99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall at Mission Pizza & Pub, Fremont, CA
A local establishment that’s been run by the same family for over 20 years, Mission Pizza is a surprising spot, not just for food, but entertainment, too. In all those years of experience, this pizza place has discovered some crazy combos: the ’55 Bacon Cheese Burger pizza and the St. Paddy’s Corned Beef and Cabbage pizza – both with mustard sauce instead of your typical tomato sauce. Some cultural cuisines are also represented, like the Portagee Surf ‘n’ Turf, with shrimp and linguica, Amit’s Mission Masala, and a spicy Thai-inspired pizza called Gabriel’s Fire. The Ragin’ Cajun, Philly Cheesesteak pizza, and a southwestern pie offer specialties inspired by regions around the US. The menu features a whole section of pizzas topped with shrimp or salmon, and vegetarian and gluten-free options as well. The pizzas here ooze creativity along with the cheese. And if those unique unions aren’t interesting enough, you can always create your own combo, choosing from any of the 41 toppings and 7 sauces – or make it a calzone if that’s what you’re feeling.
What else could you want? Beer, you say? Of course, what better combination than pizza and beer. Mission Pizza has you covered – a selection of over 30 microbrews and imports are available.
Cold brews and innovative eats are not the only draws to Mission Pizza – as if you needed another reason to spend an evening there. Live music entertains on stage at this pizza parlor every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
The Location
The name says it all – Mission Pizza is located in Fremont’s Mission district, right off the I-680. The restaurant is situated in a nondescript shopping center near the intersection of Washington Boulevard and Paseo Padre.
Address: 1572 Washington Blvd.
Fremont, CA 94539
Phone: (510) 651-6858
The Hours
- Monday through Thursday 11 am – 9:30 pm
- Friday 11 am – 10 pm
- Saturday 11:30 am – 10 pm
- Sunday 11:30 am – 9:30 pm
The Ambiance
Mission Pizza’s atmosphere is comfortable, quirky, and cool. It’s a hip hangout for young adults and a family-friendly pizza parlor, all in one. Picnic table style seating provides plenty of seating inside and out, and the long tables near the stage are great for large groups or for meeting some new friends while you eat, drink, and enjoy music. The walls are full of flair, plastered with memorabilia ranging from fiddles to carburetors, and tons of beer – signs, bottles, and beet tap handles.
This is a neighborhood pizzeria, reminiscent of days of old, when local places like this were the meeting spot after events. The feeling is complete with old-school arcade in the corner.
The live music is an important part of Mission Pizza’s ambiance. Mill Creek Ramblers grace the stage many nights, but the night we went, we saw Footprints, a bluegrass band that transported us all to another time and place with their gentle tunes.
The Service
It’s a pizza parlor, so there isn’t a whole lot of serving going on. Drinks other than beer are self-service, as is the salad station, but the staff does bring the food out to your table and also wraps up your leftovers to go. Everyone was friendly, helpful, and very busy. We were there in the middle of the dinner rush, and they quoted us a 45-minute wait for the food. I don’t think it took that long, but I really didn’t notice, because the music and vibrancy of the joint kept me plenty occupied.
The Food
Mission Pizza’s creative combos are what first enticed me and did not disappoint. We went for something a bit unusual but not off-the-wall – Andromeda Skye’s Galaxy. A Greek themed pie, the Andromeda Skye’s Galaxy is piled high with shredded spinach, black olives, red onions, sun-dried tomatoes, sausage, and peperoncini for a kick. The pizza is sprinkled with feta cheese and topped with a tasty pesto sauce, in addition to the garlic tomato sauce base. This specialty is certainly inspired, covering a range of flavors that includes spicy, sweet, savory, and a bit tart with the pickled peperoncini.
The crust at Mission Pizza is not quite thin crust, but not deep dish either. It’s somewhere in between: a little bit thick, with just the right amount of crunch. It’s sturdy enough to hold up all of those toppings, but not thin enough to fold (not that I’d ever eat my pizza that way). It’s a good middle ground.
The combo I sampled tantalized my taste buds and I would absolutely get it again – eventually. There are so many other pizzas to check off the list first.
