Pizza Port — Restaurant in Morro Bay

Pizza on the sparsely populated (and best) parts of California's coast is a well kept secret; Pizza Port is no exception.

Do yourself a favor and visit Morro Bay outside of summer, and in the middle of the week, when the town is quiet. That's when the true magic happens.

The last time I walked in to pick up my pizza, the mellow cries of David Gilmour's guitar busked on through 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond'. That alone endeared the atmosphere to me, as the true mark of an old school pizza 'joint' is the consistency in aesthetics, on attitude, pizza, and atmosphere.

Radio singles? Top 40? Not now, John, we've got whole records to spin and pies to toss. This is the central coast, after all. (Don't worry, I know it's actually the radio

The pizza does not disappoint. A slice will lounge in your hand, looking fresh and relaxed like it came right from a comic book, with cheese always threatening to let gravity do its thing. Having already been blessed by its maker, it has found joy and relaxation in the hands of the arbiter of its destiny.

You, too, shall find joy in this pizza, with a dough that begs to be ripped and gives a bit of a chew. The sauce is excellent, never being too 'wet' or too minimal, and the toppings and cheese plentiful and just, tempered not through any sort of exactness but by repetition and faith.

They have recently introduced online ordering which is absolutely great and ahould expedite the speed in the future. They also have pizza by the slice on weekdays, from around noon till about 4.

If you come around when the joint is hopping, your pizza will take awhile. That isn't something to be upset about, though. If you want your food fast, there's chains that make pizza. But you came to Morro Bay; the town is small among the vast natural world around it. Why not slow down and give yourself an excuse to enjoy it.

And who knows, you may enjoy it enough to send someone a nice postcard of the Rock, stating simply, 'Wish You Were Here, there's...

We stopped by Pizza Port for lunch and ordered takeout—a 16-inch pepperoni pizza, mozzarella sticks, and a salad. While the service was quick and efficient (credit to the team at the counter for doing their job well), the food itself was a mixed bag.

Starting with the mozzarella sticks: they were disappointingly thick, yet hollow, with barely any cheese inside. The batter lacked seasoning, and no effort seemed to be made to enhance the flavor after cooking. To make matters worse, the marinara sauce was ice cold, which didn’t help the overall experience.

The pizza was where the real letdown happened. While the presentation was solid—the pizza looked inviting—the execution fell short. The cheese was piled on so thick it became overwhelming, while the sauce was barely noticeable. What little sauce there was lacked seasoning, leaving the overall flavor flat. As someone who grew up in New York and knows what a great slice should taste like, this just didn’t measure up. It’s better than some of the generic options we get back home in California, but it doesn’t hold a candle to authentic NY-style pizza.

On a positive note, the salad was fresh, and its presentation was well done. It was clear that some effort went into making the dishes visually appealing.

That said, the service was fast and friendly, which was a bright spot in the experience. With better ingredients and a more balanced approach to seasoning and preparation, I’d gladly give Pizza Port another try.

Food: ⭐⭐½ Presentation: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Service: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Value: ⭐⭐⭐

Would I return? Only if they improve their ingredients and flavors. There’s potential here, but it’s not being fully...

I have never been treated with so much disrespect at any restaurant in my life! I ordered a side salad, asked if the lettuce was fresh, was told yes. When I got my salad it was wilted, and had slimy leaves in it! So I asked for a Caesar with Romain that would be crisp. The Boy at the front counter was shocked and said I gave you what you ordered! I said I asked if ur lettuce was fresh, and this is not! He said what do you mean by wilted? I said look at it this Lettuce it’s stuck to other pieces and it’s the wrong color, it will make me sick!! He said he couldn’t get me a Caesar bc they use the same mixed greens on that! Fist of all who uses wilted mixed greens for a Caesar?? Then I said I still needed him to replace the salad with something I could eat! He said well I usually wouldn’t trade out bc I gave you what you ordered, but since you have kids, I’ll get you some bread sticks and walks away!!! He has another employee bring them out so I can’t complain to him and takes a long break for 20 mins!! Sadly it’s garlic bread instead of bread sticks and they taste awful, and also where a dollar less than my salad!! I wanted a refund but my partner urged me not to make a scene and just be happy I got anything from that jerk!! We never ate the garlic bread it was bland with no salt!! The pizza was cold, overpriced, the artichokes on top weren’t even cooked with the pizza, and the sauce was gross!! Later I suffered from food poisoning!! I hate this place, please don’t waist ur time and money supporting this kind of hazardous food, served with a free side...