
Long a cult classic on college campuses, Woodstock’s Pizza is coming to Pacific Beach. The new pizza joint and hangout at 1221 Garnet Ave. is having its grand opening on Friday. “We’re really excited about finally being able to open in Pacific Beach because we’ve been wanting to be open here for the last 10 years,” said restaurant co-owner Laura Ambrose. “Finally, it’s happening.” Woodstock’s Pizza got started Corvallis, Ore. in 1977 and the Pacific Beach restaurant is its newest. Each of its other locations are situated near college campuses up and down the state of California, including one near San Diego State University. “We describe ourselves as the quintessential college hangout’ because we’ve traditionally been in college markets and near major universities,” Ambrose said. “And our goal has always been to serve the best possible pizzas in a setting where people feel comfortable chilling out and having a good time.” In its 30th year in California, Woodstock’s Pizza has become known for its fresh ingredients and fun times. In terms of actual pizza, it starts with their crust, which is full of sauce. “The crust is folded over on the outer edge of the pizza so that the sauce is actually captured within the layer of crust,” Ambrose said. “We tell people if you left the crust you shouldn’t, because it’s better than the average crust.” Ambrose said Woodstock Pizza pies stand out because of the spicy sauce, loads of toppings, 100 percent whole milk mozzarella cheese and the option of a wheat crust. The Pacific Beach menu will include a brand new seafood pizza, aptly named “The Triton” after UCSD’s mascot. “We’ve established a reputation over the years that has largely been built on the kinds of pizzas that we build from scratch every day,” Ambrose said. At each stop, Woodstock’s Pizza has also earned the reputation as a place to hang out. Weekly events include Trivia Tuesdays and Pint Night Wednesdays, the first of which is scheduled for March 3. “The slogan for our employees is ‘Work hard, have fun,’” Ambrose said. “We really emphasize that and I think that because our employees are a pretty lively, fun crew, it tends to make it a fun place for our customers, too.” While Pacific Beach falls outside of the “college town” realm of Woodstock Pizza’s other locations, Ambrose said college students in the area give it that vibe. She pointed out that students from each of the four major universities in the area call Pacific Beach home. “The demographics indicate that there are more students population-wise in Pacific Beach than in any other community in San Diego,” Ambrose said. WOODSTOCK’S PIZZA WHERE: 1221 Garnet Ave. HOURS: Open daily from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. INFORMATION: www.woodstockspb.com or www.facebook.com/woodstockspb.