Pitfire Artisan Pizza, the Los Angeles-based restaurant company known for its signature rustic, fire singed pizzas, and handcrafted cuisine with simple fresh ingredients, announces the opening of Pitfire Pizza Costa Mesa in early Fall 2012. Opened in 1997 by Paul Hibler and David Sanfield, Pitfire was the initiator of the artisanal pizza boom in Los Angeles, and now brings the ¡°anti-chain¡¯s¡± signature cuisine to Orange County, adding to current Pitfire locations in North Hollywood, Downtown Los Angeles, Westwood, Mar Vista, and West Hollywood. Serving lunch and dinner seven days a week, the Costa Mesa restaurant will be located on 17thStreet in a dramatically altered Marie Callender¡¯s, and will provide a neighborhood gathering space, reflective of the local community.
We are incredibly excited to expand to Orange County,¡± says Hibler. ¡°Costa Mesa has become the area¡¯s newest culinary hotspot, and its family-focused, tight-knit community makes it the perfect fit for us. We hope to see everyone unplugging, interacting with the space, and just enjoying a great meal.¡±
Guests can choose from several variations of pizza, each cooked in a 630¢ªF wood-fired oven, such as the Burrata Pizza with housemade fresh burrata cheese, wild arugula, caramelized onions, and whole hazelnuts atop sweet tomato sauce, drizzled with a crushed pesto sauce; and the Greens, Egg & Ham Pizza with braised rapini, farm egg, and Zoe¡¯s Natural Prosciutto. Diners can also ¡°Be an Artist¡± by creating their own pizza creation, starting with a basic pizza of tomato sauce and mozzarella, and then selecting a variety of toppings, including wild jalapeno, sweet roasted garlic, feta, Zoe¡ s Natural Meats bacon, and more. Gluten-free crust and vegan mozzarella are also available.
Beyond pizza, the restaurant offers several salads and pasta dishes, including the Pitfire Chicken Salad with shaved scallions, toasted pine nuts, arugula and butter lettuce, torn-bread croutons, and pickled currants; and Spaghetti and Chicken Meatballs with traditional pasta sauce, grated grana cheese, and grilled bread. For dessert, guests can enjoy classic options including the Smothered Cookie, a warm chocolate chip chunk cookie topped with Pitfire¡¯s soft serve, hazelnuts, and various toppings.
To complement Pitfires housemade pizzas and Italian dishes, diners will have their choice of rotating on-tap brews, such as Avery White Ale and Port Brewing Wipe Out IPA, and domestic and craft bottle varieties, as well as food-friendly wine selections by the glass or the bottle, including Kermit Lynch Cotes Du Rhone and Hook and Ladder Chardonnay, and housemade Sangria.
In signature Pitfire fashion, the Costa Mesa location will offer a unique dining experience with indoor and outdoor seating, creating a social atmosphere in which neighbors can come together to enjoy great food. ¡°The wide-open spaces, large booths, and communal tables are designed to promote a sense of community,¡± Hibler says. Designed by LA-based designer Anthony Agriam, the restaurant will provide a distinct and lively atmosphere, with Pitfire¡¯s signature red wood-fired pizza kiln as a focal point.
Pitfire Artisan Pizza Costa Mesa is located on East 17th Street, between Santa Ana and Tustin Avenues, and will be open for lunch and dinner 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 12-10 p.m. on Sunday. The hours are subject to change.
About Pitfire Artisan Pizza
Pitfire Artisan Pizza is a Los Angeles-based restaurant company that produces rustic, fire singed pizzas, and handcrafted cuisine from simple, fresh ingredients. First opened in 1997 by Paul Hibler and David Sanfield, Pitfire was the initiator of the artisanal pizza boom, with Hibler striving to heighten guest enjoyment by designing one-of-a-kind spaces that encouraged a communal dining experience. Now, more than 15 years later, Hibler is considered a godfather of the Los Angeles pizza scene, with the company¡¯s five locations in North Hollywood, Downtown Los Angeles, Westwood, Mar Vista, and West Hollywood, and restaurants in Costa Mesa and Manhattan Beach on the way. Every Pitfire space features its own distinct design, as the architects and designers working on each restaurant are given a ¡°kit of parts¡± with which to create forward-thinking, inventive designs, including Pitfire¡¯s signature red wood-fired pizza kiln. More information can be found at www.pitfirepizza.com or on Facebook or Twitter.
