Pizzeria da Laura is a corner pizza joint in the heart of Berkeley,
Where pizza, pasta and good drinks bring people together to connect and celebrate. Tucked into a vibrant art deco building on the bustling Shattuck Square, Pizzeria da Laura is a love letter to the pizza community of the Bay Area and the quirky people of all ages who raise a glass to the good life.
Laura brings her passion for dough fermentation to a new kind of pizzeria,
Where a variety of styles and traditional methods blend effortlessly with Laura’s warm, welcoming hospitality. Pizzeria da Laura is a classic pizzeria reimagined, elevating the humble pie with perfectly mixed classic cocktails, a killer women-led wine list, and inventive pasta dishes that are house-made with love.
Chef Laura Meyer
Born and raised in Hayward, California, Laura Meyer’s first job was working at Pyzano’s Pizza, her local pizzeria. At just 17 years old, the pizzeria was where Laura met her mentor, Tony Gemignani, and her career as a pizzaiola began. After high school, Laura went to earn her Bachelor’s Degree, when she discovered her passion for culture and food while studying abroad in Italy. Upon graduating, Laura moved to San Francisco to take the helm at Tony’s Pizza Napoletana as kitchen manager alongside Tony himself. With Tony, Laura honed her skills in fermentation and perfecting more than 10 regional styles of pizza.
In 2013, Laura took her competitive spirit back to Italy where she won first place in her first competition in Parma, Italy, becoming the first woman and first American to win the Pizza in Teglia category. The following year, she won Best Non-Traditional Pizza at Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. In 2019, she won first place at the Caputo Cup in Naples, Italy for Best American-Style Pizza, once again becoming the first—this time winning in a newly created category in one of Italy’s oldest pizza competitions. Throughout her tenure at Tony’s, Laura's rising success earned her recognition as SF Chronicle’s Rising Star Chef, an Eater Young Gun, and one of Zagat’s 30 Under 30, and was named Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2016.
Amid the pandemic, Laura dipped her toes into the waters of entrepreneurship, opening Focaccia da Laura, a focaccia pop-up. Given the success and prospects of Focaccia da Laura, Laura made the decision to depart Tony’s wing after nearly 20 years to open Pizzeria da Laura in Berkeley, California
THE MENU
Chef Laura’s menu is inspired by and named for the influential people in her life – with a variety of styles using traditional methods that blend effortlessly with Laura’s warm, welcoming hospitality. Tucked into a vibrant art deco building on the bustling Shattuck Square, Pizzeria da Laura is a love letter to the pizza community. The classic pizzeria reimagined had elevated the humble pie with perfectly mixed classic cocktails, a killer women-led wine list and inventive pasta dishes that are house-made with love.
At Pizzeria da Laura it’s all about the pan-style pizza. Laura showcases her mastery of dough fermentation through multiple pizza styles ranging from New York to Sicilian, Detroit to Grandma style. Unlike your average pizzeria, guests choose their topping combination paired with one of Laura’s signature pizza styles.
