Santa Cruz doesn’t usually play around with pizza styles, but this new spot is doing something different and people are already lining up for it.
Pogonip Pizza — New School Slice Shop
Pogonip Pizza just opened next to the 7/11 on High Street, and they’re already selling out nightly. The style lands somewhere between a New York slice and a Neapolitan pie. Light, crisp, holds up, and doesn’t weigh you down.
The menu leans creative in a way that actually works. Here are 3 pies we tried.
Mushroom Hunter
Winner of the 2024 International Pizza Expo Ooni Throw-down Traditional Class. Mozzarella, shiitake, king oyster, and clam box mushrooms, finished with thyme and lemon zest.
Magic Carpet
Pepperoni, jalapeño, mozzarella, organic tomato sauce, then finished with basil, stracciatella, and hot honey.
Barking Dogs
Pepperoni, dill pickles, mozzarella, organic tomato sauce, finished with ranch dust. Sounds wild, tastes right. This was the favorite.
The space has its own personality, too. Santa Cruz Lost Boys references in the bathroom, pizza names pulled from local mountain bike trails, and a crowd that feels like it just came off the dirt. They’re in soft open right now and selling out every night, so showing up early is part of the plan. Grab a couple pies, hang for a bit, and you’ll see why people are already hooked.
📍222 Cardiff Pl, Santa Cruz, CA
HOURS: Thu–Sun · 5pm–Sellout
