Satisfaction Pizza replaced Pizza Lupo on California Avenue. The space shares a building with The Loving Cup, a bar with a reputation for getting a bit rowdy on the weekends, and Satisfaction serves pizza for lunch, dinner and late night.
There is an opening between the restaurant, now co-owned by the masterminds behind The Loving Cup, and the bar. Both businesses are named after Rolling Stones songs, and Stones imagery can be seen in the decor of both joints.
The menu isn’t a far cry from what it was when Estee owned it. It’s still mainly wings and pizza, offering both thin-sliced and deep-dish varieties. The pizzas themselves are different, and there’s also a small sampling of sandwiches and pastas added to the menu, as well as soft serve ice cream that was there before. For sweets, however, one can now order a Fratelli, which is essentially fried pizza dough topped with warm caramel and brown sugar.
My favorite change with Satisfaction Pizza in the space is the hours of operation. Instead of closing when dinner service ends, the restaurant stays open late, typically closing the doors at 9 p.m. on weekdays but staying open until 10 p.m. on Sunday and 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays when they serve up cheese and pepperoni pizzas. Bonus: you can get it by the slice as you’re leaving the bar.
The pizza menu has a few standouts. In addition to the classics—cheese, pepperoni and margherita, there are also signature pies. The Lake Garda is made using garlic oil, basil, fresh mozzarella, gorgonzola cheese, pepperoni and green olives before it’s topped with a house-made parmesan cheese blend.
The Panther Rock is a meat lover’s dream, started with a house-made red sauce and mozzarella cheese before house-made meatballs, calabrese sausage, salami and pepperoni are added. It’s also topped with a parmesan cheese blend.
The Incredible Hulk is a play on the superhero’s green hue, a garlic cream pesto-based pizza with mozzarella cheese, ricotta, snap peas, broccolini and artichoke, topped with olive oiland the same special parmesan cheese blend.
The Bee Sting brings a partnership with Reno Food Group front and center. This pizza is made using olive oil, a blend of parmesan cheese, basil, salami, red onions and serrano peppers before it’s topped with local honey.
Pizza is best served with a side of wings. In this case, the Carolina Gold flavor is a favorite, served as a dipping sauce or tossed for wet wings. Choose between bone-in and boneless in flavors including barbecue, hot honey, Buffalo or a Memphis dry rub.
For salads, there is a classic Caesar, kale or house salad, and sandwiches such as a meatball sub are often on the menu, as well.
For me, the pasta here is a standout. When I ordered the menu’s bolognese, it was described as a penne pasta with house-made meat sauce. The final product was spaghetti instead, but I have no complaints. It was my favorite item in the order, a decadent and cheesy pasta with heavy chunks of tender meat and a buttery red sauce that left me wanting more. It’s the only pasta on the permanent menu but sometimes other options are available, including a meaty lasagna.
Vegans can enjoy the food here simply by asking about vegan menu options. And anyone can build their own pizza from the ingredients list.
Every day, cheese and pepperoni pizza are available by the slice, plus a specialty slice during the day. Lunch specials include a slice of pizza, a salad and a drink from the cold case (that includes Mexican coke and bottled Squirt).
At night, the pick-up window is typically manned so you can grab your order and go, but if no one is at the window, or you’ve ordered pick-up pizza midday, the team prefers you head inside to grab your food. The best option, however, is wandering over from next door.
