Vegan Pizza at Blind Lady Ale House

Happy Vegan Pizza Day! What would be a better way to celebrate the day than sharing one of my favorite local (San Diego) spots for vegan pizza! And if you’re into craft beer too, then this place has you covered. I’m talking about Blind Lady Ale House, right here in my Normal Heights neighborhood.

I’ve been meaning to do a “proper” post about Blind Lady Ale House, aka BLAH, for quite some time now. I’ve featured them in my LOVELIKEBEER Vegan Beer Night II review, but it’s time they receive a truly dedicated post. Named after a window blind business that used to occupy the 1920s brick building (known around the neighborhood as the “blind lady”), Blind Lady Ale House has been growing strong & gaining accolades since it opened in 2009. BLAH’s mission is simple:

To offer hand-crafted & tasty organic salads, Neapolitan-style pizza, craft beer & wine to the families, couples & singles of Normal Heights (& beyond) to eat & drink & enjoy.

In the spirit of the thriving farm-to-table movement, BLAH sources local organically grown produce directly from local farms & Farmers’ Markets. They are just as much about quality food as they are about quality craft beer. In fact, Draft Beer Magazine has listed BLAH as one of “America’s 100 Best Beer Bars” three years in a row. Well-known brew-master & fellow vegan, Lee Chase, is one of BLAH’s owners, & operates Automatic Brewing Company in-house. In addition to special house-brewed selections from ABC, their rotating draft beer selection highlights a curated selection of local & craft brews.

Craftsman Brewing Co's Citrus Saison

I don’t know much about beer, but I’ve never tried a Saison that didn’t agree with me. It’s my kind of beer, & the one above is light & fruity with an almost floral quality. Refreshing & wonderful for washing down vegan pizza on a warm summer’s afternoon.

So, back to the vegan pizza. With 2 of the 4 owners vegan, BLAH’s menu has always been very vegan & vegetarian friendly, offering appetizers, salads, & pizza, with substitutes to satisfy any dietary persuasion. BLAH chooses not to use processed non-dairy cheeses on their vegan pizzas, as they do not find any of the current non-dairy cheeses on the market to their liking, instead, they make a delicious almond ricotta in-house that can be added,& they are always happy to honor the request to make any pizza vegan by omitting meat & cheese.

I can’t talk about their pizza without mentioning the crust…light & flaky, staying true to the “Neopolitan” style. Upon returning from a trip to Italy, where many pies were consumed from Florence to Naples, it was difficult to come back to “Americanized” pizza. One bite into a BLAH pizza crust & I am whisked right back to the streets of Roma, with pizza in hand. In my humble opinion, the two best pizzas to “veganize” on their menu are the “Chorizo” & the “Pesto.”

BLAH's Vegan Pesto Pizza aka the "Vesto"

The Vegan Pesto aka the Vesto is hands-down my favorite pizza of all time. The "Vesto" is topped with cremini mushrooms, green olives, arugula, pickled onions, & almond ricotta. This pizza has layer after layer of flavor. Housemade garlic-basil pesto, marinated cremini mushrooms, briny olives, & pickled red onion really give this pizza a vibrant flavor profile. I also love fresh greens on pizza, & the fresh arugula adds another depth of peppery flavor & making it seem all the better for you. Salad on a pizza crust, I’ll take it!

Another winner is the Vegan Soyrizo ...

BLAH's Vegan Soyrizo Pizza

This pizza is topped with housemade soyrizo, poblano chile, epazote, & tomato sauce. Almond ricotta can be added as well as avocado when available. This pizza rules. I’ve recreated it at home on numerous occasions, but without BLAH’s signature crust it is never quite the same. BLAH’s housemade soy chorizo is awesome. It has a nice mix of mild heat & flavor, & it is not too greasy. The colorful pops of green come from smoky poblano chiles & epazote, a leafy green herb often used to add depth of flavor to Mexican-style dishes.

For you traditionalists out there, they also offer a classic marinara & Margherita, as well as other creative & seasonal offerings - such as butternut squash, summer squash, & fire-roasted corn, all of which I can imagine will be amazing vegan.

BLAH's Seasonal Chino Ranch Fire Roasted Corn Pizza

This recent offering, the Fire Roasted Corn Pizza with roasted garlic puree, chanterelles, cherry peppers, red onion, & tarragon is an example of one of their unique & creative seasonal offerings that was vibrant & flavorful.

So, there you have it, in honor of Vegan Pizza Day, San Diego's Blind Lady Ale House offers, arguably, the BEST vegan pizza in all of San Diego. They are now open for lunch 6 days a week, so near or far, there is plenty of time to get down here & get your vegan pizza on.