Santa Cruz Foodie

Custom pizza at Top This Pizza in Los Gatos

I had the opportunity to dine at the recently opened Los Gatos restaurant Top This Pizza a few days ago. I recommend it for a casual, fast, and inexpensive lunch or dinner.

It was definitely delicious and I plan to return. While it wasn’t the best pizza I’ve ever had in my life, it was a nice-sized meal and extremely affordable. What a fun concept: design your own 10-inch pizza with unlimited toppings, and it’s only $8! Unless you choose gluten-free crust, in which case it’s $2 more.

After finding the unassuming storefront in the middle of a strip mall, I entered the small restaurant and walked up to the counter. Eager, friendly young staff instantly greeted me and explained how the process worked. I could choose from a few pre-designed combinations, or I could create my own. Reviewing the menu, I was intrigued by creations like “Brandon’s BBQ” with BBQ sauce, cheese, grilled garlic chicken, bacon, red onion, and cilantro. I decided on Leo’s Chickenlicious with pesto, buffalo mozzarella, garlic chicken, roasted red peppers, fresh garlic, and shaved parmesan. Then I added sundried tomatoes and artichoke hearts for a twist. The price was still $8, even if I’d wanted to add several more toppings. I chose to sit inside (there are also a few outdoor tables), and my pizza was ready about 3 minutes later due to their 800-degree “Big Bertha” pizza oven. I greatly enjoyed it; for folks wondering about crust style, it had a “flatbread”-type quality. I also got to taste a few other combinations that my family ordered. Alejandra’s Hot Mess, which includes jalapenos, gorgonzola, and a buffalo wing sauce drizzle, was very good. I also really loved the spicy red sauce that my husband chose for his pizza.

There is a huge range of choices in terms of cheeses (from traditional types to pepper jack), sauces (alfredo, pesto, red/tomato, spicy red), meats, veggies, and what they call “drizzles” (ranch and more) and “finishers” (that’s where my sundried tomatoes were listed). Salads and soft drinks are also available. All in all, it’s a clever idea that allows many choices within a fast-food-type context.

Another note: they have a great online method to take care of those “group lunches” in your office where there’s always that one person that doesn’t chip in enough. You go to the web site, and each person designs their own pizza & pays with their own debit or credit card. When everyone has ordered, someone hits “send” and the whole order will be ready for one person to pick up. Genius!

Husband and wife Jerry and Yovette Raymond opened Top This in October. “Our family loves coming together for pizza night,” says Yovette. “But we always had the same problem. Everyone wanted different toppings and crusts and sauces and such.” That’s no longer a problem, for the Raymonds or other nearby families. They plan to open two more locations in the next few months, starting with San Jose.

Two of the Raymonds’ sons, Brandon and Tyler, work at the restaurant. They also have a son Michael, daughter-in-law Alejandra, and dog Leo (who’s considered one of their kids), all with namesake pizzas at Top This. Even Leo’s dog-friend Minnie has her own pizza!

Top This Pizza is open daily from 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Stay in touch with the new restaurant via its Facebook page.

Location: 15466 Los Gatos Blvd. #110 (in the same plaza as Trader Joe’s), Los Gatos (408) 884-8253

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