Comments on: Zpizza – Valencia

By: SUPERSECRET

SUPERSECRET — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 03:29:01 +0000

Oh, I love that place, they have the best pizzas ever! The way the cheese tastes, and there isnt a lot of sauce but it still makes me crave it every second of the day. I don’t think I have ever tasted better pizza in my whole life. I too recommend it for any pizza lovers out there!

By: Eric

Eric — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 18:44:16 +0000

Is Daiya used in all stores? I recently ate at the new Columbus, Ohio store and am wondering what exactly I ate…

I’m already a bit ticked off that a “soy cheese” pizza would include pesto with parmesan in it (confirmed by the store manager), but this is really just making me question eating at zPizza again.

By: Kathy Thombs

Kathy Thombs — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 15:37:15 +0000

Finally! http://www.quarrygirl.com/2009/07/24/zpizza-daiya-vegan/

By: Ariel

Ariel — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:25:17 +0000

Im bummed.. extremely bummed.. I must admit the berkley was the hi-lite of my vegan pizza days :[

By: scvegan

scvegan — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 20:25:52 +0000

I needed to add another, and hopefully final update to this blog report. Looks the Berkley pizza was called both the “Killer Veggie” and “Killer Vegan” at some point in the past, according to web-archives of the zpizza website. I still don’t know exactly what went on in each individual store, but this definately explains the confusion over the menu and distrust by many vegan customers.

If what Kathy Thombs of Fransmart says about “We hope to one day have a superior and tasty 100% vegan soy cheese product offering” is true, then that would truly be awesome. Whether their past vegan customers would believe them or not; that I’m not sure.

By: scvegan

scvegan — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 23:05:40 +0000

Foodeater, good call on the Teese suggestion. I also really appreciate the response from Kathy Thombs, even though it’s hard for me to believe so many people in so many areas can misread the same menu item. I am not bothered that their soy cheese has casein, as long as I know about the casein or that the information is easily available in case I need to find out. If something on the menu isn’t vegan, then I will eat something that is. No big deal, just let the customers know. I feel the biggest thing about dining out as a vegan is being comfortable with where you’re eating, and that starts with knowing exactly what’s in the food.

quarrygirl, thanks for the compliments. I know in your case you did receive incorrect information regarding their soy cheese just recently. Hopefully we have drawn enough attention that from now on, when people ask they will be given a correct and definitive answer. If not, then hopefully they find this review on Google.

By: quarrygirl

quarrygirl — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 21:06:07 +0000

i agree with foodeater. i’ve only got issues with places that lie or cause confusion about the vegan-ness of their ingredients. but like she said, there’s plenty of normal restaurants out there that accommodate us vegans, and i am pleased to support those!

thanks for the constant zpizza updates, and for emailing me when you saw that post of mine on zpizza. you rock, scvegan. and thanks for all that info on the vegan thai places. you are super knowledgeable.

By: Foodeater

Foodeater — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 20:59:06 +0000

Wow… thanks for going to all the trouble to figure out this mystery! I think there is a tendency within the vegan community to demonize restaurants that don’t have exclusively vegan ingredients, even if they offer plenty of vegan friendly and otherwise vegetarian options. It seems like very little credit is given to places that try and do their best to accommodate everyone. Your pizza and calzone are great examples of being able to get a delicious vegan meal at this place even though the cheese isn’t vegan.

There’s a vegetarian restaurant in my area that I love to eat at. They do not claim to be a vegan place, just vegetarian. They serve soy-chicken and soy-cheese, but these contain casein. Certain well known bloggers have taken it upon themselves to give this restaurant a really bad rap because their soy products are not vegan (despite the fact that so many other options on the menu are indeed 100% vegan). In my opinion this is totally unfair because the place does not claim to be vegan… and the negative info being put out there prevents even non-vegans from going there. People who would otherwise be looking for a tasty vegetarian meal (who might not care if there is casein or whey in the food) end up passing this restaurant by simply because a couple of vegans out there with a website and a bone to pick weren’t catered to exclusively.

I think it’s great that Kathy from zpizza took the time to stop by and add a reply! Hey Kathy, if you’re still reading this… you guys should check out Teese Cheese. Not only is it delicious and 100% vegan, but it also melts!

By: Kathy Thombs

Kathy Thombs — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:12:47 +0000

Hey there… A few corrections… In early 2002, zpizza offered a new menu item called the “Killer Veggie” pizza, not a “Killer Vegan” pizza; our soy cheese product definitely contains casein (we’ve been looking at alternatives for years but none meet our standards of taste and certainly don’t melt in the oven properly and z’s founder, Sid Fanarof, is quite particular about his ingredients. We hope to one day have a superior and tasty 100% vegan soy cheese product offering). Lastly, zpizza’s Corporate HQ shares an office with Fransmart, its development partner. Chris Bright, z’s President, and Amir Sabetian, z’s VP of Operations, are here and are always happy to chat. Please feel free to call Chris at extension 303 or Amir at extension 302 with any questions you may have about z. Thank you for mentioning us on your Blog.

By: April 24, 2008 - Daily Brief

April 24, 2008 - Daily Brief — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 14:46:53 +0000

[...] SCVegan reviews controversial ZPizza chain in Valencia: The Vegan blogger, in touch with all things vegan in the SCV, says much controversy “surrounds ZPizza within the vegan community.” He traces the reasons for that controversy then gives a positive review of the pizza he received there. Any pizza is good pizza [...]