Popular California-based pizza chain silently closes one of its Sacramento-area spots

Brianna Taylor
·2 min read

Apart from California Pizza Kitchen ridding itself of a location in one of Roseville’s most popular shopping malls, it’s business as usual for the fast casual chain.

Colorful images of happy hour deals, freshly baked pizza and mocktails cover the global corporation’s social media pages. But a call to the restaurant at 1190 Roseville Parkway on Wednesday morning confirmed its closing.

“We’ve loved serving our Roseville community and thank you for your patronage” an automated message from the pizza chain in the Fountains at Roseville says, directing customers to its last standing location in the Sacramento region in Arden Fair mall.

California Pizza Kitchen filed for bankruptcy in 2020, warning hundreds of its global restaurants that it could face closures as a result, CNN, Bloomberg News and The Wall Street Journal reported.

Representatives from the Costa Mesa-based restaurant chain couldn’t be reached for comment on this story.

California Pizza Kitchen was founded in 1985 by former federal prosecutors Rick Rosenfield and Larry Flax in Beverly Hills, according to the corporation’s website.

Rick Rosenfield, left, and Larry Flax, who co-founded California Pizza Kitchen in 1985, had never waited tables before participating in the Learning Channel’s unscripted show, “Now Who’s Boss?” Illustrates PIZZA (category f), by Melinda Fulmer © 2004, The Los Angeles Times. Moved Monday, March 1, 2004. (MUST CREDIT: Los Angeles Times photo by Lori Shepler.)

The duo welded their passion for food and quality ingredients to create “innovative” foods like barbecue chicken pizza, gluten-free and cauliflower pizza crust options, and hearty grain bowls.

Roughly 40 years later, California Pizza Kitchen’s menu is stacked with pizza options of course, but also appetizers, salads, soups, pasta, burgers and sandwiches, and desserts.

House favorites include The Original BBQ Chicken Pizza with smoked gouda and cilantro, the Hand-Shaken Espresso Martini with vodka and cold brew, and the Shaking Beef Pasta tossed in garlic and sesame soy sauce.

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The extensive drink menu includes cocktails and mocktails, margaritas, sangrias, mules, wine (by the glass or bottle) and beer.

The single California Pizza Kitchen in the Sacramento region, at 1735 Arden Way in Arden Fair, operates seven days a week. Business hours are from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday through Thursday; and from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday through Saturday.

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