Mr. Moto Pizza

Stopping in for a Slice

Next up on our quest to eat at every restaurant on 101 in Encinitas is Mr. Moto Pizza.

We are heading into the hot summer months, and soon downtown Encinitas will be packed with tourists and day-trippers. Lines will be long and parking will be scarce.

So we grab LuLu, because the more the merrier, and take advantage of a Friday lunch before this town gets crazy.

Mr. Moto-vation

Mr. Moto is a family-owned East Coast style pizzeria. They’ve brought their fun vibe to several locations in San Diego. And they’re not just pizza, though they have thin crust and fresh gourmet pizzas, and that’s our mission today.

But Mr. Moto also has pasta, calzones, garlic knots, and sweets. They even have vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free choices. And don’t be shy about asking for extra toppings!

Ready to Chow!

We show up at 1 pm, and we are starving! A friendly server meets us, and the glass case has plenty of pizza choices. The lunch special is two mix-and-match slices and a beer for $15.50. Sounds like a great idea to us! Even LuLu is getting in on the act, ordering a beer! The guy behind the counter finds this amusing. She has a beer at least once a year.

This pizza joint is walk-up style, with very little seating. There’s a bench opposite the counter on the inside, and a couple of sidewalk tables. Take-out is big in a place like this just a couple of blocks from the beach! But we’re going to eat it here.

The décor is a fun retro-mod look, with a cool mural in front and groovy music. It’s sunny outside and there are no tables in the shade, so we go for inside dining.

On to our pizzas

LuLu is going for two slices of cheese pizza, adding pineapple on top, and a Corona. Go Mom!

I am all about the Mama Moto and the Mission Blvd. Mama Moto is burrata cheese, truffle oil, parsley, cherry tomatoes, and garlic paste. It is like taking a pizza Margarita to the next level. I love the gooey burrata cheese.

My favorite slice is the Mission Blvd! So good! It’s spinach, roasted tomatoes, garlic, artichoke, and caramelized onions. The onions are sweet and hit the spot. The crust is thin and crispy, but the outer edge is soft. I eat every bite and wash it down with bottle of Modelo.

Andy goes with a slice of Mr. Moto and the Hulk with extra toppings.

The Hulk is all meaty, with pepperoni, bacon, ham, and sausage. But he has it topped with black olives and jalapenos.

The Mr. Moto is Italian sausage, Spanish chorizo, burrata cheese, marinara, and garlic paste. Andy rocks a Modelo too.

Unexpected Extra Wow

We also order a small house salad to-go for dinner. This is not your average house salad! You know, the kind that is just Iceberg lettuce and a cherry tomato, maybe a couple of shreds of carrot.

Instead, the Mr. Moto house salad is made with awesome greens, topped with tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, sliced pepperoncinis, feta cheese, and vinaigrette. The small was big enough to split, and filled us up at dinner time!

The Verdict

We love our pizza! The sauce is spare, not just a thick layer of tomato slathered over everything. Each pizza is a unique creation made with excellent ingredients. The crust is thin, but pliable enough to fold (if you wanna eat it New York style). Though it was pre-baked, our pizza was still fresh and tasty!

Mr. Moto hits the spot without making us too stuffed. We have the energy for a walk. LuLu and I decide that after pizza is not the best time to try on workout leggings at a new shop that just popped up!

Cool Creamy Coda

But we do give in to gelato at JoJo’s Creamery, keeping our Italian theme going. You must try the salted caramel cayenne gelato!