California Pizza Kitchen El Paseo Collection California Pizza Kitchen

California Pizza Kitchen Menu

CPK offers four-ounce pours of wine, flatbreads and small shareable plates in addition to the pizza that made it famous.
Openings: Lunch & Dinner daily

Features


California Pizza Kitchen Restaurant Review:



About the restaurant: Pizza was a rather predictable commodity until CPK arrived on the scene in the 1980s and started serving pies like the B.L.T., complete with mayo, and the barbecued chicken, both of which helped spawn a food craze.

Likes: Curbside service for to-go orders.
Dislikes: Chain vibe.

Food & Drinks: These days, this large chain maintains the status quo with its two-dozen or so pizza combinations, but it also introduced a pizza offspring: flatbreads. These selections help to break the pizza monotony with toppings like whipped truffle cream, Gorgonzola, mozzarella and fresh sage. CPK offers small plates, salads, sandwiches and, oddly enough, tacos, too. Crispy mac ‘n’ cheese features four bite-size noodle patties covered in panko, lightly fried, and then tossed in a creamy cheese sauce --- a nice meal for one. Asparagus and arugula salad is equally satisfying and is presented with a display of sun-dried tomatoes, shaved Parmesan and a light drizzle of lemon vinaigrette. While the wine list won’t win any awards, the four-ounce pours have us raising our glasses and, when paired with one of the small plates, we have no reason to pass on one of the desserts.