Mountain Mike's Pizza: A Tasty West Coast Tradition Since 1978

The Tasty Origins of Mountain Mike's Pizza

Mountain Mike's Pizza holds a special place in the hearts of West Coast pizza lovers. Since 1978, this California-based pizza chain has been serving up delicious and affordable pizzas made with high-quality ingredients. With over 200 locations across California, Nevada, and Utah, Mountain Mike's has become a go-to for families, friends, sports teams, and pizza aficionados alike.

So how did this popular pizza chain get its start? The story begins with Mike Mettler, a football coach who originally opened a pizzeria in Palo Alto, CA in 1978. Mettler wanted to bring an authentic East Coast pizza experience to the West Coast, so he used recipes from his hometown pizzerias in New Jersey to create a menu of hand-tossed pizzas with foldable New York-style slices.

Signature Pizzas and Fresh Ingredients

Part of what makes Mountain Mike's pizza so tasty is the fresh, high-quality ingredients they use. Their pizza dough is made fresh daily from scratch. They use only 100% real mozzarella cheese, grated Parmesan cheese, vine-ripened tomatoes, and premium meats like pepperoni, Italian sausage, salami, and bacon.

Some of Mountain Mike's most popular signature pizzas include:

• The Mountain Mike's Special - Pepperoni, mushrooms, Italian sausage, black olives, onions
• BBQ Chicken Pizza - BBQ sauce, chicken, red onions, mozzarella
• Hawaiian Pizza - Ham, pineapple, bacon
• Veggie Pizza - Mushrooms, green peppers, onions, black olives, tomatoes

In addition to classic pizza options, Mountain Mike's also offers specialty pizzas like meat lover's, chicken alfredo, Hawaiian, and pesto pizzas. So whether you're a pepperoni purist or love to load up your pie with diverse toppings, there's a pizza for every palate.

More Than Just Pizza

While pizza is undoubtedly the star attraction, Mountain Mike's menu has a lot more to offer. Appetizers like garlic bread, chicken tenders, mozzarella sticks, and nachos are perfect starters for sharing.

For salads, you can choose from fresh garden, Greek, or antipasto salads topped with ingredients like feta, pepperoni, ham, and more. Mountain Mike's also serves up wings, calzones, pasta, and submarine sandwiches on freshly baked rolls.

No family meal is complete without something sweet at the end, so be sure to save room for dessert. Chocolate chip pizza cookies, cinnamon sticks, and double chocolate brownie bites make for a tasty treat.

The Mountain Mike's Dining Experience

One of the things that makes Mountain Mike's stand out from other pizza chains is the family-friendly, community-centered dining experience. The atmosphere at each location aims to be warm, welcoming, and lively.

Mountain Mike's restaurants feature a casual environment perfect for dining with family and friends. With plenty of seating, cozy booths, and arcade games to keep kids occupied, it's an ideal spot for group gatherings and weeknight meals.

Sports fans will also feel right at home watching games on the big screen TVs throughout the restaurants. Whether you're catching an NBA game or the big football matchup, it's more fun to cheer with other fans over piping hot pizza.

Community Connections

Mountain Mike's actively supports local community organizations and sports teams. They frequently cater team banquets, donate pizzas for school fundraisers, and participate in community events.

The brand's commitment to community is also evidenced by their Mountain Rewards program. Each school, church, sports league, and other non-profit groups enrolled in the program can earn 10% back on qualifying purchases made by their members. This provides a simple way for organizations to fundraise by enjoying great pizza.

Family Fun for All Ages

With their family-friendly vibe, Mountain Mike's aims to create a place where parents, kids, and grandparents can all enjoy time together. In keeping with this goal, many locations offer entertainment options to keep kids happy while families dine.

Some restaurants feature children's play areas complete with arcade games and ball pits. Others have party rooms available for birthdays and group celebrations. So whether you're feeding a family of four or hosting a children's pizza party, Mountain Mike's can accommodate.

