Reviewing Pizza Antica: Wood-fired pizzas at Santana Row in San Jose.

In the heart of bustling Santana Row sits Pizza Antica garnering a large crowd of people for their delicious food and drinks. Despite being in a popular outdoor mall filled with various eateries, Pizza Antica holds its own and I was excited to finally see what they were offering that kept the people coming back. 

For a Thursday night, they were extremely busy with every table filled with people chatting and enjoying their dinner. We were a bit worried about a long wait time, however, we were seated in about 15 minutes on the patio and were greeted by our server with water and menus. Their menu is simple with a few appetizers, salads, pasta, and of course, the star of the show – the pizza. They also have a drinks menu, and I noticed that they had a “Summer of Spritzes” menu where the proceeds of sales would go towards providing humanitarian relief for people affected by the war in Ukraine. I was immediately sold since the drinks sounded divine and they were supporting a great cause.

I decided to go with the Melon Cali’ since it had a medley of unique flavors I’d never had in a spritz before such as watermelon, basil, and yuzu-lime soda. The drink was super pretty in a soft pink gradient with an actual watermelon slice. I loved the blend of sweet and tangy, and it was dangerous because I could barely taste the alcohol.

After much deliberation, we decided to share a Caesar salad and two pizzas – the Summer Pepper and Heirloom Potato. The Caesar salad came out fairly quickly and had large leaves of fresh, crisp lettuce with a mound of freshly grated Grana Padano and cracked black pepper. We requested for the dressing to be on the side since I am not a huge fan of salad drenched in dressing. This was one of the best Caesar salads I have had by far because of the freshness of the lettuce and the quality of the ingredients. It is extremely hard to do a simple dish great, but Pizza Antica has hit the nail on the head for this one. The pizzas arrived soon after that and I was hit with the decadent smell of truffle oil and charred dough. The Heirloom potato is one of their most popular pizzas and rightfully so, with thin slices of potato and chives covering the entire pie and the aroma of white truffle oil instantly activating my salivary glands.

I could not wait to take a bite and it was just as rich and decadent as I had imagined with a surprising bite of caramelized onions underneath the potatoes and cheese. Moving on to the Summer Pepper which was right down the alley of my usual favorites on a pizza. I am a red sauce girl through and through and I knew this was the right pick for me once I read “spicy tomato sauce” I was delighted to see the pizza topped with slices of thin bell peppers with loads of melted, gooey cheese almost covering the whole pie. I enjoyed the contrasting textures and flavors of the Summer Pepper from the crunch of the peppers to the fattiness of the pancetta. The dough of the pizzas was the best part with a slightly charred crust and the bubbles from the air pockets that formed while baking.  

I had one of my best dining experiences ever at Pizza Antica. I would highly recommend ordering exactly what I ordered because it was a great way to understand why Pizza Antica keeps the crowds coming again and again. They have perfected the craft of making simple taste great with their fresh ingredients and high-quality craftsmanship.