I finally got to try the pizza hotspot in San Francisco.
Getting a reservation at Jules is an uphill battle. The restaurant isn’t very big and they’ve been consistently booked ever since opening last year. I lucked out with a cancellation notification for a weekday reservation and snagged it immediately. Of course they do offer takeout pizza so if you live nearby, that’s probably the easier way to try their food.
Jules.
What they’re known for is their hybrid dough which incorporates levain, poolish (mixture of yeast and sourdough), and a bit more yeast. A higher hydration percentage prevents the dough from drying out since they cook their pizzas at a high temperature (700°F). The result is a slightly tangy dough with a satisfying chew. The menu is fairly standard: a few appetizers, pizza, and their larger half chicken dish.
Caesar Salad (7.5/10).
Their take on a Caesar salad was delicious but nothing beats the original. This version had little gem lettuce, chicories, avocado, pickled cauliflower, cilantro, breadcrumbs, a limey Caesar dressing, and a generous dusting of grated Cotija cheese. It was fresh, tangy, and creamy. I’ve mentioned in previous posts that I’ll always be a crouton person over breadcrumbs and yet every Caesar salad these days seems to come with breadcrumbs instead.
Spicy Ronny (8-8.5/10).
I can’t go to a pizza joint without ordering a classic pepperoni pizza. This one came with tomato sauce, Mozzarella, Caciocavallo, and pepperoni, plus ajika chili flakes and Calabrian chili on the side. Top this with their hot fermented garlic honey and you’ve got a winner. The tarragon miso ranch was bomb with this pie as well.
Broccoli & a 40 (7.5/10).
Of course I had to try one of their more creative pies. This one featured a braised broccoli green cream, sharp cheddar, spigarello, crispy shallots, and applewood smoked bacon. Overall, it was a fun pie but I personally wanted more bacon (definitely more of a preference than a flaw).
Sauce Flight: Tarragon Miso Ranch,, Hot Fermented Garlic Honey,
That Green Sauce, and Sunflower Sesame Chili Crisp.
I also had to get the sauce flight and loved the range of flavor profiles and textures across all four.
Devilish Half Chicken (7.5/10).
We ordered the half chicken which came with blistered broccolini, escarole, and a coconut sambal sauce. The chicken itself was juicy and moist and the crispy chicken skin pieces were especially tasty. The dish was good but not great especially compared to how much someone we know raved about it.
Purple Sweet Potato Pie Ice Cream (8/10).
I really enjoyed this deconstructed pie ice cream with graham cracker crumble and toasted marshmallow. The marshmallow was the standout for me. Nicely charred on the outside while still sticky and gooey on the inside.
Did I enjoy my dinner at Jules? Absolutely. The food was well executed and clearly made with intention. Is it worth aggressively fighting for a reservation? That’s a little more questionable. If you can snag a cancellation or opt for takeout, Jules is definitely worth trying just maybe not worth stressing over. Therefore, my rating is a 7.5-8/10.