By Denise Ortuno
For fresh quality pizza, calzones and salads with a family flare, Upper Crust in Cathedral City does it right.
It had been some time since I had been to Upper Crust Pizza in Cathedral City. Living on the east side of the valley, I have become a creature of getting my pizza fix nearby. But a recent gathering that I took part of was held at the long standing family owned restaurant, re-introducing itself to me. In business since the early 80’s, Upper Crust has an inviting old school pizza parlor vibe to it. With cushioned square booths lining the windows, and tables spread out in the center ready to be occupied by large parties. They even have a small arcade in the back to keep the kids entertained between pizza slices. It was homey and familiar, and very busy on Saturday afternoon.
As I got up to order my pizza at the counter, I noticed the full view of their kitchen, which was buzzing with activity. All of the staff was engaged in the pizza making process, giving my experience there an extra sense of energy. I really just wanted a slice of pizza, as I didn’t want to commit to a full pie. But they didn’t offer single slices on the weekends so I went for their 8” Mini pizza option. It’s a pretty good deal starting at only $5.95 for the basic model with cheese and sauce, and then goes up from there as you add toppings. I added pepperoni, pineapple and jalapenos, which satisfy my three S’s (savory, spicy and sweet). After no time at all, my pizza was delivered to me. The little guy was adorable, and very hot right out of the oven. With a few cool breaths to drop the temp, I took a bite. The crust had a subtle sweetness to it, and there was no denying the freshness of my toppings. Even though it was just a Mini, I was full after a couple slices and ended up taking the rest home to my grateful boyfriend.
Upper has more than just pizza. They also offer menu items such as their Calzones, which many people in my group were ordering….did I miss something?? The dough for the Calzones, along with their pizzas are made in house, as well as their sauces. They looked massive, way bigger than my little Mini. Like the pizza’s, you can create your own Calzone, or choose from their creations such as the Hombre (ground beef, red onions, black olives, tomatoes and jalapenos), the Italiano (ham, red onions, black olives, and pepperoncini’s) or their Special (Italian salami, ham, red onions and mushrooms), plus others. Their salads are freshly made as well, and you know salad goes perfectly with pizza, like their Antipasto Salad (fresh greens with, salami, ham, mozzarella, tomatoes, red onions, black olives, artichoke hearts and pepperoncini’s with Italian dressing).
I always love to see Coachella Valley restaurants that have been around for decades still thriving, as in the case of Upper Crust Pizza in Cathedral City. With fresh ingredients and friendly family service, there’s no question why they’ve been around for so long, and will continue to be there for pizza lovers for years to come.
Upper Crust Pizza is located at Canyon Plaza South, 67-555 Hwy 111, Cathedral City-760-321-2583