The Mountain Mike's Menu: Pizza, Wings, and More

As a full-service pizzeria, Mountain Mike's menu features far more than just pizza. Let's take a closer look at all the appetizing options from this West Coast pizza favorite.

Hot, Fresh Pizza

The main attraction at Mountain Mike's is the pizza, freshly made using quality ingredients. They offer three crust choices:

• Thin crust - crispy, cracker-like crust
• Original style - Mountain Mike's signature medium thickness crust
• Deep dish - Chicago-style extra thick crust

Toppings range from pepperoni and sausage to onions, black olives, and pineapple. Specialty pizzas like BBQ chicken and pesto chicken ranch cater to diverse tastes.

For extra convenience, you can order your pizza in three ways:

• Dine-in
• Take-out
• Delivery within a local radius

Oven-Baked Wings

Craving wings with your pizza? Mountain Mike's has you covered. Their crispy chicken wings come in a variety of flavorful sauces and seasonings:

• Buffalo - spicy cayenne pepper sauce
• Garlic Parmesan - garlic butter & parmesan
• Naked - plain with seasoning
• Teriyaki - sweet teriyaki glaze
• BBQ - tangy barbecue sauce

You can order them mild, medium, or hot spice level to suit your tastes. Wings make a tasty shareable alongside pizza, salads, and appetizers for the full Mountain Mike's experience.

Fresh Salads

For lighter fare, Mountain Mike's offers fresh salad options. Choose from garden, Greek, or antipasto salads layered with vegetables, cheese, meat, and crunchy croutons.

Their dressings include ranch, bleu cheese, balsamic vinaigrette, and red wine vinaigrette. Add chicken or shrimp to make it a hearty meal-sized salad.

More Menu Favorites

Beyond their mainstays of pizza and wings, Mountain Mike's serves up crowd-pleasing appetizers, pastas, sandwiches, desserts, and drinks.

Start your meal with shareable appetizers like cheesy garlic bread, fried mozzarella, or nachos. Or go for pasta classics like spaghetti with marinara or baked ziti.

Their oven-toasted subs like meatball and Italian combo hit the spot for heartier appetites. And save room for sweet treats like cookies, brownies, and cinnamon sticks.

To wash it all down, Mountain Mike's offers an array of beer, wine, soft drinks, and juices for all ages. With this extensive menu, every member of the family can find something tempting.

Why Mountain Mike's Stands Out

When it comes to pizza chains, Mountain Mike's has some compelling qualities that make it stand out from the competition. Here are some of the top reasons West Coast pizza lovers make Mountain Mike's their #1 choice.

Fresh, High-Quality Ingredients

At Mountain Mike's, you can taste the freshness in every bite. From their pizza dough made from scratch daily to the generous portions of produce and real cheeses, their commitment to quality comes through in the food.

They also use premium ingredients like pepperoni, Italian sausage, smoked bacon, and grilled chicken without fillers or artificial flavors. This gives their pizzas unmatched homemade flavor you won’t find in frozen varieties.

Specialty Pizzas

While you can build your own custom pie, Mountain Mike's signature specialty pizzas steal the show. Creative flavor combinations like BBQ chicken pizza, Italian meat combo, and Hawaiian keep customers coming back for more.

Seasonal and regional specialties also mix up the menu. For a limited time, you can get unique pizzas like the Philly cheesesteak pizza or chili cheese fries pizza, combining local flavors into each bite.

Dine-In Experience

The welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere also makes Mountain Mike's a go-to for many West Coast families. With arcade games, sports on TV, and a lively buzz, it's a fun place to enjoy great pizza and quality time.

The dine-in experience fosters a sense of community rooted in Mountain Mike's origins as a neighborhood pizzeria. Kids can play while parents relax, making it an ideal spot for the whole family.

Customizable Menu

While their pizzas take center stage, Mountain Mike's serves up more than just pizza. With wings, salads, baked pastas, subs, appetizers and desserts, the menu has options for every diet and tastebud.

