According to industry studies, between 33% and 41% of Americans eat pizza once per week, spending more than $47 billion annually on our favorite fast food.
We love our ‘za.
But some eyebrows were raised when the tiny town of Cotati (population 7,500) got its fourth pizzeria — Slow Co. Pizza — in November. Could there be such a thing as too many pizza restaurants?
The answer is a resounding “no,” as Slow Co. Pizza co-owners Dane Baratta and Dany Cleland take a bite out of not only Cotati’s pizza scene but are impressing pie-eaters throughout Sonoma County.
Their focus is on a “slow” mindset of cooking and eating — using long-fermented dough, family farms and sustainability. The literal opposite of “fast food.” Though the cartoon snail logo for Slow Co. Pizza isn’t a direct reference to the iconic snail of the Slow Food movement, there’s a shared point of view, said Baratta.
“I don’t know if I can claim that we are doing something that doesn’t exist, more so a concept that I don’t think there can ever be enough of,” said Cleland (whose pronouns are they/them).
“Local seasonal food that is simple and done well. Supporting local agriculture and producers and honoring the work they do by making bomb pizza that is served in an environment that is a hang for the community. A pizza spot that is all about ground-up connectedness,” they added.
Baratta and Cleland, both longtime chefs and friends, worked together for several years in Bend, Oregon, where they developed a passion for woodfired pizzas. Baratta moved back to Sonoma County with his family and invited Cleland to open Slow Co. Pizza in Cotati.
“Seasonal foods that I could create and be connective with were always the thing that … hit home. And pizza spoke to this simple and beautiful point … especially doing so in Sonoma County, where everything to make pizza is produced within a 50-mile radius,” said Cleland.
Slow Co. Pizza sources flour from Central Milling in Petaluma, produce from nearby Coyote Family Farm and FEED Cooperative, a food hub for more than 50 North Bay farms, and meats from Sonoma County Meat Co. in Santa Rosa and Zoe’s Meats in Petaluma.
“I’ve always been drawn to farming and good vegetables on the canvas of a pizza,” said Baratta, who worked on a farm outside Seattle for several years.
Slow Co. Pizza’s dough, however, is a signature.
“I’ve been obsessing about pizza and dough for 12 years,” said Baratta. The dough uses a sourdough starter and is fermented for 48 to 72 hours. Regular pizza dough is typically ready to use in a few hours.
The sourdough fermentation lends a nutty, slightly sour taste to the dough and creates air pockets for a crisp crust. The pizzas are cooked in a specially-made Pavesi dome oven that uses gas rather than wood to cook the pies in three to four minutes.
The pizzas are 10 inches, enough for one hearty eater or two with a side salad and a small plate. The menu is curated to include seven traditional styles of pizza — pepperoni, cheese, mushroom, veggie — and seasonal additions. Add-on toppings are also available.
Creating a family-friendly space is also a focus for Slow Co.’s owners. Baratta has young children, and wanted a space where kids were welcome and the food was approachable. Though there are some more adult gourmet-style pizzas, there’s plenty to love for younger eaters, too (including Valley Ford soft serve) for the Clean Plate Clubbers.
So, while there’s plenty of great pizza in Cotati and around the region, Slow Co. Pizza’s warmth and inclusivity make it a welcome addition.
“We just want to encourage people to take things slow and enjoy the good stuff,” said Baratta.
Best Bets
The Bird, $13: A great pizzaiolo once told me that cheese pizzas are the true measure of a pizzeria. There’s nothing extra to get in the way of tasting the sauce, cheese and, most importantly, the crust. This pizza is stripped down to its core elements and weighs in strong with a sturdy, mottled crust, simple red sauce and shredded mozzarella. Nothing fancy, but nothing missing.
R-Grated, $18: Consider this the classy older sister to the standard cheese pizza. Adding Estero Gold Reserve cheese from Valley Ford Creamery — an aged Parmesan-style cheese with a nice bite — adds depth and umami. You get the sense this pizza could hold her own at a cocktail party.
Pretty Fly for a Fungi, $20: Mushroom pizza is my go-to, mostly because I can justify eating a vegetable with my carbs and cheese. Slow Co. turns the tables on the sauce, using pesto and white sauce instead of red sauce. It makes so much sense. The combination of garlic, cream and basil set the stage for a restrained layer of cheese (including Estero Gold Reserve) that lets the mushrooms take center stage.
Living on the Veg, $20: Seasonal veggies are the star of this show. My pizza included half-moons of sweet Delicata squash atop white sauce. Fresh mozzarella (not the shredded kind) plus Estero Gold Reserve with Calabrian honey and radicchio. Definitely for a more mature palate.
Small Plates, $10: This is where the kitchen gets to flex. Every two weeks or so, a new star gets its moment in the spotlight. When I visited, crisp, roasted stalks of bitter broccolini got a drizzle of creamy miso aioli and dots of chili crunch to add the heat. Stunning.
Caesar salad $15: A lovely mix of local greens, cheese and garlicky Caesar dressing. The breadcrumbs use the day’s leftover uncooked dough, which is baked and crumbled so nothing goes to waste.
Slow Sauce, $3: I remember a pizzeria in Sebastopol with a chef who refused to serve ranch dip with his pizza. Sullying his pies with salad dressing! The nerve! That pizzeria quickly went out of business because ranch dip’s sole purpose (in my opinion) is for dipping pizza crusts.
The Slow Co. crew get it and make their herby sauce with so much garlic you could burn someone’s eyes by saying “hello” a little too enthusiastically after a dip or two.
8197 La Plaza, Cotati, 707-796-5124. Order online at slowcopizza.com.
You can reach Dining Editor Heather Irwin at heather.irwin@pressdemocrat.com. Follow Heather on Instagram @biteclubeats.