Everyone has that one friend who won’t shut up about a tiny pizza shop on the edge of town.
In Tierrasanta, that obsession point is The Pizza Standard, a Brooklyn-style slice haven turning casual curiosity into full-blown addiction one giant 18-inch pie at a time. 🍕🔥
This Tierrasanta Pizza Secret Is Blowing Up San Diego’s Food Scene
Tierrasanta’s pizza scene went from non-existent to destination-level almost overnight thanks to a simple formula: one size, dialed-in quality, and limited hours that make each visit feel like an event.
The owners began making pizza because they were home sick for East Coast–style slices, and a quick search revealed something shocking: Tierrasanta didn’t have a single pizzeria, a detail they spell out on their own “Why we do it” page.
From that moment, it became a mission—go from none to number one—by creating 18-inch pies using fermented dough for a “delicious yeasty flavor,” sauce cooked from thick whole-peeled tomatoes, and cheeses grated in-house, all laid out in their How we do it section.
They keep things intentionally focused—18-inch pies, slices from a hot case, one customizable salad, and a tiramisu they literally warn you not to sleep on in the Drinks, Salads & Tiramisu section.
Instead of twenty pages of options, you get a tight menu where every choice has been obsessively tweaked, a strategy that mirrors other beloved neighborhood pizzerias highlighted in San Diego pizza guides.
That focus created a feedback loop: fewer distractions in the kitchen meant more consistency on the crust, sauce, and toppings, so customers kept leaving glowing reviews about perfectly charred yet chewy crust, thin slices that hold up to folding, and enough flavor that you don’t need to drown anything in extra toppings.
Soon you had pizza fans driving out of their usual radius to Tierrasanta, grabbing whole pies or mix-and-match slices like Margherita, carnivore-heavy combinations, and white pies, and calling it some of the best New York–style pizza they’d found in the city on platforms like Poyst and MapQuest.
Throw in a cozy, neighborhood feel and a staff frequently described as friendly and passionate in online reviews, and suddenly this small shop wasn’t just another pizza place—it was a must-try pilgrimage for serious slice hunters. ✈️🍕
Food Highlights
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18-Inch Brooklyn-Style Cheese Pie: The core of the menu—one giant, thin-crust canvas with fermented dough, cooked-tomato sauce, and house-grated cheese creating that classic New York foldable slice described on the official site.
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Pepperoni Pizza: Built on that same massive 18-inch base, topped with high-demand pepperoni the owner calls “the most sought after on the market,” a fun detail shared in their pepperoni breakdown.
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Carnivore Pie: A meat lover’s dream frequently praised by families ordering through platforms like Slice, this hearty meat-loaded pizza feeds a crowd while keeping the crust crisp enough to support every topping.
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Margherita Slice: A go-to for purists, this slice showcases the balance between tangy sauce, fresh-tasting cheese, and that thin yet sturdy crust, often mentioned approvingly in Yelp reviews from New York transplants.
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Deluxe White Slice: A white-based slice highlighted by reviewers for its lemon zest and pickled onion snap, offering a lighter but flavor-packed option that still delivers the crunch and chew you want in a big slice, as noted on One Bite.
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House Salad With Your Toppings: A single salad option with your choice of toppings and two homemade dressings, perfect for adding something fresh alongside those hefty slices without overcomplicating the menu, described in the Drinks, Salads & Tiramisu section. 🥗
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Tiramisu: The one and only dessert, described as “jam packed with flavor” on their own don’t sleep on the tiramisu teaser—ideal for sharing after splitting a giant pie. 🍰
Atmosphere
The vibe at The Pizza Standard is cozy neighborhood pizzeria meets East Coast slice joint, matching its low-key location on Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
You’ll find a casual, laid-back space where families, friends, and solo slice chasers filter in for giant pies, quick slices from the hot case, and no-fuss seating.
The staff adds to the charm with friendly, easygoing energy that makes repeat visits feel like dropping into your regular spot, a theme echoed across multiple customer reviews.
It’s the kind of place where you can grab a quick bite or linger over a pie and tiramisu and feel like you’re part of the local loop. 😄
Bottom Line
The Pizza Standard is worth a visit for giant 18-inch Brooklyn-style pies, obsessively crafted dough and sauce, craveable pepperoni and carnivore combos, a cozy neighborhood vibe, and that don’t-miss tiramisu waiting at the end of your slice journey. 🍕
Address:
10462 Clairemont Mesa Blvd, San Diego, CA 92124
📞 +1 619-693-8962
🕔 Wed–Thu, 4–8 PM; Friday, 4–9 PM; Saturday, 12–9 PM; Sunday, 12–8 PM (Closed Mon and Tue)