Benchmark Pizzeria

2025 Pizza Reviews continue... this pizza is very good, 4.6 stars in my book if it means anything to you.Like most people I've heard of Kensington as the land past the Gourmet Ghetto but never ventured that far. Living in Oakland it's a decent trek to that part of Berkley and going to and North of Solano Ave. is its own venture. I've been searching for great pizza this year after going to Japan and having the best the world has to offer, I've been striving to find it ever since.. pizza is very good here, not quite as fluffy a dough as I would like, but this is "Neo Neopolitan " and it's own unique variety, as it should be.The amount of char ("leoparding") on here is phenomenal, it's all around and the flavor of the entire pizza benefits from it. We opted for a caesar salad to go with our Benchmark Pizza and Salami pie. For the Benchmark, you can really taste the ingredients here and the olive oil in particular, their commitment to fresh produce and top notch ingredients is strong and apparent. It was a work of art with all the ingredients working together. Likewise the salad was heavily "cheesed" as I think all caesar salads should be, seasoned well with cold, crisp lettuce that works together.

stopped by here around 5pm on a whim and were seated immediately. coming from SF with its plethora of pizza and pasta options, i was shocked that this was one of the best italian meals i've had in the bay. we shared:* cucumber farro salad: sooo good. the melon was perfectly ripe and the olive oil on top was some of the best i've ever had.* spaghetti arriabbata: i could not get enough of the sauce! it was so spicy yet well balanced. one of the best tomato-based pastas i've had anywhere including italy. * benchmark pizza: normally i don't go for a margherita pizza but all the ingredients were perfect. the mozzarella especially was out of this world. the neapolitan-style crust was super light and chewy.* wild mushroom pizza: this had a lot of potential but none of the flavors really stood out. i felt like it needed more acidity. that said it was still tasty af.* non-alcoholic aperol spritz: i've been missing aperol spritzes and this really hit the spot! herbacious and refreshing without being overly sweet. the ambiance is super cute and rustic with tons of outdoor seating as well as some indoor tables.

I have been meaning to try Benchmark Pizza for a while after hearing it was one of the best rated in the Bay Area!We came here and were immediately seated. The place is cozy, but there is enough room inside and outside. I also noticed there were a lot of children, so this is definitely a family-friendly restaurant!We ordered two pizzas based off our servers recommendation, the new mushroom one and the fried sage. The mushroom pizza had a nice earthy flavor, and the sauce was oily without being heavy. It was very soft in the center because of the sauce, but it had a nice outer crust. The fried sage had a thick layer of cheese and the meatball complimented well with the fried sage itself. Overall, I do like the outer crusts, but I feel the bottom could be crispier, and the sauces themselves were more on the heavy side. I'm glad I was able to come and try their well-rated pizzas though!

Finally had a chance to eat here. Nice neighborhood eatery we can walk to. We ate outside in a Sunday evening which got busier as the evening progressed. It was nice sitting outside enjoying the good weather. We had pasta, salad and two pizzas - margherita with wine and beer. All tasted really good. Bonus was the soft serve ice cream and sundae. Service was attentive and friendly. Food came out quickly. We'll be back!

My first time here. Thinking about this amazing pizza makes me want to belt out my favorite song from my favorite band... while driving of course. I am the egg manThey are the egg menI am the walrusGoo goo g'joobLast week a friend and I shared a Benchmark Pizza with Tomato, Mozzarella, Basil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Meatball Pizza with Tomato, Mozzarella, Grana, Meatballs, Parsley.Perfect is the only way to describe the crust. Crunchy, chewy, smoky and flavorful. It stood up just fine to the sauce and toppings.The Meatball Pizza was my favorite. Super tasty meatballs that complimented the sauce and cheese. I'll take two next time.The place is popular so Matt suggests you go early.I can hardly wait to go back.

Great family and neighborhood spot with both indoor/outdoor seating for delicious, tasty pizza, with some interesting flavors (fried sage!) on a nice, slightly charred crust. Top it of off with yummy gelato and soft serve or chocolate chip cookie for the kids!

Excellent Napoli style pizza - thin crust and cooked fast. We're never waiting long to get food here. It can be on the louder side at times, so I think it's best for a meet up spot with friends. Will continue to come back!

