Not to start a food fight, but as an East Coaster by birth, I have to argue deep dish pizza isn’t really pizza. (Sorry, Chicago.) That doesn’t mean it’s not delicious, though. Think of it as lasagna with crust instead of pasta, perhaps. And what thought that starts with lasagna doesn’t end with drooling?
Such is the case with the relatively straightforward and kindly vegetarian spinach pesto deep dish at Patxi’s, the 17-store chain that still makes these to order, so either get there with time to kill and a desire for apps and beers, or order ahead online. You will have to dive into the deep once you get it, a molten blend of cheese, pesto, and tomato sauce greened up with the spinach that will make you feel a tiny bit salad righteous amid the rest of the decadent calories. That crust gives just a bit of a pastry flair to the dish, too, and this could be dessert … to a meal of a couple of olives or something. But it is a season for indulgences.
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Patxi’s Pizza is located at 515 State Street. Call (805) 564-4888 or visit patxispizza.com/location/santa-barbara.