California Pizza Kitchen has celebrated many “pizza firsts” over the years, from inventing the iconic Original BBQ Chicken Pizza in 1985, to becoming the first national restaurant to offer gluten-free crust on its menu in 2013. Now, CPK continues its legacy of pizza innovation with the nationwide introduction of Cauliflower Pizza Crust—a first from a national restaurant brand.
CPK’s Cauliflower Pizza Crust offers guests a delicious new pizza crust option that’s made with high-quality, gluten-free ingredients, lower in carbs than CPK’s classic hand-tossed pizza dough, and a unique source of vegetable fuel. Following a highly successful limited preview in select Southern California locations in late 2017, guests nationwide can now order their favorite CPK pizza on cauliflower-based crust.
In addition, CPK is also introducing four new seasonal items to its menu: the Citrus Adobo Pizza, created by CPK’s 2017 Pizza Chef of the Year, the Mexican Street Corn small plate, the refreshing Spiked Cucumber cocktail and the low-calorie, non-alcoholic Sparkling Berry-Lemon.
“Rich in nutrients and low in carbs, cauliflower is a powerhouse ingredient that continues to show its versatility and popularity as the star—not the side—of the plate. Now, it’s a delicious canvas for our creative California-style pizzas,” says Brian Sullivan, SVP of Culinary Innovation at CPK. “We are proud to be the first national restaurant brand to offer a cauliflower-based pizza crust that’s a craveable, gluten-free and lower-carb alternative to our classic hand-tossed pizza dough—a great option for guests with gluten sensitivities or those just looking for a clever way to sneak more vegetables into their day.”
As demand for vegetable-centric meal options grows, CPK has put a heightened focus on adding its creative twist to the trend. CPK’s Cauliflower Pizza Crust follows recent vegetable-focused menu introductions such as Spicy Buffalo Cauliflower, Shrimp Scampi Fettuccine with zucchini ribbons and protein-packed Power Bowls layered with fresh veggies and supergrains, among others.
Cauliflower Pizza Crust can be ordered on any CPK pizza in place of classic hand-tossed dough or crispy thin crust for an additional $2.50. For an introductory, limited-time offer, guests can enjoy a complimentary substitution of Cauliflower Pizza Crust from January 30 through National Pizza Day, February 9.
“In addition to launching our Cauliflower Pizza Crust nationwide, we’re also excited to introduce the seasonal Citrus Adobo Pizza, available for a limited time,” continues Sullivan. “This pizza was created by CPK’s 2017 Pizza Chef of the Year, Abimelet ‘Abi’ Morales, from our King of Prussia, Penn. restaurant. Abi, who started at California Pizza Kitchen more than 10 years ago, won our highly competitive annual company pizza making contest with this inventive creation that features slow-cooked pork carnitas tossed in our housemade ancho chili adobo sauce, with sweet white corn, roasted peppers, quesadilla and Monterey Jack cheeses, fresh cilantro and lime, served with a side of spicy chili de arbol salsa. One taste and you’ll see why Abi and his pizza received CPK’s top honor!”
Additional new menu items include:
- Mexican Street Corn—Creamy sweet corn removed from the cob and roasted with smoked paprika, Feta and Parmesan, served with fresh cilantro, lime and housemade ranchito sauce.
- Spiked Cucumber—Made with your choice of vodka, rum or gin, hand-shaken with freshly puréed pineapple and cucumber, Monin Cucumber, torn mint and agave sour topped with sparkling water.
- Sparkling Berry-Lemon—A refreshing, non-alcoholic blend of Perrier Lemon Sparkling Water with a light berry flavor, fresh lemon, blueberries and thyme.
- CPK’s new Cauliflower Pizza Crust is available at all U.S. locations, excluding airport, stadium, university, and hotel locations.
