It may have taken a few years for 800 Degrees to make its way to The Eastside after debuting back in 2012 in Westwood Village, but as of last Friday night, the “Chipotle of pizza” is officially slangin’ damn good Neapolitan-style pies in Old Pasadena! Hooray!

800 Degrees was created by Chef Anthony Carron, in partnership with Umami Restaurant Group (Umami Burger, Red Medicine, and Umamicatessen) and Allen Ravert.

The restaurant is housed in an impressive two-story space designed in 1929 by John C. Austin, who was also responsible for Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles City Hall, and the Shrine Auditorium. 800 Degrees fires its pizzas (at 800 degrees, of course!) in a custom Mario Acunto wood-burning brick oven, promising guests “a 125 year-old classic in 60 seconds or less.”

All pizzas are made with Italian “00” flour, fresh mozzarella, imported Italian tomatoes, and extra virgin olive oil.

In addition to pizza pies of all stripes, 800 degrees offers an array of small bites, including an entire section of the menu dedicated to locally made burrata. We thoroughly adored the Prosciutto, melon, and arugula preparation this evening.

We also shared a small salad with butter lettuce, candied walnuts, dried cranberries, and gorgonzola crumbles lightly dressed in a vinaigrette.

The most indulgent starter, by far, was the truffle cheese bread. While I was imagining crusty toast points draped with melted boschetto di tartufo, what arrived was a monstrously portioned stromboli packed with melty mozzarella, garlic, and parmigiano. It was as truffle-y as hoped and very delicious!

Moving on to the pizza portion of our supper, I selected the “Margherita Doc” made with mozzarella di bufala, cherry tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and basil. I added on olive oil-packed Sicilian anchovies for a pungent punch.

The crust, pliable and toasty, was as fantastic as I remembered from the original Westwood location. The toppings were stellar as well, especially those little salty fishes that brightened each bite with a bit of funk.

The Astronomer was as pleased as pie with his “Zucca,” a fall-inspired creation made with butternut squash, caramelized onions, bacon, and rosemary oil. The cubes of perfectly sweet and tender squash were especially delightful.

To finish, two scoops of gelato from Gelato Lounge in Marina del Rey—mango for him, pistachio for her. Yum.

While 800 Degrees is largely credited with pioneering the assembly-line pizza boom, competing fast-casual pizza concepts like Blaze and PizzaRev have expanded more aggressively in recent years. For me though, all good things are worth waiting for, and that is certainly the case with 800 Degrees. Welcome to the neighborhood.

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800 Degrees
2 E. Colorado Boulevard
Pasadena, CA 91105

One year ago: Shanghainese Home Cooking at Lánxīn Cāntīng – Shanghai
Two years ago: {swoon} Double Cheeseburger at Hawkins House of Burgers
Three years ago: Saigon Classic: Bún Bò Huế Yên Đỗ
Four years ago: L.A. County Fair 2010 – Pomona
Five years ago: Blue Hill at Stone Barns – Pocantico Hills
Six years ago: Muscadine Cobbler
Seven years ago: Vegetation Profile: Ambarella
Eight years ago: Twice-Baked Potatoes with Goat Cheese, Leeks & Turkey Bacon