Silicon Valley Pizza Week, organized by the Weeklys Media Group, of which Metro is a part, runs Jan. 29–Feb. 8. Also this week: pizza’s evolution from street food to haute cuisine, a taste of Indian pizza and a list of Pizza Week participants. Visit SiliconValleyPizzaWeek.com for more, or download the Pizza Week App.
Silicon Valley has a history of innovation and business success, and that tradition extends to the humble art of making pizza. A number of legendary pizza companies sprang forth from these parts and the region’s history is intertwined with the pies that have fueled the valley’s technical work force.
Among the celebrated brands to emerge from this region are Pizza Time Theater, Round Table Pizza and Mountain Mike’s Pizza. Regional chain Pizza My Heart has experienced significant growth while staying close to its roots.
Mountain View start-up Zume launched in 2015 with the goal of automating pizza delivery and production. The robotic operation burned through $445 million, including $375 million from a 2018 Softbank investment, before shutting down in 2023.
While pizza made by robots is not really a thing yet, pizza made by hand continues to win the day. A wave of boutique, artisanal establishments, such as Mountain View’s Doppio Zero and Pizza Bocca Lupo in San Pedro Square, have brought Naples-style pizza to the region. The fusion of old world cuisine with California’s agricultural bounty has always proved a winning combination, and stoking flames with long-handled tools may just be all the technology we need.
Round Table Pizza
Round Table Pizza was founded by William Larson, who was born in San Jose and raised in Palo Alto. After serving four years in the U.S. Navy and working various jobs, Larson opened his first pizza parlor on Dec. 21, 1959, at 1235 El Camino Real in Menlo Park. He named the restaurant Round Table Pizza, inspired by the round redwood tables that he and his father built for the establishment.
A few years later, the business relocated to 1225 El Camino Real, where it remains to this day. The Menlo Park restaurant is now owned and operated by Bob Larson, William’s son, continuing the family tradition. Today, Round Table Pizza operates more than 410 locations across the western United States.
Mountain Mike’s Pizza
The first Mountain Mike’s Pizza was opened in 1978 by Thomas Van Buskirk in Palo Alto. Over the years, the brand expanded from a single pizzeria into a robust franchise. In 2017, the company was acquired by Chris Britt and Ed St. Geme, ushering in a period of accelerated growth.
Under CEO Jim Metevier, Mountain Mike’s saw remarkable success, with a 32% increase in store sales over a five-year period, according to a 2024 press release. The franchise now boasts nearly 300 locations across the western United States. Its top-performing stores reported impressive revenues, with the top 10% earning $1.8 million annually and the top 25% averaging $1.6 million.
Pizza My Heart
Pizza My Heart was founded in 1981 in Capitola as a small beachside pizzeria. Known for its casual surfer vibe and signature pizza-by-the-slice, the brand quickly gained popularity among locals, visitors and college students in Santa Cruz County.
Meanwhile Chuck Hammers had established Pizza-a-Go-Go in downtown San Jose in the mid 1980s. The contemporary pizzeria was known for its hearty, East Coast-style pizza. In 1997, Hammers acquired Pizza My Heart and rebranded his Pizza-a-Go-Go locations with the PMH name. Hammers grew the brand while staying true to its surf theme and laid-back roots, and the company expanded significantly, emphasizing creative offerings and its now-iconic Pizza My Heart T-shirts.
Today, Pizza My Heart operates more than 25 locations across the San Francisco Bay Area and Central Coast and was voted Best of Silicon Valley in the most recent Metro Silicon Valley readers’ poll.
Pizza Time Theater
In May 1977, Pizza Time Theater opened its doors in San Jose. The concept was the brainchild of Nolan Bushnell, the legendary video game inventor and CEO of Atari. Originally part of Atari, Pizza Time Theater combined family dining with cutting-edge entertainment, featuring animatronic characters. The star of the show was Chuck E. Cheese, a giant, cigar-smoking rat with a bowler hat, buck teeth and a New Jersey accent.
The venues also included video game arcades, which quickly became a major draw. Pizza Time Theater gained rapid popularity, and when the Sunnyvale-based company went public in 1981, its stock soared. Despite ownership changes and ups and downs over nearly half a century, Chuck E. Cheese remains a beloved brand with more than 600 locations worldwide, including in the United States, Canada, Asia, Latin America, Europe and the Middle East.
A Slice of New York
A Slice of New York was founded in 2006 by Kirk Vartan and Marguerite Lee, bringing New York-style pizza to the South Bay. Inspired by their roots in New York, the founders sought to recreate the flavors and atmosphere of an East Coast pizzeria, offering everything from foldable slices to hearty calzones. The flagship store opened on Stevens Creek Boulevard in San Jose and a second location opened in Sunnyvale in 2011.
In 2017, A Slice of New York made history by transitioning to an employee-owned cooperative model. Under this model, staff members became co-owners of the business, sharing both profits and responsibilities. Today, A Slice of New York is recognized not only for its pizza but also as a pioneering example of how businesses can thrive while prioritizing fairness, transparency and collaboration.
Tony & Alba’s
Tony & Alba’s Pizza and Pasta was established in June 1982 by Tony and Alba Salciccia in Mountain View. The couple took over an existing pizzeria, starting with just a brick oven and a few tables. Their dedication to authentic Italian recipes and community engagement quickly garnered a loyal customer base, leading to significant expansion. At its peak, Tony & Alba’s operated multiple locations across the Bay Area and employed nearly 200 people.
In the early 1990s, Tony & Alba’s became a pioneer in online food ordering. Employees at Sun Microsystems developed a system that allowed them to place orders directly from their workstations, making Tony & Alba’s one of the first pizzerias to receive online orders.
Today, the original Mountain View location has closed, but the legacy continues with a restaurant on Stevens Creek Boulevard in San Jose, operated by daughter Diana and her husband, Al Vallorz.
Tony Gemignani
Pizza chef and restaurateur Tony Gemignani grew up in Fremont back when it was carpeted with apricot and cherry orchards. Gemignani spent time in his youth working on his grandfather’s farm, which cultivated a variety of produce. As farmland gave way to housing during Silicon Valley’s technology boom, Gemignani left Fremont in his twenties and began building a pizza empire. In 2007 he won the title of World Champion Pizza Maker at the World Pizza Cup in Naples, Italy, becoming the first American to win the title. The 13-time world pizza champion established a network of restaurants, including Slice House, a fast-casual pizza franchise. The fast-expanding chain has 28 locations, in addition to outposts at casinos and stadiums, with plans to add at least 100 more.
