FOODIE FIND

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FOODIE FIND

MORE WOOD-FIRED PIES WE LOVE

BENE RISTORANTE ITALIANO

423 Main Street, Placerville 530-303-3415, eatpizzabene.com

BLVD 41

4364 Town Center Boulevard, Suite 134, El Dorado Hills, 916-235-2337, blvd41.com

IL PIZZAIOLO

3640 Taylor Road, Loomis, 916-672-6556, ilpizzaiolowoodfiredpizza.com

NEWCASTLE PIZZERIA

505 Main Street, Newcastle, 916-672-6263; 6696 Lonetree Boulevard, Suite 100, Rocklin, 916-899-6177, newcastlepizzeria.com

THE PLACE

221 Vernon Street, Roseville, 916-742-5447; 2530 Pleasant Valley Road, Placerville, 530-621-1680; thatlittleitalianplace.com

Flour Dust Pizza // Pizza is one of the most perfect, mouthwatering meals. But when a chef travels to Italy to learn from the finest, then opens a catering service and subsequently a restaurant in Roseville, you know you’re getting the best of the best. Flour Dust Pizza makes their delicious pies with imported “OO” flour and San Marzano tomatoes from Italy, which adds to their authenticity (and deliciousness). I went with the Terri, which didn’t actually have tomatoes, but didn’t need them either. Smoked salmon, smoked Gouda, shaved Parmesan, arugula, oven-charred lemons, roasted leeks, and pesto made this pizza original and very, very good. The flavors complemented each other perfectly, and it was a nice variation from your run-of-the-mill pepperoni. My husband went with the Kami, featuring spicy feta sauce, fresh mozzarella, house-made Italian sausage, red onion shavings, Parmesan cheese, and a drizzle of Calabrian pepper purée. They have several other unique pizzas that all sound scrumptious and also serve a Caesar salad (and a spicy variation of it with fried salami crisps!), a shaved apple salad, and a beet salad, as well as hand-pulled mozzarella, made with caramelized onions and sweet peppers. No meal is complete without dessert, right? Choose from cannoli, affogato (ice cream, pistachios, and a shot of espresso) or the magnificent and impressive s’more calzone. It’s big, as good as it sounds, and definitely shareable. I won’t judge you if you don’t share, though. 5080 Foothills Boulevard, Suite 5, Roseville, 916-773-5080, flourdustpizza.com —Julie Ryan