36 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY FEBRUARY 5-11, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com Estéban in Monterey is a Spanishthemed restaurant, which of course means paella and empanadas. But hang on—pepperoni pizza, too? Yes, cupping pepperoni, dripping daggers of flavor into the creamy, nutty bed of provolone and mozzarella. Shavings of Parmigiano Reggiano resonate with the mineralic tang of the meat while bittersweet scars on the crust lend a smoky haze. It’s a captivating pie. “I didn’t know I’d create a monster,” says Chef Steven Patlan. “We sell so many pizzas.” As it turns out, pizza is not the monopoly of parlors and Italian restaurants. Julia’s Vegetarian Restaurant in Pacific Grove is known in part for its pizzas. Monterey’s Melville Tavern has a lineup of pies, as does Nami on Alvarado Street, which kept pizza on the menu when switching from Italian to an Asian steakhouse concept. Chef Nichole Robbins of Woodward Marine Market in Moss Landing is versed in seafood, her fish and chips earning well-deserved accolades. Yet her pizzas also stand out, making for some difficult choices. “Some people will eat and then take a pizza to go,” she observes. Granted, it’s theoretically a forgiving dish. Home cooks have been known to prepare pies in woks, cast iron skillets and on grills over coals. One Quora post suggests, “All you need is a roofer’s blowtorch and a frying pan.” (One imagines Chef Tony Gemignani, author of The Pizza Bible shedding tears over this.) However, pizza is actually quite demanding—witness the pale pies turned out by so many national chains—even in a restaurant setting with all the right intentions. With an oven at full blaze, the pie will peak in perhaps 90 seconds before falling into a quick descent. Turning away even for a New York minute invites disaster. When the wood-fired oven was installed at Woodward Marine, Robbins was eager to fire it up. But a temporary staffing shortage meant there was no one to tend to the pies, which required patience of the guests as well as the chef. “Because the oven is so prominent, I’ve been asked 2,000 times, ‘When are you going to have pizza,’” she recalls. Any dedicated pizza chef will tell you that while the basic recipe may be easy, quality starts with the dough. And pizza dough can be temperamental. “My pizza dough—if I abuse it, it will deflate the dough,” Patlan explains. “We stretch by hand from the middle, careful not to touch the crust.” Rolling pins are banned from Estéban’s pizza station, as is any flair. “We don’t toss it in the air,” he says. Patlan prepares a sourdough from his own starter, now on five years. He allows it to ferment for 72 hours, calling the finished product a cross between Neapolitan and New Haven styles. Robbins leans toward Neapolitan, making the dough from scratch, of course, with 48 hours of fermentation. She admits to a learning curve when it comes to getting the process just right. “This dough is by far superior to what we were doing,” she says. “Once I got my momentum and figured out the oven and type of wood, it has been just what we were looking for.” Robbins lists four pizzas at Woodward Marina. Three are staples, including cupping pepperoni, with the fourth changing up “depending on the mood I’m in that day.” One menu fixture may come as a shock, but Robbins’ Hawaiian pie may have bridged pizza’s most stubborn divide. “My version is fresh pineapple and prosciutto, with mozzarella and parmesan,” she points out. “People are into that one.” Patlan explores bold expressions. Not content with a rudimentary sausage pizza, he grinds his own from Wagyu beef and pork. Apparently believing roasted winter squash and goat cheese was too familiar, he ramps up the vegetarian pie, drizzling on honey spiced with ras el hanout, tossing on Aleppo pepper and lacinato kale to complete the Mediterranean vibe. But Patlan does admit to being a bit of a pizza nerd. So a Spanish restaurant and a place on the Moss Landing waterfront with a thing for fire-roasted mussels and fish tacos, as well as a few other spots, have joined The Oven, Ioli’s, Gianni’s and the like as pizza joints, dine in or carry out. “I think we’re doing a good job,” Patlan says. FIRST COURSE While the focus at Estéban is on the flavors of Spain, pizza deserves a place on the restaurant’s tables. MEET SANTA (FE)…Hatch, a new Southwestern restaurant, is hosting its grand opening celebration on Monday, Feb. 9 starting at 4pm. Get a taste of New Mexico without leaving the 831. Learn your red and your green (chile), and try some blue—as in blue corn. Open for lunch and dinner, with brunch on weekends. 3658 The Barnyard, Carmel. (831) 330-2332, hatchcarmel. com. TEA TOTALERS…Recently opened in Seaside, Lilikoi Monterey Bay serves boba tea with a Hawaiian-Pacific rim flair. That means flavors like dragon fruit, guava, passion fruit, taro and (of course) pineapple. Naturally there’s a version called Blue Lagoon. 1159 Fremont Blvd., Seaside. (831) 717-3130, lilikoibobamonterey.com. POP TOP…Mirth Kitchen is having its first pop-up of the year on Friday, Feb. 6, just in time for you to stock up on seasonal snacks for your Super Bowl gatherings. Grab seasonal offerings that include game day staples like buffalo chicken dip and meatballs. Pre-order online then pick them up between 2:306pm. 13762 Center St., Carmel Valley. (831) 201-0419, mirthcv.com. LIQUID INSPIRATION…Sip a fresh cup of coffee while being guided through a painting experience at Café Carmel’s paint and sip event on Wednesday, Feb. 11 from 2-4pm. $30 includes a cup of coffee and all painting materials. RSVP recommended. (831) 596-5157. Ocean between Mission and San Carlos, Carmel. (831) 624-3870, cafecarmel. com. COMING UP ROSÉ…Who says Rosé is a summer sipper? On Sundays in February, Terry’s Restaurant and Lounge serves Provençal Rosé at discounted prices starting during brunch service and continuing through the afternoons. Lincoln and 7th, Carmel. (831) 620-7454, cypress-inn.com/terrys. BOOK IT…There’s no better way to celebrate John Steinbeck’s birthday than with a beer milkshake. OK, maybe a Jack Rose, said to be the author’s favorite cocktail. No matter, both will be served as part of C Restaurant and Bar’s six-course wine dinner inspired by Steinbeck’s work, with a visit to Doc’s lab. The dinner takes place Friday, Feb. 27, but tickets are on sale now (the dinner sold out last year). $175. (831) 6422013, thecrestaurant-monterey.com. By Jacqueline Weixel MORSELS eatanddrink@montereycountynow.com “I didn’t know I’d create a monster.” EAT + DRINK STEVE SOUZA Dough Nuts A few chefs are making their restaurants unexpected pizza destinations. By Dave Faries
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