A true neighborhood gem, Benchmark is a gathering place for local Italians and Italian-food appreciators who come for their simple menu of high quality food and great drinks. Driving by on any given evening you'll see clusters of diners sitting at the outside tables, regardless of temperature but especially on a balmy evening. The inside dining area is small but feels equally suited for a date night or a couple families meeting up for dinner. Staff have always been efficient and friendly with service. But the food...that's what really matters. And that's why I keep returning and craving a Benchmark dinner. The fried brown butter sage pizza is something that must be ordered. It won't disappoint and you will be thinking about it days later! Other menu items on our regular order include: Strozzapretti Bolognese (priest-strangler pasta), Chopped salad which has the perfect balance of ingredients (large enough to share with the table), meatballs, sausage and pepperoni pizzas, marinated olives, and housemade bread. My recent conversation to plant-based diet has left me still dreaming of the sage pizza but feeling very satisfied with their vegan pizza, loaded with green olives, spinach and cashew-based cheese. On a hot day, add an Aperol spritz and it almost feels like I'm back it Italy

With the holidays quickly approaching, if you're looking to cozy up for date night or an evening with friends/family in town, Benchmark Pizzeria is calling your name. Nestled in the equally as cozy community of Kensington, you'll find other gems here as well like the Sunday farmer's market, the charming Semifreddi's Bakery (opened in 1984!) and another local fan favorite, the Kensington Pub.Benchmark is well known for their delicious pizzas, comforting pastas, hearty salads/soups and yes, their organic soft serve to round out the menu! Highlights when ordering are always a pizza & pasta to split, with seasonal pasta favorites including the Strozzapreti Bolognese and Cacio e Pepe. Pizza wise, one really can't go wrong with traditional options and also fall/winter options like the Delicata Squash and Sage Pizza, all served "Neo-Neopolitan in style, 11-12 inches".My latest order was the Benchmark (Tomato, Mozzarella, Basil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, $20) with a side of their homemade Caesar dressing to dip the crust in..amazing pro tip from the awesome servers! The pizzas are perfect for sharing or like me last Friday, simply just for one. The Caesar in general is also always a must, brimming top of bowl with fresh grated Grana. We typically always like to order a side of their house made bread & salted butter to start, which compliments any Antipasti quite nicely.Benchmark now has house & specialty cocktails to accompany their awesome selection of beer/wine. I love a good Spritz or Lambrusco, a sparkling red I only enjoy ordering here! Going down the sweet train, you have to make an express stop to try their Buffalo Milk soft serve with (any topping of choice) and Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookie on the side to dip in. We usually get the caramel sauce because we're huge fans, but truly anything atop buffalo's milk is a win in my book!Fun fact: Benchmark has now opened a grab-and-go down the street! If you make it to the Sunday Kensington Farmer's Market, they offer morning quarter pizza slices to go and other fun breakfast treats/sandwiches, frozen pizzas, boxed items from their restaurant, and even sides of that super yummy Caesar dressing!Don't sleep on Benchmark this season ~ you're in for a big win!

Learned of this place as one of the "best pizzerias" and had to check it out and support local. We had their chopped salad, spicy carrot salad, a Benchmark and a Delegata pizza with sausage added. We also had to try their chocolate chip cookies, for dessert.The carrot salad was fun and fresh with just a little bite to it, not too spicy. The chopped salad was a meal in itself and an absolute rainbow of lettuces, radicchio, apples and pomegranate seeds with blue cheese bites. It was a bowl of happiness and good will! Oh and it had a just barely hard cooked egg that had the creamiest yolk, and felt like a delicacy to eat. Pizzas were thin crust and blistered, with toppings that complimented each other beautifully. The Benchmark was a margarite pizza with fresh mozzarella and the Delicata had squash and fennel with other types of cheeses which combined with the added sausage were crave worthy. We will definitely be back to this place. I can hardly wait to try the pasta dishes.The waitress was great. Efficient, friendly and helpful. We had one cookies to-go that slipped out of it's packaging onto the floor and she was kind enough to replace it for us, which I appreciated. If you love pizza, you need to check this one off as a favorite. It's worth the drive if you're not a local, honestly.