Iconic Golden Boy Pizza to open second S.F. location
One of the most beloved pizza spots in San Francisco has plans to launch a second location in the city — 46 years after it first opened in North Beach.
Golden Boy Pizza will open a new Parkside location at 1447 Taraval St. Owner Peter Sodini told the Chronicle the plan is to serve customers by mid-to-late March. Expect to find the same walk-up service and light yet crunchy Sicilian-style square pies with toppings like sausage, pesto with vegetables and the special garlic with clams served whole by the pan or in square slices.
The pizzeria takes over the former location of Marco Polo Italian Ice Cream, known for its gelato flavored with Asian ingredients. Marco Polo closed in October and is relocating to 3886 Noriega St. with a spring opening in the works. The space, said Sodini, was “almost made to be a Golden Boy.”
The expansion was first reported by Eater SF.
Sodini said business has been good at the original location on Green Street, but Parkside looked like a good neighborhood to get into since there are not a lot of delivery options, and deliveries from North Beach were too distant. The move into the 800square-foot location is somewhat turnkey, as it just needs some cosmetic work inside. Sodini hopes to add an outdoor parklet.
Sodini opened Golden Boy Pizza in North Beach in 1978, followed by a second location in San Mateo. Day-to-day business is now handled by Sodini’s sons Julian, Alex and Luca. “I’m too damn old,” said Sodini, 64.
In the intervening years, Golden Boy has become a favorite of tourists and bar hoppers after dark, gathering under the slice shop’s instantly recognizable pointing finger sign. When the new location opens, it will also feature a neon sign with the same design, built by highly respected Oakland signmaker Jim Rizzo of Neon Works.
After Parkside, more Golden Boys could be on the way. “We’re building slow. We’re the little train that could,” Sodini said. “We do have more locations in mind, but we are planning to expand little by little when we can feel complete comfort in doing so.”