More than 25 years ago, three friends decided to open Escape From New York Pizza. Their goals were simple: to share their love of New-York-style pizza with San Francisco and fund their personal artistic endeavors. Eventually, two of the three original co-owners went on to pursue art full time, opening the door for the remaining owner, Paul Geffner, to pull in other experienced partners. Together, the bulked-up team turned the humble eatery into what it is today—a regional chain with six San Francisco locations, all of which serve the same unique pizza flavors pioneered at the first location.

Carrying on the tradition set more than a quarter of a century ago, cooks make the dough from scratch, topping it with unique ingredients to create signature pizzas, such as the "You Say Potato" pie with roasted potatoes, roasted garlic cloves, and pesto sauce. Of course, they also use classic standbys, such as pepperoni and veggies that they cut fresh everyday. For lighter options, chefs can combine crisp, seasonal ingredients atop greens for healthy, yet hearty salads.