Basic Bar & Pizza in San Diego, CA: Brick Oven Pizza

The red brick exterior of Basic Bar & Pizza in San Diego, California

Basic Bar & Pizza, located in the East Village of downtown San Diego, is a restaurant known for its thin-crust brick oven pizzas. It is also popular with locals and visitors because of its one-page drink menu and happy hour specials.

I first heard about Basic Bar & Pizza through a friend, who found out through a friend, who found out through another friend. He told me about a unique pizza with mashed potatoes and bacon. He got my attention when he said “bacon,” so I knew it had to be good.

When I was in San Diego for a baseball game between the San Diego Padres and the Los Angeles Angels, I knew exactly where I was going first for pizza and beer. And that was Basic Bar & Pizza, located only a few blocks from the stadium.

Interior

Basic Bar & Pizza is easy to spot in the East Village of San Diego. The beautiful old brick warehouse which houses the restaurant dates back to 1912.

When I walked inside, I felt like I had traveled back in time. Though modern, the design worked well with the building’s historic touches.

The dining area was spacious and simple, with industrial touches. The open dining room had concrete floors, heavy industrial-style tables and chairs, tall wooden ceilings, brick walls, and exposed air conditioning ducts.

The vaulted wooden ceilings and tall brick walls made the dining room appear larger than it was. It also gave the modern design a somewhat rustic feeling. Large windows, almost as tall as the ceilings, allowed lots of natural light into the restaurant.

The large spinning ceiling fan was the highlight of the design. This fan, which was more form than function, had to be one of the largest fans I have ever seen. I couldn’t take my eyes off of it.

What I enjoyed the most about Basic was the vibe. The place felt laid back and casual. Nothing too fancy or pretentious, even in the evening. There is no need to worry about getting dressed up unless you want.

Basic Bar & Pizza Menu

The menu at Basic Bar & Pizza was small and simple. You could choose from gourmet pizzas along with a green or Caesar salad.

For pizzas, you could design your pie starting with a red, white, or gluten-free base. Next, you could choose your toppings including cheese, meat, and veggies.

If creating your pizza seems too complicated, you can order one of the classic pies, including the Mashed, Marg, and BBQ Chicken.

As for drinks, you had a good selection of wine (white, red, bubbles), beer (draft, bottles, cans, pitchers), and cocktails.

Basic Bar & Pizza also offers happy hour every day from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM. On the happy hour menu, you will find specials on certain beers, wine, and cocktails.

Mashed Pizza

I heard many great things about the Mashed Pizza ($22.00 for small or $30.00 for large). This unique pizza consisted of white sauce, mozzarella, mashed potatoes, and bacon. This thing was massive. And I ordered the small. I can’t imagine how many people the large could feed.

The thin crust reminded me of New York-style pizza. The crust was light and airy while thick enough to keep it from falling apart from the weight of the ingredients and sauce. Each bite was crunchy and salty. Cooking the pizza inside a hot brick oven ensured a charred and smoky bottom crust.

The white sauce, mozzarella cheese, mashed potatoes, and bacon were simple. What made this pizza special was the combination of these ingredients.

The white sauce was rich, salty, and garlicky. Mixed in with the sauce was a thick layer of greasy mozzarella. The combination of white sauce and gooey cheese was fantastic.

The most unique part of the pizza was the mashed potatoes. The gritty, buttery, soft chunks of potatoes added an interesting texture and creaminess to each bite. The potatoes on this pizza were a great example of how something simple can still be creative.

Each bite of bacon added wonderful smoky and salty flavors to the rich, garlicky pizza. Not only did the bacon add flavor, but it also added a crispy and crunchy texture to each bite. My only problem? I wanted more bacon.

Each ingredient in this pizza complemented the other without being overpowering. The crunchy texture of the crust and bacon worked well with the rich sauce, buttery potatoes, and melted cheese. Who knew that a pizza with mashed potatoes could be so delicious?

Service

For such a great location in downtown San Diego, I was surprised by how friendly and unpretentious the service was. All the servers seemed to have a smile on their faces and were happy to help each guest.

There was no wait for a table, even on a busy day. And food and drinks arrived quickly and correctly.

With great food and friendly servers, I had no complaints about the service.

Conclusion

The Mashed Pizza was one of the most unique and delicious pizzas I have ever had. It shows how something so simple can still be delicious when executed perfectly.

I wish there were more local craft beers on tap, but with great food, service, and vibe, there’s no reason not to stop by for a pizza and drink.

So, if you want pizza and beer in downtown San Diego, especially before a baseball game, then Basic Bar & Pizza is a great place to try.