New pizzeria concept from CPK now open
By Dolores Quintana
ROCA Pizza, a new venture by California Pizza Kitchen co-founder Rick Rosenfield and his wife Esther, is now open in Palisades Village as of March 6, 2023. This is the restaurant’s first permanent location and the second location is planned at The Waterside in Marina Del Rey in the Summer of 2023.
ROCA Pizza’s difference is its Roman-style pizza with a California flair. The Rosenfields discovered the secret to Roman pizza dough a decade ago which is an up to 72-hour-long cold fermentation process which gives the dough an airy, puffy, soft rise with a notable crunch on the outside. The pizzas are then baked in highly specialized Italian-made, humidity-controlled ovens after being adorned with fresh seasonal toppings. One big plus to this style of pizza is that it travels incredibly well and thus is perfect as a delivery or take-out option.
Rick Rosenfield, co-owner and co-founder said, per a press release, “Palisades Village is an important part of the Palisades community and the ideal backdrop for our artisanal product, with its vibrant mix of retailers and impressive culinary offerings. The new space reflects ROCA’s ethos and showcases a product we are extremely proud of, we are eager to introduce ROCA to LA’s Westside”
The original ROCA Pizza was a pop-up that was so popular that it has remained open for a year at the Americana at The Brand outdoor mall.
The Pacific Palisades space is described as a 1,000-square-foot location with a jewel box bakery feel. It features floor-to-ceiling windows that allow natural light to flood the space. A Cambria white stone quartz block is the main counter, while light color tile and stone adorn the walls. A display case exhibits full-pan pizzas that customers can select by the slice by the cut, with half-and full-pan options as well, encouraging guests to enjoy a sampling of several different specialty pizzas. The restaurant also features a grab-and-go section against the back wall with pre-packaged salads as well as sandwiches made from the ROCA pizza dough. The exterior will feature an abundance of outdoor seating between ROCA tables and public Palisades Village seating. A pick-up window for take-out has been installed on the front facade and designated 12-minute short-term parking is available right in front of the restaurant for takeout orders.
In addition to the pizzas, the menu also offers a Roman specialty suppli or Italian snacks made of rice, tomato sauce stringy mozzarella cheese to which you can add sausage and other fillings, salads, appetizers, and Tiramisù dessert. Specifically, some of the menu’s highlights are turkey meatballs, organic turkey, panko, organic oregano, garlic and tomato sauce, Soppressata and Burrata Pizza which is one of their bestsellers with tomato sauce, mozzarella, spicy soppressata, di Stefano burrata, basil Parmigiano oil, Pepperoni Hot Honey made with tomato sauce, pepperoni, mozzarella, gorgonzola, Mike’s hot honey,
Amatriciana Pizza with guanciale or pork cheek, pecorino Romano, mozzarella, tomato sauce, Kale & Almond Salad made with organic kale, avocado, spicy almond dressing, Parmigiano Reggiano, crushed almonds and Caesar Salad with Calabrian Chili dressing made with organic romaine, Parmigiano Reggiano, housemade croutons, Calabrian Chili dressing.
Delivery is available through DoorDash, UberEats, Postmates, Caviar and Grub Hub.
