Finally -- An Alternative to Shuffleboard at Smitty's!

After a long wait, Bar Bocce finally opened here in Sausalito about a week ago, in the space at 1250 Bridgeway just across from CIBO. Below is a picture I took of the site a few weeks back when they were still under construction – it shows the location just south of Paradise Bay (itself reportedly about to become Salito’s, a “crab house and prime rib restaurant”) and Wellington’s Wine Bar. Bar Bocce is affiliated with Bungalow 44 and the Buckeye Roadhouse in Mill Valley, and Pizzeria Picco in Larkspur. The 1250 Bridgeway space has been vacant for over two years following the closing of Northpoint Coffee at the end of 2008 and the rejection by the Sausalito City Council of Peet’s efforts to move in there.

Last night on my way home I stopped by Bar Bocce to check it out and found they had an open spot at their bar. I was alone so just had one of their pizzas – a pork sausage, fennel pollen, scallions and red onion combo. Here is the full menu and my pizza:

Although I was really hoping it would be fantastic, sadly, especially since Bar Bocce boasts a wood burning pizza oven, I thought my pizza was just OK. While the topping was very good, I found the crust, while nicely charred, to be a bit on the doughy side – certainly a step below that of the excellent pizza I had recently at Cotogna in San Francisco. Still, it is a lively and very nicely designed spot and well worth checking out. I certainly plan to go back and explore the menu further. Below are a few shots of the restaurant – both the interior as well as the area behind the building where they have tables, a very nice fire pit surrounded by benches and, or course, the bay-side bocce court!! Look out Smitty’s!