Customize your perfect meal by mixing and matching favorites. The variety and flexibility of the menu appeal to large groups with diverse needs.

Where to Find Mountain Mike's Pizza

Since getting its start in Palo Alto in 1978, Mountain Mike's has expanded across California, Nevada, Utah, and Oregon. Today there are over 200 locations to enjoy their signature West Coast-style pizza.

Within California, you can find Mountain Mike's restaurants all throughout the northern and southern regions. Major cities like San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento, Fresno, and Los Angeles all have multiple locations.

Mountain Mike's is also popular in the Las Vegas area of Nevada, with several restaurants spread across the city. And the chain has now expanded into markets like Portland, Oregon and cities across Utah like Salt Lake City, Ogden, and Orem.

You can find your nearest Mountain Mike's by searching on their website or app to view locations by state. Also see if they offer convenient delivery options in your neighborhood.

Coming Soon

The brand continues to grow, especially in the western and southwestern states. Planned future openings will expand the Mountain Mike’s footprint in places like Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas.

Be on the lookout for new Mountain Mike's locations coming soon to bring their delicious pizza closer to your hometown. Franchising opportunities are also available for qualified entrepreneurs interested in partnering with this established pizza brand.

Bring Home the Mountain Mike's Experience

While dining in lets you soak up the lively atmosphere, sometimes you just want to chill at home with delicious pizza. Mountain Mike's offers several convenient ways to enjoy their pizza in the comfort of your living room or kitchen.

Delivery

Many Mountain Mike's locations offer both take-out and delivery service. Simply place your order online or over the phone, and have your pizza, wings, and other menu favorites arrive piping hot right at your door.

Delivery makes it easy to enjoy Mountain Mike's signature flavor without leaving the house. It's perfect for family movie nights, game days, and busy weeknights.

Take-And-Bake Pizzas

Can't get enough of that fresh, house-made flavor? Take home ready-to-bake pizzas to finish cooking whenever you're ready. With take-and-bake pizzas, you get the same quality ingredients and scratch-made dough in a convenient cook-at-home format.

DIY take-and-bake pizzas mean you can enjoy Mountain Mike's pizza even when a restaurant isn't nearby. Stash some in your freezer so you can whip up a hot, fresh pie anytime.

Retail Products

For true Mountain Mike’s fans, you can bring their signature flavor home in other ways too. The brand sells retail products at select restaurant locations and online, including:

• Pizza sauce
• Dipping cups of marinara and ranch
• Garlic spread
• Pepperoni

With their retail line, you can stock up on the ingredients to recreate favorite Mountain Mike’s menu items in your own kitchen.

Bringing People Together Over Great Pizza

When you add it up, Mountain Mike's enduring popularity comes down to the quality and care put into each pizza they serve up. By using fresh, homemade ingredients and delivering excellent service, Mountain Mike's brings friends and family together over delicious West Coast-style pizza.

Next time you're craving an affordable pizza with high-quality toppings, visit your local Mountain Mike's or order delivery. Sink your teeth into a hot, juicy slice and taste why this pizza chain remains a go-to for families across the West Coast.

FAQs

What types of pizza does Mountain Mike's offer?

Mountain Mike's offers classic pizzas like pepperoni and cheese along with signature specialty pies like BBQ Chicken, Hawaiian, and Pesto Chicken Ranch. They also have seasonal featured pizzas.

Does Mountain Mike's offer vegan or gluten-free options?

Yes, Mountain Mike's has vegan cheese and gluten-free crusts available as substitutions upon request. They also have veggie pizzas and salads for plant-based diets.

What sides can I order in addition to pizza?

Popular side options include oven-baked wings, salads, garlic bread, mozzarella sticks, nachos, calzones, baked pastas, and sandwiches.

Does Mountain Mike's offer delivery?

Many locations offer both take-out and delivery services. Delivery is available within a local radius of participating restaurants.

Can I order pizza online?

Yes, you can order online through the Mountain Mike's website or mobile app. Simply select your location, choose your order items, and check out.