A red neon sign on U Street Pizza’s dining room wall reminds guests, “All you need is pizza,” but their menu tells a different story. Union restaurateur Marie Petulla and executive chef Chris Keyser debuted U Street next door to their Pasadena flagship in April. U Street initially kept their menu tight during the pandemic, but now that the fog is lifting, they’ve bulked up offerings that extend well beyond pizza.
The mission statement glows in neon at U Street Pizza.
With both Union and U Street Pizza, Petulla aims for “white tablecloth service in a casual, neighborhood environment,” though the restaurants are hardly identical twins. “When I conceptualize restaurants, I visualize them as a person,” she says. “U Street is the playful and creative little brother to Union. Union is the more refined older sister to U Street.”
Keyser is a New York native and Marc Vetri protégée who rose through Union’s ranks to become executive chef. Petulla was “thrilled to see Union’s evolution” and rewarded him with the culinary reins at neighboring U Street Pizza.
Neapolitan and Detroit-style pizzas may be trendier in L.A. at the moment, but Petulla and Keyser pointed their compass towards New York. “Marie and I wanted to gear our pizzas towards the nostalgic New York pizzas we grew up eating,” Keyser says.
U Street Pizza's pepperoni pie
Choosing an oven is also a key decision for a pizzaiolo. “Deck ovens are the mainstay of any New York pizza restaurant I ate at growing up,” Keyser says. “After consulting with a few of our friends in the pizza-making industry, it became obvious that the electric deck oven was a no-brainer.”
Preferred pizza toppings are another endless source of debate. “Simplicity is key, and complexity really is the kiss of death for New York-style pizza,” Keyser says. It’s possible to get basic Margherita and pepperoni pies, but U Street Pizza excels with creative toppings (and names) for their “house pies.” For instance, Ari’s Grande Cheese pairs Provolone with meatballs, pickled Fresno peppers, garlic oil, and oregano. A-A-Ron translates to a Provolone, mozzarella, green garlic, red onion, mushroom, oregano, and roasted garlic pizza. Their clam pie differs from New Haven versions, starring shucked little neck clams nestled amidst mozzarella, flor di latte, parsley, garlic, lemon, and Fiscalini cheddar.
U Street Pizza's soft-serve ice cream, Choco Taco, and other fun desserts.
Names often reference team members who develop particular pizzas. Titles like Ari’s Grande Cheese and A-A-Ron seemingly honor pop star Ariana Grande and Key & Peele’s legendary substitute teacher sketch, but these puns are actually rewards for staff contributions. “We like to include all our team members in the creative process and collectively agree on names,” Keyser confirms. Yes, Clam Francisco name checks Fran, U Street’s general manager.
U Street Pizza also encourages customers to “Be You!” That means choosing from three bases — red, white, and cheese — and drawing from a list of toppings like anchovies, black olives, and pineapple. Diners can also take U Street’s crispy, pliable crusts for a “little dip” in ranch, vodka sauce, and/or giardiniera.
U Street Pizza's pork chop Milanese.
“Even though pizza is the star of the show doesn’t mean the rest of our dishes can’t be exceptional,” Keyser says. “We always have seasonal small plates that are built for comfort, fun, and sharing.” They also offer inspired salads, bone-in pork chop Milanese, and soft-serve fior di latte ice cream swirled with market fruit.
Union and U Street are similarly committed to seasonality and locality. “Both restaurants find inspiration in the bounty and diversity of Southern California,” Petulla says. “Union’s roots are Northern Italy where U Street is guided a bit by the East Coast Italian-American experience.”
“The menu for U Street is evolving,” Petulla says. “It is currently in an adolescent phase in terms of how expansive it will become. As our cocktail and wine program develops, the menu will continue to expand.”
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