I could. I just never thought much about it. When my wife and I moved to Los Angeles in 1980 we found out that the life we left behind meant pizza as well. We spent the last 30 years searching the Los Angeles area for the pizza we loved and left in the Midwest. Oh, we flirted with some pizza in LA but we ended up ordering frozen pizzas from Chicago and making the annual trek back to Chicago and Wisconsin to see family and to get some real pizza.
Well, I am here to tell you that the search is over. We heard about a couple of Chicago brothers that moved to LA and opened a “Chicago-style” pizza place. We heard that tale before but when I saw the menu and read the story of three brothers growing up in the Chicago area we thought that maybe this time will be different. Well it is.
Adam and Michael Goldberg took the recipes and ideas from brother Scott (who had a pizza joint in Chicago voted “South Chicago’s Best Pizza) and opened three stores in the South Bay named Fresh Brothers. Since I found the store in Marina Del Rey in December I have made a pest of myself by not only eating in the store but making Adam sell me fresh pizzas that I take home uncooked for future cooking and devouring.
The pizza is so good I haven’t had time to explore the rest of the menu. But based on the pizza, I’m sure the rest of the food is great. I am a thin crust man, but my buddy in the office (born in Chicago) swears the thick crust is as good as made in Chicago.
So give them a try and let them know that Jeff from the Valley will be visiting soon.
Now, if I could only get the Cubs a World Series ring.
MANHATTAN BEACH REDONDO BEACH MARINA DEL REY
2008 N. SEPULVEDA BLVD. 407 N. PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY 4722 ½ ADMIRALTY WAY
(310) 546-4444 (310) 374-5678 (310) 823-3800
If you have a “great find” and would like to share it with everyone, please email your review to writeforus@imperfectwomen.com. Please feel free to share even if it is only a local business because people do travel and vacation and are always looking for places to explore and try out.
I have never had Chicago-style pizza. 🙁
One of these days, I will. I still hope to make it to Chicago, but southern California is a lot closer, so now I have another option that doesn’t involve traveling out of state.
I have a few local places to recommend, but I’ll have to do a little research on their background and report back.
Thanks, Jeff. I always enjoy talking and reading about good food!
This pizza is excellent. I am not sure if it is the cheese or the crust but there is nothing that comes close in Los Angeles.
My husband is driving me nuts with it , though. I told him that he needs to give it a break. He has brought it home a couple of times and he buys three and then expects us to have pizza for three days straight. Of course when he does that, I don’t have to cook so maybe I should not complain. 😉
I think we are having this for our Super Bowl party.
Pizza for three days straight? A man after my own heart. I like a deep dish but thin is my favorite. If I only I didn’t live on the other side of the country.
Yes, yes, yes, I had it and yes, We (my other half) think it’s the cheese and the thin crust. It was very tasty, even my husband had good things to say about it, and he’s such a food critic. We usually enjoy Numero Uno and the CPK for the thick crust, so we’ll have to try them for their thick crust one day, heck, maybe we’ll be eating Fresh Brothers on Superbowl Sunday too! I hope Fresh Brothers is prepared for the halftime rush!
Reading this makes my stomach growl. I live in Indiana, I’ve had some good pizza but nothing that has made my eyes roll in the back of my head- this sounds like it would do it!
Counting down the days until Super Bowl and getting to eat Fresh Brothers pizza. 🙂
I have never had Chicago-style pizza, but I never met a slice of pizza I didn’t like. I wonder if this would ruin other pizza for me?
Samantha, you may live on the other side of the country, but you come from the heart of biscuit country. I had the chance to taste those southern biscuits and, let me tell you, there is nothing like them north of the Mason-Dixon line. Have one for me, will you?
I have never had a true southern biscuit either. I think it’s pretty clear I am missing out on life!
I wanted to try and find a smaller place to recommend, but as many of you know, I am from San Francisco and when you think San Francisco I imagine sourdough bread might come to mind?
Boudin’s http://www.boudinbakery.com/Home has been around since 1849. The bread is to die for! The soups and chili in bread bowls aren’t bad either.
Boudin’s has many locations in the San Francisco Bay Area and in checking their website it looks like they have made their way to southern California as well.
You can even order from their website and have it shipped to your home! Who wants to join the “Bread Club” with me?
Hope Jeff and Pam enjoyed their Fresh Brothers pizza on Sunday! 🙂
Pizza was fantastic as always! Thanks for asking.
Boudin’s sound great. I will have to check that out.
No biscuits? I can’t imagine! Biscuits are breakfast here. Ham biscuist, sausage biscuist, gravy and biscuits, biscuits and jelly- hot biscuits with peaches or strawberries. We have to fix this for you!
Samantha, hot biscuits with peaches or strawberries……………
Sorry, I lost my train of thought. My mouth is watering.
If I could I’d jump on a plane right now, I would. Believe me, I WILL try one of your biscuits one of these days! 🙂
Maybe Samantha could Fed Ex them to us all.