Woodstock’s doesn’t look or feel like a chain pizzeria. The décor is warm, comfortable and genuine. You won’t find any pre-fabricated funkiness, and you definitely won’t find anything slick or trendy (unless our retro look suddenly becomes trendy!).

Most importantly, Woodstock’s has an unparalleled reputation for excellent pizza. Our loyal customers will tell you it’s the best pizza they’ve ever had. Since the beginning, Woodstock’s has built its success on providing the best pizza in a fun atmosphere.

It’s the details in a Woodstock’s pizza that make it memorable. We start with a better recipe for fresh dough, which is hand-tossed; then we add our secret, spicy sauce; we use only 100 percent real, whole milk mozzarella; and then we top our pizzas with loads of fresh toppings. Each pizza is “made to order,” rather than mass-produced. Woodstock’s also does something unique in the pizza industry – it rolls the dough larger than the size of the pizza pan, applies sauce right out to the edge, and rolls the dough back over the sauce, thereby creating a tasty crust that won’t get left uneaten.

Here’s our suggestion to best assess what makes Woodstock’s special: Talk with anyone you can find who has graduated from SDSU, UCSB, CalPoly San Luis Obispo, UC Davis, or Chico State in the past 15 years and ask them about Woodstock’s Pizza. With our longevity in each location, we now have hundreds of thousands of Woodstock’s graduates who carry positive associations with the Woodstock’s they frequented as college students.

Chuck teamed with one of his loyal employees and a great friend, Mike Chew, and started opening Woodstock’s Pizza parlors in California. Chuck and Chew wanted to replicate Woodstock’s success with college students in Corvallis, so they looked for locations near major California campuses. They began in San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly) in 1980. In 1982 they opened in Isla Vista, next to UC Santa Barbara. Then they went to Chico (CSU Chico) in 1983, San Diego (near SDSU) in 1985, and lastly, they planned to open in Davis in 1986.

In order to carry on the Woodstock’s vision in each of their new restaurants, Chuck and Chew looked for loyal current employees who demonstrated the drive and energy needed to successfully open in new markets. One of those employees was Jeff Ambrose, who started as a delivery driver in Corvallis in 1981. He was promoted to Assistant Manager and helped open the Isla Vista location, and subsequently was chosen to become General Manager and part owner of the San Diego location.

Sadly, both Chuck and Chew were killed in a private plane crash in 1985. Their ownership shares in the five California restaurants were divided between their families, and the growth strategy they had planned stalled. The Oregon restaurant was legally separated from the California Woodstock’s, and is solely owned now by Chuck’s wife, Carol Lee Woodstock. For information on the Corvallis restaurant, please visit www.woodstocks.com.

Jeff Ambrose was promoted to President of the five California restaurants in 1990, and moved the corporate offices to San Diego. Jeff purchased all five restaurants from Chuck’s and Chew’s family members in 2001. His intention is to re-establish the growth plan begun by Chuck and Chew.

Our mission is to earn loyal customers and team members who uniquely regard Woodstock’s as the Ultimate Pizza Experience.

To earn the distinction of being the Ultimate Pizza Experience we will:

• Prepare every customer’s meal with individual attention.
• Use the freshest, best tasting ingredients.
• Consistently create outstanding, unique pizzas and accompaniments that are widely-regarded
   as the best ever, anywhere!
• Treat each and every customer with friendliness, respect and courtesy.
• Provide outstanding value that keeps customers returning with uncommon frequency.
• Be recognized as a fun and outstanding place to work.
• Provide a fun-filled festive atmosphere.

Woodstock’s will encourage our team members to work hard and have fun.

Woodstock’s will be regarded as a reputable, well-run company by all of our business partners and team members.

Woodstock’s will strengthen and give back to the communities we serve by fostering partnerships with local non-profit organizations.

The five Woodstock’s Pizza restaurants in California have enjoyed numerous accolades over the years, primarily for the quality of their pizzas, but also for being a favorite hangout. The following are just some of the awards we have received:

• Best of San Luis Obispo for 15 years.
• Best of University of California Santa Barbara 15 years.
• Voted San Diego’s Favorite by Inside San Diego in 2002.
• Named “Pizza King” by the San Diego Union-Tribune.
• Voted San Diego State’s Favorite Hangout.
• Voted Chico’s Best for six years.
• Chico Campus Choice Award for two years.
• University of California Davis Best Pizza.
• Best Pizza of Yolo County (Davis).

We just traveled to Woodstock's, Isla Vista, over the weekend from Rockwall (outside of Dallas) Texas…. Any time we are near Los Angeles a special trip is made there for lunch - plus we always get 2 extra large, uncooked, cheese pizzas to take back home, freeze and make at our leisure. BTW, while we were there we sat across from another threesome who had driven up from Los Angeles just for lunch. We were glad to know we were not the only ones addicted!!!!!
–Dan Thomson,

"The food is wonderful. (They) have the best pizza in San Diego," states Shana Nickols in the SDSU Daily Aztec.

With all of the dining choices in Isla Vista, sometimes it may be a problem for a big group to agree on what to eat. The easy solution to this problem is Woodstock’s pizza. Woodstock’s pizza is the most frequently ordered food item in I.V. Their free delivery and late hours allow for convenient, quality food for not a lot of cash. If you decide to eat in at Woodstock’s, you will enjoy a classic pizzeria atmosphere, including multiple beers on tap. Whether you feel like watching a sporting event while you eat, or if you just feel like hanging out with your friends in a fun environment this is a great dining experience for you. The employees of Woodstock’s are extremely friendly and are always ready to help. (Art Ackerman, John Elliott, Jeffrey Frame, Stacie Glass)

Some pizza is just legendary. Woodstock's is the best pizza I’ve ever had. Sorry NYC, this place has got you beat. (kracq.net)

I love the blend of pizza and beer in one place. (sarah12379@aol.com)

I’d say Woodstock’s in Chico has the best pizza in the area (Gspacker3@aol.com)