Zachary's Chicago Pizza
| Zachary's Chicago Pizza | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | July 25, 1983 |
| Owner | Employee-Owned (ESOP) |
Previous owners | Zach Zachowski and Barbara Gabel |
| Food type | Chicago-style stuffed pizza |
| Location | 5801 College Avenue, Oakland, Alameda County, California |
Other locations | Berkeley, Livermore, Grand Lake, Oakland, Pleasant Hill, Pleasanton |
Other information | Employee-owned restaurant chain |
| Website | zacharys |
Zachary's Chicago Pizza is a Chicago-style stuffed pizza employee-owned restaurant business based in Oakland, California. As of 2026, Zachary's has 6 locations in the East Bay region.[1] The company has received "Best Pizza" recognitions from the San Francisco Chronicle, East Bay Times, San Francisco Magazine, The Daily Californian, Oakland Magazine, among others.[2]
History
The company was founded on July 25, 1983 by Zach Zachowski and Barbara Gabel. The initial restaurant was located in Rockridge, Oakland, California.[3] In 1984, Zachary's opened a second location in Berkeley, California on Solano Avenue.[4] According to the company, the restaurant began receiving regional recognition within its first decade, winning "Best Pizza" from East Bay Express and San Francisco Magazine.[2] In 2003, Zach Zachowski and Barbara Gabel retired the company transiting the ownership to employees through an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). Over time, the ESOP let long-term employees accumulate company stock tax-free.[5]
A third Zachary's location opened in San Ramon in September 2006, the first in Contra Costa County.[6] The company became 100% employee-owned in 2011.[7] The company further expanded in 2013 with a fourth location in Pleasant Hill.[8] In 2019, Zachary's opened a second location Oakland, California on Grand Avenue, becoming its fifth location overall.[9] In 2021, lease renewal negotiations for Zachary's San Ramon location fell through, resulting in its closure and relocation to Pleasanton.[10] On February 2, 2026, Zachary's opened its sixth location overall in Livermore, California, its second in the Tri-Valley region.[11][12]
References
- ↑ "Zachary's Chicago Pizza". Zachary's Chicago Pizza. Retrieved August 3, 2026.
- 1 2 "Awards and Press". Zachary's Chicago Pizza. Retrieved August 2, 2026.
- ↑ "Zachary's Pizza Owners Share the Pie / Oakland couple pledges $20,000 to campaign". SF Gate. November 28, 1995. Retrieved August 3, 2026.
- ↑ "Our Story". Zachary's Chicago Pizza. Retrieved August 3, 2026.
- ↑ Novak, Laura (April 10, 2007). "Givebacks, Pizza to Go, Shares to Stay". The New York Times. Retrieved August 3, 2026.
- ↑ Traum, Tina (January 9, 2018). "Zachary's Chicago Pizza". Pleasant Hill Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved August 2, 2026.
- ↑ Hardy, Kevin (May 4, 2015). "The Rise of Employee Stock Ownership Plans". FSR Magazine. Retrieved August 3, 2026.
- ↑ "Zachary's Pizza Opening in Pleasant Hill Late January". Beyond the Creek. January 8, 2013. Retrieved August 3, 2026.
- ↑ Guerrero, Susana (October 23, 2019). "Zachary's Pizza opens its fifth East Bay outpost, complete with a full bar". SFGATE. Retrieved August 3, 2026.
- ↑ "Zachary's Pizza Moving from San Ramon to Pleasanton". WiLD 94.9. July 12, 2021. Retrieved August 3, 2026.
- ↑ Strzemp, Jude (February 5, 2026). "New pizza restaurants roll into Livermore this month". Livermore Vine. Retrieved August 2, 2026.
- ↑ Guerrero, Susana (July 1, 2025). "A decades-old Bay Area pizzeria sets eyes on new East Bay location". SFGATE. Retrieved August 2, 2026.
