Pizza hotline

June’s Pizza (Oakland)

RESTAURANTS • First Person

June’s Pizza owner Craig Murli, a former Atelier Crenn chef, started shoveling pizza out of a West Oakland shipping container in 2020 and the business swiftly became the East Bay’s hottest pizza ticket. The party ended in 2021, when the Alameda County health department shut down the (as it turned out) unpermitted business. Three years later — and legitimately, this time — June’s reopened last fall in an Oakland warehouse.

A nondescript industrial exterior gives way to a blast of sunny yellow tiles leading to a massive oven in an open kitchen. The ticketing system is a delight: Place an order at the counter and watch the ticket fly down a zipline. Catch a seat in the minimalist dining room, get started on a glass of wine, and watch the pros work their dough.

Life feels simpler with only two options on the menu — the margherita and “the special.” On a recent winter night, that meant a very Cali combo of sweet persimmons, frilly mustard greens, and fatty guanciale. We ordered both, then blanched at the size of these pies — larger than extra large. It’s a fully fermented, flavorful sourdough crust with a woodfire blister. My former New Yorker friend conceded: this is some excellent pizza.

The most distinctive detail might be the cheese styling. For that final sprinkle, they shred it super fine, long, draping it all the way over the crust. The occasional drift hits the table, and one snowflake even settled in my glass of wine. I didn’t mind in the slightest.

June’s also happens to be next door to Brix Factory Brewing, as complimentary a neighbor as you could find. Slide next door for an (also excellent) IPA once you’ve finished wrestling the remains of your enormous pizza into a box, and maybe dusted some wayward cheese off your jeans. –Becky Duffett

→ June’s Pizza (Oakland) • 2408 Mandela Pkwy • Wed-Sun 4p-12a • Walk-ins only.