Surfs up, dudes.
The new Meadow Creek shopping center kicked off in early August with the openings of several long-awaited tenants. Among newcomers was Longboards Pizza, a family restaurant and bar owned by the same people behind Yogurt Beach that also has a location in the North Valleys.
Not only is the theme an apparent correlation between the two rad eateries, but at Meadow Creek, they are also located next to each other, sharing an outdoor patio space.
Longboards’ other location is in Golden Valley.
Specializing in “beach-fired” pizza, the menu brings both thin crust pies and deep dish pizza to local diners. Like many pizza parlors, you can create your own pizzas in 11- and 16-inch sizes for thin crust (including a gluten-free option), or you can order from the signature section. The deep dish pies are 11×14 inches.
To make it easy, diners peruse the menu and order at the counter before taking a number to their seat where food will be delivered. If you’re age 21 or older, you can show your ID for a specialty wristband that allows you to be your own bartender at the taps and take sips of various beers, wines and batched cocktails.
Beers include everything from local IPAs to light and refreshing big brands, including Coors and the on-theme Kona Brewing Company.
When it comes to what to order, the number of options makes the decision difficult. The Kickin’ Chicken is a good bet if you like a white sauce pizza. Made with a creamy ranch sauce, it’s topped with mozzarella cheese (like all the of menu’s pies), chunks of juicy grilled chicken, applewood smoked bacon, red onions, slow-roasted tomatoes, whole cloves of cooked garlic and a barbecue drizzle. The result is rich and full of flavor.
If you want to keep it simple, the pepperoni is a crowd-pleaser, made with your choice of sauce and cheese. If you want to step that pepperoni up a notch, try the Mack Daddy, loaded with pepperoni and a few other simple ingredients.
While I’m one to keep it simple at the pizza parlor usually, the appetizers here were too good to pass up. The burrata, which isn’t served at the north location, offers a pile of soft cheese, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and a heaping helping of cooked grape tomatoes. Spread it over the signature bread made up of pizza crust and spices, and enjoy. It may be the best item on the menu.
Other appetizer options include wings in a variety of flavors and meatballs.
For dessert, Longboards serves an intense, rectangular Pazookie-style cookie. Warm and gooey chocolate chips melted into a chewy cookie cake and finished with spoonfuls of vanilla ice cream create unmatched decadence.
If you’re a family who spends a lot of time at Reno Ice, the Washoe baseball fields or the south Reno library, this just may become your new neighborhood pizza place—and we’re not mad about it.
