All Photos by Kristen Loken
San Francisco’s acclaimed Flour + Water Pizza Shop, one of the Flour + Water Hospitality brands featured on PMQ Pizza’s January-February 2024 cover, will open its first East Bay restaurant on January 22 in Oakland’s Northlake District. Located on the corner of 24th and Waverly Street, adjacent to the northwest corner of Lake Merritt, the Pizza Shop joins a growing community of residences and local businesses.
The West Coast pizza concept from co-chefs Thomas McNaughton and Ryan Pollnow was born from the team’s full-service Flour + Water Pizzeria in San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood. Since the opening of the Pizzeria in June 2023, the restaurant and its distinct style of pizza has received industry recognition from The Best Chef Pizza Awards, 50 Top Pizza, PMQ Pizza, Pizza Today and more. The Oakland location is Flour + Water’s second standalone Pizza Shop following an opening in the Mission Bay area of San Francisco in April 2025.
McNaughton and Pollnow, alongside Oakland resident and chef de cuisine Elliott Armstrong, have become known for their West Coast approach that incorporates elements from Neapolitan and New York pies. This emerging West Coast style is characterized by conscientious sourcing, a slow-fermented dough, and pizzas baked longer and at a lower temperature, frequently in electric deck ovens.
Related: Meet the Self-Styled Dough Nerds of Flour + Water Pizzeria
Flour + Water Pizza Shop at The Lark is fueled by the centralized dough production at the Pizzeria flagship. Crafted with organic grains from Central Milling and a poolish pre-ferment, the dough undergoes multiple days of cold fermentation prior to being stretched and topped. Baked in high-powered PizzaMaster electric deck ovens, pizzas emerge with a lightly charred cornicione and sturdy structure.
Fan favorites include the Burrata with garlic, Sicilian dried tomatoes, oregano, chili and lemon oil; the Cacio e Pepe white pie with pecorino crema; and The Conrad with taleggio, fresh mozz, mushrooms, kale, red onion and roasted garlic (pictured below). In addition to the 13” pizzas, a gluten-free Silician-style square crust is available for all full-sized pies. Guests on-the-go can also opt for a rotating “The Big Slice” square.
Beyond the hot pies, the Pizza Shop menu features antipasti and salads such as the Mozz Sticks, Ricotta Meatballs, and The Chop. As a nod to the new neighborhood, the team developed Oakland-exclusive dry-fried chicken wings seasoned with Oaktown Spice Co.’s Grand Lake Shake blend and served with an Easy Bay-inspired green sauce.
The restaurant’s fior di latte and salted caramel Double8 Dairy soft-serve is also on offer with a slew of make-your-own-adventure toppings such as brown butter cereal crunch and Amarena cherries. A curated selection of beverages from Flour + Water Hospitality Group Beverage Director Sam Bogue includes wine, non-alcoholic options and beer. Of particular note is Flour + Water’s “Dough Boy” house Kölsch, a collaboration with Temescal Brewing in Oakland, and a new “Lambrusco” Slushie, a frozen riff on Italy’s beloved sparkling red wine.
The Flour + Water team worked closely with the Berkeley-based Gavin Knowles of Knowles Architect for the design of the 2,000 square-foot space, alongside construction partner and Bay Area small business Cookline. The heart of the design is centered around the craftsmanship of Flour + Water’s pizza making process with guests immediately welcomed into the space by the team and an open view of the all-electric kitchen.
That spirit of openness and connection is ribboned throughout the restaurant with a 14-seat communal table in the center of the dining room and 19 counter seats spanning the periphery of the exterior-facing, floor-to-ceiling windows. The setting encourages guests to engage with the energy of the Shop and its surrounding neighborhood. Patio seating is also available with two-top tables lining the sidewalk along 24th and Waverly.
Design details bring further warmth to the interior with touches that include Flour + Water’s signature wall of pizza boxes showcased in a custom rack fabricated by ReUnion Creative in Oakland; pops of color such as a green accent wall; and an abstract maeve mural of dough being formed by local artist Nicole Hayden. Other notable features underscore the team’s commitment to sustainability through the use of climate-friendly materials. This includes custom green recycled brick tilework from the East Bay-based Fireclay Tile, and the extensive use of Richlite—a composite made from 100% recycled paper and natural resins—for the retail counter, dining counters and communal table.
Related: The Chefs at Flour + Water Pizza Share What Makes Their Pies So ‘Craveable’
Like all restaurants within Flour + Water Hospitality Group, Flour + Water Pizza Shop is a member of Zero Foodprint, an organization that funds grants for farmers switching to regenerative practices. One percent of sales is donated to the nonprofit.
Co-Chefs: Thomas McNaughton, Ryan Pollnow
Co-Founder/Executive Chairman: David Steele
Chief People Officer: Vanya Shekel
CFO: Kara Bratcher
CEO, Flour + Water Foods: Dan Nestojko
Senior Director of Operations: Amanda Flores
Beverage Director: Samuel Bogue
Director of Marketing + Events: Mac Malone
Pizzeria/Pizza Shop Chef de Cuisine: Elliott Armstrong
Pizzeria/Pizza Shop Area Manager: Paige McNeil
Oakland Kitchen Manager: Felipe Cruz
Oakland General Manager: Violetta Rivas
